The Best Pedometer Apps for Android & iPhone: The emergence of the theory of 10 thousand steps predetermined the popularity of the most reliable pedometer app that helped users count how many steps they took in a day. Many studies show that people who walk 10,000 steps a day are healthier, have lower cholesterol levels, and are less prone to heart disease. However, theorists often overlook the fact that slow walking will do nothing for your health. You need a quick step that will significantly increase your heart rate. This is why it is best to only count the meter data when you are walking fast or jogging.

What is a pedometer app? 

If you’ve ever flipped the image on your phone screen, then your smartphone has an accelerometer. And if there is an accelerometer, you can download the pedometer application and monitor the number of steps taken. What is a pedometer for, what is it in the phone, what are they like, and where to find them?

How Pedometer App Works – Do Pedometer Apps Really Work?

Pedometer apps record your movements using an accelerometer integrated into your smartphone. The principle of operation is based on the registration of oscillatory movements, which are captured by a tiny microcircuit that records the acceleration. Many applications have a function to fine-tune the sensitivity of the accelerometer. The application uses data received from GPS satellites to determine the location of the device on the ground. Applications for smartphones can work autonomously, through authorization using registration or through an account on a social network.

Best Pedometer Apps

In general, software pedometers perform just as well as smartwatches like the Apple Watch or fitness trackers like the Mi Band. The measurement accuracy is close to 99%. If you have a treadmill, use it to test it, or just go for a walk with your smartphone in your pocket. Once you get home, compare the distance traveled using Google Maps. So, here are the best pedometer apps for Android and iPhone, which seem to hint that it’s time to take a walk.

1. Step Counter – Pedometer Free & Calorie Counter

  • Review : 4.9
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $2.99 – $59.99 per item
  • Offered By: Leap Fitness Group

Step Counter from Leap Fitness is a pretty nice pedometer with good functionality and an interface in Russian. Working with him begins with setting a task for the day. Then you can see reports on the average number of steps taken per day, the total number for different periods of time, and the number of calories burned.

For counting, not GPS data are used, but smartphone sensors. This means that the phone will sit down more slowly. The Step Counter also features a reminder to drink a glass of water to replenish your daily fluid intake. The app is free, but it shows ads that can be turned off for 180 rubles.

2. Google fit

  • Review : 3.9
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free
  • Offered By: Google LLC

Google Fit is the company’s response to Apple Health. Google Fit is more than just a repository for data from various fitness apps. But also collects data of its own. Just install the app and log in with your Google profile. Then the pedometer function will start automatically.

There is also a calorie counter and Move Minutes metric. The latter shows all of your activity throughout the day. Depending on its readings, Google Fit gives you Heart Points (any exercise earns points with an increase in heart rate). Google worked closely with the American Heart Association to develop the latter metric.

In Move Minutes, minutes are counted only when you walk more than 30 steps per minute. That is, normal movements around the house will not be counted. Likewise, Heart Points are earned when you walk or run. All this makes Google Fit – one of the best pedometers for Android. Other features include logging and task setting for Move Minutes.

3. Fitbit

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  • Review : 3.8
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $7.99 – $399.99 per item
  • Offered By: Fitbit, Inc.

Did you know that the Fitbit app for the smart bracelet of the same name can be used without it? If you use the “MobileTrack” function, it will work fine with just one phone.

What’s so special about Fitbit? First, it has a very nice interface. Secondly, it has very rich functionality. You can, for example, take part in numerous competitions or keep training records and a nutrition diary. You can also turn on the “Adventure” mode, where your walks will be compared to the length of certain routes.

4. Accupedo Pedometer – Step Counter

  • Review : 4.3
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $1.99 – $9.99 per item per item
  • Offered By: Corusen LLC

The peculiarity of the Accupedo Pedometer is its widget, which shows the number of steps taken all the time. The widget can also be configured to show the distance traveled, minutes spent, calories, and other information. The countdown starts automatically after you take ten steps. So trips from the room to the bathroom or to the kitchen will not be counted. When the counting starts, you will receive a notification.

  • Review : 4.3
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $1.99 – $9.99 per item per item
  • Offered By: Corusen LLC

Company Runtastic offers a set of applications that focus on health and fitness. There are separate options for counting steps, keeping track of your runs, bike rides, and sleep cycles. All Runtastic apps communicate with each other and are compatible with Google Fit.

