Route Extractor vs Pulse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Route Extractor
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View the workout routes recorded in the Fitness app on several map services, and export them as GPX files. - Save workouts recorded on Apple Watch and other devices to your workout routes. - View routes on map services other than Apple Maps (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap). - Export saved workout routes as GPX files. - Import GPX files from other apps into your workout routes. - Sync with iCloud and see the same routes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. - Available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac โ one in-app purchase covers all your devices. In-app purchase (one time) - GPX / TCX files that include heart rate, speed, and running power (outdoor runs). - TCX export โ ready to use in Garmin Connect, Strava, and others. - KML export โ in the OGC KML standard or the Google Earth extension format. - Export with a track point interval of Original, 2, 5, or 10 seconds. - Export several workout routes at once, and import several GPX files at once. - New workouts in the Fitness app are imported automatically when you open the app.
Pulse
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Your pulse, your day, your journal. Pulse is intentionally kept lean: no subscription, no cluttered interface โ just you, a moment, and an honest read on how you're actually doing. Free and open source. HOW IT WORKS โข Capture moments: a short thought, a rating from โ2 (bad) to +2 (good), optional tags and location. Done in seconds. โข Reflect on your day: one sentence of forecast in the morning, the summary in the evening โ with your own metrics like sleep, deep work, exercise, or family time. Stoic reflection questions get you started. โข Discover patterns: daily, weekly, and monthly views show you what lifts you up โ and what doesn't. Filter by a single tag to look at one area of your life on its own. Good days have reasons. โข AI coach: on request, Apple Intelligence analyzes your entries and surfaces insights about your patterns โ running entirely on your iPhone, no cloud. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS Everything lives on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. No tracking, no ads, no accounts. The full source code is public on GitHub. Export to JSON anytime. WHO IS PULSE FOR? For everyone who has failed at classic journaling: no long entries, no pressure, no streak guilt. A micro-journal that fits your life โ not the other way around. Questions or ideas? Pulse is actively developed โ your feedback shapes the roadmap.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Route Extractor at 3 against Pulse's 1. Route Extractor also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Route Extractor | Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 โ better | 26.6 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Code Tech (KR) | Marcus Dr. Raitner |
In-app purchases
Route Extractor
No in-app purchases
Pulse
No in-app purchases









