Zone 2 vs PulsePacer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Zone 2
This app tracks your weekly workout time spent in Zone 2 heart rate, optimizing endurance and fat-burning. It connects with various Bluetooth heart rate monitors and Apple Watch for live feedback and integrates with existing workout data.
- Weekly, monthly, daily zone tracking
- Strava connectivity
- Home and Lock Screen widgets
- Bluetooth HR monitor compatibility
- Apple Watch app with live tracking
- Heart rate zone calculator
- Live activities on Dynamic Island/Lock Screen
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Zone 2 app tracks how much of your weekly workout time is performed in the zone 2 heart rate range, typically between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. Aiming for 150 minutes or more of weekly exercise in zone 2 is recommended, as it optimizes endurance, enhances fat-burning efficiency, and fosters sustainable fitness gains by maintaining a balance between intensity and recovery. The optimal number of minutes to spend in zone 2 per week can vary based on individual fitness levels. _____________________ If you do not have an Apple Watch, you can connect common Bluetooth heart rate monitors, such as the Polar H10, Garmin chest strap, and new Garmin watches, to view your heart rate zone progress live during a workout. If you have an Apple Watch, use the Apple Watch app to see zones live on your wrist with haptic feedback, Siri announcements, and health metrics. If you already have a different app you like for tracking workouts, no worries; Zone 2 uses all workouts saved to your device with heart rate data to calculate your weekly zone minutes. *** Features Include *** • Weekly, monthly, & daily zone tracking based on your weekly goal with multiple chart viewing options • Strava connectivity to upload Zone 2 created distance workouts to your Strava profile • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for weekly Zone 2 goal progress • Compatibility with common Bluetooth heart rate monitors for live zone reporting during workouts with optional audio feedback • Apple Watch app with live zone total calculations, multiple workout screens, and optional haptic feedback and alerts • Apple Watch to iPhone mirroring during live workouts to see heart rate on the larger iPhone screen • Zone goal or open goal modes for tracking workouts • Heart rate zone calculator • Live activities on the Dynamic Island or Lock Screen _____________________ What is zone 2 heart rate training? Zone 2 training refers to exercise performed at a moderate intensity that keeps your heart rate in a specific heart rate zone, typically between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. This is the heart rate zone where your body is able to utilize oxygen most efficiently, which can lead to a range of benefits for your fitness and health. Zone 2 training is important for a number of reasons, including: • Improved aerobic capacity: By training in the zone 2 heart rate range, your body becomes more efficient at using oxygen to produce energy, which can improve your overall aerobic capacity. • Increased fat burning: During moderate-intensity exercise, your body relies more on fat as a source of fuel, which can help to improve your body composition and reduce body fat. • Improved cardiovascular health: Regular exercise in the zone 2 heart rate range can help to strengthen your heart and improve blood flow, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. • Increased endurance: Training at a moderate intensity can help to improve your endurance and stamina, which can be particularly helpful for endurance athletes such as long-distance runners or cyclists. _______________ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
PulsePacer
This running companion helps you stay in your target heart rate zones during workouts. It connects to Bluetooth heart rate monitors and provides audio cues when you drift out of zone, keeping you focused on your pace without distractions.
- Bluetooth heart rate monitor integration
- Audio cues for heart rate zones
- Focus on pace and rhythm
- Simple setup process
- On-device data processing
- Privacy-focused design
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Ever find yourself glued to your screen during a run, obsessively checking your heart rate instead of focusing on your pace? PulsePacer fixes that. It’s the running companion that takes the guesswork out of heart rate zone training. No more distractions, no more breaking your rhythm. Here’s how it works: PulsePacer connects to your Bluetooth heart rate monitor (think Wahoo TICKR, Polar H10, Garmin HRM Dual, and more) and keeps track of your heart rate zones for you. When you slip out of your target zone, it gives you a quick audio nudge—right over your music, without drowning it out. The app is as straightforward as it gets: 1. Set your max heart rate. 2. Sync your heart rate monitor. 3. Start running. That’s it. Everything is processed right on your iPhone, so your data stays private, and the app stays fast. With its clean, no-frills design, PulsePacer won’t bog you down with extras you don’t need—it’s built to keep you focused on your run and nothing else. Whether you’re mastering Zone 2 endurance or pushing through interval sessions, PulsePacer keeps you in control, all without pulling you out of the moment. Available now for iOS 16.0 and up. Download it today from the App Store, and let PulsePacer take care of the zones while you take care of the miles. Privacy Policy: https://pulsepacer.com/privacy-policy EULA: https://pulsepacer.com/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Zone 2 at weekly against PulsePacer's every 2 months. Zone 2 also leads on ratings volume (243 vs 2). PulsePacer's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 74%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Zone 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PulsePacer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PulsePacer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zone 2 has 243 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Zone 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of PulsePacer's.
Zone 2 ships an update weekly, PulsePacer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Zone 2 | PulsePacer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (243 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 243 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shannon Bolick | Andreas Scherman |
Customer experience
Zone 2
PulsePacer
Bugs and requests
Zone 2
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes on iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 16 with latest iOS
- Watch disconnects constantly during workouts
- Tracking stops mid-workout without saving data
- Bluetooth connectivity issues with Polar and other HR monitors
- App freezes at various points during exercise
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- Landscape mode flicks back to portrait automatically
- App continues running in background after closing
- Mirroring to iPhone functionality broken in version 2.7
- Random disconnections from Apple Watch
Requested features
8 requests- Calorie burn tracking and display
- Landscape orientation support for treadmills and rowers
- More specific workout categories beyond provided options
- Music control integration (play, pause, skip)
- Step tracking during workouts
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- Expanded time period views for zone totals
- Voice notifications through headphones instead of watch speakers
- Option to disable Zone 2 goal for live-only tracking
PulsePacer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Zone 2
- Unlock All - Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Unlock All - Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
PulsePacer
- PulsePacer Premium$9.991 Year
- PulsePacer Plus$9.99








