17 Best Apps That Pay You to Walk

If you need a nudge to get off the couch and on your feet, apps that pay you for walking can be a great incentive. They’re also a no-brainer for people who walk at their job, allowing you to earn a little passive income from the steps you’re already taking. 

Here’s a roundup of some of the most legit options, broken down into the following categories: 

• Steps and distance tracking apps: Get paid for letting apps collect your movement and location data in the background. 
• Healthy lifestyle incentive apps: Get paid for meeting nutrition, fitness and overall health goals.
• Gig economy apps: Earn money on your own schedule with a side hustle that doesn’t require a vehicle. 

We’ve ranked the apps below based on a combination of their earning potential, minimum cash-out amount, ease of use, user ratings and parent company reputation.

Steps and Distance Tracking Apps

There are a few things to know before you download an app that pays you for your steps. 

For starters, have reasonable expectations. You may get fit by walking more, but you won’t get rich. If you’re looking for a legit side hustle to make substantial cash, this is not it. 

However, if you’re looking to get a few extra bucks for the walking that you already do — or for an incentive to up your daily step count — these apps are a great way to put a few coins in your pocket. 

Some of these apps pay cash to a PayPal account, while others only give you discounts on merchandise or gift cards. A few only have auctions for rewards, rather than guaranteed rewards, so be sure to check out the reward system before you start logging miles.

We’ve compiled info on some of the most popular “get paid for walking” apps out there. While this is a long list, the best part is that you can use multiple apps and get paid more than once for the same steps!

#1. Optimity

Optimity will pay you for multiple healthy activities, not just walking. Earn “gems” for drinking water, answering health surveys, and doing the activities of the day (which include things like stretching and mindful breathing). 

Optimity awards you bonuses for keeping up a streak of meeting your step goal, multiplying your 10 daily gems by the number of days you’ve kept your streak going (with a max of 50 gems).

How you earn:	Earn 10 gems for reaching your daily step goal, and more for other activities.
How it pays:	Discounts on merchandise, gift cards and raffle entries.
Who can join:	Residents of the U.S. and Canada.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.
Where it gets its data:	FitBit and devices that work with GoogleFit, Apple Health and Samsung Health.

There’s also a premium version of Optimity available for $10 per month that comes with a number of benefits, such as $5,000 of no-exam life insurance, a subscription to the Headspace meditation and ClassPass fitness apps, and a bonus on gem earnings.

Key features: 

• Participate in health challenges with friends for extra gems.
• Your step goal is dynamic and adjusts as you walk more.
• Encourages holistic health behaviors, not just walking.

Download Optimity.

#2. Evidation

Evidation (formerly known as Achievement) allows you to earn up to 80 points per day for each tracked physical activity. Earn an additional six points for activities such as weighing yourself, meditating and tweeting about your health, up to a maximum of 30 points per day. 

If you were to earn the maximum points per day, you could earn a $10 gift card in about three months. 

Note that after the recent transition from Evidation to Achievement, users have reported some technical issues with syncing steps and logging in. 

How you earn:	Walking gives you points that you can exchange for gift cards and PayPal cash.
How much it pays:	10,000 points = $10 gift card or PayPal cash.
Who can join:	U.S. residents who are at last 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.
Where it gets its data:	From over 20 fitness apps (Garmin, Apple Health, GoogleFit, MyFitnessPal and more).

Key features: 

• You can opt to participate in research studies and surveys for more points.
• Points do not expire.
• Additional health education programs are available in the app.

Download Evidation.

#3. Miles App

The Miles app rewards you for all miles traveled, whether on foot, car, unicycle or any other mode of transport. Trips are detected automatically, so you don’t have to remember to open the app to get credit for your miles. 

How you earn:	By allowing the app to track your travel.
How much it pays:	10 points per mile. Redeem 7,500 to 10,000 points for $1 of gift card value (depending on the gift card you choose).
Who can join:	Anyone.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.
Where it gets its data:	Your phone’s location history and GPS data.

This app is very easy to use, but several users have complained that the price of the gift cards is prohibitively high. And while it does also offer raffle entries, we found no reports of users actually winning those raffles.

Key features: 

• Redeem your points for discounts on merchandise, raffle entries, gift cards or contributions to charity.
• You don’t need to open the app to use it, but it only works when you have a GPS signal.
• Automatically detects what type of trip you’re on (such as walking, biking, etc.).

