Best Walking Apps 2026: The Right Pick for Every Kind of Walker

Most "best walking apps" lists rank one app first and stop there. That doesn't help, because a walking app that's perfect for a trail hiker is useless for someone who wants to beat their sister's step count this week. So this guide is organised by what you actually want from the app.

We make Outstep, a step-competition app, and it appears in the "walking with friends" section below. Everywhere else we've recommended the app we'd tell a friend to install. All prices are US App Store or Google Play prices, checked on October 19, 2026. They change often, so check the store before you subscribe.

What is the best walking app in 2026?

The best walking app depends on the job. Here are the picks at a glance:

How we chose these apps

We read each app's current App Store and Google Play listing, its pricing, and its help pages, and we noted which features sit behind a paywall. We favoured apps that:

• are actively maintained (every app here was updated in the last two months);
• are clear about what's free;
• sync with Apple Health or Android's Health Connect, so your steps aren't trapped in one app;
• are rated 4.5 or higher on at least one store.

We did not run lab tests of step-counting accuracy. Most apps read the same number from your phone or watch through Apple Health or Health Connect, so the count itself rarely differs between apps. What differs is what they do with it.

What changed for walking apps in 2026?

Several popular lists haven't caught up with this year's changes:

• The Fitbit app is now Google Health. Google renamed it in an update from May 19, 2026, and Fitbit Premium became Google Health Premium ($9.99/month). It still counts steps on your phone without a Fitbit.
• Google Fit is being wound down. In May 2026 Google said it would invite Fit users to move their data into Google Health "later this year", and its developer APIs are being deprecated in 2026. The app still works today, but it's not one to start with.
• Health Connect is now the hub on Android. It's Android's built-in health store. Samsung Health, Google Health, Garmin, WHOOP, Oura and most step apps read and write steps through it, much like Apple Health on iPhone.
• Map My Walk has a new owner. Outside Interactive bought it from Under Armour in 2024, so lists that say "Map My Walk by Under Armour" are out of date.

Best walking app for competing with friends: Outstep

Outstep turns your daily steps into a live competition with people you know. You make a private group with an invite code, and everyone's steps land on daily, weekly and monthly leaderboards. The moment someone passes you, you both get a notification.

• Free: up to 3 groups of 8 people, live leaderboards and pass alerts, and three challenge formats: Leaderboard, Group target (everyone pools steps toward one goal) and Race to X (first to a total wins). Also streaks, badges, seasons and a city, region and country leaderboard. No ads.
• iPhone and Android in one group: it reads Apple Health on iPhone and Health Connect on Android, so friends on different phones and watches compete on the same board.
• Fair by default: manually typed-in steps never count. Group Premium adds Strict mode, which only counts steps recorded by a phone or watch, plus an hour-by-hour step audit.
• Paid plans: Outstep Plus ($2.99/month or $24.99/year) unlocks your full stats and history. Group Premium (from $6.99/month or $49.99/year) adds bigger groups (50 to 500 people), every challenge format including Survivor and team challenges, and unlimited challenges at once.

Not for you if you want GPS maps of your walks or guided workouts. Outstep only counts steps.

Other ways to walk with friends:

• Pacer has walking groups and free step challenges, and works across iPhone and Android.
• Strava has clubs and Group Challenges, but creating or joining a Group Challenge needs a subscription, and they score GPS activities (distance, time), not daily steps.
• Samsung Health has "Together" challenges for up to 10 people, but it's built for Galaxy phones; its iPhone app only works with older Samsung watches.
• Apple Watch has 7-day Activity competitions, one-on-one between two Apple Watch owners, scored on rings rather than steps.
• Google Health (formerly Fitbit) kept only a weekly friends leaderboard; Fitbit's challenges were removed in 2023.

For a full comparison, see our guide to the best step challenge apps. Running one for the office? Read the best apps for a workplace step challenge.

Best simple step counters

If you just want to see your steps, hit a goal and keep a streak, a dedicated pedometer app is the cleanest option.

Pedometer++: best for iPhone and Apple Watch

Pedometer++ is a long-running iPhone favourite made by independent developer David Smith. The free version covers steps, distance, flights climbed, goals, badges, widgets and Apple Watch complications. A Premium subscription adds iPhone-based workout tracking and a longer-battery Watch mode. iPhone only: there's no Android version.

StepsApp: best on both iPhone and Android

StepsApp counts steps automatically on both platforms, with goals, streaks, widgets, and groups with leaderboards. It syncs with Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, WHOOP, Polar and Amazfit, and it supports wheelchair users. The free version has ads; PRO removes them and adds GPS workouts and deeper stats.

Google Health and Samsung Health: best free built-in options on Android

On Android, Google Health (the renamed Fitbit app) counts steps on the phone without a Fitbit, and its Premium tier is optional. Samsung Health comes preinstalled on Galaxy phones and is free. Both write to Health Connect, so other apps can use their step counts.

Best walking apps for routes and trails

AllTrails: best for finding trails

AllTrails has more than 500,000 trails with reviews and filters for dog-, kid-, stroller- and wheelchair-friendly routes. The free version includes navigation and recording, with occasional ads. AllTrails Plus ($35.99) adds offline maps, wrong-turn alerts and live sharing, and Peak ($79.99) adds custom routes and heatmaps.

komoot: best for planning your own walks and hikes

komoot plans walking and hiking routes on detailed topographic maps. Your first region is free forever, and Premium ($59.99/year) adds worldwide maps and extra planning tools. New users now need Premium to send routes to a watch or bike computer.

