Comparison

VO2 Flow vs Four by Four (fa7b3d)

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

Head to head
About

VO2 Flow

This interval training app guides you through the Norwegian 4x4 protocol or allows you to create custom workout routines. It offers audio cues, haptic feedback, and music integration to enhance your training sessions. Track your progress with workout history and unlock achievements.

Highlights
  • Norwegian 4x4 protocol
  • Custom interval creation
  • Workout history tracking
  • Apple Music integration
  • Audio cues and haptic feedback
  • Achievement badges
Features
Read full description

VO2 Flow is built for the Norwegian 4x4 protocol, the research-backed interval method athletes use to raise VO2max. Four 4-minute intervals at 90 to 95% max heart rate, with 3-minute recoveries. Studies show a 10% VO2max increase in 8 weeks. Run Norwegian 4x4 or build your own protocol. Tabata. 10x1. 8x2. Any work and rest combination, any number of rounds. Free in the app: - Norwegian 4x4 protocol built-in and ready to start - Workout history, every completed session logged and grouped by month - One custom interval profile - Apple Music integration, album art and controls during your session - Audio cues and haptic feedback on every phase transition - Keep screen awake during workouts - Landscape and portrait support Pro upgrade, $4.99 one-time: - Remove all ads forever - Unlimited custom interval profiles - Achievement badges, 7 milestones you can share - Every future Pro feature, no subscription This is a timer, not a fitness platform. No social feed. No subscription. No complexity. Launch, pick a profile, start.

About

Four by Four (fa7b3d)

Features
Read full description

Norwegian 4x4 interval training is the gold standard for improving VO2 max -- and Four by Four is the only app built specifically to coach you through every second of it, live from your Apple Watch. The protocol is simple: four rounds of 4-minute high-intensity intervals at 85-95% of your max heart rate, separated by 3-minute active recovery periods. Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology proved this method delivers dramatic cardiovascular gains in just weeks. Four by Four turns that science into a guided workout you can do anywhere. HOW IT WORKS Strap on your Apple Watch and tap Start. Four by Four reads your heart rate in real time and tells you exactly what to do. Speed up. Slow down. You are in the zone. Audio coaching cues play through your headphones so you never have to look at your wrist. The app walks you through a complete session: warm-up, four high-intensity intervals, three recovery periods, and a cool-down. Every phase is timed. Every transition is announced. All you have to do is run. REAL-TIME HEART RATE COACHING Your heart rate zone is front and center. A large, color-coded display shows whether you are below, inside, or above your target zone. Audio cues adapt in real time -- if you drift too low, the app pushes you. If you spike too high, it tells you to ease off. Zones are calculated from your age and resting heart rate using the Karvonen formula, the same method used in the original Norwegian research. APPLE WATCH INTEGRATION Four by Four runs a native watchOS companion app. Heart rate data streams directly from the watch sensor to the phone over WatchConnectivity. The workout is recorded as an official HealthKit workout, so it counts toward your Activity rings and appears in Apple Health. WHAT'S INCLUDED - Guided Norwegian 4x4 interval workouts - Real-time heart rate monitoring via Apple Watch - Audio coaching cues during every phase - Personalized heart rate zones based on your age - Warm-up and cool-down phases included - Workout summary with interval breakdown - Phase-by-phase timeline of your heart rate - Interval consistency tracking across sessions - HealthKit integration for workout recording - No account required -- just set your age and go BUILT FOR RUNNERS Whether you are training for a 5K or building your aerobic base, the Norwegian 4x4 protocol is one of the most time-efficient ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Three sessions a week, 35 minutes each. That is all it takes. Download Four by Four and start your first workout today.

Screenshots

VO2 Flow4 screens
Four by Four (fa7b3d)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Four by Four (fa7b3d) at none against VO2 Flow's 1. Four by Four (fa7b3d) also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. VO2 Flow sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Four by Four (fa7b3d) asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
VO2 Flow versus Four by Four (fa7b3d): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVO2 FlowFour by Four (fa7b3d)
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better13.4
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCHRISTOPHER DISCOTTOBhavik Patel

In-app purchases

1 purchases

VO2 Flow

One-time1
  • Pro Upgrade$4.99
None

Four by Four (fa7b3d)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VO2 Flow free?
VO2 Flow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Four by Four (fa7b3d) free?
Four by Four (fa7b3d) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do VO2 Flow or Four by Four (fa7b3d) have ads?
VO2 Flow shows ads; Four by Four (fa7b3d) does not.

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