10 Best Walking Apps for Employees

Walking is one of the most effective, cost-free, and accessible ways to maintain strength and health. It's no secret that walking is excellent for you; getting your daily steps in can positively impact your physical and emotional health.

Walking is one of the most well-liked low-impact exercises. It can help you lose weight and improve your body's reaction to insulin.

The American Heart Association suggests 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week to stay in shape. Also, it suggests eating healthy, getting sufficient high-quality sleep, and managing stressors.

We know the health benefits of walking and generally feel better after a stroll. Yet, finding the time to complete 10,000 steps per day might, at times, seem insurmountable. With walking applications that handle all of the work for you, tracking your steps is simple.

Active workers use fewer sick days, reducing the company's absenteeism and presenteeism rates. Companies now invest in employee wellness programs to increase productivity and reduce healthcare expenses.

Suggested Read: Top 10 Benefits Of An Employee Wellness Program

Step challenge programs and applications simplify starting and promoting physical activity at work. You can provide enticing rewards for team involvement and successful task completion, such as gift cards, lunch outings, etc.

Benefits of using Walking Apps

In today's mobile culture, apps are among the best ways to enhance employee wellness program participation and make programs available worldwide to employees and their dependents.

1. Step Count

Most people need to exercise more, and one of the simplest ways to do it is to walk. Encourage staff to use an app to track their daily distance traveled. A significant improvement can be achieved by increasing daily walking a little. You can achieve the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week with only a 20-minute walk around the block.

2. Motivate

What motivates people to use fitness apps and gadgets like FitBit? They assign value to our attempts to stay active. A reasonable target is between 8,000 and 10,000 steps daily, and an average mile equals 2,000 steps. You might be shocked at how many steps you take every day just by moving about the office, the grocery store, or the street!

3. Encourage healthy competition

Offer rewards for achieving a daily or weekly goal, highlighting the importance of tracking daily steps or other physical activity. Simple rewards are usually the most effective ones, such as;

• Mentions in your staff's monthly newsletter
• A free healthy lunch,
• The options to select the next wellness challenge

These things are not much but are simple and effective. These might be all you need to motivate your employees.

4. Increased involvement

You can use pedometers or wearable step counters like FitBit to support your walking challenge. Users of CoreHealth's MyWellApp can access all the other components of your wellness program, including the ready-to-use virtual walking challenges below while tracking their steps using the app.

Suggested Read: Everything You Need To Know About Calories Burned While Walking

10 Best Walking Apps

Creating a walking culture at your place of business is simple, regardless of the present fitness levels of your staff or the financial constraints of your wellness program. Using office fitness challenge applications is one method for promoting employee well-being in today's mobile society.

“Walking is cheap, fun, safe, and acceptable exercise.” – Annie Taylor.

We've prepared a collection of incredible applications that pay you for your walking habits to keep you inspired on your next fitness adventure! A step-counting app will fit your employee's lifestyle, whether you can take a few more steps each day or spend the entire day walking.

1. MoveSpring

Price per user: $8 (one-time), $2 (monthly, billed annually).

MoveSpring provides a variety of step challenges that help maintain your and your coworkers' high levels of engagement. The voyage mode is the first and gives you access to a virtual, game-like map full of adventures and enjoyable surprises. In the target mode, you can define group objectives like the overall distance, time, or several steps you need to complete before the challenge ends.

You have the option of participating individually or joining teams to compete. Setting a fundraising goal for the team and donating the funds when you reach it will help keep everyone motivated if you work as a team.

2. Corporate Wellness App from InKin

Pricing: $2 per user monthly, with a free version (billed annually).

You can participate in many fitness challenges on the inKin Corporate Wellness App. These consist of group, contest, water intake, and sleep challenges.

This app might be a wise choice for individuals who are open to new things. Everybody will have a challenge that suits them the best. Additionally, it works with the majority of technical gadgets. To keep track of your progress, you can track your wellness statistics using various devices.

3. Fitbit App

The Fitbit app is a flexible and user-friendly application, and it can track calories burned, monitor heart rate, and count steps and distance traveled. The app tracks your steps using the motion sensor on your phone.

For your operating system, you may download the Fitbit app for free. The software will then ask you which tracker you want to install when you first install it. The MobileTracker will be set up if you select "No Fitbit Yet." Now it will monitor your daily activity as detected by the accelerometer in your phone. You'll receive hourly graphs and a step count.

Using the Track Exercise feature, you can monitor speed and distance whether or not you own a Fitbit tracker. Choose from Walk, Run, or Hike by tapping the Plus icon on the home screen.

4. Strava

Strava is simply a fitness-tracking program for cyclists, swimmers, and runners who want to compete. You can compete against yourself and other bikers, swimmers, and runners who have traveled the same routes as you.

The app keeps track of your distance and pace using the GPS on your phone or a connected gadget like a fitness tracker or running watch. Then it analyses your data and evaluates it against that of everyone else.

Additionally, you can join a group for more ideas, routines, routes, and photo sharing. This app is fantastic if you want to give up a sedentary lifestyle and become more active.

