# Runbuds vs Runify

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Runbuds at none against Runify's 15. Runbuds also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 66%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). Runify's advantage is ratings volume (244 vs 64) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Runify sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Runbuds asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Runbuds against 4.8 for Runify. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 244 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 96% of Runbuds's written reviews are positive against 66% of Runify's.

Runbuds ships an update every 2 days, Runify fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Runbuds | Runify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runbuds/id6744413545/reviews)** | [4.8 (244 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runify-running-tracker/id6746146450/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 64 | **244** |
| Positive reviews | **96.3% of reviews** | 65.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Light Nudge](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731016560) | [OneDegree Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850531994) |

## What reviewers say

### Runbuds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runbuds/id6744413545)

This app allows you to run with friends in real-time, seeing each other's avatars on a virtual track. It includes a run tracker with lock screen support, group relay challenges, and detailed performance statistics with shareable visualizations.

**Highlights:** Real-time avatar tracking, Live lock screen activities, Group relay challenges, Detailed run statistics, Shareable run visualizations

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun interface
- 👍 Seamless performance
- 👍 Actively updated with new features
- 👍 Motivating community
- 👍 Social and engaging


### Runify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runify-running-tracker/id6746146450)

This app transforms your runs into a competitive experience. Earn XP, unlock new tiers, and climb leaderboards by tracking your progress and challenging friends. Visualize your journey with detailed stats and share your achievements.

**Highlights:** Gamified running with XP and ranks, Competitive leaderboards (friends, global, local), Track distance, pace, and consistency, Unlock visual ranks and tiers, Share post-run visuals, Visualize progress with graphs and history

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Runify Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Runify Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Runify Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Runify Pro | $14.99 | per 7 days |
| Runify Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| Runify Pro | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and addictive app
- 👍 Encourages and motivates users to run
- 💡 Competitive ranking system
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable running experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with Garmin and Strava
- 🔒 Concerns about location sharing
- 💰 Ranks locked behind paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues with Garmin and Strava
- Potential location sharing concerns

**Requested features**

- Improve sync functionality with fitness trackers
- Provide more transparency on location sharing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Runbuds free?

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

### Is Runify free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Runbuds or Runify?

Runbuds is rated higher. Runbuds averages 4.9 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while Runify averages 4.8 from 244 ratings.

### Do Runbuds or Runify have ads?

Neither Runbuds nor Runify shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Runbuds or Runify?

Runbuds ships an update every 2 days, and Runify fortnightly. Most recently, Runbuds was updated on July 4, 2026 and Runify on October 1, 2026.

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