Alexis Kestler
Hey there! Getting your daily steps in is so important for your health. But it can be tricky to know if you‘re reaching your goals without using a pedometer. A pedometer app makes tracking your steps, distance and calories a breeze!
I‘ve tested out tons of these apps, and want to share my insights to help you find the perfect one. By the end of this guide, you‘ll know exactly which pedometer app fits your needs and lifestyle.
Let‘s get started!
Why Should You Use a Pedometer App?
Walking more each day has incredible health benefits, like:
- Lowers risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses by up to 50% [1]
- Reduces blood pressure and cholesterol [2]
- Burns calories to help maintain a healthy weight
- Strengthens bones, muscles and joints
- Boosts mood through release of feel-good endorphins [3]
But how do you really know if you‘re getting in enough steps each day? This is where a pedometer app comes in super handy!
Pedometer apps use your phone‘s internal sensors to automatically track steps taken, distance covered and calories burned. You‘ll get visibility into your daily activity levels to see if you‘re reaching step goals. Tracking your data can also provide motivation to walk more.
I highly recommend using one if you want to improve your fitness through walking. The apps do all the work of counting your steps throughout the day. All you have to do is walk!
How Accurately Do Pedometer Apps Count Steps?
When pedometer apps first came out, they weren‘t very precise. But the accuracy has improved a ton thanks to advances in smartphone sensor technology.
Most pedometer apps now use your phone‘s built-in accelerometer to count steps. This sensor tracks the up-and-down motion that happens when you walk.
Recent research shows today‘s accelerometer-based apps can be up to 97% accurate! [4] The most precise apps combine accelerometer data with the phone‘s gyroscope, which senses side-to-side motion.
Apps that rely solely on GPS for step counting tend to be less accurate. GPS can lose signal and drain your battery faster too.
That said, no pedometer will be 100% accurate 100% of the time. Factors like where you carry your phone can affect accuracy:
- Waist/belt clip = 95-97% accuracy
- Pocket = 90-95% accuracy
- Handbag = 80-90% accuracy
- Loose pockets = 65-80% accuracy [5]
But don‘t let the possibility of some variance deter you. Even at 90% accuracy, pedometer apps provide enough data to give you great insight into your walking habits and progress.
Now let‘s go over what to look for in choosing a pedometer app.
6 Key Factors to Consider in a Pedometer App
With hundreds of pedometer apps available, it can be tricky to determine which one is best for your needs. Here are the top 6 factors I evaluate:
Accuracy
This is the most critical factor. As we discussed, apps using accelerometer and gyroscope sensors tend to be most accurate in real-world use. Shoot for at least 90% accuracy if possible.
Battery Usage
GPS-based apps will drain your battery fastest. For longer battery life, choose an app that uses your phone‘s motion sensors instead of GPS to track steps. These can last up to 10 hours with the screen off.
User Interface
You‘ll be checking your pedometer app daily, so it needs to make viewing stats extremely easy. Look for a simple, intuitive design that displays your data clearly at a glance.
Data Tracking & Reporting
At minimum, the app should track daily steps, distance and calories burned. More advanced apps track additional metrics like elevation gain, active minutes, heart rate and sleep data. Robust reporting and graphs help spot trends.
Goal Setting & Motivation
Ability to set custom step goals and walking challenges gives you built-in motivation to keep moving. Features like motivational messages and rewards help too.
Price
Many robust pedometer apps are free or have free versions. For advanced features, expect monthly or yearly access fees from $2 to $10 typically. Premium pricing should align closely with extra value received.
Let‘s look at some top pedometer apps that deliver on these factors.
My Top 8 Picks for Android & iPhone Pedometer Apps
Based on in-depth testing and research, I recommend these 8 excellent pedometer apps for tracking your steps.
1. Pacer – For Simplicity
Pacer has an incredibly simple and intuitive interface that displays your daily steps, distance and calories burned all on one page. With a tap, you can set a custom daily step goal. The app uses your phone‘s sensors for automatic tracking.
I like that you can join public challenges and groups in the app for motivation. Pacer also integrates smoothly with MyFitnessPal, Google Fit and Apple Health to combine data.
