Comparison

Walking Tracker vs Marathon Buddy

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

Head to head
About

Walking Tracker

This app acts as a personal walking diary, elegantly tracking your routes, steps, distance, and duration. It allows you to record voice notes, take photos, and capture thoughts during your walks, focusing on reflection rather than performance metrics.

Highlights
  • Route tracking with GPS
  • Step, distance, and duration recording
  • Voice note recording and transcription
  • Photo capture during walks
  • Private data storage on device
  • iCloud syncing option
Features
Read full description

Footnotes is your walking journal. Every walk is quietly tracked (route, steps, distance, weather) and every thought along the way is saved: voice notes transcribed to text, photos pinned to the exact spot, short written notes. One-time purchase, no subscription. Private by design. Start a walk from the Home Screen widget, keep an eye on it in the Live Activity, and add a note without unlocking your phone. Later, export any walk as a Markdown page with its GPX route, ready for your notes app or your maps. Not sure yet? Open the sample walk and see what a finished walk looks like before you take your first one. Unlike fitness apps, Footnotes avoids cluttered metrics, calorie counts, or competitive goals. It's not about performance or social validation, it's about reflection, presence, and the simple pleasure of walking. A one-time purchase, not another subscription. For the price of a coffee, you get lifetime access to Footnotes, including all future updates and features. No recurring fees. No hidden plans. Your walks and thoughts belong to you, and so does the app. Privacy first. Always. Your routes, notes, and photos never leave your iPhone and your own iCloud. There is no account, no login, and no Footnotes server holding your memories. Sync between devices happens privately through iCloud, only if you want it. Your feedback truly matters, so please consider leaving a rating or sharing suggestions for future updates. We'd love to hear from you! Footnotes is your walking diary: a companion for mindful walking and reflective thinking, where steps meet thoughts.

About

Marathon Buddy

Features
Read full description

Train smarter, run faster, and finish strong with Marathon Buddy – the intelligent running coach powered by the proven Jack Daniels' VDOT formula. Are you tired of generic "one-size-fits-all" PDF plans? Do you train hard but don't see results? Marathon Buddy brings elite-level coaching methodology to your pocket, adapting specifically to your current fitness level and goals. Whether you are targeting your first 5K finish or aiming for a Boston Qualifier marathon time, our scientific approach ensures every mile has a purpose. WHY MARATHON BUDDY? 1. The Science of VDOT We don't guess your pace; we calculate it. Based on your recent race performance, we determine your "VDOT" (running economy score). This allows us to prescribe the exact paces you need to hit for Easy runs, Threshold intervals, and Repetitions to maximize physiological adaptation without overtraining. 2. Adaptive Race Plans Our training engine builds a complete periodized schedule leading up to your race day: • Base Phase: Build your aerobic foundation and injury resistance. • Quality Phase: Introduce threshold and interval work to boost your lactate threshold and VO2 max. • Peak Phase: Sharpen your speed and simulate race conditions. • Taper Phase: Scientifically reduce volume to ensure you arrive at the start line fresh and ready. CORE FEATURES Dynamic Audio Coach Leave your phone in your pocket. Our audio coach guides you through complex interval workouts, announcing pace targets, rest periods, and splits. • "Run 2 minutes at 4:30/km" • "Recover for 1 minute" • "You are on pace!" Advanced VDOT Calculator • Pace Zones: Instantly see your Easy (E), Marathon (M), Threshold (T), Interval (I), and Repetition (R) paces. • Race Potential: Predicting your marathon time based on a fresh 5K result has never been this accurate. Know exactly what you are capable of before race day. • Equivalent Times: See how your 10K time translates to other distances. Precision Tracking (Dual-Mode) • Outdoor GPS: High-accuracy GPS tracking with real-time map visualization, pace charts, and mile/km splits. • Treadmill Mode: A dedicated interface for indoor runners. Manually log your treadmill metrics or connect to compatible Bluetooth FTMS stride sensors (coming soon) to keep your digital logbook complete. Health & Progress Monitoring • Weekly Check-ins: Log your fatigue levels, sleep quality, and soreness. The app learns from you. • Volume Analysis: Track your weekly mileage trends to prevent the "Too Much, Too Soon" injury trap. • Personal Bests: Automatically detect and celebrate your fastest efforts from 1K to Full Marathon. Designed for Focus • Dark Mode: Easy on the eyes for those early morning or late night runs. • Privacy First: Your GPS data and training history live on your device. We don't sell your data to advertisers. • Battery Efficient: Optimized to track long runs without draining your battery. WHO IS THIS FOR? • Beginners: Who need structure and guidance to finish their first race safely. • Intermediates: Stuck at a plateau? Use structured interval training to break through. • Serious Runners: Who want a digital tool that respects the serious methodology of Daniel's Running Formula. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING & TERMS Marathon Buddy offers a free trial for all new users to experience the full power of adaptive training. • Free Version: Access to the VDOT Calculator, basic GPS tracking, and single-run logging. • Premium: Unlocks the full adaptive Training Plan, advanced workout analysis, and future plan adjustments. Subscriptions are available as a monthly or annual auto-renewable subscription. Subscription Options: - Monthly: $14.99/month - Annual: $99.99/year (equivalent to $8.33/month, save 44%) Privacy Policy: https://services.treadmillbuddy.com/marathon/static/privacy-policy.html Support: https://services.treadmillbuddy.com/marathon/static/support.html Website: https://services.treadmillbuddy.com/marathon/static/index.html

Screenshots

Walking Tracker4 screens
Marathon Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Marathon Buddy at 13.0 against Walking Tracker's 17.0. 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. Walking Tracker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Marathon Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Walking Tracker ships an update every 4 days, Marathon Buddy every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Walking Tracker versus Marathon Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWalking TrackerMarathon Buddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEduardo Quintero群 谢

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Walking Tracker

One-time1
  • Footnotes Lifetime$4.99
2 purchases

Marathon Buddy

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Annual Plan14 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Walking Tracker free?
Walking Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Marathon Buddy free?
Marathon Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Walking Tracker or Marathon Buddy have ads?
Neither Walking Tracker nor Marathon Buddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Walking Tracker or Marathon Buddy?
Walking Tracker ships an update every 4 days, and Marathon Buddy every 3 days. Most recently, Walking Tracker was updated on October 25, 2026 and Marathon Buddy on October 28, 2026.

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