Runtastic Steps will calculate active minutes spent walking, the number of steps, calories burned. There is a setting for daily goals. Runtastic Premium starts at RUB 180 per month. The free version is good enough, but it’s better to spend on the premium one. The paid version will open up many new features such as routing, meal planning, keeping a food diary, and more.

6. Pedometer – Step Counter App

  • Review : 4.8
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free.
  • Offered By: ITO Technologies, Inc.

The Pedometer includes a typical set of pedometers: calorie burner, walking time, and average movement speed. And also, Pedometer shows information in the form of visual graphs, taking into account your gender and weight, which can provide useful recommendations for burning calories. Unlike other apps, Pedometer will start counting steps only when you start counting yourself. If you want to use the pedometer during walks and throughout the day, then it is better to choose some other application.

Pedometer app is very light on smartphone battery and offers a choice of several themes for interface design. For greater savings, you can preset the start and end times of the program. If necessary, you can adjust the sensitivity of the sensors to calibrate the distance calculation when you are riding a bicycle or car.

7. Pacer Pedometer: Free Walking Step Tracker App

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  • Review : 4.7
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $0.99 – $99.99 per item
  • Offered By: Pacer Health

Pacer App is an app from the developer Pacer Health, which is not just a step counter, but a multifunctional weight loss assistant. When you first start, you will need to indicate your age, gender, and weight. After that, to motivate yourself, you can set your own goals or use ready-made templates from the developer. Along with statistics, you can view personal trends in weight, steps, and calories to better visualize how fast you are moving towards your goal.

Premium members can connect their Fitbit and Garmin to the Pacer. Once connected, your daily steps, distance, and other activity data will automatically sync from your Fitbit or Garmin to your Pacer account.

8. MyFitnessPal

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  • Review : 4.4
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $0.99 – $99.99 per item
  • Offered By: MyFitnessPal, Inc.

MyFitnessPal is a well-known all-in-one health and fitness application. The app has a large community of users who regularly share tips with other contributors. It is also compatible with a wide range of third-party services, including many of those listed in this overview, so you can easily import data from them into MyFitnessPal.

In addition to calculating the distance traveled, MyFitnessPal includes one of the largest nutritional libraries with a detailed breakdown of ingredients. It’s not enough just to take 10,000 steps. It would help if you also ate right, getting the required amount of macronutrients. Utilize the built-in barcode scanner to determine the number of vitamins and macronutrients in the foods you typically purchase.

9. Samsung Health

  • Review : 3.4
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $0.99 – $99.99 per item
  • Offered By: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

If you own a Galaxy Watch, then you’ve probably already used Samsung’s S-Health app. But even if you don’t have a Galaxy Watch or a Samsung smartphone, S-Health is still a great fitness app with a built-in pedometer function. As in most other similar programs, you will be prompted to enter weight, gender, height, and other data immediately after installation.

As soon as you specify them, the application will automatically start counting steps. By default, you will have a goal of 10,000 steps. However, you can set any other value. The app also counts the total distance traveled during the day and the number of calories burned, counts the time for sleep, water consumption, food consumption, and much more. Although S-Health is preinstalled on most Samsung smartphones, it can be downloaded by any Android user in the Play Store for free.

10. Zombies, Run!

  • Review : 4.7
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $0.99 – $89.99 per item
  • Offered By: Shares Info, Digital Purchases

What better way to motivate yourself to burn calories than to convince yourself that your life depends on it? Zombies app Run! has already been downloaded by over a million users. Just plug in your headphones and follow the instructions (in English) as you run and complete various missions in a post-apocalyptic world filled with undead.

This is an excellent motivation for those who want to make jogging more fun. One has only to stop as you immediately feel a dead breath behind your back and hear the screams of zombies. Be careful because the sense of presence is quite strong. Zombies will chase you depending on the set speed mode. The Pro version includes over 300 different missions that become available as you progress through the previous levels.

11. Argus Calorie Counter Diet, Activity, Step Tracker

  • Review : 4.7
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free – $0.99 – $89.99 per item
  • Offered By: Shares Info, Digital Purchases

Argus is a multifunctional health and fitness tracker. Walking alone is not a guarantee of good health. They have an effect only in combination with other actions. Argus is great at not only counting steps, but it can do a lot of other things as well. For example, it tracks your overall activity, counts calories, and monitors sleep cycles.

There’s a built-in exercise guide and even a barcode scanner to help you keep track of your calorie intake. And also, there is its own social network with millions of active users, with whom you can consult or just chat. The program is free. However, for advanced functionality, including, for example, exercises for the home, you will have to pay $ 3 per year.

