INTVL is the GPS running and cycling app that turns your everyday routes into a territory-capture game — you run, you claim map area, and other players can try to take it back. If you’ve seen the app in the store and wondered whether you need to pay to play, the short version is: no, you don’t.
This guide breaks down exactly what’s included in the free version of INTVL, what the optional INTVL Pro subscription costs, what it actually unlocks, and how to decide whether it’s worth paying for.
Quick Answer
Yes, INTVL is free. You can download it, track runs or rides with GPS, claim territory, compete on leaderboards, and enter prize competitions without paying anything. INTVL Pro is an optional subscription (billed monthly or annually) that adds extras like the full route planner and a boost to competition entries — it’s not required to use the core game.
What You Get for Free
The core INTVL experience costs nothing. After downloading the app on iOS or Android and creating an account, you can record runs and rides with GPS, and every route you complete claims the corresponding ground on the in-app map in your color.
Free users also get access to territory battles — when someone else runs through ground you’ve claimed, they can take it back, and vice versa — plus leaderboards, club competitions, and entries into INTVL’s ongoing prize draws based on how much territory you hold. None of that requires a subscription.
For tracking, you can record directly in the INTVL app with your phone, or sync in a completed activity from a connected watch or bike computer, including Apple Watch, Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, and Fitbit devices, plus Hammerhead and Wahoo bike computers — all at no extra cost. If you also use Strava, INTVL can push your completed activities out to Strava, but the connection only works in that direction: Strava’s platform doesn’t allow syncing activities from Strava into INTVL, so you still need to record or sync each activity into INTVL directly to claim territory for it.
In short: if all you want is a free way to gamify your training and compete for real-world territory, the free tier covers it.
What INTVL Pro Costs and Adds
INTVL Pro is the app’s optional premium subscription. Pricing varies by region and platform, but on the Apple App Store it’s listed as an annual subscription at $79.99, with monthly options generally falling in the roughly $7.99–$12.99 range depending on promotions. The app also offers smaller one-time in-app purchases (from around $7.99 up to $49.99) for things like extra boosts, separate from the recurring subscription.
Pro’s headline features are the full route planner and heatmaps, which let you scout where to run before you head out, see whose territory you’d be taking, and estimate how much ground a given route would claim — you can send planned routes straight to a Garmin device or follow them in-app. Pro also unlocks complete leaderboards (rather than a limited view) and a 10x boost on competition entries, which matters since entries into INTVL’s real-world prize draws scale with the territory you hold. Depending on the version of the app you’re using, Pro can also unlock coach-built training plan content.
None of these are required to play — they’re accelerants for players who are already competing seriously for territory or leaderboard rank and want an edge.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t assume you need Pro to start. Download the free app first, run a few times, and see whether you actually care about leaderboard position or territory strategy enough to want the route planner — plenty of casual users never need it.
Check pricing in your own app store before subscribing. INTVL’s subscription price can vary by country and by whether Apple or Google is processing the payment, and promotional pricing changes over time, so treat any dollar figure you see online as a ballpark rather than gospel.
Don’t expect old Strava activities to fill in your INTVL territory automatically. Strava only allows a one-way connection (INTVL to Strava), so if you want an activity to count toward claiming ground, record it in INTVL or sync it in from a supported watch or bike computer — logging it in Strava alone won’t do it.
Watch for one-time in-app purchases versus the recurring subscription; they’re billed separately, so read the purchase screen carefully before confirming so you don’t end up paying for both when you only wanted one.
Explore more: More training performance guides.
INTVL app FAQs
Do I have to pay to play INTVL?
No. The core game — GPS tracking, claiming and defending territory, leaderboards, and prize competition entries — is free on both iOS and Android.
Does INTVL sync with Strava?
Only one way. You can connect Strava so completed INTVL activities get sent to Strava, but Strava doesn’t allow syncing activities from Strava into INTVL, so you still need to record or sync each run or ride directly in INTVL to claim territory for it.
What does INTVL Pro actually unlock?
INTVL Pro adds the full route planner and heatmaps, complete (unrestricted) leaderboards, and a 10x boost on competition entries, plus additional in-app perks depending on the app version.
How much does INTVL Pro cost?
Pricing varies by region, but the annual plan is listed around $79.99 on the Apple App Store, with monthly pricing typically in the roughly $7.99–$12.99 range; smaller one-time in-app purchases are also available separately.
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Images: Intvl.
