Believe it our not, you can get paid to walk! That’s right, you can actually get paid to stroll around your neighborhood, using iOS and Android apps.
So get your sweatbands, sneakers, and spandex ready, because it’s time to go for a walk and generate income while you do it.
Keep reading to learn how to make this weird dream a reality!
skip down to see all the ways to get paid to walk
19 Ways To Get Paid To Walk
Here are the best ways to make money walking:
- Miles
- StepBet
- Evidation
- Paidtogo
- FitPotato
- Sweatcoin
- Lympo
- Lifecoin
- Fit For Bucks
- Winwalk
- Higi
- Charity Miles
- PK Rewards
- MapMyFitness
- Runtopia
- DoorDash
- Instacart
- Rover
- Gigwalk
Apps that Pay You to Walk
1. Miles
Miles is a newer app that rewards you for miles traveled, be it walking those miles or flying those miles! You can get rewarded for them.
To get started, download the app and allow it to track your location. You will now start earning free points that you can redeem for gift cards.
This app may be best for those that travel a lot for work or have a long commute, as it takes 5,000-10,000 miles to redeem a $1 Amazon gift card.
Every dollar adds up, and the app runs in the background, so if you travel a lot, go ahead and set and forget it, talk about some passive income!
2. StepBet
Stepbet is a walking app that allows users to bet on themselves to meet step goals. If you meet your step goals, you can win cash prizes.
In basic form, StepBet can be a fun way of making walking fun, and getting rewarded in the process. Check out StepBet if you’re motivated by fitness challenges and gamifying your own personal improvement.
3. Evidation (formerly Achievement)
Evidation, formerly Achievement is an app that offers money for participating in a variety of activities like walking, swimming, and biking. You can even collect rewards for doing things like meditating and logging meals.
Like with most apps, the more you use Evidation, the more you can earn. Nearly 5 million people have already downloaded and highly rated the Evidation app.
4. Paidtogo
Paidtogo rewards you for walking or running. The app will automatically count your steps and convert them into Paidtogo Coins when you go for a walk or run. You may redeem those coins for PayPal or Bitcoin payouts.
According to the app, some of its top users’ earn up to $75 a month.
5. FitPotato
FitPotato is a fitness app that lets you challenge friends and other users to earn cash for steps. You can participate in weekly prize groups, and you can choose from various activities like dog walking, running, and solo walking.
6. Sweatcoin
Sweatcoin is an app that pays users to exercise. Payment comes in the form of Sweatcoins, which is the company’s own form of cryptocurrency.
You can collect rewards every time you reach 1,000 steps. Sweatcoins can then be redeemed for in-app offers like clothing discounts, food, and Amazon credit, to name just a few.
On its website, Sweatcoin claims to be the fastest-growing health app ever, making it a company to put on your radar.
7. Lympo
For another app that pays you to walk and complete other activities, look into Lympo. You can participate in local walking challenges, take surveys, and upload your daily health-based activities.
Each qualifying activity pays LYM coins, which you can redeem for rewards and prizes right through the app.
8. Lifecoin
Lifecoin is a rewards app that enables users to collect coins with every GPS-confirmed step you make toward your step goal.
According to Lifecoin, the more you step, the more you earn in Lifecoin units. These Lifecoins can then be converted to rewards such as an iPhone X, Apple Watch, or Lululemon gift card.
9. Fit For Bucks
Fit For Bucks rewards users for staying active. You can get paid for running, walking your dog, grocery shopping, and various other activities.
Simply download the Fit For Bucks app, connect it to an activity tracker, and start moving. When it’s time to redeem your rewards, you can earn free stuff like a cup of coffee, discounts on local fitness classes and massages, and more.
10. Winwalk
Winwalk is a simple, Android-only walking app that pays you to walk by using a pedometer function in your smartphone. You can earn one coin for every 100 steps you take, with a maximum daily earning amount of 100 coins.
The more you move, the more rewards you can get, including gift cards to the Google Play Store, Nike, and Starbucks.
11. Higi
Higi is a wellness-focused service that aims to provide users with easy access to their health data.
As a Higi user, the service records your activity and movements by connecting with a variety of health devices, including FitBit, Nike+, Strava, iHealth, Garmin, and more. Then, you can earn rewards points for each mile worth of steps you take. You can then cash these points in for rewards and discounts.
