Pathbound vs NatureChase
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pathbound
This RPG uses your real-world runs to power your in-game hero. Explore a fantasy world, battle monsters, and collect loot by covering distance. It offers roguelite expeditions and a customizable camp.
- Real runs power in-game stamina
- Explore a fantasy world
- Battle monsters and collect loot
- Roguelite expeditions
- Customizable camp
- Syncs with Apple Health
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Pathbound is an RPG where your real runs power everything. Every mile you cover in the real world becomes stamina for your hero. Spend it to explore a fantasy world, battle monsters, and bring home loot. Your first week of play is free, with the whole game open. If Pathbound makes your runs better, a subscription keeps the adventure going. Pathbound is not a step counter. Record runs right in the app, or sync finished workouts from Apple Health: outdoor runs and treadmill sessions all count. HOW IT WORKS Run anywhere: record right in Pathbound, or use any app or watch that saves to Apple Health. Claim your workout in Pathbound to earn stamina. Spend stamina on expeditions: choose your route node by node, fight monsters, trigger strange events, and decide when to push deeper or retreat with your spoils. WHAT'S WAITING • A world of seven regions, from quiet forests to obsidian peaks. • Hundreds of animated monsters to hunt, each with its own drops. • Roguelite expeditions with treasure, campfires, merchants, and boss fights. • Loot with rarities and elemental modifiers, plus a Forge to improve your favorites. • A camp to grow: garden, cauldron, workbench. • Daily and weekly quests you clear with real distance. • Towns full of characters who need your help, with shops and services that open as you pitch in. • Leaderboards and guilds full of other runners. Build a shared Outpost with your guild and chase a goal together every week. MADE FOR EVERY RUNNER A twenty-minute jog is real progress. Consistency beats speed, and the game never punishes a rest day. Whether you are on your first couch-to-5K or training for a marathon, your effort moves your hero forward. Pathbound syncs with Apple Health (HealthKit). It reads your finished workouts to power the game. If you record a run in Pathbound, you can choose to save it to Apple Health too. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pathbound.app/privacy
NatureChase
Explore local trails and turn them into a real-world capture the flag game. Discover and claim scenic nature spots, earn control hours, and compete with players globally on leaderboards. Unlock achievements and challenge friends to an outdoor adventure.
- Explore nature spots on an interactive map
- Claim locations by taking photos
- Earn control hours by holding spots
- Compete on global leaderboards
- Create new scenic locations
- Unlock achievements and badges
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NatureChase transforms your local trail system into an exciting real-world game. Discover beautiful spots in nature, claim them as your own, and compete with friends and explorers worldwide! HOW IT WORKS Explore your surroundings and find trail locations marked by other players. When you're within 50 feet of a spot, snap a photo to claim it. The longer you hold a location, the more control hours you earn. But watch out! Other players can steal your spots! DISCOVER & CREATE • Find nature spots on an interactive map • Create new locations at scenic places you discover • Every spot must be on a public trail and showcase nature's beauty COMPETE & CLIMB • Earn control hours by holding locations • Climb local, regional, and worldwide leaderboards • Challenge friends to play, and keep each other accountable EARN BADGES Unlock achievements as you play: • Trailblazer: Create your first location • Hat Trick: Claim 3 spots in one day • Jetsetter: Own 2 spots 1,000+ miles apart • Guardian: Accumulate 100,000 control hours • And many more! NATURECHASE PRO Upgrade for the full experience: • View monthly, yearly and all-time leaderboards • Track your daily claim streak • Choose a custom icon to mark your turf • See detailed badge progress • Access robust analytics and trends GET OUTSIDE! NatureChase encourages you to explore trails, parks, and natural areas you might never have visited. Every walk becomes an adventure, every hike a friendly competition. Be a trailblazer. Claim your territory. Play NatureChase! Terms of Use: https://naturechase.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Pathbound at none against NatureChase's shown. Pathbound also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (90 vs 1). NatureChase's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Pathbound sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and NatureChase sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
NatureChase holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pathbound has 90 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Pathbound ships an update every 4 days, NatureChase every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pathbound | NatureChase |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (90 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 90 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Pyreal Software Inc | Ian Sturgeon |
In-app purchases
Pathbound
- Monthly$9.991 Month
- Annual$69.991 Year
NatureChase
- NatureChase Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- NatureChase Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year