Download Miles.

#4. LifeCoin

If you do a lot of walking outside, LifeCoin will pay you for outdoor steps with gift cards, merchandise or cash via PayPal.

You’ll earn one LifeCoin for every 1,055 steps, with a max of five LifeCoins per day — though many users complain of their steps not logging properly.

The app’s redemption threshold is very high. You need at least 2,500 LifeCoins for a $50 gift card, which means you’ll need to walk about 1,250 miles before you can get a reward.

How you earn:	Walking earns you LifeCoins, which can be redeemed for PayPal cash, gift cards and free merchandise.
How much it pays:	Approximately 50,000 steps = $1.
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	iOS only.
Where it gets its data:	Your phone’s GPS data.

Key features: 

• Since it gathers data via GPS, time spent on a treadmill won’t count.
• The app tends to drain your device’s battery life.
• Has a higher minimum payout threshold and a lower earning rate than many other apps.

Download LifeCoin.

#5. Fit For Bucks

Fit For Bucks is similar to most of the other fitness apps on this list, but with one major perk and one major drawback. 

The perk is that you can redeem rewards at a much faster rate than in other apps. For a mere 30,000 steps, you can score a free appetizer at certain restaurants. The downside is that many of these rewards are limited to businesses in the Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA areas. 

Fit For Bucks does offer some online rewards in the form of discounted merchandise, but users report that these discounts aren’t substantial enough to be valuable, as they often don’t even cover shipping.

How you earn:	Walking earns you points that can be redeemed for rewards.
How much it pays:	1 step = approximately .001 cent in value.
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	iOS only; Apple Watch, FitBit, Withings/Nokia, iPhone (HealthKit).
Where it gets its data:	Your phone’s activity tracking app (you must grant the app access to read your health data).

Key features: 

• Steps expire on the last day of the month after they’re acquired (so steps taken in June will expire July 31).
• Earn a max of 10,000 steps per day.
• Many rewards are for businesses in the Los Angeles area.

Download Fit For Bucks.

#6. CashWalk

CashWalk tracks your movement and awards you one Stepcoin for every 100 steps you take. 

How you earn:	Steps taken earn you in-app currency called Stepcoins.
How much it pays:	100 steps earns you one Stepcoin, with a limit of 100 per day. 300 coins equals $1 in value.
Who can join:	Anyone with a Facebook or Google account.
Supported platforms:	Android. (The English-language iOS version has not yet been released.)
Where it gets its data:	Your phone’s pedometer.

The layout of CashWalk is extremely similar to Fit For Bucks, but the rewards are not as California-centric. Gift card retailers include Amazon, Barnes and Noble, eBay, Gap, Hulu, Southwest Airlines and more.

The redemption threshold for CashWalk is one of the best: if you max out at 10,000 steps (or 100 coins) every day, you can earn a $5 gift card twice a month. 

Key features: 

• Must use a Facebook or Google account to sign up.
• Earn additional Stepcoins by putting CashWalk on your lock screen.
• “Trends” feature helps you keep track of your miles walked, calories burned and time spent active.

Download CashWalk.

#7. WinWalk

WinWalk is very similar to other get paid to walk apps, but it doesn’t require any personal info or login to sign up — a boon for those who want a step-counting app but are worried about privacy. 

It keeps you walking by paying you a coin for every 100 steps, with a daily max of 100. If you max out your steps every day, you will earn a $5 gift card in about three months.

How you earn:	Walking earns you coins that can be redeemed for gift cards.
How much it pays:	8,000 coins = $5 gift card.
Who can join:	Rewards are only available in the U.S., UK, Canada, Singapore, and parts of Europe.
Supported platforms:	Android phones only.
Where it gets its data:	Your phone’s pedometer (no GPS data is collected).

This app works with the internal pedometer on your phone, so you don’t need a fitness tracker to use it. Unlike many other walking apps, WinWalk doesn’t work off of GPS data. That means you can use it indoors or out, and it won’t drain your battery life. 

However, it doesn’t link to the data from apps like HealthKit or Google Fit, so WinWalk does have to be open and running in the background for you to earn credit. 

Key features: 

• Pays in gift cards to retailers like Amazon, eBay, Nike, Target, Walmart and more. (There is no PayPal option.)
• You can perform tasks from your offer wall (such as watching video ads, taking surveys, or playing games) to earn additional coins.
• Keeps track of your average steps over a week and a month so you can track your progress.

