# V.O2 vs The Program by Bandit Running The clearest difference is rating: V.O2 at 4.9 against The Program by Bandit Running's 3.9. V.O2 also leads on ratings volume (6.3K vs 115). The Program by Bandit Running's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them. Both are free to download. V.O2 sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. The Program by Bandit Running asks for nothing beyond the download. V.O2 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: V.O2 has 6.3K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of V.O2's written reviews are positive against 73% of The Program by Bandit Running's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about. V.O2 ships an update weekly, The Program by Bandit Running every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively. ## The numbers | Metric | V.O2 | The Program by Bandit Running | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Rating | **[4.9 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vo2-running-coach/id977666802/reviews)** | [3.9 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-program-by-bandit-running/id6505125026/reviews) | | Number of ratings | **6.3K** | 115 | | Positive reviews | 71.0% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** | | In-app purchases | Yes | **No** | | Ads | No | No | | Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks | | Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** | | Size | 142 MB | 31 MB | | Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.4** | | Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone | | Age rating | 4+ | 4+ | | Developer | [The Run SMART Project, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/973571013) | [Bandit Running](https://appshunter.io/developer/1755262308) | ## What reviewers say ### V.O2 [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vo2-running-coach/id977666802) This app provides adaptive training plans and personalized coaching for runners of all levels. It assesses your fitness, offers custom paces, and syncs with popular devices. Train intelligently to achieve measurable improvements and become your best runner. **Highlights:** Adaptive training plans, VDOT fitness assessment, Personalized training paces, Sync with Apple Health, Coros, Garmin, Strava, Real-time guidance on Apple Watch, Coros, Garmin, Training adaptation based on improvement, Coach communication and training adjustments **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases (16)** | Purchase | Price | Billing | | --- | --- | --- | | Adaptive Training Subscription | $12.99 | per month | | Adaptive Training - Annual | $99.99 | per year | | Base/Fitness - 8 weeks | $44.99 | one-time | | Half Marathon - 12 weeks | $54.99 | one-time | | 10 Km - 12 weeks | $54.99 | one-time | | 5 Km - 12 weeks | $54.99 | one-time | | 1500m - 12 weeks | $54.99 | one-time | | 3 Km - 12 weeks | $54.99 | one-time | | Marathon - 15 weeks | $69.99 | one-time | | Half Marathon - 15 weeks | $69.99 | one-time | | Marathon - 18 weeks | $79.99 | one-time | | Half Marathon - 18 weeks | $79.99 | one-time | | Jack's Elite Marathon - 18wks | $79.99 | one-time | | Jack's First Marathon - 18wks | $79.99 | one-time | | Jack's Boston Marathon - 18wks | $94.99 | one-time | | Marathon - 24 weeks | $99.99 | one-time | **What reviewers like** - 👍 Easy to use - 🚀 Great integration with Garmin watches - 💡 Excellent for coaching and athlete communication - 👍 Fantastic adaptive programming and training plans - 👍 Seamless sync with Garmin and other platforms **What reviewers complain about** - 🐛 Issues with syncing to Garmin and other platforms - 🐛 Inconsistent performance and bugs - 🐛 Difficulty editing or moving workouts - 🐛 Inaccurate elevation and GPS tracking - 🔍 Limited customization and preset workout options **Reported bugs** - Apple Watch app issues and lack of functionality - Problems with syncing Garmin runs to the correct workouts - Inconsistent elevation and GPS data - Bugs and crashes when using the app **Requested features** - Ability to duplicate and edit workouts - Improved Apple Watch and Health app integration - More advanced adaptive training and automation - Expanded cross-training and workout modalities - Better user interface and workflow for coaches ### The Program by Bandit Running [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-program-by-bandit-running/id6505125026) This app offers a free guided training experience for marathon and half marathon runners. It generates personalized training plans based on your race, goal time, and weekly mileage. Get instant answers to training questions with the integrated coach feature. **Highlights:** Free guided training plans, Marathon and half marathon focus, Personalized plan generation, Interactive training schedule, Instant coach answers **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases:** none **What reviewers like** - 🚀 Excellent training program - 👍 Intuitive and easy to use - 🎉 Customizable to user goals - 🎉 Helpful insights and advice - 👍 Clean and simple interface **What reviewers complain about** - 🐛 Account creation issues - 🐛 Blank screen on launch **Reported bugs** - Login screen freezes - Incompatible with older devices - Account creation problems **Requested features** - Dark mode option - Advanced analytics dashboard ## Frequently asked questions ### Is V.O2 free? V.O2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available. ### Is The Program by Bandit Running free? The Program by Bandit Running is free to download, with no in-app purchases. ### Which has better reviews, V.O2 or The Program by Bandit Running? V.O2 is rated higher. V.O2 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while The Program by Bandit Running averages 3.9 from 115 ratings. ### Do V.O2 or The Program by Bandit Running have ads? Neither V.O2 nor The Program by Bandit Running shows ads. ### Which is updated more often, V.O2 or The Program by Bandit Running? V.O2 ships an update weekly, and The Program by Bandit Running every 2 weeks. Most recently, V.O2 was updated on October 29, 2026 and The Program by Bandit Running on October 22, 2026. --- *Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*