Pacer Alternatives in 2026: 6 Step Apps Compared

The closest Pacer alternative is StepUp, a free step app built around group leaderboards. Stompers makes the daily count a race with friends, Sweatcoin and Paceline give rewards for activity, Charity Miles raises money for a cause, and StepBet is the one to pick if you want money on the line.

Key Takeaways

• StepUp is the closest free alternative to Pacer's group challenges, with leaderboards for groups of up to 15,000 people.
• Stompers turns daily steps into a race with friends, with items that knock rivals back, and is free until 9pm each day.
• Sweatcoin and Paceline reward activity with coins, points and brand offers rather than cash.
• StepBet is the only option here where you put money in: most games cost $40 for six weeks and winners split the pot.
• Charity Miles fits people who want walks to raise sponsor money for a charity instead of earning for themselves.

Pacer is a popular free pedometer with groups, clubs, virtual routes and medals, and it had 4.9 stars from about 335,000 App Store ratings in October 2026. It pays nothing for steps, and many extras sit behind Premium at $49.99 a year. Here is how six other apps compare.

Pacer alternatives at a glance

What Pacer does well

Pacer is easy to start and works with almost every tracker: its site lists Fitbit, Garmin, Health Connect, Samsung Health, Oura, Whoop and more. Group challenges, walking clubs and themed routes keep people coming back, and employers can run workplace challenges through Pacer for Teams. Some organisers add prizes, such as a $25 Visa gift card raffle.

The limits: Pacer itself pays nothing, many features need Premium, the free Android app shows ads, and App Store reviewers report steps that vanish for days before support restores them.

StepUp

StepUp is a free social pedometer. Friends, families and workplaces compete on leaderboards that reset daily, weekly and monthly, and group admins can set custom challenges from one day to one year.

What it does well: private groups of up to 15,000 people, a Mystery Mode that hides counts until the next day, and 4.8 stars from about 146,000 App Store ratings. Its developer says no features sit behind a paywall.

Its limits: it runs on ads, there are no routes or medals, and any prize is up to the organiser.

Stompers

Stompers is a free daily step race. Whoever has the most steps by 9pm local time wins, and items on the map let you knock friends back or jump ahead.

What it does well: it is fun, iPhone and Android friends can play together, and it had 4.8 stars from about 13,000 App Store ratings.

Its limits: steps after 9pm only count with Super Stompers ($4.99 a week up to $59.99 a year), items can decide the winner, and it reads only Apple Health or Health Connect.

Charity Miles

Charity Miles turns walks, runs and rides into sponsor money for a charity you pick, tracked by GPS, the phone, Apple Health, Health Connect or Strava.

What it does well: it is free, its FAQ says it takes no percentage of charity-sponsor deals, and it had 4.8 stars from about 65,000 App Store ratings.

Its limits: you earn nothing yourself, and the current per-mile rate is not listed on their site as of October 2026, since each sponsor sets its own.

Sweatcoin

Sweatcoin pays about 1 sweatcoin per 1,000 steps after a 5% commission, on up to 10,000 steps a day for free.

What it does well: it counts steps in the background, has a large marketplace and charity giving, and had 4.5 stars from about 401,000 App Store ratings.

Its limits: no cash-out to PayPal or a bank (DollarSprout), daily bonuses come from watching ads, and it reads the phone and Apple Watch but not Fitbit.

Paceline

Paceline counts minutes with a raised heart rate from your wearable. Hit 150 minutes a week and you earn Pacepoints for partner-brand offers and gift cards.

What it does well: it counts any workout that raises your heart rate, there is no money at risk, and it had 4.8 stars from about 19,000 App Store ratings.

Its limits: it is on iPhone only, the subscription costs $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year, and reviewers say rewards have shrunk over time.

StepBet

StepBet runs six-week step games. Most cost $40, your targets come from your own step history, and players who hit them split the pot.

What it does well: real money for finishing, a warm-up first week, a full refund until day 7, and 4.8 stars from about 23,000 App Store ratings.

Its limits: StepBet keeps 15% of the pot in standard games, pays to PayPal only, and you can lose your entry.

Who each one suits

• StepUp: you want free group leaderboards without Pacer's Premium upsell.
• Stompers: you want a silly daily race with a few friends.
• Charity Miles: you want your walks to help a cause.
• Sweatcoin or Paceline: you want small rewards for activity you already do.
• StepBet: you want money on a step goal.

This is Steppa's blog, so one note on our own app. If you want a step goal with a real prize, Steppa runs step challenges on iPhone: you pay a stake, hit one daily goal every day, and the finishers split the whole pool. Steps come from Apple Health and typed-in steps never count. For most players a service fee of $0.50 plus 4% of the stake is shown before you pay. Paid play is for adults where available under its Terms.

Running one for work? Read our guide to a corporate step challenge, or browse every comparison in the comparison hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to Pacer?

StepUp is the closest free match. It counts steps from your phone, Apple Health or Health Connect, and lets friends, families and workplaces compete on leaderboards that reset daily, weekly and monthly. Its developer says no features sit behind a paywall, and it runs on ads and optional tips. Stompers is also free, with a playful daily race that ends at 9pm local time.

Does Pacer pay you to walk?

No. Pacer itself pays nothing for steps. Some clubs and organisers run challenges inside the app with prizes they fund, such as a $25 Visa gift card raffle, and finishers of some virtual routes can earn a medal. If you want something back for your steps, Sweatcoin pays coins for a marketplace and Paceline gives points for partner-brand offers, though neither pays cash.

Is Pacer Premium worth it?

That depends on what you use. Pacer Premium Yearly costs $49.99 on the US App Store and adds guided workouts and extra features. Free step counting, groups and many challenges work without it. If you mainly want group leaderboards, StepUp says it locks no features behind a paywall. If you want a reward for activity instead, Paceline costs $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year.

Which step app works with the most trackers?

Pacer is hard to beat here: its site lists Fitbit, Garmin, Health Connect, Samsung Health, Oura, Whoop, Polar, Amazfit and more, alongside Apple Health. StepUp syncs Apple Health, Health Connect, Fitbit, Garmin and Samsung. Stompers reads only Apple Health or Health Connect, and Sweatcoin counts steps from the phone and Apple Watch, with no Fitbit support listed.