Steady Pace: buy once, own it. No subscription, no ads, no account. Download on the App Store
Why do running apps charge a subscription?
A subscription is a better business than a sale. A one-time purchase pays a developer once; a monthly fee pays them every month. Features are divided into tiers: the coached plan, the extra metrics, the social feed. The best ones sit behind a recurring charge.
As of 2026, a coached app like Runna costs around $19.99 a month or roughly $119.99 a year. A Strava and Runna package has been reported at around $149.99 a year. Prices change, but most running apps now cost $120 or more per year.
What does a one-time purchase get you in Steady Pace?
Everything. You pay a single price on the App Store and get every feature. There are no tiers, nothing held back for a "pro" plan, and no subscription. The version you buy today keeps working, offline, on your phone.
The whole app, no features withheld:
- Pace by ear. Set a target pace and a continuous tone rises when you slow and falls when you speed up. You hold your pace by sound, eyes up, no screen to check.
- Cadence metronome. A steady click to run your steps to, if you want one.
- Spoken split announcements. Your splits read aloud as you pass them, so you never look down.
- Accurate distance and elevation. GPS fused with the barometer for distance and climb you can trust.
- Private by design. No account, no ads, no analytics, GPS anonymized on your phone, and zero network connections.
What subscriptions fund
A subscription pays for adaptive coaching plans that rewrite your week based on your last run, and social features that connect a network of runners. Building and maintaining those costs money every month. If you want a training plan that adjusts itself, a subscription funds real work.
If you mainly want to hold a pace, track your runs, and keep your own data, a one-time purchase is the right deal. Steady Pace does that job completely, with no subscription, no tiers, and no future bills.
Steady Pace is a one-time purchase with every feature included and no subscription.
One-time purchase vs subscription: how do they compare?
The difference is small in month one and large by year three. A subscription's cost grows with time while a bought app's does not; a subscription gates features while a bought app includes them; and if you ever stop paying, one keeps running and the other switches off. Here is the split, plainly.
| One-time purchase (Steady Pace) | Subscription app | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost over 3 years | Paid once, up front | Around $360, at ~$120 a year |
| Features gated | None, all included | Best features on higher tiers |
| Works offline | Yes, always | Often needs a connection |
| Owns your data | Stays on your phone | Lives on their servers |
| Keeps working if you stop paying | Yes | No, access ends |
What happens if you stop paying, or the company folds?
With a subscription, the app stops working when the payment does. If you cancel or miss a bill, the app closes and you lose access. If the company shuts down, the app stops working and you may lose your history.
Steady Pace lives on your phone with zero network connections. There is no server to bill you, no login to expire, and nothing to switch off from a distance. If the developer closes tomorrow, the app on your phone still works exactly as it does today. You bought the tool and own it.
Privacy
A private running app
No account, no analytics, no network connections. Here's how that works.
Privacy
What a data leak looks like
87 real, cited incidents, and why Steady Pace has nothing to leak.
Guide
How to run a steady pace
The habit the whole app is built to help you keep.
Does Steady Pace have any in-app purchases or hidden tiers?
No. You pay once and every feature is included: the audio pace tone, the metronome, spoken splits, and GPS-plus-barometer tracking. There is no pro tier, no add-on, and no subscription of any kind.
How much do subscription running apps cost?
As of 2026, coached apps like Runna are reported to run around $19.99 a month or roughly $119.99 a year, and some bundles, a reported Strava and Runna package, land near $149.99 a year. Prices change, so check the current listing before you commit.
Will the app keep working offline and without an account?
Yes. Steady Pace makes zero network connections and needs no login. It works in airplane mode, in a dead zone, on a plane, anywhere your phone still runs.
When would a subscription make sense?
If you want an adaptive coaching plan that rewrites your training week, or a social network of runners, a subscription pays for real ongoing work. If you mainly want to hold a pace and keep your data, a one-time purchase works and costs less.