ChiMarathon vs R
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChiMarathon
Prepare for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon with this comprehensive resource. Track runners live, view athlete profiles, and access real-time weather and course maps. Spectators can send digital cheers to be displayed on the course.
- Live runner tracking
- Athlete profiles
- Live broadcast streaming
- Real-time weather
- Interactive course map
- Digital cheer submission
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon App, Powered by Tata Consultancy Services is the perfect resource to prepare for the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Whether you’re running or spectating, the free mobile app includes everything you’ll need to be prepared for a great race week experience. The app features unlimited live race day runner tracking, professional athlete profiles, live broadcast streaming, real-time weather, an interactive course map, participant bib share and more!
R
Track runners in real-time during races and know when they'll reach your location. Send virtual cheers and messages to support participants from anywhere. Enhance the race day experience for both spectators and runners.
- Real-time runner location tracking
- Predicted runner arrival times
- Virtual cheering messages
- Virtual drum support
- Race result review
- Thank-you message sending
Read full descriptionHide full description
R-navi makes cheering at running events easier and more fun! When your family or friends are running a race, you probably wonder, "Where are they now?" or "When will they pass by?" But waiting by the roadside without knowing can be tough. With R-navi, you can see the runner's predicted location on a map based on official race timing data. You'll know roughly how many minutes it'll take for them to reach your spot –– so you can cheer at just the right moment! Can't make it to the course? No problem! You can send supportive messages or tap the virtual drum to cheer from anywhere. Runners can also enjoy the app by reviewing their race results and sending thank-you messages to their supporters. (If you registered for the race through RUNNET, you'll get access to even more features!) Now supporting around 100 races per year — Join in and make cheering (and being cheered for) more special than ever! Tablet support is not guaranteed.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: R at 4.7 against ChiMarathon's 2.5. R also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 33%) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 45). ChiMarathon's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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. R sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ChiMarathon asks for nothing beyond the download.
R holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: R has 1.1K ratings behind it against 45, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of ChiMarathon's written reviews are positive against 57% of R's.
ChiMarathon ships an update every 2 weeks, R fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChiMarathon | R |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (45 ratings) | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 32.9% of reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 45 | 1.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tata Consultancy Services | R-bies Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
ChiMarathon
R
Bugs and requests
ChiMarathon
Reported bugs
59 issues- Mile markers inconsistent
- Map shows water stations for runners
- Units displayed incorrectly (miles vs km)
- App doesn't update times
- Links in map don't work
Show 54 moreShow fewer
- Won't connect to server
- X-axis incorrect units (miles vs km)
- Y-axis decreasing (unhelpful visualization)
- Race day timer shows race is a day away
- Cannot track racer, times out
- Tracking feature not trustworthy
- No way to switch to miles
- Incredibly glitchy
- No mile markers this year
- Pace graph based on 100 seconds
- Needs to track distance by miles
- Default to kilometers with no option to change
- Map not updated on race day
- Worthless app
- No buttons work
- Cannot enter bib number
- Live data shows server error
- No way for runners to claim profile
- Mixes up miles and kilometers
- Pace graph based on minutes/100 seconds
- App defaults in metrics
- No ability to change pace to min/mile
- Leaderboard defaults to male runners
- App stalled, tracking didn't work
- Tracking search bar doesn't work
- App missed me at starting line and 15k mark
- App reported time over an hour slower
- Time still wrong on app after 2 days
- Tracking isn't real-time, only check-in points
- App insists on zooming back to user location
- Tracking experience disappointing
- Cannot connect to server
- Rubbish app
- Worst site for tracking a runner
- App could never connect to server
- Difficult to track multiple friends due to lack of splits
- App splits calculated in kilometers
- Doing calculations for miles/kilometers is not a good experience
- Can't track runners on map
- Useless app
- Only gives times at 10k, 20k, 30k and finish
- Impossible to track individual runner
- Missed our runner
- Doesn't work
- App freezing
- Cannot track anyone
- Cannot connect to server
- Map doesn't work
- Program stalled
- Tracking didn't work
- Search bar doesn't work
- App missed runner at start and 15k
- App reported time over an hour slower
- Time still wrong on app after 2 days
Requested features
31 requests- Geared towards spectators for map tracking
- Display mile markers clearly
- Option to switch between miles and kilometers
- Update app design to be more modern
- Real-time updates and alerts for runners
Show 26 moreShow fewer
- Add mile markers
- Option to convert kilometers to miles
- Add spectator viewing route feature
- Preload anticipated pace for recommended viewing points
- Allow users to switch between miles and kilometers
- Add option to change pace to minutes per mile
- Allow users to change pace to minutes per mile
- Add cheer cards feature
- Improve customer support
- Add automatic updates like Boston's app
- Update map for current year's event
- Fix tracking for runners
- Add a toggle or default to miles
- Provide a single click tracking link
- Add splits every 5 miles
- Streamline measurements (miles and kilometers)
- Allow viewing splits in miles or kilometers
- Add spectator 'viewing route' feature
- Add ability to send real-time messages to runners
- Add ability for runners to access messages easily
- Fix search bar for runner information
- Add end of race picture at finish line
- Add feature to track self for PR
- Add option to default to female runners on leaderboards
- Improve GPS tracking data
- Make tracking real-time
R
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ChiMarathon
No in-app purchases
R
- Subscription Plan1 Month trial$3.991 Month
- Subscription Plan for R-navi1 Month trial$39.991 Year
