Speaking from a perspective of numerous abandoned New Year resolutions, we all know how difficult it is to begin a fitness journey and, more importantly, stay committed to it. But what if money were involved? Not like you’re paying for a gym membership, but the other way round. Like you’re getting paid to exercise.
That’s very much possible with walk-and-earn apps. And what’s more, you could easily weave it into your daily life, like a walk to the grocery store, an evening walk around the park, or even just walking around in your everyday life.
So if you’re planning on getting started with one of the most common forms of cardio, walking, and getting paid to do it, here are some of the best walk-and-earn apps in India that you can consider.
1. StepSetGo
StepSetGo or SSG was launched in 2019 by three childhood friends, Shivjeet Ghatge, Misaal Turakhia, and Abhay Pai. The goal was simple. They wanted to make fitness a rewarding experience, especially for beginners who find it difficult to commit. Today, the app has over a crore downloads and 4.5 stars on the Play Store, truly a remarkable success story. The app also won the title of the most Innovative Health App in India in the Atmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge.
How does StepSetGo work?
StepSetGo works on a very simple reward system. With every 1,000 steps, you receive 1 SSG coin. As these coins accumulate in your account, you can use them to get rewards from the in-app rewards section, Bazaar.
Why Choose StepSetGo?
- Step counter and calorie tracking: With SSG, you can keep track of your steps, the amount of calories you burned and even the amount of distance covered, even if you’re offline or don’t have the app open directly. You also get detailed analytics through graphs and charts.
- Weekly challenges: There are also leaderboards and weekly challenges that make it more fun. You can follow and compete with your friends and family, celebrating who gets the highest steps in.
- Corporate wellness programs: This one’s specifically for businesses that want to run fitness programs as a part of employee engagement. They can set up team challenges, custom leaderboards and other analytics to boost employee morale.
- Extensive rewards: SSG has partnerships with some of the most popular Indian brands like Amazon, Myntra and Flipkart. So you can avail discounts and coupons for a wide range of categories like electronics, fashion and lifestyle products.
Pros and Cons of Using StepSetGo
| Pros | Cons |
| Supports tracking through smartphones as well as popular fitness wearables | In-App Ads |
| Tiered membership system | Manual Activity Start |
2. Growfitter
Growfitter was launched in 2016 and has become one of the most popular walk-and-earn apps. Their reward system is highly lucrative, with rewards from lifestyle, insurance, cryptocurrency and NFTs. Besides walking, they also support a wide range of fitness activities like running and cycling. The app is available on the Play Store and App Store with millions of downloads across each.
How Does Growfitter Work?
Growfitter tracks your daily steps or any other physical activity you’re doing through your smartphone or smartwatch. As you complete daily step goals, you earn “Growfitter Rewards.” These rewards can then be redeemed for vouchers or discount offers for fitness programs, gym memberships, apparel, wellness brands and even OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video. The app also motivates you to stay consistent, as higher value rewards get unlocked with longer activity streaks.
Why Choose Growfitter?
- Daily step goals: Growfitter gives you achievable step targets, depending on your existing activity level. And with completing each goal, you earn reward coins.
- Fitness challenges: The app also hosts challenge-based events like 21-day fitness streaks pretty frequently. The winners often receive premium prizes as rewards, like smartwatches, headphones, or even travel vouchers.
- Insurance benefits: One of Growfitter’s most unique offerings is that they have partnerships with a number of major insurance companies. That’s why they are also able to include health insurance rewards. You can even get coverage for certain plans, completely free.
- Crypto and NFT rewards: They also offer crypto tokens through GFIT, their in-house cryptocurrency that can be used within their own platform or through other partner platforms that support blockchain assets.
Brand-led rewards: You can redeem your coins for offers from very well-known brands. That includes Puma, Adidas, Cure.fit, and others. Rewards typically range from discounts to free trials, and in some cases even branded merch. - Corporate plans: They also have corporate plans for businesses that want to incorporate fitness-oriented employee engagement programs.
Pros and Cons of Using Growfitter
| Pros | Cons |
| Health insurance rewards, unique to walk-and-earn apps. | Reward inventory can become limited or even run out during high-traffic periods. |
| The reward system is very generous for users who maintain daily or weekly streaks. | Verification of completed challenges is a little slow. |
3. SweatCoin
One of the most recognised walk-and-earn platforms, Sweatcoin, is available in over 60 countries. The app was founded in 2016 by Oleg Fomenko and Anton Derlyatka, and today has over 120 million users worldwide. It is available on both Android and iOS. What makes the app a top pick among walk-and-earn apps in India is the volume and variety of rewards it offers. They have 600+ partners, and you can pick from gadgets, fitness gear, gift cards, subscriptions or even donate to charitable organisations available on the platform. They also have an in-app crypto token called SWEAT that you can use to trade or buy NFTs.