Download WinWalk.

Healthy Living Incentive Apps

Many apps don’t pay for your steps per se, but they do pay for healthy lifestyle choices like being physically active and losing weight. If you need an extra incentive for creating healthy habits like walking, these apps will help you earn some money while taking care of yourself.

#1. Paceline

Paceline rewards you in gift cards for exercising 150 minutes each week. Workouts are automatically tracked by your wearable device. 

While the app itself is free, you’re required to use a credit card, debit card or PayPal to sign up. This helps identify you as a real person and aggregates spending data to help the company choose what rewards to offer.

Paceline has also just come out with a credit card that doubles your cash-back rewards if you achieve 150 minutes of exercise each week.

How you earn:	By completing 150 minutes per week of qualifying exercise.
How much it pays:	$1 gift card per week (if you hit your target), plus an additional $5 gift card for a four-week streak. Gift cards are for Amazon, or you can opt for discounts on merchandise.
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	iOS only. Compatible devices include Apple Watch, Garmin and FitBit, as long as they share data with HealthKit.

Key features: 

• Paceline automatically counts exercise minutes through your fitness tracker’s heart rate function.
• You can earn a max of 50 minutes per day.
• There’s also an option to donate your money to a charity.

Download Paceline.

#2. Dick’s Sporting Goods MOVE Fitness Tracker

Sync your fitness tracker with the DICK’s Sporting Goods app to earn rewards to redeem at their store.

Each day that you reach three miles, 10,000 steps or 30 minutes of physical activity will earn you three points. Unlike some of the goal-centered apps on this list, there’s no penalty if you miss a day or two — you just get credit for the time you spend moving your body.

Note that “MOVE” is embedded within the main DICK’s mobile app.

How you earn:	Walking, running or logging qualifying physical activity.
How much it pays:	Up to three points per day. 300 points = a $10 DICK’S Sporting Goods gift card.
Who can join:	Residents of the U.S. and Canada who are at least 13 years old and have a valid postal and email address.
Supported platforms:	iOS (HealthKit), Garmin, FitBit, UA Connected Fitness (Under Armour).

To use the app, you first have to register for ScoreCard, which is DICK’s free loyalty program. Rewards are issued in $10 increments, and you can only redeem a max of two rewards per online transaction (or three rewards per in-store transaction). 

Key features: 

• Rewards expire one year after you earn them.
• Must have a fitness tracker to log steps.
• You can never redeem more than $30 in value in a single transaction.

Download the DICK’s Sporting Goods app.

#3. StepBet

If you’re interested in making money by walking to lose weight, the StepBet app can help you.

StepBet gamifies losing weight. To play, you buy in with your own money (essentially betting on yourself) that you can reach your fitness goal for a set number of weeks. 

StepBet uses your step count history from your fitness tracker to automatically calculate challenging yet appropriate goals for you. If you reach your goal, you split the pot of pooled money with the other winners in your group. If you don’t, you lose your bet.

How you earn:	By reaching a specified, time-constrained activity goal.
How much it pays:	Users report winning $3 to $9 per game. Get paid by PayPal or check ($5 fee).
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	Apple Watch, Apple Health, FitBit, Google Fit, Samsung Health, Garmin.

You need to sync StepBet with a pedometer (either an external device or your phone’s internal pedometer will work).

Note that StepBet takes a cut of the total pool of money, which is quite substantial — 15% of the total pool’s value. So even if half the participants drop out, don’t plan on taking home the Benjamins.  

Key features: 

• The app gives you a warmup week to get used to reaching your goals.
• You get one free day per week (in case you forget, get sick or are busy).
• Step goals are automatically calculated for you.

Download StepBet.

#4. HealthyWage

HealthyWage doesn’t pay you for each step you take, but rather allows you to bet on how much weight you can lose in a certain time period.

You choose a specific target weight and time frame, and you place a wager on yourself. The amount of money you get if you reach your goal increases with a shorter time, a greater weight loss goal, and/or a larger wager. 