This one strikes a nice balance of useful features without complexity. If simplicity is your priority, Pacer is a great choice.
2. StepsApp – For Robust Tracking
StepsApp stands out for its depth of data tracking. This popular app shows your step count, distance, active calories, elevation gain and active minutes. The dashboard provides a step progress bar and graph too.
Setting weekly and monthly step challenges is easy to keep you motivated. Premium features like idle alerts and weather tracking take it to the next level. All data integrates seamlessly with Google Fit and Apple Health.
StepsApp delivers some of the most comprehensive activity tracking you‘ll find in a pedometer app.
3. Walkmeter – For Fitness Enthusiasts
Walkmeter is a top choice for serious fitness fans wanting robust performance tracking. The app tracks all the basics like steps, distance and pace. But it also captures workout routes via GPS, intensity minutes, elevation gain, workout type classification, and more.
You can set training plans for goals like completing a 10K. Audio cues provide real-time pace feedback as you walk or run. The app even offers an Apple Watch app to track steps and heart rate.
While Walkmeter packs in a ton of high-level fitness tracking features, it costs $4.99/month for full access. The investment is worth it for serious athletes wanting maximum data.
4. Accupedo – For Apple Watch Users
Accupedo really excels when paired with an Apple Watch. You can track steps, distance and active minutes from your watch, then sync it all to the Accupedo app for reporting. The app even lets you challenge Apple Watch-wearing friends to step competitions.
Beyond Apple Watch support, Accupedo offers a clean interface, simple step goals and comprehensive activity reports. This one is great for iPhone users who also own an Apple Watch.
5. Pulse – For a Social Experience
Pulse pedometer app has a really fun, social approach to step tracking. You can join challenges with friends, share stickers and join live groups for extra motivation.
The app tracks steps, active time, distance and calories burned. Integrations with Facebook, WhatsApp, Strava and more allow quick sharing of your activity. Pulse uses your phone‘s sensors for tracking.
If you like social experiences and friendly competition, Pulse delivers. The social feed feels similar to a social media app.
6. Accupedo Lite – For Minimalists
Accupedo Lite offers the essential step tracking features without extra bells and whistles. The lightweight app focuses solely on steps taken, distance covered, calories burned and goal setting.
You get daily and weekly activity overviews along with simple step count widgets. The basic interface and lack of ads keeps everything clean. It uses sensors for tracking and is easy on battery.
For no-frills step counting, Accupedo Lite nails it with a minimalist design.
7. Stepz – For iPhone Users
Stepz is built exclusively for iPhone and optimizes the pedometer experience for iOS. The simple, aesthetically pleasing app shows your daily steps, calories, distance and active time on one main screen.
Your activity data seamlessly syncs to Apple Health to combine with other health metrics. Stepz also provides weekly and monthly performance summaries to spot trends.
Overall, this is a great pedometer choice for iPhone users who want an intuitive native experience.
8. Pedometer++ – For Tracking Walks and Hikes
Pedometer++ is ideal for walkers and hikers wanting to track steps alongside routes. Using your phone‘s GPS, the app maps out your walks and trails hiked while also recording step data.
You‘ll also get detailed metrics on distance, elevation gain, speed and estimated calories burned. Dedicated modes are available for walking, running and biking. Pedometer++ provides plenty of mapping visualizations to analyze your outings.
If you like trekking outdoors, Pedometer++ gives helpful insight into both fitness and route performance.
Start Tracking Your Steps Today!
As you can see, awesome pedometer apps are available to fit all kinds of user needs – whether you value simplicity, social engagement, run tracking or anything else.
My recommendation is to choose an app with high accuracy that gives you the tracking metrics and features most valuable to your goals. Comparing a few top-rated apps can help you determine the right pick.
The bottom line is that using a pedometer app makes getting enough daily steps so much easier. You‘ll gain great visibility into your walking activity levels while the app does all the legwork of counting your steps. Pick the one that best fits your lifestyle then get ready to walk more and feel better!
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to share my knowledge on finding the perfect pedometer app. Here‘s to getting in more steps each day!
