5K Runner

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

1. [R6] 5/5 · US You’ll love it!: This program is great at progressing you in a way that makes you succeed. I’m technically done with the program but I still run with it every single time.
2. [R8] 5/5 · US Love: Impactful. The push is real.
3. [R11] 4/5 · US Amazing app!: I’m in my 30s and used to run long distance in high school. Life has definitely thrown me off of the running streak I had in my 20s. But this app has helped me start at a reasonable place when I’ve fallen off. I know how easy it is to get injured by doing too much. But I really appreciate how it slows me down into a more reasonable goal. I’ve loved it and fully believe it will help m
4. [R12] 5/5 · US Used it twice: I’ve used this program twice and had great results both times. The first time I was already pretty fit and was able to advance quickly through the program due to the optimization. This time I’m postpartum and pushing a jogging stroller and going at a bit slower pace but still having great results with my cardio endurance. Worth it!
5. [R4] 4/5 · US Great but wish for more: I have used other apps that did the same thing in the past. This one is definitely one of the best. The lifetime pass is a good deal as well. But I will cancel now that I reached the end of my trial. The good stuff: - I like the questionnaire that dropped me in the middle of the program. Other apps force you to start at the start. - The app also asks you how the run went
6. [R25] 5/5 · US Pacing me up to a steady 5k: I love this app. I don’t have to think, just do! Set it to go and respond to how each session felt, it adjusts the next session for me, properly pacing me toward a steady 5k session.
7. [R51] 5/5 · US Great App, Changed my Life: I have never been a runner. Always hated it. But doing this app and the goal to start running slow, I feel like I’m enjoying it for the first time. The intervals are a nice stepping stone for your progress and it auto adjusts the plan based on how you feel. I also feel encouraged that I’m getting better every single run.
8. [R10] 5/5 · US Bought Once in 2017- Use Every Spring to Ease Back Into Running: I bought this app years ago, and I always come back to it in the spring. I do a terrible job of keeping up my cardio in the winter, and this app helps me ease back into my running workouts without going overboard. This app pre plans running workouts for me, making it harder for me to cut my runs short if I were to be in charge. Defin
9. [R23] 5/5 · US Great support: I’ve used this app on and off for years and definitely appreciate the one time payment. I was having issues with pairing my Apple Watch and emailed over the weekend. First thing Monday morning I got a response that fixed my issue. I do wish there were more robust workout details and the Apple fitness pairing captured more information but I’ve tried many of the 5k apps and keep comin
10. [R53] 5/5 · US Like having a running buddy: Fantastic app! No bs recurring fees just one upfront honest charge. Well worth it to get me out there and in shape!
11. [R1] 1/5 · US Misleading: Waiste of time . Pur all your information in and then hit a paywall
12. [R3] 1/5 · US Not the same.: Used to use this app all the time. It was free to use the first 2 interval programs unlimited. Now you can use it free for 2 days then take your wallet out.
13. [R5] 1/5 · US Not free: It’s not free at all
14. [R7] 1/5 · US Unable to use: Unable to get passed free trial/ $50 subscription
15. [R2] 1/5 · US It used to be worth it…: I used this app back in 2019 to get ready for my first 5k. It was only $12 for 12 weeks which was great. It also offered a couple different options for different prices. Just redownloaded it and not only did they get rid of the options but now it’s $50! Definitely not worth that much. On to a different app…
16. [R41] 1/5 · US Paywalls and Paywalls: I paid for the pro version of this a few years ago and now I have to pay all over again with subscriptions. Scam and paywalls.
17. [R68] 1/5 · US scam.: I paid for this app years ago and now i have to repay to use it. what a scam.
18. [R128] 1/5 · US History erased: I pay for the app. Did the most recent update, and all of my history erased
19. [R91] 3/5 · US It’s okay: I wanted to like it but it seems pretty lacking in features. The main problem for me is that it doesn’t sync well with the Apple Watch and iPhone, I can start on my iPhone but it will not stream the run to my watch.
20. [R103] 3/5 · US App is good when it works: If this app was free I wouldn’t complain but this app will often fail mid workout and stop tracking completely defeating the purpose of the app and ruining your workout.