How you earn:	By achieving a time-constrained weight-loss goal.
How much it pays:	$100 to $10,000, depending on your wager.
Who can join:	Adults who are at least 18 years old in the U.S., UK, Mexico, Canada and most of Latin America, Australia, Europe and Asia. You may not participate if you are pregnant, having bariatric surgery, or are on certain medications.
Supported platforms:	Android, iOS, FitBit, Garmin, Apple Health, Google Fit.

Note that you cannot cancel your participation once you place your wager. For some, this is part of the motivation, since you stand to lose money if you don’t reach your goal. For others, this feels like a scam if they initially set a goal that is too lofty.

Curious how much you can win? Check out the prize calculator.

Key features: 

• You have to submit a recorded weigh-in at the beginning and end to prevent cheating. 
• You can participate in team and individual jackpot and/or step challenges to get paid more for the same weight loss.
• Refer friends for a $40 prize boost.

Download Healthy Wage.

Gig Economy Apps That Pay You to Walk

You won’t make much when you’re paid by the step, but if you live in a dense, urban area, you can cash in on your walking time by using gig economy apps to work while you walk. 

If you’re looking to get the most dollars for your mileage, delivering food or walking dogs will earn you much more than apps that merely collect your data. 

Plus, if you use a pay-for-steps app while you walk for a gig economy app, your steps will pay you twice!  

#1. DoorDash

If you can carry a bag or two while you walk, sign up to be a DoorDasher and get paid to deliver food orders to customers. Most people use their car to make these deliveries, but DoorDash does allow walking Dashers in certain markets. This works best in dense urban neighborhoods or college towns that have a lot of restaurants and orders in a small geographic area.

How you earn:	Deliver take-out food orders from local restaurants to customers.
How much it pays:	$2 to $10 base pay per order (plus tips) is the average for all DoorDash couriers, though how much you’ll earn varies and depends on numerous factors.
Who can join:	Adults over 18 years old in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

Be mindful about which orders you accept and try to avoid those that aren’t compatible with walking — such as milkshakes in the summer. Be sure you can make the delivery in a timely manner; if the food arrives late and cold, you won’t get much of a tip and you could be banned from the platform.  

Key features: 

• Has a “Fast Pay” option to get paid daily ($1.99 fee applies for each withdrawal).
• You keep 100% of your tips.
• You can work at busy times to earn a “Peak Pay” promotion bonus.

Learn more in our DoorDash delivery driver review or download DoorDash to get started.

#2. Rover

Rover connects dog walkers with busy pet owners who need people to walk their animals or check in on them during work hours.

When you walk dogs with Rover, you get paid for your stroll around town — and you get a furry friend or two to take with you. 

How you earn:	Walk dogs or serve as a pet sitter.
How much it pays:	$25 to $55 per walk/drop-in visit; $1,000 per month or more, depending on your market.
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old. A background check is required.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

Like many gig economy apps, Rover works best in urban markets where the demand for dog walkers and drop-in visits is high.  

Key features: 

• Also allows you to run a doggy daycare in your home.
• Takes a low commission fee (by gig economy app standards) of 20%.
• There is no instant pay option.

Download Rover. 

#3. Wag

Like Rover, Wag pays you to take dogs on walks for owners who are out of town or too busy to do so. Both apps require you to pay for and pass a background check before you can go around town with the fur babies. The good news is that once you clear that hurdle, you can make much more walking dogs than with other get paid to walk apps.

How you earn:	Walking dogs.
How much it pays:	$20+ per walk. Users report earning $200 to $900 per week. Payments are issued through a Stripe account.
Who can join:	Anyone who is at least 18 years old and legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

Most people use Wag as a side hustle or as a source of fun money, but some dedicated folks in high-demand markets have made full-time money as Wag walkers. 

However, some recent updates have left the app a little glitchy, especially with regard to GPS tracking, cancellations not working, and having to keep the app open all the time for it to run properly. 

Key features: 

• Takes a higher commission (40%) than Rover.
• Has an instant payment option (a fee applies).
• Option to be hired as a dog trainer.

Download Wag.

#4. Gigwalk

Gigwalk allows you to do small tasks for companies in physical stores around town. You might have to check prices at a grocery store or take pictures of a sales display on your phone. This is similar to mystery shopping jobs, only everything is completed inside the app. 

