PulseTread vs Start Running
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PulseTread
Get daily, 30-minute cardio workouts led by a celebrity trainer directly on your mobile device. Enjoy new routines every day, customize your music, and adapt workouts for various cardio equipment. Suitable for all fitness levels.
- Daily 30-minute cardio workouts
- Celebrity trainer audio guidance
- Customizable music integration
- New routines daily
- Adaptable for various cardio machines
- Suitable for all fitness levels
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PulseTread™ is the first and only subscription-based app designed to deliver a brand new, unique, and motivating 30-minute cardio workout directly to your mobile device EACH DAY! Set your own music from your own library, and get ready to rock your body. Mark Harari, Hollywood Celebrity Trainer and owner of Pulse Fitness Studio in Sherman Oaks, CA, delivers the actual body-shredding treadmill workouts from his classes each day directly to your iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad - your own daily workout periodical. Mark, his clients, and his training methods have been featured on Access Hollywood, Extra, E! Entertainment TV, Entertainment Tonight Online and in magazines such as PEOPLE, Fitness Magazine, SHAPE, and OK! Weekly, to name a few. All that is great…but what will PulseTread™ do for you? - Enjoy a free routine to get started! - Audio recordings of Mark Harari’s actual classes and training sessions, personally leading and motivating you through each challenging daily workout - A new, challenging, 30-minute run is available each day for only .99 cents...or subscribe for only $4.99/month or $39.99/year - Never the same routine repeated - Workout to your own music and playlists from your own music library - Instruction can be modified for all types of cardio equipment including elliptical, cycles, stair-step… - All levels of physical ability from beginner to advanced - Simple functionality for any user - Share your progress on Facebook and Twitter Multiple treadmill routines are available for direct, in-app download for only .99 cents… less than the cost of most 3-minute songs! Terms of Service can view viewed at: http://api.pulsefitnessstudio.com/terms.html Auto-renewable subscription information: - Payment will be charged to your 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 - Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase
Start Running
Beginner-friendly running plans to improve fitness, strength, and calorie burn. Offers guided workouts for various goals, from introductory runs to 5K training, with progress tracking and health app integration.
- Multi-week training plans
- Beginner to advanced levels
- Step-by-step workout guidance
- Audio coach
- Workout logging and progress tracking
- Apple Health integration
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Start Running without any previous experience required. Get fitter, stronger and burn more calories. Our running app’s workout routines will train you for the next stage in your running journey. Never ran before? Start with our Intro To Running plan. In 4 weeks you’ll be comfortable running without needing to stop. Looking to train for a 5k race? Give the 5K Race Builder plan a go. It’ll have you running 5k in a competitive time. Start Running will give you step by step instructions to guide you through your workout. You’ll know when to walk, jog or run and when to rest so you can steadily improve with minimal risk of injury. Each plan is designed to gradually become more challenging so your body can adapt and grow, without you burning out. Spend under an hour a day, a few times a week. You’ll be fitter, healthier and a much stronger runner! Features - Choose a multi week training plan to suit your fitness level. - Challenger workouts to work your whole body. - Audio coach to guide you through your running workouts. - Log your workouts and keep track of your overall progress. - APPLE HEALTH INTEGRATION: Connect your workouts to Health App to track your daily activity. Legal Disclaimer This app and any information given by it are for educational purposes only. They are not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any fitness program. If you upgrade to a premium Start Running subscription, payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. There is no increase in cost when renewing. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal turned off in Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. Once purchased, the current period cannot be cancelled. Any unused portion of a free trial period is forfeited if you choose to purchase a premium subscription. Find the full terms and conditions at https://www.startfitness.life/start-running-terms.html, and our privacy policy at https://www.startfitness.life/start-running-privacy.html.
Screenshots
Verdict
PulseTread and Start Running both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 68% of PulseTread's written reviews are positive against 0% of Start Running's. PulseTread also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Start Running's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. PulseTread sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Start Running sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Start Running holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 24 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of PulseTread's written reviews are positive against 0% of Start Running's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
PulseTread ships an update every 2 weeks, Start Running every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PulseTread | Start Running |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (30 ratings) | 4.4 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 67.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 30 — better | 24 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 75 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pulse Tread Fitness Studio | Vigour Group Ltd |
Customer experience
PulseTread
Start Running
Bugs and requests
PulseTread
Reported bugs
13 issues- App not working/showing anything on screen
- Issue with music player volume/song changes
- Music not working/playing
- App crashes
- Workouts not downloading
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- Previously purchased workouts lost after update
- Restore feature not working correctly
- App quits if paused for too long
- Music shuts off and needs restarting
- Playlist does not automatically forward
- App glitch with subscription charges
- App won't open
- Cannot download to iPhone
Requested features
9 requests- Allow deletion of workouts
- Integrate with Spotify and other music/audio apps (Audible, Libby)
- Redesign visuals to be less distracting
- Add landscape visuals
- Allow music to sync with trainer's pace
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- Add fast forward/rewind for music
- Integrate data with Apple Health or Activities
- More music options (Amazon Music, Pandora)
- Video content
Start Running
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PulseTread
- PulseTread Fitness7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- PulseTread Fitness1 Month trial$39.991 Year
- December 27, 2013$0.99
- January 12, 2015$0.99
- February 26, 2015$0.99
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- March 03, 2015$0.99
- February 20, 2015$0.99
- March 25th, 2016$0.99
- April 7th, 2016$0.99
- PulseTread Monthly Subscription$4.99
Start Running
- Start Running Weekly$3.997 Days
- Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
- Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Questions
Is PulseTread free?
Is Start Running free?
Which has better reviews, PulseTread or Start Running?
Do PulseTread or Start Running have ads?
Which is updated more often, PulseTread or Start Running?
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