Comparison

Runbuds vs The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Runbuds

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
Read full description

Runbuds is the social running app that is truly built for your friends first. /// THE TRACK /// ・ Your avatar moves around a physical track ・ Your friends move around the track with you ・ Pass (or get passed oh no !!!) by your friends /// LOG RUNS /// Our run tracker lets you choose between: ・ An in-app full screen view ・ Live activities on your lock screen /// GROUP RELAYS /// Run towards a shared goal: ・ Set a total distance target ・ Set a timeframe ・ Add your friends to the Relay ・ Run run run run run !!! /// BEAUTIFUL STATS & VISUALS /// ・ See beautiful visualizations of your past runs ・ Sort by date, pace, distance, or difficulty ・ Share images of your runs with your friends /// GET IN TOUCH /// ・ Hit us up with ANY feedback or requests !!! ・ Contact support@runbuds.app

About

The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

This app provides data-driven insights for self-coached athletes to optimize performance and recovery. It offers a daily readiness score, tracks training load and progress, and analyzes workouts with advanced metrics. Designed for runners, cyclists, and swimmers who prioritize informed training.

Highlights
  • Daily Training Readiness score
  • Training load and recovery tracking
  • Performance progress monitoring
  • Workout analysis with advanced metrics
  • Sleep quality and body metric tracking
  • Customizable heart rate zones
Features
Read full description

For people who like to spend time outside. Outside of their comfort zone. The Outsiders comes with hand-picked metrics to help you improve performance in an informed way. Made for self-coached athletes driven by data and planning. This is not another "do more" fitness app. The Outsiders balances intensity with recovery. If you train with intent, want clear feedback, and see training as your main side project - this may be the tool for you. *Created by the team behind Apple Watch App of the Year & Apple Design Award Winner* For cyclists, runners, swimmers, and performance-driven athletes who know what they need. ▶ TODAY – KNOW YOUR READINESS Start each day with a Training Readiness score based on the ratio of acute to chronic training load, combined with body metrics and sleep quality. This tracks the balance between recent training effort and what your body can handle, accounting for short-term trends. This helps you: • Select the right effort & intensity for the day • Build steadily toward goals • Avoid injury and overtraining All factors affecting your Readiness appear in interactive charts (Sleep, Training Load Ratio - TLR, Training Form, Body Metrics). Body metric history shows how training impacts recovery and adaptation. View data across 7 days, 4 weeks, or 6 months. Each view shows avg, max, and min values. View sleep quality, duration, stages, and consistency over 14 days. Longer periods are coming. ▶ PROGRESS – TRACK YOUR PERFORMANCE See how your training load is stacking up during the training cycles. • Balance hard training periods and recovery weeks • Training Goals: Set short- and long-term targets and track progress over time • Training Focus: choose the right type of guidance according to your goals - Polarized, Pyramid, Threshold • Track your Endurance Fitness (CTL), Cardio Fitness (VO₂ max), and cycling FTP with clear trends. Coming later: • Running FT Pace • Cycling Power Curve ▶ WORKOUTS – COMPLETE INSIGHT All your HealthKit workout history in one place. Garmin Connect supported. New workouts import automatically. Weekly, monthly, and yearly trends with detailed charts, including training load, duration, energy, distance, elevation, and number of sessions. Detailed in-workout analysis with: • Key stats • Zones (aerobic & anaerobic, traditional 5 HR zones, and cycling power zones) • Breakdown (intervals, segments, and distance splits) • Charts • Advanced metrics: Efficiency Factor, Aerobic Decoupling, Relative Intensity, and Variability Index. ▶ APPLE WATCH APP Key stats always a glance away: Training Readiness, TLR, Sleeping Heart Rate, HRV, Wrist Temperature, Respiratory Rate, Blood Oxygen, and recent Sleep. Watch app complications: • Training Readiness • Training Load Ratio ▶ WIDGETS Check Training Readiness, Body Metrics, Training Load Ratio, and Endurance Fitness on your home screen. ▶ LOCALISATION Available in 10 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese (Simpl. & Trad.), Japanese, Korean. ▶ PRIVACY The app only reads HealthKit data on your device and never stores it elsewhere. ▶ DISCLAIMER The Outsiders uses your HealthKit data and works best with >90 days of training history. If you’re new to Apple Watch or workout logging, it will need time to learn your patterns. Limited data means limited insight. Crafted with attention to detail, by real, air-breathing humans. Terms of Service: https://gentlerstories.com/theoutsiders/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://gentlerstories.com/theoutsiders/privacypolicy

Screenshots

Runbuds3 screens
The Outsiders Fitness Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Runbuds at none against The Outsiders Fitness Tracker's 5. Runbuds also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 11 days) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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. The Outsiders Fitness Tracker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Runbuds asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Runbuds holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 125 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Runbuds's written reviews are positive against 81% of The Outsiders Fitness Tracker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Runbuds ships an update every 2 days, The Outsiders Fitness Tracker every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Runbuds versus The Outsiders Fitness Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRunbudsThe Outsiders Fitness Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (64 ratings) — better4.6 (125 ratings)
Positive reviews96.3% of reviews — better80.7% of reviews
Number of ratings64125 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB160 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperLight NudgeGentler Stories LLC

Customer experience

Runbuds

All ratings64 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive96.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.7%

The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

All ratings125 ratings
Positive89.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews140 reviews
Positive80.7%
Neutral9.3%
Negative10.0%

User reviews

Runbuds

From 64 App Store ratings

What we love

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

The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

From 125 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great beginning
  • 👍 Amazing design and interface
  • 👍 Comprehensive data analysis and guidance
  • 👍 Promising tool for training and fitness goals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashed on iOS26

Bugs and requests

Runbuds

No bugs or feature requests surfaced in reviews.

The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Crash on iOS26

Requested features

3 requests
  • Complications for Apple Watch
  • Bubbles in Progress tab to show daily distance
  • Support for Chinese language

In-app purchases

None

Runbuds

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

The Outsiders Fitness Tracker

Subscriptions3
  • Outsider Absolute Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Outsider Absolute Yearly$24.991 Year
  • Outsider Absolute Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • Outsider Absolute for Life$79.99
  • Outsider Absolute for Life$119.99

Questions

Is Runbuds free?
Runbuds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Outsiders Fitness Tracker free?
The Outsiders Fitness Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Runbuds or The Outsiders Fitness Tracker?
Runbuds is rated higher. Runbuds averages 4.9 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while The Outsiders Fitness Tracker averages 4.6 from 125 ratings.
Do Runbuds or The Outsiders Fitness Tracker have ads?
Neither Runbuds nor The Outsiders Fitness Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Runbuds or The Outsiders Fitness Tracker?
Runbuds ships an update every 2 days, and The Outsiders Fitness Tracker every 11 days. Most recently, Runbuds was updated on July 4, 2026 and The Outsiders Fitness Tracker on September 21, 2026.

Other comparisons