# Runner's World vs The Program by Bandit Running

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Program by Bandit Running at 73% against Runner's World's 20%. The Program by Bandit Running also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Runner's World's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 115). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Runner's World sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The Program by Bandit Running asks for nothing beyond the download.

Runner's World holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Runner's World has 2.4K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of Runner's World's written reviews are positive against 73% of The Program by Bandit Running's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Runner's World ships an update every 2 months, The Program by Bandit Running every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Runner's World | The Program by Bandit Running |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runners-world/id470601468/reviews)** | [3.9 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-program-by-bandit-running/id6505125026/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | 20.3% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#191** | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hearst Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342026653) | [Bandit Running](https://appshunter.io/developer/1755262308) |

## What reviewers say

### Runner's World

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runners-world/id470601468)

**Currently charting:** #191 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

This app serves as a comprehensive guide for runners of all levels, offering inspiration and advice to improve performance and enjoyment. It allows users to access magazine content, share articles, and manage subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Running inspiration and advice, Content for all runner levels, Magazine issue access, Social sharing of content, Subscription management, Timed issue previews

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RW 1 Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Runner's World 1 Year Renewable Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| The Trail 2012 | $0.99 | one-time |
| January 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| February 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| April 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| January 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| February 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| April 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| August 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and smooth app experience
- 📰 Excellent magazine content
- 🌟 Helpful running-related information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Subscription and login issues
- 📥 Difficulty downloading and accessing content
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost

**Reported bugs**

- App not recognizing valid subscriptions
- Inability to download or read magazine issues
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to save reading progress
- Offline content access
- Improved navigation and user interface


### The Program by Bandit Running

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-program-by-bandit-running/id6505125026)

This app offers a free guided training experience for marathon and half marathon runners. It generates personalized training plans based on your race, goal time, and weekly mileage. Get instant answers to training questions with the integrated coach feature.

**Highlights:** Free guided training plans, Marathon and half marathon focus, Personalized plan generation, Interactive training schedule, Instant coach answers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent training program
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🎉 Customizable to user goals
- 🎉 Helpful insights and advice
- 👍 Clean and simple interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Account creation issues
- 🐛 Blank screen on launch

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Account creation problems

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Runner's World free?

Runner's World is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Program by Bandit Running free?

The Program by Bandit Running is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Runner's World or The Program by Bandit Running?

Runner's World is rated higher. Runner's World averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while The Program by Bandit Running averages 3.9 from 115 ratings.

### Do Runner's World or The Program by Bandit Running have ads?

Neither Runner's World nor The Program by Bandit Running shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Runner's World or The Program by Bandit Running?

Runner's World ships an update every 2 months, and The Program by Bandit Running every 2 weeks. Most recently, Runner's World was updated on October 24, 2026 and The Program by Bandit Running on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*