I did 10,000 steps a day for a month - these are the walking apps that helped make it happen

With new routes to explore, distance tracking, pace sensors, and social media connectivity that allows you to share your walks with friends, one of these best walking apps can help bring more to your daily strolls.

Whether you're looking to pull on your best walking shoes and explore more of your local area or get your step count up (fitness tracker glued to your wrist, of course), there's an option for you.

As a keen gym goer, runner, and hiker, and woman&home's digital health editor, I know I should be doing more steps every day, but I work behind a desk and I don't own a walking pad (yet), making things difficult. So, when the weather started turning, I set myself a challenge of walking 10,000 steps a day for an entire month. These are the apps that helped make it happen, and my favourites to download in 2025

Best walking apps

The best walking app overall

My favourite walking app is AllTrails. It's a handy pocket guide with 100s of pre-planned routes all over the world. Each route has pictures from other walkers, reviews, a description, and details on the distance, elevation, and route type (circular, out and back, etc). You can also record your own walk and get a mapped route with details (like distance, moving time, average pace) at the end, which can be synced to your fitness tracker.

For weekend strolls and holiday exploring, I love it. In the past four years, I've found new ways to get around my local area and trails I never knew existed. I've also done full walking tours of Prague and Copenhagen without spending an extra penny. As each route comes with so much detail, you know exactly what you're getting into before starting, which many alternative apps don't offer.

Upgrade to Premium, as I have done, and you'll be able to take the pre-planned routes and maps offline and find the trails closest to you. At £35.99 a year, it's considerably cheaper than most other subscriptions for workout apps, and while the extra features don't make or break the experience, they certainly come in handy.

My only gripe (and it's a small one) is that you can't plot a route in advance. Unlike similar map-based apps - such as Komoot, which I've also used - you can only record your route as you do it or follow one of the 100s of pre-planned routes in the app.

The best walking apps for tracking steps

Before I started wearing the first of many Fitbits I've had over the years, the StepsApp Pedometer was my go-to app for counting my steps. Years later, I logged back on and I'm pleased to say, the app is as good as ever - with some impressive new updates.

As a classic pedometer, it's all you need. If you wear a fitness tracker, you can link your watch up to the app (or connect it to your phone's built-in Health app) and see your steps rack up throughout the day. You can also view your numbers weekly and monthly, which I've found really helps to hold me accountable without irritating notifications.

One update I've been very impressed by is the 'Workouts' tab. Here, provided your phone is connected to GPS, you can set yourself a goal for a walk, run, or bike ride, and the app will let you know when you've hit it. For example, the other day, I had 3,789 more steps to do before reaching my 10,000, so I set a 4,000-step goal to hit it. At the end of your session, you'll see your route mapped out in green, just like on AllTrails.

The best walking app for tracking distance

If you've got a distance goal, Strava is my pick of the best walking apps for you. It's available on all app stores and you don't need a fitness tracker to take advantage of the features - although it helps.

There are no pre-planned routes like AllTrails but you can plan your own or just press 'Start' and head out the door. At the end, you'll receive a full breakdown of your distance, pace, moving time, and other data from your walk with a mapped-out picture of your route. At the end of each week, I really enjoy seeing a breakdown of how far I've walked and how my distance compares to other months.

Strava made the list for distance trackers as it's so easy to use and see your essential data, although there's heaps more to take advantage of if you sign up for Premium. It's why the app has also made my list of best running apps.

What's more, new safety features mean you can hide your start and end point, giving you the confidence to share your route with others on social media - which is the whole point after all, right?

The best walking app for weight loss

As weight loss needs sustainable lifestyle habits, the best walking app for weight loss will be one that helps create healthy habits in the kitchen and your exercise routine. I'm a great lover of Fitbits, having tried and tested every one ever made, so believe me when I say this app is underrated.

While I haven't had a weight loss goal this year, I have found the Fitbit app very useful in the past when I've wanted to incorporate healthier habits into my lifestyle - like sleeping and eating better, and doing more exercise.

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. Either way, you get your daily steps (viewable in weekly and monthly formats, like Strava), alongside a predicted calorie burn for the day, week, and month, and access to several healthy recipes.

Fitbit Premium vs free is the question, though. While I think the £79.99 fee is worth it if you're planning to use the recipes, follow the additional strength training and Pilates workouts in the app, and appreciate the extra sleep and exercise data, walkers don't need to pay to reap the benefits of this app - especially if you already own one of the many types of Fitbit.

The best walking app for indoor

On some days, you just need to be able to get 10,000 steps in without leaving the house. I get it - and I've done it many times. If you own a treadmill or walking pad, you can do the same, and I'd recommend Peloton to make the endeavour a little more interesting.

You might think it's 'just' a cycling app, but Peloton has 100s of pre-recorded and live workout classes to follow at home, making your treadmill workouts a breeze. While you could just do a treadmill workout while watching your favourite show, I find the instructors in the classes make my morning walk an entertaining and motivational hour in the day. With other members logging on too, you get a sense of community live in that moment - something that no other walking app offers.

