What PEAKVO2 is
From the developer's own App Store listing, read on 3 September 2026. See the listing →
- 24 evidence-based interval protocols — Norwegian 4×4, Tabata, HIIT 30/30 and more.
- Custom interval builder with automatic phase transitions.
- Runs on Apple Watch; colour-coded phases with live heart rate.
- Streaks, yearly summaries and totals across running, cycling, rowing and indoor cardio.
- Four workouts free forever; the rest by subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. (Their own site says three — the listing and the site disagree.)
Where NTRVL differs
They have twenty-four protocols. We have one.
That is a deliberate choice on our side, not a gap we are hiding. NTRVL exists to run the Norwegian 4×4 and to tell you whether it is working. If you want Tabata on Tuesday and 30/30 on Thursday, they are the app.
We schedule the eight weeks for you.
24 sessions, three a week, with the plan shifting when you miss a day. PEAKVO2 gives you the protocols; NTRVL gives you the course.
Heart rate from AirPods, from the watch, or from neither.
PEAKVO2 is watch-centred. NTRVL reads AirPods Pro 3 directly, falls back to the watch mid-session if they come out, and runs by feel if you have no sensor at all.
Their lifetime option is real, and it wins in the long run.
$17.99 once against $9.99 a year. We are cheaper for the first eighteen months and dearer after that, for as long as you keep paying. If you know you want this for years, buy theirs.
When PEAKVO2 is the better choice
We would rather you use the right app than ours.
- You want protocol variety, not one protocol done thoroughly.
- You would rather pay once than subscribe.
- You want the workout to live on the watch first and the phone second.
The numbers
| Fact | NTRVL | PEAKVO2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Pro $1.99/mo or $9.99/yr, 7 days free | Free · in-app purchases from $0.99, $17.99 lifetime |
| On the App Store since | 16 May 2026 | 18 December 2024 |
| Latest version | 1.3 — September 2026 | 6.0.2 — 28 Aug 2026 |
| Ratings | No ratings yet | 5 ★ from 2 ratings |
| Minimum iOS | iOS 17.0 | iOS 18.0 |
Every figure above was read from Apple's App Store listing data on 3 September 2026. Prices and versions change — check the store before you decide.
Verdict
PEAKVO2 is the better buy for a person who wants a library of interval protocols. NTRVL is the better fit for a person who has decided on the Norwegian 4×4 and wants an eight-week plan, a recovery trend, and heart rate that keeps working when the earbuds come out.
Try NTRVL freeThe free session is one interval, about twelve minutes, and it does not expire. No heart rate hardware required.