For many people, walking is the easiest way to get the blood pumping. Thankfully, in the modern age, as well as getting some exercise. Walking can also make you some money.
It’s potentially a great way to inspire regular exercise. Apps that pay you to walk and provide the ability to earn money by walking might seem too good to be true – however, if you want to get paid to walk or even get paid to run, there are a few ways in which you can convert calories into pennies. Looking for ways to earn extra money, or a new way of losing weight with added incentives? Keep reading and find out how to easily make a little extra cash while exercising.
Best UK Apps That Pay You To Walk
Looking for a paid to walk app that’s available in the UK? You’re in luck – there are several. However, if you, your friends and family look around for apps online, it’s worth filtering between UK and US services. It seems that the US leads the way in this market, though there are some leading UK apps which let you make passive income while hitting your fitness goals.
Sweatcoin
If you want to get paid to walk, Sweatcoin seems to be the most popular choice. At the time of writing, you can make decent money from the app if you’re walking upwards of 10,000 steps per day. The service will grant you its own currency – Sweatcoins, of course – based on how much you pace.
Right now, you can make around 0.95 Sweatcoins per 1,000 steps. That might not sound like much, but if you walk and run regularly, the cash can soon mount up. However, there is a cap system in place depending on the level you sign up for. You can upgrade levels, too, but you’ll need to trade in Sweatcoins to do so.
You can use Sweatcoins to buy products and services through the app’s store, making it one of few fitness apps with exclusive store benefits. Not so long ago, you could buy iPhones for tens of thousands of Sweatcoins. If you’re a marathon runner, it might be worth going the extra mile or two.
Charity Miles
If you care more about fitness goals than the money you could potentially make, then Charity Miles will likely appeal to you. Of all the apps that pay you to walk, this program is likely to do the most good overall. That’s because not only do you earn money by walking, the cash you do stack up goes straight to a charity of your choice.
The app has a few interesting charity choices, and what’s more, for each mile you run or walk, the service will choose to throw in some money. It might not be a way for you to make money while exercising for your own funds, however, it should help you feel a little bit better about yourself.
WinWalk
WinWalk is an Android app which enables you to earn a single coin through its unique system for every 100 steps you take. Those keen users who worry about GPS tracking can rest easy, as it won’t use any kind of satellite tracking to keep on top of your steps.
It’s an app that makes money while you walk, but you’ll be able to convert the cash on board here for gift vouchers. There is also an interesting little lottery feature, which means that if you’re feeling lucky, you could claim yourself even more WinWalk coins along the way.
The exclusive store offers plenty of nice freebies, which should act as a good incentive for anyone looking to earn money by walking – or just plain moving around in general! Brands such as Costa and Amazon are included in the voucher shop, meaning it’s well worth looking into.
BetterPoints
BetterPoints seems to be a good amalgamation of all the above. One of the main perks of BetterPoints lies in the fact that you can sign up for cycling programs and other exercise regimens. Therefore, if walking isn’t your style, you can mix things up a little.
Once again, this is an app that makes money while you walk – in the form of unique digital currency. You can use this to convert into voucher credit, meaning that if you fancy claiming yourself a little bit of money off at Argos, you absolutely can.
However, you are going to need to walk a fair amount to get rewarded. That said, it’s likely to create better habits for you in the long run, meaning there is nothing quite like making you work for your money!
Is It Worth Using Pay To Walk Apps?
This is a question that’s not necessarily so easy to answer. It all depends on what you put into such a service, and your current fitness levels.
As you can see, all of the major UK apps available demand a fair amount of input from you, but it’s safe to say that it’s all for a good cause – to help you get fitter and to adapt to a healthier lifestyle. Whether or not it’s going to mean you make 20,000 Sweatcoins in the space of a week or not remains to be seen.
Something that runs common through all the apps is that patience is a virtue. You can’t expect to make a stack of cash just by walking to and from the fridge twice a day. You’re going to need to put the time in to make it worth your while.
It’s a good system in the sense that it should – ideally – breed good habits in the long run. Chasing that elusive voucher or extra handful of Sweatcoins could be a lot of fun – but make sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will largely either need to spend virtual currency in the various apps’ stores, or you’ll be able to convert coins into vouchers. If the app you choose partners with a store or brand you genuinely like. Then this is all the more worth it. However, I want to be clear on this – there are few options out there which actually let you make real money for walking.
There are some systems in the US which let you place bets based on fitness targets. This is a system which seems to work well for some people, however, it remains to be seen whether or not such a system will cross the Atlantic in any kind of satisfying way.
Which Walking App Pays The Most?
That’s the million-pound question. Sweatcoin seems to pay out pretty often if you’re racking up tens of thousands of steps. However, along with other apps that pay you to walk, you are going to need to rack up stacks of points before you can make any kind of substantial money.
BetterPoints is a generous service, too. All the apps that I’ve taken a look at above seem to genuinely want to offer better habits to people who might not be able to get much exercise.
Which walking app pays the most? It’s hard to say, Sweatcoins offers stacks of great products and prizes, but BetterPoints seems to offer a better balance. What’s more, Charity Miles is the altogether best option for your conscience, as you are not only walking regularly, you’re helping to make money for worthwhile causes.
Conclusion
Let’s review this phenomenon one last time. Is it really worth downloading and using apps that pay you to walk? Consider it this way – if you are already walking or running regularly, it makes sense to try and make extra money in the bargain.
If this is only likely to be a couple of pounds here and there, and it’s only likely to be a voucher or two, it’s still worthwhile looking into. Even if you leave the app running in the background while you go about daily exercise, you’ll be running up passive income that you’d otherwise be missing out on.
Sadly, this phenomenon probably isn’t the money-making miracle that a lot of headlines would have you believe. However, that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. If anything, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, earning a little bit of pocket change, or the ability to earn points for gift cards every now and again, could be just what some of us need to get up and moving again.
My advice? Take a look at what’s available. In most cases, you’ll only need to give an email address to get started, and these simple fitness tracker services could help to change your life for the better. They’re all free apps, too – so if you’ve got spare room in your phone, get downloading.
