# TrainerRoad vs Lighten

The clearest difference is update cadence: TrainerRoad at weekly against Lighten's every 4 weeks. Lighten's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TrainerRoad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $21.99 per month and Lighten sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TrainerRoad ships an update weekly, Lighten every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TrainerRoad | Lighten |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainerroad/id934224107/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **21K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 99 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Trainer Road, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/934224106) | [Cyriel de Ceuninck van Capelle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695881179) |

## What reviewers say

### TrainerRoad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainerroad/id934224107)

This AI-powered cycling training app provides personalized workouts to improve your fitness and speed. It analyzes your performance and fatigue to deliver the right training intensity and volume, adapting dynamically to your progress whether you train indoors or outdoors.

**Highlights:** AI-powered cycling training, AI FTP detection, Fatigue detection, AI training simulation, Personalized training plans, Indoor and outdoor training, Workout alternates

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TrainerRoad Standard | $21.99 | per month |
| TrainerRoad Standard | $209.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Makes Training Dead Simple
- 🚀 Continual Improvement
- 🚀 Excellent Training Platform
- 🚀 Transformational and Uplifting
- 🚀 Brilliant to Manage Burnout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Horrible App, Constantly Crashing
- 🐛 App is Always Slow and Buggy
- 🔋 Expensive Compared to Alternatives

**Reported bugs**

- Devices not always picked up
- Power spikes to twice FTP

**Requested features**

- Apple TV support
- Better integration with Apple Health


### Lighten

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighten/id6748280897)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 meditation sessions | $2.99 | one-time |
| 15 meditation sessions | $7.99 | one-time |
| 50 meditation sessions | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TrainerRoad free?

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

### Is Lighten free?

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

### Do TrainerRoad or Lighten have ads?

Neither TrainerRoad nor Lighten shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TrainerRoad or Lighten?

TrainerRoad ships an update weekly, and Lighten every 4 weeks. Most recently, TrainerRoad was updated on November 5, 2026 and Lighten on October 28, 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.*