Higi is more than just an activity-tracking app. You can also track your blood pressure, weight, BMI, and more, by stopping into one of the 10,000 physical Higi stations nationwide.
12. Charity Miles
Charity Miles lets people earn money for their favorite charity by doing activities like biking, running, and walking.
The first step is to download the Charity Miles app and then select the charity of your choice (e.g., Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Speaks, ASPCA, and Habitat for Humanity).
Then, with each mile you move, you’ll rack up money from the company’s pool of corporate sponsors. The more miles you log, the more the app’s sponsors donate to your favorite cause.
13. PK Rewards
PK Rewards hands out prizes to users that achieve their fitness goals. To start earning, download the app in the App Store.
PK Rewards will then track how much effort you put into each workout and compensate you with coins, which can then be exchanged for gift cards, apparel, and trips. The harder you exercise, the more PK Rewards coins you can earn.
14. MapMyFitness
Leading sports apparel manufacturer Under Armour offers several ways to earn extra money by moving around.
- MapMyRun is a service that offers local challenges, along with prizes for achieving certain challenges.
- MapMyFitness offers a similar program for athletic training (e.g., working out in the gym).
- MapMyWalk is a digital walk management app that also offers prizes to users who complete various walking challenges.
15. Runtopia
The Runtopia is a top-rated GPS tracker app that rewards users with Sports Coins (SPC) for running.
Simply put, Runtopia is a great app for avid runners who want to compete with others and earn digital currency. The more you run, the more SPC you can earn, which you can then redeem for free gear, prizes, services, and more.
Get Paid to Walk While Doing a Side Hustle
16. DoorDash
DoorDash is one of the leading food delivery apps in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
As a DoorDash Dasher, you can get paid cash for delivering food to people in your community.
Technically, DoorDash doesn’t pay you to walk, but you will certainly get some steps in when running around between your car, the restaurant, and customer locations. Depending on where you live, you may be able to make deliveries on your bike.
17. Instacart
Instacart is technically a grocery delivery app, but you can also get paid to walk as a shopper. This means you can earn money to walk around a grocery store and fulfill customer orders.
As an Instacart shopper, you have the option to either work exclusively within a grocery store or to deliver orders to customers as well.
18. Rover
Calling all dog walkers! If you love spending time with animals, then you need to check out the Rover dog walking app. Using Rover, you can earn money for walking dogs in your local community.
Not only can you earn extra cash by spending time with furry friends, but you’ll also be helping out neighboring pet owners.
19. Gigwalk
Gigwalk is a free app that can connect you to local gigs in your area. Gigwalkers can earn from $3 to $100 or more for each Gig, depending on how much time is involved and how hard the job is.
To get started, simply download Gigwalk, answer a few basic questions, and connect your PayPal account. You can find Gigs in your area by shopping around on the Gig List within the app.
Tips for Getting Paid to Walk
You may be chomping at the bit to get up and start walking for rewards. But before you do, here are some things to consider.
Proceed with Caution
Safety is critical when doing any form of exercise. When using fitness apps, it’s easy to go overboard, especially when dollars, rewards, and leaderboards are attached to fitness goals, or when participating in social fitness challenges.
If you’re not in the best shape, start slow and consider talking to a doctor. Remember that walking can be strenuous, especially in hot or dry weather.
Look Around for the Best App to Get Paid to Walk
As you can see, there are a ton of different apps to choose from and each offers its own unique features and rewards. Think about your workout preferences and the type of experience you want. There’s no point in downloading a run mapping app if you hate running.
Don’t Do it For the Money
Fitness apps offer fun rewards and cash payouts, but they’re not going to make you rich. Often, users get frustrated because the effort they put forth doesn’t always come with a solid return on investment. Getting up and walking a few miles takes time and energy.
It’s important to have a strong personal reason for using fitness apps. Don’t do it for the rewards. Use them to get in shape, experience the outdoors, and have some fun while exercising. Treat the rewards as small perks for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and you won’t wind up disappointed.
If you’re in it just for the money, check out our list of the best side hustles.
Why Get Paid to Walk?
Not convinced? Here are some more reasons why you should consider getting paid to walk as your next side hustle.
