Comparison

Fartlek vs Stride

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — 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 — 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 — 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 — with clear effort guidance through every phase. AI WORKOUT GENERATOR Tell the AI coach what you want — "30 minutes, hill repeats, moderate" or "a fartlek that doesn't bore me" — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 (10–15 min): Short, sharp sessions Standard (20–35 min): Complete workouts Long (40–60+ 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

Stride

This app provides advanced running analysis and personalized coaching to help users train smarter and avoid injuries. It offers detailed insights into training load, recovery, and running form, with features like automatic shoe tracking and nutrition guidance.

Highlights
  • AI-powered injury prevention insights
  • On-device running form analysis
  • Automatic shoe mileage tracking
  • Personalized nutrition targets
  • Detailed training load and recovery metrics
  • Cross-training and recovery journaling
Features
Read full description

Stride is the running app that keeps you healthy — not just a log of what you did. It combines fast daily tracking with an AI coach whose #1 job is preventing injury and building the consistency that actually makes you faster. TRACK IN SECONDS • Log runs in a few taps — distance, time, pace, workout type, and shoe • Automatic shoe mileage with replacement alerts before worn cushioning raises impact • Cross-training, plus a 10-second recovery journal (energy, soreness, sleep, notes) AN AI COACH THAT EXPLAINS ITSELF • Weekly insights from real training-load science (acute:chronic ratio, ramp rate, monotony) • Early warnings for sudden mileage jumps and recovery deficits — always with the evidence • Reads your journal over weeks to spot patterns like recurring calf tightness, and suggests targeted mobility, strength, and recovery routines • Educational guidance, never a medical diagnosis RUNNING FORM ANALYSIS • Record or import a clip and get on-device gait feedback — cadence, posture, vertical bounce, arm carriage, and symmetry • A skeleton overlay on your own video, with drills to work on • Track how your form changes over time FUEL FOR YOUR TRAINING • Daily calorie and macro targets that adjust to your mileage • Barcode scanner and food search • Under-fueling detection — important for runners who don't eat enough EVERYTHING ELSE • Beautiful dashboards: weekly/monthly mileage, training load, recovery trends, streaks, PRs • Connect Apple Health so watch runs (Garmin, COROS, Apple Watch) appear automatically • Invite a coach with granular privacy controls — you choose exactly what they see • Dark mode, offline logging, private by design Free forever for logging. Stride Premium unlocks the full AI coach, nutrition, and form analysis. Stride is for educational and training purposes only and is not a medical device. Terms of Use: https://maxscs25.github.io/Stride-Project/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://maxscs25.github.io/Stride-Project/privacy.html

Screenshots

Fartlek4 screens
Stride4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Fartlek at every 4 days against Stride's every 2 months. Stride's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Fartlek sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Stride sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fartlek ships an update every 4 days, Stride every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Fartlek versus Stride: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFartlekStride
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.516.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAxis SAMAXIMUS SERGIO CERVI-SKINNER

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

Stride

Subscriptions2
  • Stride Premium Monthly14 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Stride Premium Annual14 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Fartlek free?
Fartlek is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stride free?
Stride is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Fartlek or Stride have ads?
Neither Fartlek nor Stride shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fartlek or Stride?
Fartlek ships an update every 4 days, and Stride every 2 months. Most recently, Fartlek was updated on October 30, 2026 and Stride on October 31, 2026.

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