Comparison

Simple Pace vs Pace Watch

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

Head to head
About

Simple Pace

Effortlessly convert between distance, time, pace, and speed. This tool simplifies race planning with split calculators and quick access to common race distances. Enjoy a private, ad-free experience with customizable settings.

Highlights
  • Pace Calculations
  • Split/Lap Calculator
  • Common Distances Lookup
  • Live Pace Tracking
  • Customizable Settings
  • Privacy Focused
Features
Read full description

Distance, time, pace and speed, always in sync. Change any one and the others follow. A lock holds the value you care about while you work out the rest. On a relay team, or waiting for a runner at a race? ETA tells you the clock time they reach you, with a live countdown that carries on to the Lock Screen and up to three alerts. Tap when they arrive and the leg is saved with the pace they really ran. FREE • Four linked calculators: tap any value to edit it, tap a unit to switch between miles and kilometers. Every row keeps its own units. • Race distances built in: 400 m, 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, and ultras from 50k to 100 miles. • Share card: send your distance, time and pace as an image. • Make it yours: light or dark, eight accent colors with matching app icons or the Multicolor theme that gives distance, time, pace, and speed each their own color, reorderable sections, and the Classic interface if you prefer it. • Accessibility: VoiceOver, Voice Control, Dynamic Type, Sufficient Contrast and Reduced Motion. • All calculations work offline. Seven languages. PRO (one-time purchase, no subscription) • Splits: plan even, negative or positive splits at any interval from 100 m to 10 miles, by halves, thirds, quarters or fifths, or an interval of your own, then export the table. • ETA: made for relay exchanges and race spectators. Each runner gets a card with the arrival clock time, a live countdown, estimated progress, up to three alerts and a note. The countdown also runs on the Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island and as a badge on the main screen. Tap They are here to save the leg with the pace actually run; finished legs stay in a list you can edit and share. Bought the app during the paid period (October 2024 to February 2025)? Pro is already yours. No ads. No tracking. No account. Anonymous usage analytics can be switched off in Settings. It's just me, a runner, building the pace calculator I want to use. Send feedback from inside the app and I'll answer.

About

Pace Watch

This app helps runners maintain a target pace during training. It provides haptic and audio feedback when you deviate from your desired speed, with adjustable leeway. It integrates with HealthKit to read and write workout data.

Highlights
  • Target pace training
  • Haptic and audio feedback
  • Phone-free operation
  • Adjustable pace buffer
  • HealthKit integration
Read full description

Pace Watch doesn't use your phone or watches GPS and can be used without your phone. Pace Watch helps you stay at your target pace while training for your next big run. If you start to go too fast or slow it will tap your wrist and play a tone every 5 seconds until you are back in your target zone. Hints: - Use the buffer setting to give yourself a little more leeway around your target pace. - Only want the watch to tap you? Use the silence option in the control center on your watch to quiet the noise. This app uses HealthKit to access some of your data in the Health app(workouts, distance, and active energy(Calories burned)) and to write new data into the Health app(workouts, distance, and active energy(Calories burned))

Screenshots

Simple Pace4 screens
Pace Watch2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Pace at 4.5 against Pace Watch's 3.8. Simple Pace also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 50%) and ratings volume (32 vs 4). Pace Watch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 18.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Simple Pace sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pace Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple Pace holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Pace has 32 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Simple Pace's written reviews are positive against 50% of Pace Watch's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Pace ships an update every 10 days, Pace Watch every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Simple Pace versus Pace Watch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple PacePace Watch
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (32 ratings) — better3.8 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings32 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCamp Four Software LLCSimon Fortelny

Customer experience

Simple Pace

All ratings32 ratings
Positive84.4%
Neutral3.1%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral3.6%
Negative21.4%

Pace Watch

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Simple Pace

One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Go Pro$2.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Large Tip$9.99
None

Pace Watch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Pace free?
Simple Pace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pace Watch free?
Pace Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Simple Pace or Pace Watch?
Simple Pace is rated higher. Simple Pace averages 4.5 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Pace Watch averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.
Do Simple Pace or Pace Watch have ads?
Neither Simple Pace nor Pace Watch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Pace or Pace Watch?
Simple Pace ships an update every 10 days, and Pace Watch every 8 days. Most recently, Simple Pace was updated on September 24, 2026 and Pace Watch on June 1, 2026.

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