Keep Yourself Healthy
If you’re here, chances are you have a money-making mindset. Speaking from personal experience, pursuing financial freedom can be stressful and overwhelming if you don’t balance your time with wellness activities.
Walking can reduce stress and keep you in better shape. With each daily step you take, you invest a tiny bit in yourself—and that’s the best investment you can make.
Reduce Long-Term Healthcare Costs
There’s another benefit to exercising on a regular basis. Over time, you can keep yourself healthier and potentially reduce the risk of getting sick or injured. This can possibly help you save money on healthcare costs down the line.
Clear Your Mind
Let’s face it: Walking can be a pretty dull activity, especially if you travel the same route over and over.
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Walking provides uninterrupted time for you to think, reflect, and brainstorm money-making ideas. You can also use the time to tap into personal finance audiobooks and podcasts.
Maximize Your Returns from Paid Walking
Invest
Bringing in passive income through investments should be at the top of everyone’s to-do list. If you collect cash rewards, consider putting them into a brokerage account or retirement account so the funds can grow over time.
Suppose you earn $200 each month by shopping for Instacart. If you throw that all into your brokerage account, you’ll have $2,400 by the end of the year—and that number is likely to grow much higher thanks to the power of compound interest.
Download Podcasts for the Journey
As I mentioned above, walking is an awesome opportunity to clear your head and take in knowledge from audiobooks and podcasts.
To start, check out my Financial Freedom podcast if you want to learn about investing, mindset, and a bunch more.
Bring Friends Along
Consider making exercise a group effort. Round up your friends and start a walk-and-talk investing group. Use this time to motivate each other and share some insights about investing and money management. You can also motivate each other to work out more by creating challenges among yourselves.
Learn More:
Alternative Side Hustles that Require Physical Activity
Here are some great alternative side hustles to consider for people who like to live an active lifestyle.
Teach Yoga
There are millions of people out there who want to learn how to improve their yoga skills. If you’re good at yoga and instructing, then you should teach yoga online or in person. This is a great way to earn money while improving your own fitness goals.
Referee or Umpire
If you have a deep knowledge of a particular sport, consider officiating local sports games. You can get paid to show up, officiate, and take part in an athletic contest. This can be a lot of fun, and some places will pay a decent hourly rate (most likely, more than many of the apps listed above).
Check your local town hall for a list of leagues and inquire about how to get involved. In some cases, you could get paid to referee three or four games in a single day if the demand is high and you’re good at it.
Coach Youth Sports
If officiating isn’t for you, consider coaching youth soccer, basketball, or softball team. You can get paid to help young people and lead them to victory.
Host Tours
If you live in a popular area with heavy volumes of tourists or visitors, then you may be able to get paid to host local tours of historic sights or scenic areas.
Hosting tours is a great way to remain active, and you can meet some fun and interesting people in the process.
Lifeguard
As a lifeguard, you’ll play a big role in keeping local swimmers safe at beaches and private events. Depending on the location, you may be able to do this part-time or full-time in the summer.
Most lifeguards are paid by the hour, and some public municipalities pay very well and even include retirement benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do fitness apps work?
Fitness tracker apps use GPS and connect to health tracker devices (e.g., Fitbit or Apple Watch) to track your health and exercise data.
The thing to remember about fitness apps is that they’re almost always running throughout the day, which can seriously drain your battery. They can also pose some security concerns if they’re always collecting data. Make sure to read each app’s security policy before moving forward.
Can you make money by using walking apps?
Apps tend to vary in their reward systems. Some pay PayPal cash, while others offer rewards from partners like Amazon, Walmart, and others. In addition to rewards and payouts, these apps can also help you achieve your weight loss and fitness goals.
Are fitness rewards apps legit?
It largely depends on what you’re looking for. Most likely, you aren’t going to earn a lot of money. However, if you think that extra perks will encourage you to burn body fat, then, by all means, fitness apps are worth it.
The Bottom Line
There are many benefits to using health apps while exercising. Earning extra money, gift cards, and living a healthier lifestyle are just a few.
Whether you’re getting paid to run, walk dogs, shop for groceries, or pick up office supplies for local businesses, opportunities abound. Start by defining the type of experience you want, then pick one of the above providers that align with your goals.
Get moving!
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