Verdict
Pacer is a step-counting and activity app that reviewers consistently call easy to use, with tracking, trends, and reminders that people say keep them motivated. A few recent reviewers found an update made the interface more confusing, and one flagged a performance/timeout issue, so it's not flawless.
Best for
Someone who wants a simple daily step and walking tracker with progress trends and reminders, not a serious runner needing detailed pace or route analytics.
Dealbreaker
A couple of recent reviewers say a recent update made the interface more confusing and the free features hard to understand, and one reported the app timing out during use.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand. unverified
Price
Free
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone, iPad
Rating
4.9★ (329,654)
Version
11.8.1
Last updated
Aug 17, 2026
Released
Feb 14, 2013
Attributes
Native app
Category
Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 200 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Ease of use and design13 reviews
Privacy and data handling6 reviews
Battery and performance3 reviews
Notifications and reminders3 reviews
Sync and multi-device2 reviews
Complained about
Confusing interface2 reviews
Where this comes from
13 of 200 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and designApp Store reviews ›
6 of 200 recent reviews raised: Privacy and data handlingApp Store reviews ›
3 of 200 recent reviews raised: Battery and performanceApp Store reviews ›
3 of 200 recent reviews raised: Notifications and remindersApp Store reviews ›
2 of 200 recent reviews raised: Confusing interfaceApp Store reviews ›
2 of 200 recent reviews raised: Sync and multi-deviceApp Store reviews ›
Listed at Free on the App StoreApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
The best running and fitness apps ›Running and workout apps that are well rated and still maintained, with what each gets wrong.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is rated 4.2 or better, has been updated in the last eighteen months, and has no significant number of reviewers reporting it broken. Price is not the rule on this list — some are free, some are not. Also with a catch.
Free · 4.7★ (2,357,022) · Updated Sep 8, 2026
Verdict. MyFitnessPal is a calorie/macro tracker, not really a recipe app, and recent reviews center on paywalled features, a confusing redesigned interface, and data loss after subscribing rather than on recipes or food discovery.
Best for. Someone already committed to logging calories and macros daily who wants tracking tools bundled with a subscription, not someone browsing this page for recipe ideas.
Dealbreaker. Multiple reviewers report the app deleting or losing their logged data after paying for Premium, plus a recent redesign that made the interface harder to read and pushed more features behind paywalls.
Free · 4.9★ (1,038,918) · Updated Sep 9, 2026
Verdict. AllTrails is built around trail discovery and offline maps, with strong reviewer sentiment on ease of use and offline navigation. It's a hiking/trail-tracking app that runners can use, but the review signal is mostly about trails, not pure running features.
Best for. Someone who runs on trails and wants downloadable offline maps rather than a road-running pace tracker.
Dealbreaker. Several reviewers describe subscription cancellation problems and repeated charges, plus a few report crashes after finishing an activity, and there are complaints about the app auto-including personal photos in trail reviews without consent.
Free · 4.8★ (752,732) · Updated Sep 9, 2026
Verdict. Map My Run has a large, mostly satisfied user base for basic GPS mileage tracking, but a small consistent group of reviewers report tracking silently failing mid-run or when the phone locks, which is a serious flaw for a run tracker.
Best for. Someone who wants a free, no-frills mileage and pace log for runs and hikes and doesn't mind occasionally double-checking that tracking actually started.
Dealbreaker. Some runs go untracked: reviewers describe the app appearing to record, then finding at the end that it never actually logged distance or time, especially when the phone screen locks.