Plus, if you're looking to get fitter with indoor walking workouts, Peloton truly is the top option. I've followed the regular 60-minute Power Walks, but there are options for walks as little as 5 minutes long for those wanting a quick exercise snack, and walk/run classes for anyone wanting to develop their cardio endurance.

The best walking app for routes

Packed full of routes in your local area, there's so much to explore with this app. I was so excited to open it, and I've been using it on and off for the past year. Whenever I've wanted a stroll in the city, I've turned to Go Jauntly. The routes are grouped by theme, often related to history in the area or geography. For example, you can explore routes based around the Elizabeth Line in London. Once you're signed up, you can also create your own walking route.

My favourite feature is the 'Map' tab. Here, you can put in two locations and the app will create an 'A' to 'B' or 'circular' route to help you get there. You can also choose whether you want a 'Green Route' (i.e. through parks and green spaces) or the 'Fast Route', which will get you there ASAP.

While it's very similar to AllTrails in many ways, it missed the top spot as GoJauntly directs you on the pre-planned routes using step-by-step instructions and pictures, and it's harder to follow along with than GPS mapping.

The best walking app for beginners

As little as 10 minutes of brisk walking a day can help reduce your risk of serious diseases and improve your fitness. So, the NHS has created the Active 10 app, which is a great option for those new to exercise and anyone looking to create a 10-minute workout routine.

As a health editor, I often hear there's confusion around what 'brisk' actually means. To reap the benefits of walking, you need to be going at a 'brisk' pace. You won't have this issue with the Active 10 as the app has a built-in pace checker that monitors your movements to check you're going fast enough.

Log your 10 minutes every day (either all at once or spread out) and you'll get a medal sticker, which I found helpful for keeping me accountable every day. Another day, another medal ticked off. While there's no route options, mapping capabilities, or smartwatch connectivity, you will find helpful advice articles.

The best walking app for Apple users

Whether you like to walk indoors or outside, if you use any Apple products, you can benefit from Apple Fitness+. Here, you'll find loads of treadmill walking workouts (much like on Peloton), along with Pilates, strength, and running sessions to support your fitness.

However, for walkers, the feature I like best is 'Time To Walk' - guided walks, led by celebrities like Hannah Waddingham, Prince William, and Jamie Lee Curtis, and backed up by music. It feels like you're having a catch-up with a (superstar) friend as the celeb is also walking while recording the session, making for a mindful moment in the day. And of course, being Apple, it's collated in a way that feels premium and is very easy to use, which is a big plus.

"On my rest days, I love to go for a long walk and this feature has so far proved to be a lovely companion and a great alternative to podcasts," says fellow walker and woman&home's digital editor Kerrie Hughes, who also reviewed Apple Fitness+ for a month.

A note on walking apps

While some studies show that smartphones relatively accurately track data on step count, stride length, and even gait, walking apps might not always offer data that's 100% accurate. So, take it with a pinch of salt.

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.

If you're looking to improve your fitness with walking or get more accurate data, I would recommend investing in a good fitness tracker. It doesn't have to be an expensive one - the Fitbit Inspire 3 is less than £100 at full price - but as the trackers sit on your wrist, I find them to be more accurate than just using an app for logging steps and tracking distance and pace.

The most important thing is to enjoy your walk and settle into a habit, as there are so many benefits of walking.

"Walking, although sometimes overlooked, is one of the simplest and most effective forms of exercise. Elevating your heart rate and enhancing circulation can improve heart health, and regular walking can lower your blood pressure, which helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes," says Dr Sejni Pattani, a GP and lifestyle medicine physician.

"Whilst any amount of walking is beneficial, brisk walking has greater positive cardiovascular effects but indoor and outdoor walking have their own advantages, and whichever you do is down to personal preference and lifestyle," she adds.

How we tested the best walking apps

• Hours on the trails: In the last year, I have clocked up almost 300 hours on dedicated walks through my city, on trails, and out in the countryside. Over this time, I took many of the walking apps on this list for a spin - including AllTrails, Strava, and Apple Fitness+.
• Metrics: I reviewed each of the apps for the metrics they offered, if that was an advertised feature. For example, the Fitbit app, Strava, and AllTrails all stood out to me for the data on my distance, pace, steps, and more available on the app after my walks ended.
• Compatibility: If you're like me, you're into watching your step count rise on your fitness tracker, so I made sure to include options where you could connect your smartwatch to the app for complete integration. I tried many of the apps with my Coros Pace 3 and my pick of the best Garmin watches, alongside the Fitbit Versa 4.
• Additional workouts: While features for walking were at the top of my list, I noted any apps that had other workouts on them too - like Peloton, Apple Fitness+, and Strava, which offer strength training, Pilates, yoga, running, and other options for those looking to combine their walking with some of the other best exercises for longevity.
• Price: While walking apps can help transform your routine, they shouldn't cost more than a gym membership. I carefully noted how much each of the apps cost to download (all free) and use (subscriptions ranging from £3.99 per month to £79.99 per year).