Comparison

Zone 2 vs RunBeat

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

Head to head
About

Zone 2

This app helps you track your weekly workout time spent in the Zone 2 heart rate range. It provides detailed tracking, connectivity with various heart rate monitors and Strava, and real-time feedback on your progress towards your fitness goals.

Highlights
  • Weekly, monthly, and daily zone tracking
  • Strava connectivity
  • Home and Lock Screen widgets
  • Bluetooth heart rate monitor compatibility
  • Apple Watch app with live feedback
  • Heart rate zone calculator
Features
Read full description

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/

About

RunBeat

This app provides real-time audio coaching for heart rate zone training and interval workouts. It guides you to stay in your target zone or complete specific interval structures without needing to look at your screen. Compatible with various Bluetooth heart rate monitors and smartwatches.

Highlights
  • Real-time heart rate zone audio coaching
  • Supports Zone 2 and VO₂ Max intervals
  • Customizable interval training programs
  • Automatic music playlist switching
  • Works with Bluetooth HR monitors and smartwatches
  • Training log with session history
Features
Read full description

Nail every session. Just listen and run. Train Zone 2, race pace, and VO2 max with RunBeat, your audio running coach. Real-time voice guidance keeps you in zone or on pace. Add intervals like Norwegian 4×4 or 1 km repeats, and it calls every rep. ZONE TRAINING Pick your target heart rate zone. RunBeat monitors live heart rate and coaches you to speed up or slow down to stay in zone. PACE TRAINING Train the pace you’ll need on race day, whether that’s a 5K, a marathon, or the runs between HYROX stations. RunBeat monitors your live pace and coaches you to speed up or slow down to stay on target. DISTANCE INTERVALS Speedwork. 1 km repeats or build your own, measured by GPS. Voice callouts at every rep. Apple Music playlists switch between work and rest. TIMED INTERVALS VO2 Max work. Norwegian 4×4 or build your own. Voice callouts at every transition. Apple Music playlists switch between work and rest. WORKS WITH YOUR GEAR Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3, or any Bluetooth HR monitor, including Google Fitbit Air, Whoop, Polar, Garmin, Coros, and Wahoo. Auto-reconnects. Watch app shows live zone on wrist. ACTIVITY Time in each zone, HR over time chart, work/rest breakdowns, rep splits, session history, plus distance, pace, and your route on the map. Saves every workout to Apple Health. WHY RUNBEAT Eyes forward. Train by ear. Audio coaching handles zones, pace, intervals, and reps, so you can focus on running. RUNBEAT PRO First training free. Then a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime. Privacy: https://runbeat.app/privacy Terms: https://runbeat.app/terms

Screenshots

Zone 24 screens
RunBeat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RunBeat at 100% against Zone 2's 74%. RunBeat also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6). Zone 2's advantage is ratings volume (243 vs 15). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Zone 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and RunBeat sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RunBeat holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zone 2 has 243 ratings behind it against 15, 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 RunBeat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Zone 2 ships an update every 8 days, RunBeat every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Zone 2 versus RunBeat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZone 2RunBeat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (243 ratings)4.9 (15 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings243 — better15
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShannon BolickMushin Labs, LLC

Customer experience

Zone 2

All ratings243 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews58 reviews
Positive74.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative24.1%

RunBeat

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
Show 4 more
  • 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
Show 3 more
  • 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

RunBeat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Zone 2

Subscriptions2
  • Unlock All - Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Unlock All - Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
2 purchases

RunBeat

Subscriptions2
  • RunBeat Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • RunBeat Pro7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Zone 2 free?
Zone 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RunBeat free?
RunBeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Zone 2 or RunBeat?
RunBeat is rated higher. Zone 2 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 243 ratings, while RunBeat averages 4.9 from 15 ratings.
Do Zone 2 or RunBeat have ads?
Neither Zone 2 nor RunBeat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Zone 2 or RunBeat?
Zone 2 ships an update every 8 days, and RunBeat every 5 days. Most recently, Zone 2 was updated on October 25, 2026 and RunBeat on October 25, 2026.

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