# Runtime vs StepStar

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StepStar at none against Runtime's 1. Runtime's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Runtime sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. StepStar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Runtime | StepStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runtime-simple-run-tracking/id718633921/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Conrad Stoll](https://appshunter.io/developer/404983632) | [Andreas Peters](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844410861) |

## What reviewers say

### Runtime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runtime-simple-run-tracking/id718633921)

Track your runs, walks, hikes, and jogs with detailed statistics including route, time, speed, pace, and altitude. Supports Apple Watch, widgets, and shoe mileage tracking. Visualize your progress with 3D maps and share your workouts.

**Highlights:** Route, time, speed, pace, and altitude tracking, Apple Watch integration, Stopwatch widget and Notification Center control, Shoe mileage tracking, 3D map visualization of routes, Pedometer functionality, Exportable KML and GPX files

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Runtime Advanced Features | $4.99 | one-time |


### StepStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepstar-better-everyday/id6753686954)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Runtime free?

Runtime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is StepStar free?

StepStar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Runtime or StepStar have ads?

Neither Runtime nor StepStar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Runtime or StepStar?

Runtime ships an update every 2 months, and StepStar every 2 months. Most recently, Runtime was updated on November 13, 2026 and StepStar on November 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*