Comparison

Cadence Beats vs Runner Metronome

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

Head to head
About

Cadence Beats

This app provides an audio metronome designed for runners to guide their stride. Set your desired cadence and enjoy a steady rhythm that layers seamlessly with your music without interruptions. It offers adjustable beats per minute and background playback for uninterrupted workouts.

Highlights
  • Adjustable cadence (60-240 BPM)
  • Music layering (Spotify, Apple Music, podcasts)
  • Background playback with screen locked
  • Lock screen controls
  • Saveable presets
  • Cadence Calculator
  • Volume control for music integration
Read full description

Cadence Beats was built out of a simple frustration — there wasn't a clean, reliable metronome app made specifically for runners. So we built one. Set your target cadence in steps per minute, hit play, and let the audio guide your stride. The beats layer seamlessly over your music — Spotify, Apple Music, podcasts — without interrupting them. Just a steady rhythm in the background keeping you on pace. Features: Adjustable cadence from 60–240 BPM Multiple beat sounds to choose from Beep every beat, every 2nd, or every 4th beat Continues playing in the background while your screen is locked Lock screen controls — just like your music app Save your favorite settings as presets Cadence Calculator to find your ideal starting BPM Volume control that layers naturally under your music Pricing: Free 5-day trial, then a one-time purchase of $1.99. No subscription, no recurring charges, ever. The price may go up in the future to support updates, but anyone who buys now keeps lifetime access as a thank you for being an early supporter. Price shouldn’t keep anyone from running. If $1.99 is out of reach, tap “Write to us” in the app and we’ll send you a free code. This app is a work in progress in the best way. As the developer keeps running, the app keeps improving. More features and refinements are on the way.

About

Runner Metronome

Features
Read full description

Runner Metronome is a cadence metronome built for runners — steady rhythm, easier miles, longer runs. PRECISE CADENCE CONTROL · Adjustable 10–220 SPM with wheel and numeric input · 4 sound types, all free: Beep, Drum, Woodfish, Snap · Independent volume with mute option · Time signature switching: 4/4, 8/4, 2/4, 6/4 BACKGROUND PLAYBACK · MUSIC CO-PLAY · Beat continues with screen locked or in background · Co-play with Apple Music and other music apps · Auto-pause on calls, auto-resume after hang up MULTI-PHASE RUN SESSIONS (PRO) · Science-based template: Warm-up → Cadence Run → Slow Walk → Stretch — fully pre-set · Custom phases, duration, BPM, time signature, rest transitions · Hands-free voice announcements on every phase change · Automatic rest transition between phases YOUR RUN CALENDAR (PRO) · Heatmap calendar: darker green = longer workouts · Sun/moon badges mark morning vs evening sessions · Monthly stats: days active, total runs, morning vs evening counts · Cumulative milestone badges (3/7/21/30/50/100/200/365/500/750/1000 days) LIGHTWEIGHT & PRIVATE · No ads, no account, no network required · Audio generated locally — no data usage · Calendar data stored on device, never uploaded · 5-language interface (EN / 中文 / ES / JA / DE) FEEDBACK · One-tap in-app feedback with photo attachments Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Cadence Beats3 screens
Runner Metronome4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Runner Metronome at none against Cadence Beats's 1. Runner Metronome also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, 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. Cadence Beats sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Runner Metronome asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cadence Beats ships an update every 5 weeks, Runner Metronome fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Cadence Beats versus Runner Metronome: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCadence BeatsRunner Metronome
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS1716.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHummingbird Rising LLC轩 景

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cadence Beats

One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$1.99
None

Runner Metronome

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cadence Beats free?
Cadence Beats is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Runner Metronome free?
Runner Metronome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Cadence Beats or Runner Metronome have ads?
Neither Cadence Beats nor Runner Metronome shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cadence Beats or Runner Metronome?
Cadence Beats ships an update every 5 weeks, and Runner Metronome fortnightly. Most recently, Cadence Beats was updated on October 31, 2026 and Runner Metronome on October 31, 2026.

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