In short: Any app that counts your steps, lets you set a daily goal and shows your trend can do the job; the walking does the rest. Our top researched pick is Apple Health, which is already on every iPhone, costs nothing and lists no data used to track you on its privacy label. If you want a simple step goal with streaks and badges, Pedometer++ is free and lists no tracking either. If you wear a Fitbit or use Android, the free Google Health app (the new name of the Fitbit app) pulls your steps, workouts and sleep into one place.
We research; we don’t test. For each app we read its U.S. App Store listing, in-app purchase prices, privacy label and the maker’s privacy policy on October 7, 2026, and searched PubMed for studies of the app itself. If you want to know how walking helps with weight, how fast to go and how to build up, start with our walking for weight loss guide. This page ranks the apps that count the steps. If you’d rather count them on your wrist, our list of the best fitness trackers covers the devices, and most of them feed the apps below.
Why counting steps is worth it
Step counting has better evidence behind it than most fitness habits. A 2022 meta-analysis in The Lancet Public Health pooled 15 groups of 47,471 adults who wore step counters and were followed for a median of about seven years. The people in the most active quarter, who took about 10,900 steps a day, had a 53% lower risk of dying during follow-up than the least active quarter, who took about 3,600. The benefit leveled off at around 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults 60 and older, and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. These are observational studies, so they show a link rather than proof, but the pattern was steady: more steps, lower risk, up to a point.
Daily steps and risk of death, 15 studies
- 47,471 adultsin 15 studies that measured steps with a device and followed people for a median of 7.1 yearsPaluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022
- 40% lowerrisk of death with about 5,800 steps a day, compared with about 3,600 (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60)Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022
- 53% lowerrisk of death with about 10,900 steps a day, compared with about 3,600 (adjusted hazard ratio 0.47)Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022
- 6,000-8,000steps a day where the benefit leveled off for adults 60 and older (8,000-10,000 for younger adults)Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022
Checked on October 7, 2026
Seeing your own count also seems to help you move more. A 2007 review in JAMA of 26 pedometer studies found that in the randomized trials, people given a pedometer walked about 2,500 more steps a day than those without one, and having a daily step goal was one of the strongest predictors of success. Pedometer users also lowered their body mass index slightly, by 0.38 points, and their systolic blood pressure by 3.8 points. A 2021 meta-analysis of 28 randomized trials of phone apps and activity trackers found a small-to-moderate gain equal to about 1,850 steps a day, with text messages and personalized features doing best. So the features that matter most are the plain ones: an automatic count, a goal you set and a history you can look back on.
What step counting adds, in trials
- +2,491 steps a daymore in pedometer users than in control groups (8 randomized trials, 26 studies in all)Bravata et al., JAMA 2007
- +1,850 steps a dayaverage gain with apps or activity trackers that give automatic feedback (28 randomized trials, 7,454 adults)Laranjo et al., Br J Sports Med 2021
- Step goalhaving one, such as a daily target, was a key predictor of walking moreBravata et al., JAMA 2007
Checked on October 7, 2026
The 10 best walking and step-counter apps
The 10 best walking and step-counter apps, ranked
1. Apple Health
Best for iPhone owners who want a free count with nothing to install
- Built into iPhone: shows steps, distance and other data from iPhone, Apple Watch and connected apps
- trend analysis and highlights such as your steps
- privacy label lists only data not linked to you, and no data used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free (built in) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Apple devices only; no published trial of the app itself
2. Pedometer++
Best for A simple daily step goal with streaks and badges
- Counts steps, distance, flights climbed and active calories
- custom step goal, streaks, badges and widgets
- Apple Watch app records walks
- privacy label lists no data used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free with ads; Premium in-app purchases $1.99 to $39.99 (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback iPhone and Apple Watch only; shows ads unless you pay
3. Google Health (formerly the Fitbit app)
Best for Fitbit and Pixel Watch owners, and anyone who wants steps, sleep and workouts in one place
- The Fitbit app became Google Health in May 2026
- brings together steps, workouts and sleep from Fitbit, Pixel Watch, Apple Health or Health Connect
- step leaderboards
- App Store privacy label lists no data used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; Google Health Premium (AI coach) $9.99 a month or $99 a year (Google; the App Store still lists a $79.99 annual plan) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Coaching features need Premium and a Fitbit or Pixel Watch; the app is still changing after the rename
4. Pacer
Best for Walking groups, challenges and GPS routes
- Counts steps, flights, calories, distance and active time with your phone in a pocket or bag
- walking groups and challenges
- GPS walk recording and weight log
- privacy label lists location as used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; Premium $3.99 to $29.99 per period, or $49.99 a year (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Ads in the free version; plan lengths aren't labeled on most in-app purchase rows
