RunFirst
Your apps lock every morning.
Pick the apps that steal your time with Apple's Screen Time picker. From 6 AM they stay shut until you've moved.
Day 1 starts now
Run first.Scroll later.
RunFirst keeps Instagram, YouTube and Netflix locked until you've walked or run today. Every km earns screen time.
Built for people starting from zero.
The problem
Your phone is stealing the energy your body needs
8years
At 4 hours a day, that's how much of your life goes into your phone.
4 hours a day, from age 29 to 80. RunFirst works it out from your own numbers when you start.
30 min
Trade just half an hour of that screen time a day.
1,000+ km
That's how far you'd walk and jog in a year.
~25
Marathons. From a half hour you were spending on a feed.
How it works
Locked. Move.
Locked. Move.
Unlocked.
The lock is the engine. The point is getting fit again — one short walk at a time.
Walk or run. It all counts.
Apple Health counts every step, or track a run with GPS. Hit today's goal and every km converts to screen time.
1 km = 15 min adjustableEarned, not given.
Your balance ticks down only while locked apps are open, and expires at midnight. No shortcuts — typed-in Health entries don't count.
The 90 day journey
90 days.
90 days.
One square at a time.
Not a blocker — a comeback. RunFirst builds a plan around where you are today and grows it with you.
- Day 1 is a 10 minute walk. Week one is walks with short jogs; by week two it's distance, growing a little every week up to 5 km.
- Rest days keep your streak. Apps open on a 60 minute light limit while your body recovers.
- A Week Card every seven days, plus your total km and the hours you took back from your phone.
New · Run Reel
Proof, in
Proof, in
15 seconds.
Every run becomes a vertical video, made on your iPhone. Your start clip, the route you drew, your km and pace, the moment Instagram unlocked, and your face at the finish.
- 01Record 3 seconds as you head out.
- 02Run. RunFirst draws your route and counts every km.
- 03Record your finish. Your reel is ready before you're back inside.
- Instagram Stories
- Reels
- TikTok
- Save to Photos
Your clips stay on your iPhone unless you share them.
Built for the long run
Everything you need to
Everything you need to
keep showing up.
A Day Card for your Stories. Every single day.
Your km, your streak, when your apps unlocked and how you felt — ready for Instagram in one tap.
One tap to log how you feel.
A mood check after every run. Over weeks, you'll see what moving does to your head.
Choose how strict.
EasyOne 5 minute emergency pass a day.
SeriousNo pass. Setting changes start tomorrow.
BeastNo pass. Settings locked for 7 days.
Rest days, built in.
Pick one or two a week. A 60 minute light limit, and your streak stays safe.
Private by design.
Apple's Screen Time hides which apps you lock — from us too. Your Health data never leaves your iPhone.
No closing the app to cheat.
Screen Time enforces the lock even when RunFirst is closed. When your minutes run out, the apps lock again.
Built in public
“I was unfit too.”
I'm Devesh. I built RunFirst because my phone was winning and my body was losing. I'm posting every day from Day 1 to Day 90 — the runs, the bad days, and every screen of this app as it gets built.
Devesh BabbarFounder, RunFirst
Follow the journey on Instagram
Pricing
Invest in the comeback.
Start with 7 days free. If it isn't working for you, cancel before the trial ends and pay nothing.
$29.99/ year
7 days free · just $2.50 a month
- Your apps unlock only after you move
- A daily plan built for your level
- Track your streak, km and mood
- Day Cards and Week Cards to share
$4.99/ week
Full access, billed weekly.
- Everything in Yearly
- No free trial
- Cancel anytime
Prices shown in USD. Local prices appear in the App Store (₹999/year in India). Subscriptions renew automatically — cancel anytime in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions.
Does it work with any app?
Yes. You choose the apps — or whole categories like Social or Games — with Apple's own Screen Time picker. Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, X, Snapchat, games: whatever steals your time.
What if I can't run?
Walking counts. RunFirst is built for people starting from zero: week one is short walks with the odd one-minute jog, and the plan only grows as you do.
What is a Run Reel?
A 15 second vertical video of your day, made on your iPhone: a 3 second clip as you head out, your route, km, time and pace, the moment your apps unlocked, and a 3 second clip at the finish. Share it to Instagram Stories in one tap, post it anywhere, or save it to Photos. Your clips stay on your iPhone unless you share them.
What is Fight mode?
Race anyone in the world, or a friend with a 6-letter code, for one hour. Most km wins, and the winner's km count double: run 3 km and win, and you get 90 minutes instead of 45. Distance comes from RunFirst's GPS during the hour. Strangers see a nickname, your country's flag and your km, never your location.
How does the leaderboard work?
Every week (Monday to Sunday, UTC) the runners with the most minutes are on top. Everyone is counted at the same rate, 15 minutes per km, so changing your own rate doesn't move you. Only runs tracked in RunFirst count, and the iPhone's step counter checks that the km were run or walked, not ridden. Fight wins count double. You appear as a nickname and a flag, and you can hide yourself anytime in the You tab.
Does it work with Apple Watch?
Yes. Walks, runs and workouts recorded by your Apple Watch land in Apple Health, and RunFirst counts them. A dedicated Watch app is on the roadmap.
Can I cheat with manual Health entries?
No. Entries typed into Apple Health by hand don't count — only movement recorded by your iPhone, Apple Watch or a fitness app, or a run tracked in RunFirst.
What happens at midnight?
Unused minutes expire, so there's no saving up a week of minutes for a Sunday binge. Your apps lock again when your lock hours start (6 AM by default) and you earn the day fresh.
How do rest days work?
Pick one or two rest days a week. On those days your apps open on a 60 minute light limit and your streak stays safe — recovery is part of the plan.
Does it work when RunFirst is closed?
Yes. The lock is enforced by Apple's Screen Time, not by RunFirst being open. When your earned minutes run out, your apps lock again automatically.
Is my data private?
Yes. Apple's Screen Time hides which apps you lock — RunFirst only ever sees an anonymous token. Your Health data and runs stay on your iPhone; your account only keeps your profile answers and journey start date, so you can sign in on a new iPhone. Read the privacy policy.
Is there an Android version?
Not yet. RunFirst is iPhone-only for now (iOS 17 or later).
How do I cancel?
Any time, in Settings → your name → Subscriptions on your iPhone. Cancel during the 7 day free trial and you won't be charged.
