We verify every run. Here's how, and why.
Why verification is non-negotiable
The entire RunVerified economic model depends on every kilometer being real. If runners can fake distances, fake routes, or fake activity altogether, the prize pools get drained by cheaters and honest runners stop earning.
Most "fitness reward" apps don't take this seriously. They reward step counts that any phone shake can fake. They have no defense against GPS spoofing. They lose money or pivot to crypto schemes that crash within a year.
We built verification into the foundation, not as a feature added later.
What we check
GPS, high accuracy mode. We require continuous GPS data with high-accuracy mode enabled. We analyze your route for plausibility — did you actually move along this path? Are the speeds realistic? Are there impossible jumps?
Motion sensors.Your phone's accelerometer and gyroscope tell us whether you were running, walking, cycling, or sitting in a car. The motion signature of running is distinct and hard to fake.
Heart rate (optional but encouraged).If you connect a Garmin, Apple Watch, Polar, or any Bluetooth heart rate monitor, we cross-reference your heart rate with your pace. Real running has a specific HR/pace relationship; faked runs don't.
Spot-check selfies (optional, only on high-value runs). Random verification challenges on runs that would earn over €25 in prizes. We'll prompt you mid-run or right after to take a quick selfie that proves you were actually outside running.
What we don't do
- We don't track you when you're not running
- We don't share your location data with anyone, ever
- We don't sell your data to advertisers
- We don't require you to enable verification — but you can't earn without it
- We don't keep your raw GPS data forever (anonymized after 90 days)
You can opt out
Verification is mandatory only if you want to earn. You can use RunVerified as a free tracker without granting verification permissions — you just won't have access to commitments, competitions, sponsored challenges, or cashback.
Your data, your control
Export everything we have on you anytime. Delete your account and we delete your data within 30 days, except where law requires us to keep transaction records longer.
We comply with GDPR. See our privacy policy for the legal detail.
Questions
For specific questions about how verification works in your situation, email hello@runverifiedapp.com.