Comparison

5K Runner vs Quick Steps

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

5K Runner

This app guides users from being inactive to running a 5K in 8 weeks with a structured, 30-minute daily program. It features a human coach voice, music integration, and GPS tracking to help you achieve your fitness goals.

Highlights
  • 8-week structured training plan
  • Alternating walk/run intervals
  • Human coach voice guidance
  • Music integration
  • GPS and distance tracking
  • Earn achievements and badges
Features
Read full description

- The OFFICIAL 5K Runner® Couch potato to 5K app. - Get in shape and lose weight in 8 weeks - 4.2 Million People successfully did it - Featured on CNN, Fox, USA Today, Times, Fitness Channel, Apple's "New & Noteworthy", AppAdvice, AppCraver, Best10Apps, Appolicious, Daily Motion, AppOfTheDay, MakeUseOf, the iPhone App Review, Remix Your Health, AppShopper, Apple's Top Health & Fitness apps, and so many others… - 8 Weeks, 3 Times a week, 30 Minutes a day Get ready to start your new healthy life. ——————————————————— This app has won multiple awards (see below), is the most effective & popular 0-5K app and is highly recommended by health & fitness experts. Simply Gets Results ◉ The most effective 0 to 5K app ◉ Nothing to learn. Just press start ◉ Excellent for Weight Loss Features ● All Features fully enabled, and no ads ● Alternating walk / run intervals ● Run segments gradually increase over 8 weeks ● Human coach voice through your headphones that tells you when to walk / run. ● Listen to your music and the coach will blend in ● Control music through the app or headphones ● Compatible with Nike+ and all other GPS apps ● Compatible with all music apps ● Giant community of 0-5K runners on Facebook ● Earn achievements & badges as you advance ● Integrated with Facebook & Twitter ● Outdoors or Treadmill GPS & Apple Health ● Built in GPS & Distance Tracking, also when app is in background ● Integrated with Apple Health for Calorie calculation & saving workouts NOTE: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. We’re here for you ● We gladly answer all questions - just ask us at: support@fitness22.com Praise - 4.2 Million People successfully did it - Awards: Best 5K Training App, Best Running App, Editor's Choice, Top fitness app, Best Beginner App, Top Quality App, Best fitness and nutrition apps. - Featured on CNN, Fox, USA Today, Times, Fitness Channel, Apple's "New & Noteworthy", AppAdvice, AppCraver, Best10Apps, Appolicious, Daily Motion, AppOfTheDay, MakeUseOf, the iPhone App Review, Remix Your Health, AppShopper, Apple's Top Health & Fitness apps, and so many others. - Recommended by doctors on healthTap.com - See real life success stories on facebook.com/5K.Runner.Community Press Reviews "If you thought that you could never run - get ready for a BIG surprise. With this app - you will run" "It's a great App, I was hooked by the second run, and it kept me running" "If you want to start running and to keep running - this app will do it for you" "One of the best iPhone running apps I’ve tested."  "This application is a must-have fitness trainer for anyone trying to catch the running bug or getting ready for a major running event" "This app is amazingly effective and will help you achieve that coveted 5K distance. If you want to get running, this app is a must.“ This app includes an auto renewing subscription which enables content/workouts - Subscription options are monthly - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication." ● Privacy Policy: https://www.fitness22.com/privacy-policy ● Terms of use: http://fitness22content.com/Components/WebPages/TermsOfUse/TermsOfUse.html --- CONTACT US --- Dear customers, we are here for you! support@fitness22.com

About

Quick Steps

This app helps runners improve their stride rate to increase speed and reduce injury risk. It provides audio cues to guide your pace and tracks your running activity, even when in the background. Customize your target cadence for personalized training.

Highlights
  • Improve running cadence
  • Audio step-sound cues
  • Customizable target cadence
  • Background activity tracking
  • Run summary with average cadence
  • Reduce injury risk
Features
Read full description

Quick Steps is a fitness app to help improve your running cadence (steps per minute). 180 steps per minute has been recognised as the ideal running cadence. By increasing your cadence, you will be able to run faster and will be less prone to certain types of injury. The free version of Quick Steps defaults to a cadence of 180 steps per minute and will display your current cadence and activity time. It will also play a step-sound at 180 beats per minute to allow you to synchronise your cadence to 180. Through in-app purchase, you can change the target cadence to suit your needs. Using this feature, you can ease towards 180 steps per minute. If you put Quick Steps in the background the sound will continue to play, allowing you to add cadence training to your workout alongside other fitness apps. Quick Steps still tracks your activity, even in the background. At the end of your run, hold down the stop button to finish and show a summary of your activity, including an average cadence.

Screenshots

5K Runner4 screens
Quick Steps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 5K Runner at 71% against Quick Steps's 0%. 5K Runner also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 13 months). Quick Steps's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (10.3 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. 5K Runner sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 3 months and Quick Steps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

5K Runner holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 5K Runner has 119K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of 5K Runner's written reviews are positive against 0% of Quick Steps's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

5K Runner ships an update every 6 weeks, Quick Steps every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
5K Runner versus Quick Steps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter5K RunnerQuick Steps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (119K ratings) — better1.0 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews70.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings119K — better8
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 13 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#136 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.010.3 — better
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFITNESS22 LTDRichard Levy

Customer experience

5K Runner

All ratings118,759 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews945 reviews
Positive70.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative24.0%

Quick Steps

All ratings8 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

5K Runner

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Syncing issues between iPhone and Apple Watch
  • Crashes and freezes during use
  • Inability to delete user account or workout history

Requested features

5 requests
  • More detailed performance tracking
  • Customizable voice prompts
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Ability to edit workout history
  • Smoother transition between run/walk intervals

Quick Steps

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

5K Runner

Subscriptions7
  • Premium Subscription$7.993 Months
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$7.993 Months
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial$9.993 Months
Show 4 more
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial$14.993 Months
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial$15.993 Months
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$19.993 Months
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial$29.993 Months
One-time2
  • Lifetime Premium$9.99
  • Lifetime Premium$19.99
1 purchases

Quick Steps

One-time1
  • Change Target Cadence$0.99

Questions

Is 5K Runner free?
5K Runner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Quick Steps free?
Quick Steps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, 5K Runner or Quick Steps?
5K Runner is rated higher. 5K Runner averages 4.9 out of 5 from 119K ratings, while Quick Steps averages 1.0 from 8 ratings.
Do 5K Runner or Quick Steps have ads?
Neither 5K Runner nor Quick Steps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 5K Runner or Quick Steps?
5K Runner ships an update every 6 weeks, and Quick Steps every 13 months. Most recently, 5K Runner was updated on October 26, 2026 and Quick Steps on October 19, 2026.

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