# RaceJoy vs Willow Running

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Willow Running at none against RaceJoy's 10. Willow Running also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RaceJoy sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Willow Running asks for nothing beyond the download.

RaceJoy ships an update every 2 months, Willow Running every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RaceJoy | Willow Running |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/racejoy/id596132953/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 67 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TriPerta LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/596132956) | [Accessible Ethical Apps llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895509096) |

## What reviewers say

### RaceJoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/racejoy/id596132953)

Enhance your race day experience with real-time GPS tracking, progress alerts, and motivational cheers for participants and spectators. Offers live tracking for events and training, with features like progress updates and photo sharing.

**Highlights:** Live GPS phone tracking, Send-a-Cheer motivational audio, NearMe participant alerts, MeetUp tool for location sharing, Automatic progress postings, Scored race results, Official race photos

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RaceJoy Phone Fun-Tracking | $0.99 | one-time |
| RaceJoy Phone Fun-26.2 with DONNA | $0.99 | one-time |
| RaceJoy Phone Fun-Cherry Blossom | $0.99 | one-time |
| RaceJoy Phone Fun-Pittsburgh Marathon | $0.99 | one-time |
| RaceJoy Phone Fun-Glass City Marathon | $0.99 | one-time |
| RaceJoy PhoneTrak-Vermont City Marathon | $0.99 | one-time |
| PhoneTrak-Glass City Marathon | $0.99 | one-time |
| PhoneTrak-Zions Bank Ogden Marathon | $0.99 | one-time |
| PhoneTrak-Kentucky Derby Marathon Festival | $0.99 | one-time |
| PhoneTrak-Burning River | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for tracking runners and spectators
- 🚀 Accurate mile updates and estimated finish times
- 💡 Ability to send audible cheers to runners
- 🤝 Helpful for virtual and in-person races

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable tracking
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🤔 Unintuitive and confusing interface
- 🙅‍♀️ Requires runners to have the app and phone

**Reported bugs**

- Tracking stops working mid-race
- App crashes frequently
- Inaccurate distance and pace tracking
- Notifications and updates delayed or not received

**Requested features**

- Automatic start/stop tracking
- Ability to view cheers after the race
- Integration with other fitness apps and devices
- More customization options for spectators


### Willow Running

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/willow-running/id6774236607)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RaceJoy free?

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

### Is Willow Running free?

Willow Running is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do RaceJoy or Willow Running have ads?

Neither RaceJoy nor Willow Running shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RaceJoy or Willow Running?

RaceJoy ships an update every 2 months, and Willow Running every 5 days. Most recently, RaceJoy was updated on October 13, 2026 and Willow Running on September 30, 2026.

---

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