5. StepsApp
Best for Streaks and leaderboards with friends
- Automatic step count, daily goals and streaks
- group challenges and leaderboards
- wheelchair support
- syncs with Apple Health, Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit and Oura
- privacy label lists identifiers and usage data as used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; PRO $4.99 to $6.99 a month or $19.99 to $32.99 a year (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback GPS workout tracking and an ad-free app need PRO
6. Sweatcoin
Best for People motivated by rewards for walking
- Background pedometer turns steps into a virtual currency for offers and goods in its marketplace
- badges and step streaks with friends
- maker-run studies of the app exist
- privacy label lists location and identifiers as used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; Premium in-app purchases $4.99 to $24.99 (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Its privacy policy says it sells personal data as California law defines it (you can opt out); its studies were run with the company
7. Samsung Health
Best for Samsung Galaxy phone and watch owners
- Records daily steps and activity time on the home screen
- workouts, sleep and food logs
- step challenges with friends (Together)
- free from Google Play for Android
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; some mindfulness content needs an optional paid subscription (Google Play) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Android only; its Google Play Data safety page says health and fitness info may be shared with other companies, including for advertising or marketing
8. Walkmeter
Best for Detailed stats for every walk or hike, stored on your phone
- GPS walks with maps, splits, graphs and spoken stats
- step cadence and steps
- workout data stays on your phone, no account needed
- privacy label lists no data used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; Elite upgrade $4.99 to $29.99 with a 7-day free trial (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Records walks you start, not your all-day step count; a steep learning curve
9. Map My Walk
Best for Planning and recording walking routes
- Real-time GPS with audio updates on pace, distance and calories
- route finder
- syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin and Apple Health
- still active, now published by Outside
- privacy label lists purchases and identifiers as used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; MVP $6.99 to $9.99 a month or $27.99 to $39.99 a year (App Store) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Records walks rather than your all-day steps; the best features sit behind MVP
10. Strava
Best for Walkers who want a social feed and challenges
- Records walks, runs and rides with GPS
- challenges, clubs and safety features in the free version
- routes and progress analysis with a subscription
- privacy label lists purchases and identifiers as used to track you
Maker-stated specs
Price Free; subscription $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year in the App Store (the Strava website showed $34.99 a year) (checked Oct 7, 2026)
Drawback Built mainly for runners and cyclists; the highest yearly App Store price here
All 10 apps side by side
| # | Pick | Best for | Key specs (maker-stated) | Price range | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple Health | iPhone owners who want a free count with nothing to install | Built into iPhone: shows steps, distance and other data from iPhone, Apple Watch and connected apps; trend analysis and highlights such as your steps; privacy label lists only data not linked to you, and no data used to track you | Free (built in) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 2 | Pedometer++ | A simple daily step goal with streaks and badges | Counts steps, distance, flights climbed and active calories; custom step goal, streaks, badges and widgets; Apple Watch app records walks; privacy label lists no data used to track you | Free with ads; Premium in-app purchases $1.99 to $39.99 (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 3 | Google Health (formerly the Fitbit app) | Fitbit and Pixel Watch owners, and anyone who wants steps, sleep and workouts in one place | The Fitbit app became Google Health in May 2026; brings together steps, workouts and sleep from Fitbit, Pixel Watch, Apple Health or Health Connect; step leaderboards; App Store privacy label lists no data used to track you | Free; Google Health Premium (AI coach) $9.99 a month or $99 a year (Google; the App Store still lists a $79.99 annual plan) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 4 | Pacer | Walking groups, challenges and GPS routes | Counts steps, flights, calories, distance and active time with your phone in a pocket or bag; walking groups and challenges; GPS walk recording and weight log; privacy label lists location as used to track you | Free; Premium $3.99 to $29.99 per period, or $49.99 a year (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 5 | StepsApp | Streaks and leaderboards with friends | Automatic step count, daily goals and streaks; group challenges and leaderboards; wheelchair support; syncs with Apple Health, Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit and Oura; privacy label lists identifiers and usage data as used to track you | Free; PRO $4.99 to $6.99 a month or $19.99 to $32.99 a year (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 6 | Sweatcoin | People motivated by rewards for walking | Background pedometer turns steps into a virtual currency for offers and goods in its marketplace; badges and step streaks with friends; maker-run studies of the app