How Does Sweatcoin Work?
When you’re using Sweatcoin, your steps get tracked and converted into ‘Sweatcoins’. For every 1000 steps, you earn a certain amount of coins. The number increases as your membership level goes up. Do keep in mind that this app uses GPS for verification and only tracks your outdoor steps.
Why Choose Sweatcoin?
- Sweatcoin marketplace: The app has an extensive marketplace with hundreds of offers. You can redeem Sweatcoins for sportswear, fitness equipment, meditation apps, and many more.
- Donations: Sweatcoin allows you to donate your earned currency to partnered charity campaigns. The app claims that to date, users have collectively contributed amounts in millions to social causes.
- Premium membership: Premium users can earn more Sweatcoins per step and get access to exclusive marketplace deals.
- Crypto integration (in some regions): Sweatcoin has launched SWEAT, its own cryptocurrency. In supported countries, users can convert steps into crypto tokens, adding an investment angle to walking.
Pros and Cons of Using Sweatcoin
| Pros | Cons |
| Biggest reward catalogues among walking apps. | Only supports outdoor step-tracking |
| Strong community presence with global members. | Premium deals can be region-specific |
4. CashWalk
Originally established in South Korea, Cashwalk now has a global presence. The app is perfect for beginners as it has a straightforward interface. The app works like a pedometer and doesn’t rely on GPS tracking. This also ensures that your device’s battery doesn’t get drained faster when the app is running.
How Does CashWalk Work?
Cashwalk counts your steps and converts them into in-app coins. For every 100 steps, you earn 1 coin. But the coins come with a limit of 100 coins per day. These coins can then be redeemed for vouchers, coupons, and special deals across popular lifestyle and food brands.
Why Choose CashWalk?
- Daily rewards: Apart from step-based coins, the app offers daily check-in bonuses, lucky draws, and spin-the-wheel rewards. So you can balance physical activity with entertainment to stay engaged.
- Reward store: CashWalk lets you redeem your collected coins for Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and food delivery vouchers.
- Intuitive interface: One of Cashwalk’s strengths is its minimal UI, making it easy to use for users of all age groups.
- Pop-up minigames: Small in-app games allow you to earn additional coins, making your fitness experience more fun.
Pros and Cons of Using CashWalk
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use, ideal for beginners | Limited rewards at times |
| Extra earning opportunities with minigames and daily rewards | In-app ads |
5. Runtopia
Created by leading Chinese fitness tech firm Codoon, Runtopia has a prominent user base spread out across the globe. The app covers a wide range of activity tracking, like walking, running, and jogging. This makes it perfect for people who like to include diverse exercises in their routine.
How Does Runtopia Work?
As you complete your activity goals, you earn ‘Sports Coins’. You can also boost your rewards with daily check-ins, completing tasks, or participating in group challenges. These Sports Coins can then be exchanged for coupons, fitness gear, subscriptions, or even direct cash through PayPal.
Why Choose Runtopia?
- Varied activity tracking support: Runtopia uses multiple tracking mechanisms through GPS and device sensors to track various activities like outdoor running, walking, and cycling. You get detailed statistics like distance covered, pace, calories burned, and time taken.
- Community and social boost: You can get social networking opportunities within the app through various activities. You can share workouts, compete in challenges, form groups, and follow friends. All of this contributes to a motivational community atmosphere.
- Audio-coaching: The app also has real-time audio coaching to guide beginners through their exercises.
- Challenges and competitions: There are daily, weekly, and special event challenges as well as leaderboards within the app. Some users can find this motivating.
Pros and Cons of Using Runtopia
| Pros | Cons |
| Direct PayPal cashout | Subscription-based access to premium features |
| Guided audio-coaching feature | Fluctuating coin value |
Summing Up
Walking happens to be one of the most popular physical activities that people across all age groups participate in. For beginners transitioning from a completely sedentary lifestyle, walking can help them get used to physical activity as they move on to more intense exercises. By incentivising the experience with rewards, gamification and friendly competition, these apps can help people enjoy exercise and become consistent.
FAQs
How can I walk and earn Paytm cash?
Apps like CashWalk and StepSetGo can help you redeem rewards through Paytm cash.
Can I really earn from walk and earn money apps in India?
Yes, you can easily earn rewards and redeem them for cash with walk-and-earn apps. But make sure to go for trusted apps and go through reviews to understand which one can be ideal for you.
What are the best walk & earn apps in India without investment?
StepSetGo, Growfitter and CashWalk are some of the best walk-and-earn apps that can help you earn without any upfront investments or paid subscriptions.