How you earn:	By completing small, in-store tasks (usually related to research or quality assurance).
How much it pays:	Most gigs pay $3 to $20, and they can go up to $100 depending on time required and complexity.
Who can join:	U.S. residents who are at least 18 years old.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

If you use GigWalk, be sure to follow the instructions to the letter, as some reviewers and Reddit users note that the managers who review gigs can be picky. If you’re asked to return to the store for more pictures or details, you only have a few hours to complete the task or your payment will be dropped. 

Key features: 

• Choose which gigs you want to complete, and work as much or as little as you like.
• Gigs are usually short, often taking just a few minutes each.
• When you’re tired of walking, you can also get gigs testing websites.

Download Gigwalk.

#5. Shopkick

If most of your walking is done while you shop, Shopkick will help you monetize your errands. Earn “Kicks” to redeem for gift cards by simply walking into participating stores (as well as by completing other assorted tasks). 

How you earn:	By completing in-store, shopping-related tasks (like scanning product barcodes).
How much it pays:	250 Kicks = $1. Kicks can be redeemed for gift cards or cash via PayPal.
Who can join:	U.S. residents who are at least 14 years old.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

Shopkick is primarily a shopping incentive app. Its goal is to take you through a product discovery journey in which you learn about and (hopefully) purchase the specified product. However, you don’t always have to make a purchase to earn Kicks. 

For example, you can earn Kicks by scanning the barcode of certain items with your phone, and a limited number of stores offer passive earning when you pay with a linked debit or credit card.

Learn more about how it works in our Shopkick review.

Key features: 

• Shopkick shows you the Kicks available at nearby stores.
• You can also shop online through the Shopkick portal for additional Kicks.
• If you use Shopkick during your normal shopping, you may be able to earn gift cards more quickly than with most get paid to walk apps.

Download Shopkick.

#6. Field Agent

A 10-year-old, tried-and-true mystery shopping app, Field Agent pays you for doing specific tasks in retail stores. This can be especially profitable if you can find several missions in one shopping center. Most locations only have a single item to look for, so you’ll definitely be getting your steps in here. 

How you earn:	Do small tasks (such as taking photos of products in stores or making a purchase).
How much it pays:	Around $5 to $8 per task. Payments are issued via direct bank deposit.
Who can join:	Adult residents of the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, and South Africa.
Supported platforms:	Android and iOS.

You’ll need a minimum of $15 (about three missions) to cash out to your bank or a PayPal account. 

Key features: 

• Complete “Anywhere Jobs” online in addition to local ones for additional money.
• “Scavenger Hunt Jobs” (where you go to a store and find a specific product) can be particularly difficult and may not be worth your time.
• Use the map feature to plan out your route.

Download Field Agent.

Apps We Don’t Recommend

• Sweatcoin: It’s one of the most popular apps mentioned in this article, and it often sits at the top of similar get paid to walk lists. But the only way to earn money with Sweatcoin is by referring other users, and you need to refer at least 30 people to earn enough to cash out. While the app does track your steps and rewards you with “Sweatcoins,” they’re only redeemable for offers like discounted merchandise. And in most of the cases that we’ve examined, the deals were not exclusive to Sweatcoin users (meaning your Sweatcoins are actually worthless). Occasionally, Sweatcoin has gift cards available for outlets such as Starbucks and Uber Eats, but these sell out quickly to premium members (who get first dibs), and a premium membership costs $24.99 per year.
• Stepn: A Web3/crypto game that’s exploded in popularity, Stepn has the most upside of any get paid to walk app on tis list. The catch? It’s a pay-to-play game. The NFT sneakers — which are required to earn on the app — can cost hundreds of dollars. You’re also dealing with significant currency risk playing Stepn, as the game runs on the Solana network. That means you’re transacting in SOL, a cryptocurrency that’s dropped in price by more than 75%. While Stepn may be worth checking out for NFT enthusiasts with significant disposable income, it’s not a viable option for the vast majority of people.

Apps That Pay You to Walk FAQ

Apps That Pay You to Walk: Final Thoughts

Choose the apps that work best with your phone and/or fitness tracking device. Also, browse the available rewards to make sure you’re getting something you want before you start logging steps.

The best way to maximize the cash for your steps is to stack as many apps as your battery life can handle. For instance, you could sign up for DoorDash to deliver food, and add the Miles app for time spent driving, as well as CashWalk, WinWalk and a few other step-counting apps for the time you spend on foot. 

If you’ve tried any of the apps on this list — or know of any others we should research — let us know by leaving a comment below!