Comparison

NXT RUN vs AthloForge

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

Head to head
About

NXT RUN

This AI-powered running coach creates adaptive training plans for various race distances. It offers real-time coaching, workout adjustments, and syncs with popular fitness devices and platforms. Analyze your performance with detailed metrics and earn rewards for personal bests.

Highlights
  • Personalized marathon training plans
  • Real-time AI coaching and feedback
  • Flexible workouts that adapt to your life
  • Syncs with Garmin, Apple Watch & Strava
  • Advanced performance analytics
  • Earn medals and trophies for personal bests
Features
Read full description

Train for your next PR with a plan built around you, and a human coach when you want one. This isn't an app built overnight. NXT RUN is years of work by runners who coach, and it has already coached several runners to Boston qualifiers. NXT RUN builds a personalized, adaptive training plan for your goal race: enter your race date, distance (800m to marathon), current fitness, weekly mileage, and the days you can run. Your plan adjusts every week based on how you actually train. 1:1 COACHING WITH A HUMAN COACH Work directly with a human coach, not software. Your coach adjusts your plan, reviews your workouts and races, and answers your messages in the app, with video calls when you want to talk it through. Coaching is led by NXT RUN's founder: a 14:40 5K and 30:59 10K runner who has spent 15 years building apps for serious runners and has personally coached several marathoners under 3 hours. 1:1 coaching is a separate plan. It is not included with Pro or Basic. MEET PACE, YOUR AI COACH Ask questions, move workouts, and make any run easier or harder with one tap. PACE updates your paces after every run based on how workouts felt, so you are always training at the right effort. WORKS WITH YOUR WATCH Your next 7 workouts sync automatically to Garmin, Apple Watch, and COROS. Completed runs sync back and match to your plan. Strava supported too. BUILT FOR RACING • Race time predictor that updates as you get fitter • Best efforts and trophies across distances: all time, this year, this plan • Grade-adjusted pace and detailed analysis on every run • Structured workouts: intervals, tempo, hills, long runs, strides TRAIN TO QUALIFY Chasing Boston? Annual Pro members who qualify while training with NXT RUN get $120 toward their Boston entry with the BQ Bonus (terms apply). BUILT BY RUNNERS NXT RUN is a family business run by a husband and wife team in Boulder, Colorado. Both are runners and coaches, including a 2:59 marathoner with 10+ marathons. Real coaching experience, built into software. PRICING Start with 10 days free. NXT RUN Pro: $39.99/month or $239.99/year. NXT RUN Basic: $9.99/month or $59.99/year. 1:1 coaching is a separate plan. Prices may vary by region. Questions? support+nxtrun@enduranceapps.com Train smarter. Race faster.

About

AthloForge

Organize team training with workouts, schedules, and media. Coaches can build plans on the web, while athletes track progress and access practice videos within the app. Streamline team management without scattered communication or disorganized files.

Highlights
  • Workout creation and assignment
  • Calendar event scheduling
  • Practice media recording and uploading
  • Media tagging for easy retrieval
  • Web and in-app access
  • Team training organization
Read full description

AthloForge brings your team’s training into one place. Coaches can plan workouts and schedule training from the web, while athletes can see what’s coming up and complete workouts directly in the app. Teams can also record, upload, and organize practice video so technique is easier to review and share. Built for coaches and athletes who want a simpler way to stay organized without relying on paper workouts, scattered messages, or messy video folders.

Screenshots

NXT RUN4 screens
AthloForge3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AthloForge at none against NXT RUN's 19. AthloForge also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). NXT RUN's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 11 days). On price, device support 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. NXT RUN sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. AthloForge asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AthloForge holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NXT RUN has 38 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NXT RUN ships an update every 4 days, AthloForge every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
NXT RUN versus AthloForge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNXT RUNAthloForge
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (38 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings38 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size156 MB74 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRunning Apps & Fitness Plans LLCFitForge LLC

Customer experience

NXT RUN

All ratings37 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative25.0%

AthloForge

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

19 purchases

NXT RUN

Subscriptions19
  • NXT RUN Basic Month$14.991 Month
  • NXT RUN - 1 Month7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • 50% Off NXT RUN Month$19.991 Month
Show 16 more
  • NXT RUN Month$19.991 Month
  • NXT RUN - 1 Month$19.991 Month
  • NXT RUN 1 Month Subscription$24.991 Month
  • NXT RUN Month Subscription$24.991 Month
  • NXT RUN Pro Monthly$39.991 Month
  • NXT RUN Year Secret Discount$59.991 Year
  • Year Special Discount$59.991 Year
  • NXT RUN Basic Year$99.991 Year
  • NXT RUN Year Special Discount$119.991 Year
  • NXT RUN Year Subscription$119.991 Year
  • NXT RUN - 1 Year7 Days trial$149.991 Year
  • NXT RUN Year1 Year trial$149.991 Year
  • NXT RUN 1 Year Subscription$199.991 Year
  • 50% Off NXT RUN Pro$239.991 Year
  • 50% Off NXT RUN Pro Year$239.991 Year
  • NXT RUN Pro Year$239.991 Year
None

AthloForge

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NXT RUN free?
NXT RUN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AthloForge free?
AthloForge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NXT RUN or AthloForge?
AthloForge is rated higher. NXT RUN averages 4.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while AthloForge averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do NXT RUN or AthloForge have ads?
NXT RUN shows ads; AthloForge does not.
Which is updated more often, NXT RUN or AthloForge?
NXT RUN ships an update every 4 days, and AthloForge every 11 days. Most recently, NXT RUN was updated on October 27, 2026 and AthloForge on October 25, 2026.

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