exist; privacy label lists location and identifiers as used to track you | Free; Premium in-app purchases $4.99 to $24.99 (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 7 | Samsung Health | Samsung Galaxy phone and watch owners | Records daily steps and activity time on the home screen; workouts, sleep and food logs; step challenges with friends (Together); free from Google Play for Android | Free; some mindfulness content needs an optional paid subscription (Google Play) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 8 | Walkmeter | Detailed stats for every walk or hike, stored on your phone | GPS walks with maps, splits, graphs and spoken stats; step cadence and steps; workout data stays on your phone, no account needed; privacy label lists no data used to track you | Free; Elite upgrade $4.99 to $29.99 with a 7-day free trial (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 9 | Map My Walk | Planning and recording walking routes | Real-time GPS with audio updates on pace, distance and calories; route finder; syncs with Apple Watch, Garmin and Apple Health; still active, now published by Outside; privacy label lists purchases and identifiers as used to track you | Free; MVP $6.99 to $9.99 a month or $27.99 to $39.99 a year (App Store) | Oct 7, 2026 |
| 10 | Strava | Walkers who want a social feed and challenges | Records walks, runs and rides with GPS; challenges, clubs and safety features in the free version; routes and progress analysis with a subscription; privacy label lists purchases and identifiers as used to track you | Free; subscription $11.99 a month or $79.99 a year in the App Store (the Strava website showed $34.99 a year) | Oct 7, 2026 |
How we ranked them
We followed our published order for apps: evidence first, then self-monitoring features, privacy, total cost and cancellation terms. All ten count or record your walking, so they tie on the evidence for the approach, which is strong for step counting with a goal. We then looked for research on each app itself. Sweatcoin has the most: a 2019 study of 5,892 users found their daily steps rose 19% on average over six months compared with before they joined, and a 2021 single-arm trial of 148 university staff found a rise in self-reported activity over three months that was gone a year later. Neither had a control group, and both involved people tied to the company, so they don’t move Sweatcoin up. A 2024 randomized trial in 462 Spanish teenagers used Strava, Pacer and Map My Walk and found fitness gains, with no difference between the apps. It was in adolescents, not adults, so it doesn’t move those three up either. We found no published trials of the other apps themselves.
Self-monitoring decided the main split. The first seven count your steps all day, in the background, against a daily goal you can see. Walkmeter, Map My Walk and Strava record the walks you start, with maps, pace and distance, which is great for a planned walk but not the same as a daily count. Within each group, apps whose privacy label lists no data used to track you come first, then the fewest tracking categories, then the lowest cost. Sweatcoin sits below StepsApp, even though both list two categories, because its privacy policy says it sells personal data. Samsung Health is the only Android-only pick; it has no App Store label, and its Google Play Data safety page lists health and fitness data shared with other companies, so it sits last in the first group.
Feature matrix
| App | Phones | All-day step count | Daily goal | GPS walk recording | Challenges with friends | Tracking categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Health | iPhone | Yes | Highlights and trends | Workouts from Apple Watch | Shares data with people you choose | 0 |
| Pedometer++ | iPhone | Yes | Yes | On Apple Watch | Not listed | 0 |
| Google Health | iPhone, Android | Yes (phone or wearable data) | Fitness goals | Workouts from wearables | Step leaderboards | 0 |
| Pacer | iPhone, Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (groups) | 1 |
| StepsApp | iPhone, Android | Yes | Yes | PRO only | Yes | 2 |
| Sweatcoin | iPhone, Android | Yes | Yes | No | Streaks | 2 |
| Samsung Health | Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Together) | No App Store label |
| Walkmeter | iPhone, Android | No (steps during walks) | Training plans | Yes | Live tracking with friends | 0 |
| Map My Walk | iPhone, Android | Shows steps from your step counter | Yes | Yes | Challenges | 2 |
| Strava | iPhone, Android | No | Subscription | Yes | Yes (clubs, challenges) | 2 |
Privacy: what each app says it shares
A step counter knows where you walk, when you leave home and how active you are, so it’s worth a minute on the App Store privacy label before you sign up. Developers fill these labels in themselves, and each listing notes that Apple has not verified them. “Data used to track you” means data that may be linked with data from other companies’ apps and websites, usually for advertising. We also read the policies. Pedometer++ says health data it reads from Apple Health is not collected or disclosed outside the app on your phone, and that it doesn’t show personalized ads. Walkmeter says your workouts are stored on your phone and that it doesn’t share personal information with advertisers. Pacer says it does not sell health data or use it for advertising, and Strava says it won’t sell health data from connected devices or use it for advertising.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Apple Health | 0 |
| Pedometer++ | 0 |
| Google Health | 0 |
| Walkmeter | 0 |
| Pacer | 1 |
| StepsApp | 2 |
| Sweatcoin | 2 |
| Map My Walk | 2 |
| Strava | 2 |
Categories such as location, identifiers, usage data or purchases. Fewer is more private. Samsung Health is Android-only and has no App Store label. Every app also collects some data to run the service.