Map My Walk: best for GPS stats

Map My Walk records each walk with GPS: route, pace, distance and audio stats. It's free with ads, and the MVP subscription adds walking plans, live tracking and heart-rate zones. The App Store lists several MVP prices, starting at about $6.99/month.

Best walking apps for guided walks

Apple Fitness+: best for iPhone and Apple Watch users

Fitness+ costs $9.99/month or $79.99/year and works with just an iPhone. Its audio-guided walks, where a guest tells a story as you walk, need an Apple Watch.

Peloton App: best for treadmill and outdoor walking classes

Peloton App One ($15.99/month or $159/year) includes unlimited outdoor walking classes but only three treadmill classes a month. App+ ($28.99/month or $289/year) makes treadmill classes unlimited. Peloton's catalogue had more than 100 walking classes when we checked.

WalkFit: a caution

WalkFit has hundreds of indoor and outdoor walking workouts, but its store listing says that after download, "further use requires a subscription". If you want something free, look elsewhere; if you try it, note when the trial ends.

Best walking apps that reward you

• Sweatcoin pays a small amount of its own currency for outdoor steps only (it uses GPS to check), which you can spend on gift cards and offers. Its help centre puts the rate at 0.95 coins per 1,000 outdoor steps.
• WeWard turns steps into points and cash rewards. It doesn't publish its earn rate, so expect small amounts.
• Charity Miles donates sponsor money to a charity you choose as you walk. It's rated 4.8 on iPhone but only 2.2 on Android, so Android users may want to read recent reviews first.

These apps can be a fun nudge, but treat the money as a bonus, not a reason to walk.

Best walking apps for Apple Watch

Apple's own Workout and Fitness apps cover the basics for free. For more, Pedometer++ has the best step complications, AllTrails and komoot navigate on the watch, and Strava and Map My Walk record walks from your wrist. Any app that reads Apple Health, including Outstep, counts your Apple Watch steps automatically.

Best walking apps for Android

Start with Samsung Health (on Galaxy phones) or Google Health. They're free and write to Health Connect. Then add whichever app does the job you want: StepsApp for streaks, AllTrails for trails, or Outstep for competing with friends. Avoid starting fresh on Google Fit.

How to pick a walking app in four questions

1. What's the goal? Hitting a number every day, exploring new routes, following a coach, or beating your friends? Pick the category first.
2. Which phone and watch do you use? Pedometer++ and Apple Fitness+ are Apple-only. Samsung Health is effectively Android-only.
3. Does it sync with Apple Health or Health Connect? If it does, your steps follow you when you switch apps.
4. What's actually free? Read the subscription section of the store listing before you start a trial.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free walking app?

For step counting, Pedometer++ on iPhone and StepsApp on iPhone or Android are both free (StepsApp shows ads). For walking with friends, Outstep is free for up to 3 groups of 8 people, with no ads. For trails, AllTrails' free tier covers navigation and recording.

Is Strava good for walking?

Strava is good if you like recording each walk with GPS and sharing it with a feed of friends. It's less useful if you just want your all-day step count, because it ranks logged activities rather than daily steps. The free version records walks; the subscription is $11.99/month or $79.99/year in the US.

How many miles is 10,000 steps?

About 4.5 to 5 miles for most adults, depending on stride length. At a stride of 0.75 m (about 2.5 feet), 10,000 steps is 7.5 km, or roughly 4.7 miles. Taller people with longer strides cover more ground.

Can friends on iPhone and Android compete in the same walking app?

Yes, if the app reads both Apple Health and Health Connect. Outstep, Pacer and StepsApp all work across iPhone and Android. Apple's Activity competitions and Samsung Health Together are tied to one ecosystem.

Do I need a smartwatch to use a walking app?

No. Every app in this guide counts steps with your phone's built-in motion sensor. A watch catches the steps you take when your phone is on a desk or charging, so your totals will usually be higher with one.

Should I still use Google Fit in 2026?

We wouldn't start with it. Google announced in May 2026 that it is consolidating Fit into Google Health and will invite Fit users to migrate their data. Use Google Health or Samsung Health instead, and keep your steps flowing through Health Connect.

Are apps that pay you to walk legit?

Sweatcoin, WeWard and Charity Miles are real, long-running apps, but the payouts are small. Sweatcoin only counts outdoor steps, and WeWard doesn't publish its rates. They work best as a small extra motivation.

What's the best walking app for weight loss?

The best app for weight loss is the one that keeps you walking more days. Daily step goals, streaks and friendly competition all help people stick with it. Pair any of these apps with a sensible step goal you can hit most days, and talk to your doctor about a plan that fits you.

Sources

• Google Fit is shutting down, Google Health replacement coming (9to5Google)
• Google Fit APIs developer page (Google for Developers)
• Use Google Health without a Fitbit device (Google)
• Outside Interactive acquires MapMyFitness from Under Armour (Outside Interactive)
• Apple Fitness+ (Apple)
• Peloton App membership (Peloton)
• New komoot users need Premium to send routes to devices (BikeRadar)
• Bending Spoons acquires komoot (Business Wire)
• Samsung Health on the App Store (Apple App Store)
• How do Group Challenges work on Strava? (Strava Support)
• Apple Watch User Guide: share your activity (Apple)
• WalkFit on the App Store (Apple App Store)
• Charity Miles on Google Play (Google Play)