Comparison

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® vs Pace

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

Head to head
About

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®

This app offers a 20-week training program designed for beginners aiming to complete a marathon. It utilizes a run-walk method to reduce impact and injury risk, guided by an audio coach. Features include run mapping, health app integration, and community forums.

Highlights
  • 20-week run-walk marathon training program
  • Audio coach and alerts
  • Map your run
  • Health app integration
  • Community forums
  • Light and dark modes
Features
Read full description

■ The Official Marathon Trainer App by C25K® ■ Official partners and the ONLY C25K (Couch to 5K) app featured on FITBIT and SAMSUNG smart watches! ■ Featured on The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, Men's Fitness, Forbes, Mashable, Glamour Magazine, Popsugar Fitness, CBS News, NBC News, Macworld, Cosmopolitan, Lifehacker, WebMD, and many more! From the same makers of the #1 C25K® Trainer app, Marathon Trainer follows the same successful recipe to create an easy simple 26.2 (42k) program. Ideal for first-time marathoners and those who are new to running. The program uses a blend of running and power walking in training and racing. You’ll soon be able to run-walk the entire marathon. ≈ Free Trial ≈ ◉ Train the first week for free! ◉ Train to complete a full 26.2 (42k) marathon using a RUN/WALK ratio See thousands of real success stories and race photos of your fellow runners using these running program at Facebook.com/c25kfree This proven 20 week plan is designed for beginners. The run/walk breaks help make the full marathon less grueling and reduces the overall impact and risk of injury. Don’t think that just because walking is involved that your time will be slower or that you'll be accomplishing less. Many veteran runners have posted personal best times after switching to this run walk method! Using a ratio of running and walking will better manage your fatigue and give you the muscle resource and mental confidence to handle the later parts of the race. Turn on our award winning music and just press start! Our audio coach will guide you through your run! It's that easy! ≈ Less is More ≈ ◎ Easy to learn. Just press start! ◎ Ideal for beginners. ◎ 20 weeks total. ≈ Features ≈ ◉ Proven 20 week marathon training run-walk program (1st week free) ◉ Convenient audio coach and alerts ◉ Map your run at the end of your workout! ◉ Light and dark modes ◉ Health app integration ◉ Free iPad integration for indoor treadmills ◉ Integrated with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram ◉ Access to our forums with thousands of veterans and newcomers starting the app. Join the community and meet other runners! ≈ NEW Zen Unlimited Pass - Try it for free! ≈ ◉ Award winning music curated from top DJ's! ◉ Scientifically proven to increase motivation by 35% ◉ Unlimited access to all pro features across ALL Zen Labs Fitness running apps ◉ Unlock calories, distance, Apple watch integration, and more ◉ Full access to C25K, 10K, 13.1, and 26.2 programs ◉ 4 apps for the price of 1! One subscription, multiple apps! Questions/comments? Email us at contactus@zenlabsfitness.com or visit us at www.zenlabsfitness.com. ≈ Connect ≈ Facebook: @C25Kfree Twitter: @C25Kfree Instagram: @officialc25k Hashtag: #C25K Zen Labs is a proud supporter of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. breastcancerdeadline2020.org Subscription pricing and terms: The subscription will automatically renew unless turned off in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before current period ends. You can go to your iTunes Account settings to manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew. Your iTunes Account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. If you subscribe before your free trial ends, the rest of your free trial period will be forfeited as soon as your purchase is confirmed. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use: https://www.zenlabsfitness.com/privacy-policy/ Apple Standard Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Legal Disclaimer This app and any information given by it or by Zen Labs LLC are for educational purposes only. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any fitness program. C25K® is a registered trademark of Zen Labs LLC

About

Pace

This real-time pace coach and run tracker guides your speed to help you hit your target pace. It monitors your intensity throughout your run, preventing you from starting too fast or slowing down. Suitable for all runners, it aids in structuring training runs for faster results.

Highlights
  • Real-time pace coaching
  • Run tracking
  • Speed guidance
  • Intensity monitoring
  • Background operation
  • Privacy focused
Features
Read full description

PaceSetter is a real time pace coach and run tracker. It tracks your pace and guides your speed to keep you on target. Join the growing number of PaceSetter users who are smashing their personal bests! No Ads. No Subscriptions. No Sign Up. Just set your target pace and run! Your privacy is very important to us - PaceSetter doesn't store, transmit or share your location data. Ever. PaceSetter keeps you aware of your speed to ensure you maintain intensity throughout your run. Don't start too fast, don't slow down, finish strong. Suitable for all running abilities. Use PaceSetter for pace guidance, motivation and to structure your training runs to get faster. PaceSetter will track your pace in the background so you can listen to music while you run.

Screenshots

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®4 screens
Pace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® at 4.7 against Pace's 4.1. Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 10) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 6 months). Pace's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price and iOS requirement 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. Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Pace asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® has 1.7K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®'s written reviews are positive against 69% of Pace's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® ships an update every 6 weeks, Pace every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® versus Pace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®Pace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.7K ratings) — better4.1 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews46.7% of reviews69.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.7K — better10
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size319 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZen LabsGlen Ferris

Customer experience

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®

All ratings1,659 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews105 reviews
Positive46.7%
Neutral7.6%
Negative45.7%

Pace

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.8%

Bugs and requests

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Workouts not syncing properly
  • Notifications and audio cues not working consistently
  • App crashing after recent updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to customize training plan
  • Option to view past workout stats
  • Standalone Apple Watch app functionality
  • Volume control for audio cues
  • Integration with other fitness apps

Pace

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K®

Subscriptions4
  • Zen Unlimited Pass Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Unlock Your Potential7 Days trial$29.993 Months
  • Unlock Your Potential1 Month trial$29.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Zen Unlimited Pass Annual7 Days trial$74.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlock Workout List$0.99
None

Pace

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® free?
Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pace free?
Pace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® or Pace?
Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® is rated higher. Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Pace averages 4.1 from 10 ratings.
Do Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® or Pace have ads?
Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® shows ads; Pace does not.
Which is updated more often, Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® or Pace?
Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® ships an update every 6 weeks, and Pace every 6 months. Most recently, Marathon 26.2 Trainer by C25K® was updated on November 3, 2026 and Pace on November 2, 2026.

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