Apps that pay you to walk: an honest UK guide
Walking apps will not make you rich, and many are designed to keep you tapping. Used sensibly, they can still nudge you to move more. Here is what they really pay and how to use them well.
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The short answer: apps that pay you to walk are worth a few pounds over several months, not an income. Their real value is as a small daily nudge to get moving. If that is what you want from them, they can be a good thing. If you are hoping to earn money, there are far better uses of your time.
How walking apps make their money
A walking app is free because you are not really the customer. The app earns money from advertisers, brand partners and offers it shows you, and in some cases from what it learns about your habits. Your steps are the reason you open the app. The adverts, surveys and partner deals are how it pays for itself.
That is why the reward for walking alone is deliberately small. The app shares a sliver of what it earns with you, and saves the bigger rewards for actions that make it more money, such as watching adverts, answering surveys or signing up to partner offers.
What you can realistically earn
Rates change often and differ between apps, so treat the figures below as a rough guide reported by reviewers and the press, and check the current rates inside each app.
| App | How steps convert (reported) | Daily limit (reported) | How you get rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macadam | Coins for steps, converted each day, often by watching a short advert | Steps not converted before midnight are lost | Coins exchanged for vouchers or a cash transfer, subject to availability |
| Sweatcoin | About 0.95 coins per 1,000 outdoor steps | Around 5 coins a day on the free plan | Coins spent in the app’s marketplace; coins are not pounds |
| WeWard | About 1 Ward per 1,500 steps | Around 25 Wards a day from walking | Cash out from around 3,000 Wards, roughly £15 |
Why walking alone takes so long
Take WeWard as an example. At about 1 Ward per 1,500 steps, a fairly active 7,500 steps a day earns around 5 Wards. Reaching a 3,000 Ward cash-out at that pace would take well over a year. Even walking enough to hit the daily limit every single day, it would take around four months.
The other apps follow the same pattern. Daily limits and conversion rates mean steps alone add up slowly, and the “earn faster” options in each app almost always mean adverts, surveys, games or partner sign-ups.
Watch out for how they are designed
Many walking apps borrow tricks from games to keep you coming back:
- Notifications and reminders that pull you back into the app several times a day.
- Daily deadlines, such as converting your steps before midnight or losing them.
- Streaks, levels and spins that reward opening the app more than walking more.
- Surveys and offers presented as quick wins, which can take a lot of time for very little.
None of this is a reason to avoid the apps completely. It is a reason to stay in control of them, rather than letting them control your attention.
Where they genuinely help
The best thing a walking app can do is make a walk feel a little more rewarding. If seeing your coins tick up gets you off the bus a stop early or out for a lunchtime walk, that is a real benefit, and it has nothing to do with the money.
The NHS recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and brisk walking counts. A walking app will not do that for you, but it can be a small push towards it. Walking short journeys instead of driving or taking the bus can also save you more money than the app ever pays.
How to use walking apps sensibly
- Pick one app. Running several at once multiplies the notifications, not the rewards.
- Turn off most notifications. Keep at most one daily reminder if you find it useful.
- Never pay for an upgrade to earn faster. You are unlikely to earn the cost back.
- Skip surveys and games you do not enjoy. Your time is worth more than the coins they offer.
- Check the permissions. Walking apps read your step data and sometimes your location. Only allow what the app needs.
- Treat any reward as a bonus. Count the walking, not the coins, as the win.
Common questions
Can you really get paid to walk?
Yes, but only a little. Most people earn a few pounds over several months from walking alone. Larger rewards usually require adverts, surveys or partner offers.
Which walking app pays the most?
It changes often, and each app values its coins differently, so there is no reliable winner. Compare the current conversion rate, daily limit and cash-out threshold inside each app before you commit to one.
Are walking apps safe?
The well-known apps are legitimate businesses, but they collect activity data and show adverts. Read the privacy settings, keep notifications under control and be wary of any app that asks you to pay to earn more.
Our take
Use a walking app if it gets you moving, and ignore it the moment it starts to feel like a chore. If you want to try one, our Macadam offer page shows the current referral bonus and its conditions. For ways to earn more meaningful amounts, see our list of UK sign-up bonuses.