Report updated May 14, 2026
Simple Pace
For runners training for specific race distances who require a simple, offline-capable tool for pace and split planning.
Simple Pace is a market-leading utilities app that is a paid app. With a 5.0/5 rating from 4 reviews, it delivers strong user satisfaction. Users particularly value minimalist design aesthetic provides a peaceful experience for users seeking simple fitness tracking tools.
What is Simple Pace?
Simple Pace is a utility app for runners to calculate race paces and splits on iOS.
Users hire the app for reliable, offline-first performance planning that avoids the subscription costs and feature bloat of professional coaching platforms.
Current Momentum
v1.1
- Adjusted calculator layout for iPad screens.
- Fixed distance quick-pick selection bug.
Active Nemesis
Fragmented niche
No dominant direct rival identified yet — see Other Rivals below.
Other Rivals
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
Recent User MoodAI-powered deep analysis surfacing high-signal insights. Still in beta, accuracy improves daily. For informational purposes only.
What makes this app unique?
How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?
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What Are The Key Features?
Calculates pace, time, or distance by requiring input of any two variables.
Generates mile-by-mile or kilometer-by-kilometer breakdowns for race distances ranging from 5K to ultramarathon.
Performs all calculations locally on the device without requiring an internet connection.
How much does it cost?
- Single $0.99 purchase for full access
Paid model at $0.99 with no subscriptions or ads, positioning the app as a one-time utility purchase.
Who Built It?
Providing specialized utility and coaching tools for athletes and youth sports organizers. Focused on structured performance tracking and game-day management.
Portfolio
2
Apps
Who is Kevin Marsden?
The publisher operates as a niche utility developer, focusing on high-utility tools for specific athletic and coaching workflows. By targeting the intersection of personal fitness tracking and youth sports organization, they avoid the saturated general-purpose fitness market. The strategic focus appears to be on solving specific, manual pain points for coaches and runners through paid, standalone utility applications.
Who is Kevin Marsden for?
- Runners
- Endurance athletes
- Youth sports coaches requiring structured planning
- Management tools
Portfolio momentum
Released 1 update in the last 6 months across 2 active apps, indicating a low-frequency maintenance development cycle.
What other apps does Kevin Marsden make?
What do users think recently?
Low confidence · 1 reviews analyzed
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a thrilled sentiment. Users appreciate minimalist design aesthetic provides a peaceful experience for users seeking simple fitness tracking tools and granular distance and pace settings allow runners to customize their workout tracking requirements effectively.
Limited review volume (1 reviews). Sentiment analysis will deepen as more data lands.
What is the competitive landscape for Simple Pace?
How's The Utilities Market?
Market outlook for this category
Available very soon
The rivals identified
Peers
Provides adaptive training plans that evolve based on user performance and specific race goals.
Integrates directly with GPS watches to automate data collection, unlike Simple Pace's manual approach.
Utilizes a monetary reward system to incentivize daily activity and long-term user retention.
Features 1v1 dual matches that create a social network effect absent in Simple Pace.
HR Speed Transmitter
★2.0 (3)BIPR
Both apps serve the niche utility market for runners requiring specialized hardware data bridging and pace calculation.
Focuses on Bluetooth server conversion rather than simple pace planning for human runners.
Lacks active development updates, leaving a clear opening for a modern, supported alternative.
Treadmill Speed Transmitter
★2.4 (233)BIPR Cycling & Running
This app addresses the technical needs of indoor runners, overlapping with Simple Pace's utility-focused user base.
Specializes in ANT+ footpod bridging, a technical feature not currently addressed by Simple Pace.
Offers direct Garmin integration to sync treadmill data with established fitness ecosystems automatically.
New Kids on the Block
Prioritizes local-only data storage, appealing to privacy-conscious users who avoid cloud-based fitness tracking.
The outtake for Simple Pace
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Offline-first architecture ensures reliability in remote training environments
- Minimalist design aesthetic provides a peaceful user experience
- Granular split settings serve performance-focused runners
Critical Frictions
- $0.99 one-time purchase limits recurring revenue potential
- No wearable integration despite runner demand
- Manual data entry friction compared to GPS-sync rivals
Growth Levers
- B2B distribution through local running club partnerships
- Wearable companion app development to reduce manual entry
Market Threats
- Subscription-based coaching apps capturing the training-plan segment
- Dormant competitors with hardware-bridging features could pivot to modern UI
What are the next best moves?
Ship wearable companion app because manual entry is the primary friction point against GPS-sync rivals → increase daily utility.
Competitors like RunMotion integrate with GPS watches, creating a convenience gap that Simple Pace currently lacks.
Trade-off: Pause the iPad layout maintenance — wearable utility has higher retention impact than tablet-specific UI adjustments.
Audit local running club partnerships because the current consumer-only funnel lacks scale → unlock B2B distribution.
The app's minimalist utility is well-suited for club-wide adoption, bypassing the saturated individual app store search.
Trade-off: Same-quarter capacity available — no major lever displaced.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's minimalist design is not just a feature but a defensive moat against the feature bloat of coaching apps, which alienates runners who only need a simple calculator.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Adaptive training plans (available in RunMotion but missing here)
- GPS watch integration (available in RunMotion but missing here)
- ANT+ hardware bridging (available in Treadmill Speed Transmitter but missing here)
Key Takeaways
Simple Pace holds a strong niche through its offline-first utility, but the lack of wearable integration and recurring revenue leaves it vulnerable to subscription-based coaching apps, so the PM should prioritize wearable support to reduce manual friction.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
The runner utility market is consolidating around automated data collection, leaving manual-entry tools like Simple Pace exposed to churn. Future growth requires moving beyond the calculator-only model to integrate with existing hardware ecosystems, ensuring the app remains relevant for performance-focused users.
The 5.0-star rating from early users validates the minimalist utility, suggesting a strong product-market fit for focused runners.
Lack of wearable integration creates a manual-entry barrier that will likely increase churn as users migrate to automated GPS-sync alternatives.