StepBet vs DietBet: Which Money Game Fits Your Goal?

Pick StepBet if your goal is to move more, and DietBet if your goal is a number on the scale. Both were built by WayBetter and work the same way at heart: you pay a bet, hit a goal by the deadline, and the winners split the pot after the company's fee. The goal, the proof and the fee are where they differ.

Key Takeaways

• StepBet rewards daily steps over about six weeks; DietBet rewards weight loss, most often 4% of your body weight in four weeks.
• StepBet keeps 15% of the pot in standard games; DietBet keeps 10% to 25% depending on bet size.
• StepBet reads steps from your tracker, while DietBet uses two-photo weigh-ins checked by human referees.
• Both pay winnings as points worth $1 each, cashed out to PayPal, and both were built by WayBetter.
• StepBet refunds until day 7; DietBet refunds a Kickstarter bet within seven days of the start.

StepBet games usually cost $40 and run for about six weeks, with step targets set from your own history. DietBet's best-known game, the Kickstarter, asks you to lose 4% of your body weight in four weeks, with bets from $10. Here is how the two compare side by side.

StepBet vs DietBet at a glance

How each one works

StepBet reads your recent steps and sets two targets: an Active day and a harder Power day. Each week you must hit them on a set number of days. The first week is a warm-up where nobody is knocked out. Steps must sync from your tracker within 24 hours of each week ending, and its rules ban manual or edited steps.

DietBet offers three games. A Kickstarter asks you to lose 4% of your weight in four weeks. A Transformer asks for 10% over six monthly rounds, each with its own target and payout. A Maintainer asks you to stay within 3% of your weight. You can join a game late, until day 14.

What it costs and what you get

StepBet's FAQ says most games cost $40, and the company keeps 15% of the gross pot in standard games. Members can play member-only games where winners share 100% of the pot; membership starts at $10.99 a month on the App Store. The Budget Diet estimates a typical profit of about $5 to $10 per game for non-members.

DietBet bets start at $10, and its FAQ says the company keeps 10% to 25% of the pot depending on the bet size. Players who lose pay no extra fee. An annual membership costs $49.99 on the App Store and adds progress weigh-ins and prize draws. DietBet does not publish a current average payout.

On both apps, your winnings shrink when many people hit the goal, because a fixed pot is shared by more winners.

How progress is checked

StepBet relies on your tracker. Its rules list Apple Health, Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin and Health Connect. Reviewers say sync problems with some trackers have cost them games, so check that yours syncs well before you start.

DietBet checks weight with photos. At the start and end of a game you send two photos, one of you on the scale and one of the readout, with a code word for that weigh-in. Human referees review every one, and bets over $100 need a video weigh-in. DietBet blocks players with a BMI under 18.5 and sets maximum-loss limits to discourage unsafe dieting.

Getting paid

Both apps pay winnings as points, worth $1 each, which you can use for new games or cash out to PayPal. StepBet's points expire after 12 months of inactivity, and winnings cannot go back to a card. DietBet requires a PayPal account in the same name with government ID, charges $5 on cash-outs under $50, and its points expire one year after your last activity.

What users say

StepBet's App Store reviewers say having money on the line keeps them walking, and they like goals based on their own history. The complaints, in App Store reviews and The Budget Diet, are sync problems with Fitbit, Samsung and Garmin that can cost a game, small profits after the 15% cut, and targets that climb for people who already walk a lot. Kimola's summary of App Store reviews also notes payout delays and slow support for some players.

On DietBet, Money Pantry's review found the photo and video weigh-ins with a code word a hassle, and referees can reject a weigh-in that breaks the rules. When many players win, each share of the pot shrinks, so profit after the fee can be small.

Who each one suits

• StepBet: you want to walk more, have a tracker that syncs reliably, and like a six-week routine with a warm-up week.
• DietBet: you have a weight goal, do not mind photo weigh-ins, and want a shorter game or a lower starting bet.
• Either: you like a group pot and accept that profits can be small after the fee.

If neither fits, our lists of StepBet alternatives and DietBet alternatives cover more options.

This is Steppa's blog, so one note on our own app. If you want a step game that is shorter than six weeks, Steppa runs step challenges on iPhone: you pay a stake, hit one daily goal every day, and the finishers split the whole pool. 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.

See every app we compare in the comparison hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is StepBet or DietBet better?

It depends on your goal. If you want to walk more, StepBet fits, because it sets step targets from your own history and reads them from your tracker. If you want to lose a set amount of weight, DietBet fits, with games such as the four-week Kickstarter where you aim to lose 4% of your body weight. Both put players into a shared pot.

Are StepBet and DietBet the same company?

They share a history. Both were built by WayBetter, and WayBetter's help center says StepBet and DietBet were sold to a company called Appex. DietBet's terms name Appex Group, and the App Store lists FitnessAI Inc. as the seller of both apps. They work in a similar way: you pay a bet, hit a goal, and winners split the pot as points.

Which has the lower fee, StepBet or DietBet?

StepBet keeps 15% of the pot in standard games, per its FAQ, and member-only games pay winners 100% of the pot. DietBet's FAQ says it keeps 10% to 25% of the pot depending on bet size, and players who do not win pay no extra fee. DietBet also charges $5 on cash-outs under $50, per its terms.

Can you lose money on StepBet and DietBet?

Yes. On both apps, if you miss your goal you lose your bet, and it goes into the pot for the winners after the company's fee. StepBet lets you leave with a full refund until day 7 of a game. DietBet refunds a Kickstarter bet up to seven days after the start and a Transformer bet until day 14 of the first round.