Source: Apple App Store privacy labels for each app (developer-reported, U.S. store) (checked on October 7, 2026)
What a year costs
Every app on this list counts or records your walks for free. You only pay for extras such as coaching, an ad-free app, route planning or deeper charts. Apple Health is free and has no paid tier, and Samsung Health is free apart from optional mindfulness content. Pedometer++, Sweatcoin and Walkmeter list paid upgrades in the App Store but don’t label how long each one lasts, so they are left out of the chart below.
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| StepsApp PRO | $19.99 USD | $32.99 USD |
| Map My Walk MVP | $27.99 USD | $39.99 USD |
| Pacer Premium | $49.99 USD | $49.99 USD |
| Strava | $79.99 USD | $79.99 USD |
| Google Health Premium | $79.99 USD | $99 USD |
Plans labeled yearly or annual only. Google announced $99 a year; the App Store still lists a $79.99 annual plan. Strava's website showed $34.99 a year on the day we checked. Web and Android prices may differ.
Source: Apple App Store in-app purchase lists for each app (U.S. store); Google Health Premium yearly price from Google (checked on October 7, 2026)
Cancellation works the same way for every in-app subscription: turn off auto-renew in your App Store or Google Play account settings at least 24 hours before the period ends. The Pacer, Walkmeter and Strava listings and Strava’s own subscription page all state that 24-hour rule. If you start a free trial, set a reminder for the day before it ends. Plans bought on a company’s website follow that company’s own terms.
Your first month with a step counter
Steps for a first month of walking
- Week 1: find your baselineCarry your phone or wear your tracker as usual and don't change anything. Your average is your starting point.
- Week 2: set a goalPick a daily target a little above your average. In the JAMA review, having a step goal was one of the strongest predictors of walking more.
- Week 3: add brisk minutesMake part of one walk a day brisk. About 100 steps a minute is a common marker of moderate intensity.
- Week 4: aim for about 2,000 moreTrials saw gains of roughly 1,850 to 2,500 steps a day. Older adults saw the benefit level off at 6,000 to 8,000 a day.
Our walking guide has a six-week plan that builds up to about 150 minutes a week, the amount the activity guidelines suggest. Comfortable footwear makes the extra steps easier, and our best walking shoes list ranks shoes by fit and comfort. If the weather or your schedule keeps you inside, a walking pad lets you add steps at a desk or in front of the TV; see the best walking pads. To see what your walks burn, try the calories burned calculator.
How to choose a walking app
Start with your phone. On an iPhone, Apple Health already counts your steps, so try it for a week before you install anything. If you want streaks, badges or friends to walk with, add Pedometer++, StepsApp or Pacer on top; they read the same count from Apple Health. On Android, Google Health and Samsung Health play the same role. If you already wear a watch or band, use the app that comes with it, because the wrist count follows you when your phone is on the desk. Our comparison of a fitness tracker vs a smart ring helps if you’re thinking about a wearable.
Then think about what keeps you going. If rewards motivate you, Sweatcoin turns steps into offers, but read its privacy policy first. If you like planned walks and new routes, Walkmeter, Map My Walk or Strava will record them in detail. If you’re deciding between walking and running for weight, our comparison of walking vs running sets out the calories and the joint load. If you also want strength or interval sessions, our list of the best workout apps covers those, and calorie trackers have their own list, the best weight-loss apps.
Safety and recalls
These are software apps, not physical products, so there are no product recalls to check. The safety points are about you and the road: a phone count can’t see traffic, uneven paths or how you feel. Walkmeter’s free live tracking lets people you invite follow a walk, which some walkers find reassuring when they head out alone.
What a step counter can’t do
A step count is a good nudge, but it isn’t a weight-loss plan by itself. In the JAMA review, pedometer users lowered their body mass index by less than half a point, and the review couldn’t say whether the gains lasted. Phone counts also miss steps when your phone sits on a table, and the calorie figures any app shows are estimates. Pair your walking with a calorie deficit from eating changes if your goal is to lose weight. Walking really earns its keep later: our guide to keeping weight off explains why staying active matters most once you reach your goal. And if the number on the scale stalls, our guide on how to track progress without a scale shows other ways to see how far you’ve come, from steps to how your clothes fit.
Sources and last checked. We read every app’s U.S. App Store listing (Samsung Health: Google Play listing and Data safety page), the maker’s website and privacy policy, and Google’s announcement of Google Health Premium on October 7, 2026. Study figures come from the published abstracts listed under References. Prices change often, so check the store before you subscribe. We’ll re-check this list every three months.