21. [R177] 3/5 · US Logged Distance Incorrct: Often times my smart watch does not correctly log the distance ran
22. [R209] 3/5 · US Good app, drains watch battery: I really like this app - the directions, not having to look down. But I have it on my watch and bc it paces w the warm up and cool down, its info isn't accurate with Apple Watch. I turn on my exercise on the watch and the 5k and my watch battery dies before my run is over! If I turn off my exercise portion, info isn't accurate, so I can't use this app.
23. [R19] 5/5 · US VOLUME: What in the actual hell? How is the app not designed to be able to lower the volume of the voice?! Love the app outside of that, but this just reminded me why I stopped using the app about a year ago. Clearly people are listening to music from (SoundCloud, Spotify etc etc.) there should be an option to adjust the volume of the app. The ring every time I finish walking/running is so pierc
24. [R126] 3/5 · US Great for 5k training, but lacking: Overall I like the app, but no ability to use other music platforms (Spotify) and no way to see pace is a bit of a miss.
25. [R225] 3/5 · US Need music: It would be nice if music played in between instructional sessions
26. [R307] 3/5 · GB Wish it would link to Spotify: …or perhaps it does - I’m just being stupid.
27. [R147] 2/5 · US Not a fan: If you're truly just starting out, maybe this is fine I'm a runner who's been hobbled for two years due to hamstring injury and then knee surgery I'm finally clear to run and just wanted to do couch to 5K as a ramp up It would be nice if it didn't have the annoying fake, saccharine positivity. It would also be nice if it tracked pace and HR so that you could see improvement I wa
28. [R458] 3/5 · GB Does not track heart rate: Despite it being an option in the FAQ, and checking my privacy settings, the app does not request data from the heart monitor, so this is unavailable to view within the app or the health/fitness apps already on device.
29. [R463] 3/5 · GB Flawed: Incredibly, doesn’t record distance or calories in Apple Health workouts. And if you end a session before the end because of exhaustion it moves you on a week on the program. There’s also no way to turn off the speech notifications.
30. [R481] 3/5 · GB It’s ok: It’s ok. It does what the BBC Couch to 5k app does. The reason I bought it is because I hate the coach voice on other apps interrupting your music just to say “good job!” Or “X mins left!” It was great at first but this app recently started including these with no option to turn it off. You can turn off “motivation” but the coach will still jump in quite often. It’s distracting
31. [R745] 3/5 · CA Voice function won’t shut off: Whatever update they did to this app, you can’t shut the coach voice off completely anymore, and it’s so aggravating.
32. [R264] 3/5 · GB Great for the first 8 weeks: Thai app was great for the first 8 weeks but then once completing the 5k challenge I decided to continue with the apps workout programme. For what ever reason these weeks do not support use on an Apple Watch so back to having to table my phone with me on my runs. Very annoying!
33. [R396] 3/5 · GB It does the job but has a few problems: The app is decent, does the job but I seem to have a really annoying problem which I don’t think justifies the 14.99 price. When starting the run on Apple Watch it won’t play the coaches voice and my music over the top of each other like it would with my phone (it will quiet my music for the coach to talk which I like, but it only does that on my phone) I li
34. [R112] 1/5 · US Requires GPS: That’s absurd. Guess I’ll be Couch 2 5king it instead.
35. [R719] 3/5 · CA Must enable GPS to use: The app is pretty good in all aspects except one - you MUST enable GPS in order to do a run. This is disappointing for anyone who is concerned about privacy and doesn’t want to allow the app to track their location. I would love to see GPS as optional in the future.
36. [R40] 2/5 · US W7D2: I was supposed to have a 20 minute run and after 5 minutes it said I had completed my 20 minute run. I restarted the run and it did the same thing again. Very frustrating
37. [R95] 2/5 · US It’s ok: It has erased mid run a couple of times but I like it modifying while training
38. [R34] 4/5 · US Excellent app overall: Very grateful for this app. It’s getting me moving. My only suggestion that would improve the app is to be able to see my pace during each section, I would like to know what pace I am keeping during the run portions. I’ve used another run app that allowed me to do this. Overall prefer the functionality of this one.
39. [R140] 1/5 · US Wrong start and stop times: Apparently for years this app has been recording the wrong start and stop times in my Fitness app. It’s resulted in calories being tracked twice and wrong heart rate data, amongst likely other issues. Of course, none of the data can be manually corrected.