Comparison

Fartlek vs Base Layer Coaching

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

Head to head
About

Fartlek

Features
Read full description

Tell your AI coach your goal and the days you can run, and get a training plan that adapts every week to how your runs go. Need a single workout? Describe it or paste a screenshot, and it's ready in seconds. Then just run: voice and haptic cues guide every interval, even with your screen off. 25 workouts runners actually love โ€” HIIT, fartlek, tempo, hills, Yasso 800s. On iPhone and Apple Watch. Because running the same pace every day only makes you better at running the same pace. Break the plateau. EVERY RUN IS A NEW CHALLENGE Every workout here has a specific goal and a different feel โ€” so you actually train different muscles, systems, and skills instead of just logging miles. Your running workout is fun now :) Speed: 200m pops, ladders, strides, sprint finishers Strength: Hill repeats, power builders, switchbacks Stamina: HIIT, Cruise intervals, tempo waves, Yasso 800s Endurance: Progressive aerobic, negative splits, scenic cruises Fun: Fartlek games, stoplight play, music flow runs Each workout has a warm-up, main set, and cooldown โ€” with clear effort guidance through every phase. AI WORKOUT GENERATOR Tell the AI coach what you want โ€” "30 minutes, hill repeats, moderate" or "a fartlek that doesn't bore me" โ€” and get a runnable workout in seconds. Paste a screenshot of a workout you saw online and we'll convert it into intervals. TRAIN BY EFFORT, NOT NUMBERS Every interval shows a target effort (80% for work, 30% for recovery). No heart rate monitor needed. GPS pace lies anyway โ€” effort just works better. AUTO-LAP BY DISTANCE OR TIME Distance intervals auto-complete when you hit 200m, 400m, 800m, or whatever target you set. Time intervals count down with precision. No fumbling with lap buttons mid-stride. AUDIO & HAPTIC CUES Get notified at interval start, halfway, and end. Works with your screen off, works on Apple Watch. Built for running outside, where you can't keep glancing at a screen. APPLE WATCH COMPANION Run straight from your wrist. Leave your phone behind for track sessions โ€” the Watch app handles everything on its own. CLEAN, GET-OUT-OF-THE-WAY DESIGN Big, glove-friendly controls. Dark mode. One-screen run view with your current interval front and center, and what's next right there too. AFTER YOUR RUN Review every completed interval โ€” distance, time, pace. Auto-syncs to Apple Health. WORKOUT TYPES Tempo: Sustained-effort training Intervals: Structured speed work Fartlek: Mixed-pace playful running Hills: Uphill repeat sessions Long Run: Extended endurance efforts 3 DURATION OPTIONS Quick (10โ€“15 min): Short, sharp sessions Standard (20โ€“35 min): Complete workouts Long (40โ€“60+ min): Extended training WHO IT'S FOR - Runners looking to improve their times - Runners who like variety and fun - Amateur athletes who want to gain leg strength and power - Anyone looking to improve overall fitness and health - Anyone looking to lose weight with HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) - Anyone who wants to run intervals without 10 minutes of setup - Anyone tired of complex running apps that feel more like Instagram No social feeds. No data mining. Just running. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Base Layer Coaching

Features
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Base Layer is a fitness coaching app that builds your training program from real health data โ€” heart rate, HRV, sleep, workout history โ€” and adapts every week. Tell your coach what you're training for. A ski trip, a marathon, keeping up with your kids, or just getting stronger. Connect Apple Health, and Base Layer builds a periodized program that actually responds to how your body is recovering. HOW IT WORKS - Set your goals: Pick your sports, set target events, describe your constraints and schedule. - Connect your data: Base Layer reads Apple Health โ€” heart rate, HRV, sleep, VO2 Max, workout history โ€” so you never have to manually log anything. - Get your program: Your AI coach builds a multi-week roadmap with progressive overload, deload weeks, and event-specific peaking. - Train and adapt: Each week, your coach reviews your real recovery data and adjusts intensity, volume, and focus. Skip a week? Get sick? It recalibrates. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT Your coach actually reads your data. Not just step counts โ€” real training signals. Heart rate variability, resting heart rate trends, sleep quality, workout intensity. The program responds to what your body is telling it. One program, everything you do. Skier who also lifts and runs? Base Layer builds one integrated plan that balances all of it, with the right energy system work at the right time. Real periodization. Not random workouts โ€” a structured progression with base phases, build phases, peak weeks, and recovery. Just like a human coach would design. BUILT FOR - Skiers, climbers, cyclists, runners, swimmers, and triathletes - Team sport athletes โ€” rugby, soccer, basketball, football - Strength athletes โ€” powerlifting, weightlifting, CrossFit - Anyone training for a specific event or season - Parents who want to keep up with their kids - People getting back into fitness after a break FEATURES - AI coaching powered by Claude โ€” adapts weekly based on your recovery - Readiness scoring from real biometric data - Workout library with guided sessions and rest timers - HealthKit integration โ€” automatic workout detection and tagging - Target event countdown with periodized peaking - Coach chat for on-the-fly program adjustments - iCloud and cross-device sync - Apple Watch workout tracking BASE LAYER PRO Subscribe to unlock unlimited AI coaching, full workout generation, and advanced readiness tracking. Free users can explore the app and track basic metrics. - Monthly: $9.99/month - Annual: $49.99/year (save over 50%) Terms of Use: https://baselayer.coach/terms

Screenshots

Fartlek4 screens
Base Layer Coaching4 screens

Verdict

The call

Fartlek and Base Layer Coaching are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters โ€” price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Fartlek sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Base Layer Coaching sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Fartlek versus Base Layer Coaching: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFartlekBase Layer Coaching
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.5 โ€” better18.6
Further details โ€” not scored
Size29 MB22 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAxis SADan Estes

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Fartlek

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Plan$1.997 Days
  • Monthly premium$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Base Layer Coaching

Subscriptions2
  • Base Layer Pro$9.991 Month
  • Base Layer Pro โ€” Annual$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Fartlek free?
Fartlek is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Base Layer Coaching free?
Base Layer Coaching is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Fartlek or Base Layer Coaching have ads?
Neither Fartlek nor Base Layer Coaching shows ads.

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