Best Hiking Apps of 2026 Tested and Reviewed

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Pacer offers many chances to meet others if you’re looking for a group of fellow walkers to motivate you. With groups and challenges to join, you can connect with friends or meet new people. It uses phone sensors and GPS to track walking and other activities. Provided your phone is connected to GPS, you’ll also be able to rely on the distance and pace being correct as well. But from personal experience, I certainly don’t recommend relying on them for accurate calorie information, especially if you’re looking to use a walking app to make healthy lifestyle changes. Even when connected to a fitness tracker, this tends to be off by as many as 100s of calories a day.

The Strava app is the best walking app we could find for a community. Thanks to Strava, you can join challenges, share photos from your activities, and follow friends who also use the app. While I’d suggest investing in a tracker to make the most of the app (the Fitbit Charge 6 is my favourite), you can use it without one.

I aim to help you find the app that best suits your needs so you can make the most of your walking workouts and enjoy every step of the way. Using these apps, you’ll not only track your progress but also feel a sense of accomplishment with every step you take. Even without an Apple Watch, the Apple Health app can give you loads of walking data, especially if you tend to carry your iPhone in your pocket.

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  • Mobile apps are one of the most convenient satellite-tracking tools.
  • Those with hardware fitness trackers should try out the apps that come with them first.
  • There are plenty of satellite-tracking websites to choose from, but not all of them work well on a smartphone.
  • This one may not work as well as a 24/7 step counter as with fitness bands or other apps.
  • This is one of the many reasons users like Care’s platforms, and regular users can get discounts and free care bonuses.
  • Also, the app encourages social interaction as you can form walking groups to raise money together.

All this data is sent to an app on your smartphone, where you can track changes over time. Most apps give you virtual ‘awards’ for achieving particular goals, such as taking 10,000 steps per day or going to bed on time. This is why it’s our top pick if you’re looking for a tracker to suit a lot of different needs and workout types. A solid option of when it comes to fitness-focused activity tracking, and offers access to the advanced features from the Garmin Connect app. For over a decade, we’ve tested and rated them, and our experts know exactly what to look for in each model. We score them out of five and use that data to bring together our recommendations.

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BarBend editorial member Matt Cummings is also a fan, giving the app a 4.5 out of 5 for overall experience and a 5 out of 5 for user interface. I used it years ago training for a half marathon, but as a walking app, it’s great,” he says. I’ve been a Strava user for eight years now, and it’s long been my go-to tracking app for any and all outdoor workout activities, including walks.

The Final Step: Walk Into Wellness

When choosing a fitness tracker, you must consider what type of activity you enjoy most. If you’re primarily interested in getting outdoors and walking more, you can get away with picking up a more affordable watch that doesn’t offer GPS tracking. If, however, you’re getting into cycling or running, a device like the Fitbit Charge 6, with its built-in GPS module, would be a better choice to track your route and speed accurately. The Amazfit Band 7 is a $50 fitness tracker that promises many of the marquee features found in more premium wearables but at a fraction of the price.

The best fitness trackers of 2026

Take my most recent trip to Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons National Park), for example. Now I’ve been to Wales quite a few times in my life, but I’m by no means an expert. Most of the time I’ll either visit somewhere I’m recommended by a friend, or I’ll do some research online and hope for the best. This time, however, I found myself dogsitting in an old rectory house just outside of Abergavenny (don’t ask). Hiking and route-planning aside, here’s a little list of some useful (and fun) outdoorsy apps we’ve also been using at the moment.

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Nike Run Club is well-known for runners but works just as well for walkers who want professional guidance and progress tracking. “There isn’t much room for customization, but you can see details about each class before you start, which allows you to personalize your experience. The interface is uncluttered, making it easy to view your step count and progress at a glance. Ads can be a bit intrusive in the free version, but they don’t significantly detract from the overall experience.

Best Walking Apps to Try in 2024

The basic account is free, but the premium account requires a monthly subscription fee. Basic account holders can list jobs and wait for a response, whereas premium users can message dog-walkers directly. This appeals to owners who are very specific about who they want to hire. The fee might not be an issue for those who regularly use dog walkers, as compared to other companies, the slightly discounted dog-walking rate could pay for the long-term subscription. But this might not be an option for some, and a handful of users rate this pricing plan poorly. It can be tough to break old habits and develop new ones, and a fitness tracker can help give you the encouragement you need.

best walk tracking app

Best Walking App for Weight Loss – Argus

The watch is compatible with several iPhone and Android models, and you can set up your watch to receive text or call notifications (just make sure to download the Xiaomi app). Our dogs came home with wagging tails, we received lots of photo updates during their stay, and the sitters invited us back each time. The love and attention they received via Rover sitters was significantly better than what we have experienced at kennels in the past.

Behind the Selection: How the List of Best Walking Apps Was Formed

best walk tracking app

Switching to paid plans is economically justified only after a is unimeal legit stable habit of daily walking has been formed. A studio‑level approach to creating training content, deeply integrated into the company’s closed ecosystem in Cupertino. The solution is ideal for owners of the brand’s watches who need a professional approach and a premium level of video production.

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And, perhaps my personal favorite new-in-2024 detail is the “check-in” feature that allows you to let friends or family members know when you start and finish a workout. But, besides upgraded walking features, the app offers streamable classes ranging from HIIT, yoga, kickboxing, and treadmill running, to name a few. While steps are tracked automatically, and you can easily log a walk in the free workout app — the Apple Fitness+ app -levels up the experience. That’s in part thanks to seriously cool “Time to Walk” audio guides that are narrated by celebs including professional soccer player Leah Williamson and actor Jason Segel.