5. Empower by Charity Miles

Pricing: Free

Empower by Charity counts the miles walked or run and raises money, converting them into donations from corporate sponsors. Miles inspires individuals and teams to participate in charity walks and runs. The software allows you to join a company group for corporate tracking and choose a charity from more than 40 organizations. These include the ASPCA, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, The Nature Conservancy, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

Chart your progress toward new distances with Charity Miles and even receive points for each mile you finish. Additionally, the app integrates with several fitness trackers, such as Fitbit and Garmin, so you won't need to enter your information manually every time. You may even share your progress with friends and coworkers to stay informed about friendly competition!

6.Vantage Fit

Vantage Fit is an all-inclusive corporate health and wellness program from Vantage Circle. This mobile-friendly application is ideal for you once you log in. Thanks to the app, you'll be able to track your fitness activities correctly. The app includes tools for heart rate monitoring, calorie counting, step tracking, mood tracking, and weight loss.

This health app provides a venue for corporate wellness initiatives. Thanks to an awesome gamification function, you may design personalized walkathons and track your employees' daily walking efforts to maintain healthy calorie levels.

Improve employee engagement by rewarding their calorie expenditure with redeemable fitness points.

Suggested Read: A Step-By-Step Guide To Vantage Fit Synchronization

7. Map My Run

Price: Free version; $5.99 monthly; $29.99 annually

After hearing its name, you might believe this program is all about running. However, Map My Run also provides challenges for other forms of fitness, including yoga, walking, cycling, swimming, and working out in a gym.

You may set up a challenge for your company and divide it into contending teams. The team goals may include things like "best workout time," "largest distance," "best swimming time," "most triumphs," and others, depending on the challenge you've chosen. This software is amazing for those serious about competing (and winning!).

8. Virtual Walk – Walk the Distance

Price for the upgraded version: $0.99 per walk.

Use the inspiring app "Virtual Walk" to liven up your regular treadmill workouts or outdoor walks. Your distance is displayed on a virtual tour of a beautiful or significant location. These include the Grand Canyon, the Appalachian Trail, the monuments in Washington, DC, the Giza Pyramids, and more.

You can examine pictures and information about the locations on your virtual stroll at checkpoints along the route. Some routes can be taken without cost, while others must pay. You are given a medal after the trek. Ratings for the Virtual Walk GPS or Treadmill versions are higher than for the Street View versions.

9. Argus

Price: $29.99 annually

The lifestyle app Argus is focused on completing 30 minutes of daily physical activity and is tailored to health and fitness. Exercise, as well as other elements of health, including water consumption, sleep patterns, and diet diaries, are tracked in addition to daily steps.

The software generates graphs and displays data for the user to consider based on measured activity. This might inspire those who desire to comprehend the routine tasks they carry out that lead to better health. The app aims to inspire and motivate others by sharing community data and goals.

10. Life Coin

The LifeCoin app specifically rewards your outdoor walking. Another step-counting software is preferable for you if you have a busy job in a restaurant or hotel. However, LifeCoin is a step-counting software that will pay you for spending time outdoors if you walk your dog frequently or enjoy trekking.

Although it can deplete your battery, the app employs GPS tracking to calculate your step count, which is fantastic for long walks. It works best when used briefly and then switched off to conserve battery life. Consider other applications if you're looking for ongoing daily step tracking. High-step counters can be redeemed for rewards like gift cards and various goods.

Also Read: All About The Global Corporate Virtual Walkathon 2021

Difference between running apps and walking apps

Running apps and walking apps generally have similar functionality. These mobile applications are supported by the two most widely used mobile operating systems for mobile devices, Android by Google and iOS by Apple. Both are made to track several measurements, including time, speed, distance, and steps. They frequently have workouts, trails, and routes pre-programmed. Some include added features like heart rate monitors and calorie counters.

The planned exercises are probably the primary distinction between walking and running apps. The workouts with a walking app will be slower and frequently shorter in the distance. On the other hand, a running app will have pre-programmed programs that travel farther and faster.

Conclusion

Along with improving physical health, walking affects physical and mental health. Any additional benefits are just a bonus for one of the most organic types of exercise, walking, given the effects it can have on the body.

“Walking is the favorite sport of the good and wise.” – A.L. Rowse.

It could take trial and error to locate the walking app that best suits your needs. The good part is that it's simple to download and utilize every app on this list. Everywhere we go, including the office, we all make decisions about our health and wellness.

You can boost participation in your program and encourage greater employee health by integrating the correct wellness applications into your workplace wellness programs. Hence, it will help you and your co-workers to stay motivated and inspired. Additionally, healthier workers contribute to happier work life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Can I lose weight by walking?

Walking more can improve general health, and while taking one long walk per day is usually preferable to taking several shorter ones, both strategies are healthy.

If losing weight is the objective, keep in mind that this strategy may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with a history of eating problems. To create a secure strategy, speak with a doctor or nutritionist before beginning a plan. Losing more than 1-2 pounds per week is not advised.

Question 2: How do my steps get tracked?

Any walking app you use will sync with your Google Fit or Apple Health account to extract step counts. You just have to give access to your health information (step count and distance traveled in kilometers).

As a result, the step count you see on the app will reflect the steps that your Android or Apple device will record.

Note: There may be differences in the number of steps compared to other apps. It occurs since the app counts steps using its algorithm and accesses raw data from the device's Google Fit/Apple Health App (including Google Fit and Apple Health).