12. ViewRanger: Trail Maps for Hiking, Biking, Skiing

  • Review : 3.6
  • Available: Android & iPhone
  • Price : Free/Paid
  • Offered By: Augmentra

Not so much a pedometer as a useful application for tourists. ViewRanger knows hundreds of thousands of tourist routes around the world, each of which is rated by millions of service users. Out for a jog but can’t think of a route? Launch ViewRanger specifying the desired route length and difficulty. After that, the service will select the appropriate options.

This program is a great guide. When used with Augmented Reality, it provides helpful hints on where to go next. An excellent option for those who are not so much obsessed with counting each step but want to enjoy more nature and fresh air. The app supports Android Wear. GPS data is used to maintain movement statistics.


How to choose a pedometer for your phone

Smartphone apps offer a design and feature set to suit every taste and need. Someone will like the laconic design with a minimum of useful information, and someone will like the all-inclusive interface. The most basic programs offer the minimum number of functions and must be turned on before training and turned off after training. Multifunctional applications, in addition to the pedometer, offer a wide range of additional functions and capabilities.

Most developers follow the path of simplifying the interface. Simple graphic icons hide complex multi-factor algorithms. You can choose a pedometer for your phone, download it for free or download a paid version of the program in the application store.

Depending on the operating platform of the device, the application can be downloaded:

  • For Android devices – in Android App StoresSamsung Galaxy Apps 
  • For mobile devices with the Windows operating system – in the Windows Phone app store,
  • For Apple gadgets (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch) – in the App Store in iTunes.

You can download a pedometer to your phone for free. Pedometer utilities are generally simple and intuitive, even without translation. Most often, users choose pedometers by entering the search query “pedometer” or “pedometer” and then focusing on pictures that depict footprints, a symbolic image of a walking human figure, and sneakers. An overview of the pedometer and user reviews will help you navigate the features of the program.


is pedometer app free – pedometer app cost

Before you download a pedometer to your phone for free or buy an application for your smartphone, you need to make a list of the requirements for the program. Based on specific criteria, it is much easier to choose.

The most basic pedometer apps simply count steps and time. More sophisticated programs offer data on the distance traveled, movement speed, calorie consumption. Even more functional applications are able to automatically synchronize statistics with network archives, exchange information with social networks, track geolocation coordinates, and calculate the heart rate. The app will work to its fullest when you sync it up with an external foot pod or heart rate monitor.

Runtastic is one of the leading developers of proprietary software and sports gadgets. Runtastic Pedometer Step Counter Lite is one of several dozen fitness apps in the company’s lineup. 

Runtastic is one of the pioneers in the development of gadgets and in the development of sports software. Runtastic Pro, for example, is used by millions of athletes around the world, and that’s enough. The only thing that may be needed in the load is a connected heart rate monitor.


What are the differences, and how to determine which is better

The developers offer a wide range of standalone fitness devices, including distance tracking and step counting. On the market, this segment is represented by both inexpensive fitness trackers with a price from $ 10 to $ 50 and multifunctional professional, smart devices with a cost of over $ 500. The attitude towards such gadgets can be very diverse, but a fair question arises: “Why do we need another one if a smartphone with which we practically never part can cope with the task at hand?” In the Android Market, you can find a huge number of applications for counting steps and distance traveled. By the principle of their operation, they can be divided into two groups:

  1. Using the GPS module of the smartphone;
  2. Working on the basis of accelerometer data.

GPS module is designed to determine coordinates based on data received from the satellite.


Is the pedometer app accurate?

Obviously, the data received through it will not give sufficiently accurate information about the movement and, moreover, about the number of steps taken. A GPS-based application, for example, will not reflect your vertical position, the number of steps taken on the treadmill, and the accuracy obtained with their help leaves much to be desired.

For these reasons, modern smartphones mainly use programs for calculating the number of steps and the distance traveled, which work on the basis of accelerometer data. But there are quite high-quality applications that work on the basis of GPS data. An example is Runtastic.


Is the pedometer app safe?

Different developers use different algorithms to calculate steps taken, and distance traveled. Therefore, their accuracy is different. It also depends on the position of the smartphone while walking and what steps you take. Below we will consider the most popular and accurate fitness programs for gadgets running on Android OS.


Conclusion

We introduced you to the most popular programs for measuring distance traveled and counting the number of steps taken. Each of them has its pros and cons. We hope that the article will help you decide and make the right choice.

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