# Bicycling vs TrainerRoad

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TrainerRoad at 82% against Bicycling's 22%. TrainerRoad also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Bicycling's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bicycling sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and TrainerRoad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $21.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TrainerRoad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TrainerRoad has 21K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Bicycling's written reviews are positive against 82% of TrainerRoad's.

Bicycling ships an update every 3 months, TrainerRoad weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bicycling | TrainerRoad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bicycling/id470946258/reviews) | **[4.9 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainerroad/id934224107/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **21K** |
| Positive reviews | 22.4% of reviews | **81.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 61 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hearst Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342026653) | [Trainer Road, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/934224106) |

## What reviewers say

### Bicycling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bicycling/id470946258)

Discover the best cycling routes, gear recommendations, and fitness advice. This app offers practical tips for both experienced racers and beginners to enhance their riding experience. Enjoy exclusive content and share articles easily.

**Highlights:** Bike and gear recommendations, Fitness and strength advice, Beautiful road and trail guides, Practical tips for all cyclists, Social media sharing, Timed issue previews

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bicycling 1 Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Bicycling 1 Year Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Bicycling Tour De France Photo Guide | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bicycling Jan / Feb 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| April 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| May 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Jan/Feb 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| March 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| April 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| April 2014 | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Informative content
- 🚲 Helpful for cyclists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔒 Login issues
- 💸 Confusing subscription model
- 🔌 Offline reading problems
- 🤯 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and becomes unusable
- Issues with downloading and restoring purchases
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Bookmark feature to save progress
- Improved navigation and UI
- Seamless integration with print subscription


### TrainerRoad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainerroad/id934224107)

This app offers intelligent cycling and triathlon training plans that adapt to your performance, schedule, and goals. It provides daily workout recommendations, instant analysis, and over 3,000 structured workouts to help you become a faster cyclist.

**Highlights:** Adaptive Training plans, Daily workout recommendations, Progression Levels, 100+ training plans, 3,000+ structured workouts, Interactive Training Calendar, Indoor/outdoor training

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TrainerRoad Standard | $21.99 | per month |
| TrainerRoad Standard | $209.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Makes Training Dead Simple
- 🚀 Continual Improvement
- 🚀 Excellent Training Platform
- 🚀 Transformational and Uplifting
- 🚀 Brilliant to Manage Burnout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Horrible App, Constantly Crashing
- 🐛 App is Always Slow and Buggy
- 🔋 Expensive Compared to Alternatives

**Reported bugs**

- Devices not always picked up
- Power spikes to twice FTP

**Requested features**

- Apple TV support
- Better integration with Apple Health


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bicycling free?

Bicycling is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TrainerRoad free?

TrainerRoad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bicycling or TrainerRoad?

TrainerRoad is rated higher. Bicycling averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while TrainerRoad averages 4.9 from 21K ratings.

### Do Bicycling or TrainerRoad have ads?

Neither Bicycling nor TrainerRoad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bicycling or TrainerRoad?

Bicycling ships an update every 3 months, and TrainerRoad weekly. Most recently, Bicycling was updated on October 20, 2026 and TrainerRoad on October 27, 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.*