ChiMarathon vs AO
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
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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!
AO
This app provides structured cardio conditioning and interval running programs for outdoor athletes. It focuses on active progression with precise interval structures and heart rate zone tracking to optimize cardiovascular performance. Features include voice coaching and detailed historical tracking.
- Structured interval running programs
- Cardio conditioning tracking
- Voice coaching and timers
- Heart rate zone target guidance
- Progression-focused athletic training
- Outdoor-engineered for athletes
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Unlock your ultimate physical potential with AO:Coach, the premium cardio conditioning and interval running trainer built for outdoor athletes, overlanders, and endurance competitors. Whether your goal is to conquer demanding backcountry trails, master walk-run interval methods, or optimize your peak cardiovascular performance, AO:Coach delivers structured guidance directly to your device. AO:Coach shifts the focus from passive tracking to active athletic progression. By combining precise interval structures with heart rate zone target tracking, this app acts as your private conditioning partner. CORE ATHLETIC FEATURES: • Structured Interval Programs: Access specialized running plans built for progression. Seamlessly execute complex routines like the "3-minute run, 2-minute rest" method designed to expand your aerobic capacity. • Cardio Conditioning Tracking: Monitor your historical pace improvements, cardiovascular recovery times, and endurance milestones over days, weeks, and months. • Voice Coaching & Timers: Keep your eyes on the trail. Clear, real-time audio cues dictate your interval changes, pacing targets, and recovery periods without interrupting your flow. • Heart Rate Zone Target Guidance: Learn to train efficiently. Understand exactly when to push into high-intensity anaerobic conditioning and when to scale back to active recovery. ENGINEERED FOR THE OUTDOORS: AO:Coach is a proud pillar of the Algorithm Overland digital ecosystem. True physical capability is the foundation of every great expedition—AO:Coach ensures your body is as rugged and reliable as your hardware setup. DISCLAIMERS & HEALTH TERMS: AO:Coach is provided free of charge to our community as a complimentary service on an "As-Is" basis. The conditioning programs and athletic metrics provided are intended for recreational and educational tracking purposes only and do not constitute professional medical advice. Always consult a physician before beginning any high-intensity cardio or interval conditioning program.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AO at 5.0 against ChiMarathon's 2.5. AO also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). ChiMarathon's advantage is ratings volume (45 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AO holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChiMarathon has 45 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ChiMarathon ships an update every 2 weeks, AO weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChiMarathon | AO |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (45 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 32.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 45 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tata Consultancy Services | Algorithm Overland LLC |
Customer experience
ChiMarathon
AO
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
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- 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
AO
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ChiMarathon
No in-app purchases
AO
No in-app purchases
