Comparison

Challenges vs StepBuddy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Challenges

Compete with friends, family, and coworkers to get fit. Track your progress through stand, move, and exercise rings, earn medals, and send motivational nudges. Stay connected and motivated with real-time updates and team challenges.

Highlights
  • Team challenges
  • Activity ring tracking (Stand, Move, Exercise)
  • Medal achievements
  • Motivational nudges and comments
  • Real-time team progress updates
  • Apple Watch integration
Features
Read full description

Get fit and compete with friends, family & coworkers with the Challenges app. ‘Cause everybody needs a little healthy competition. -- How It Works -- Getting started with Challenges is easy. Join a team challenge and aim to complete your Stand, Move, and Exercise rings. Whether you get there by shakin’ it to Queen Bey or taking the furthest spot in the parking lot, it’s up to you. Keep tabs on your progress via Apple Watch, the Challenges App, or the Health app. Watch in real time as your teammates get closer to closing their rings - they’re cheering you on to do the same! -- Achievements -- The more you move, the more you’re rewarded. Stack up your points to earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals. Go for the gold! Check progress on your next medal Bask in the glow of medals you’ve racked up from all of your Challenges -- Nudges -- What gets you stepping better than your L.A. Lights sneakers from the 90s? Accountability. Spark a little friendly banter to fuel your fitness flame. Get and send nudges from your teammates (Tell Dan from the second floor to start taking the stairs if he’s reppin’ your team Mission-Fitpossible) Comment on the challenge wall to share tips or coordinate a workout Invite a friend to join your team, via email or text (Emojis 100% acceptable) -- On The Watch -- Pump yourself up wherever you go with just a glance at your wrist. Check in on team ranking See when you’re closing in on an achievement Compare your daily average so you can gauge your progress. Get notified when someone nudges you Get pinged when one of your teammates is rocking it. “Dan just closed all three rings!” Boom, send back applause hands. Somebody’s been snubbing the elevator. Get your watch charged, your team amped, and your sneakers ready, ‘cause you’ve got a challenge to win. Challenges integrates with the Health App on your iPhone to retrieve the data it uses to determine by how much you've just beaten all your friends. Because of our integration with the Health App, this also means we leverage the powerful HealthKit API to make your user experience and user interface the best possible. Enjoy!

About

StepBuddy

Read full description

Make every step a competition! Stop walking alone. StepBuddy is the social activity tracker that turns your daily movement into an exciting challenge between you and your friends. Whether you want to outwalk your colleagues in a weekly challenge or motivate your family to hit 10,000 steps, StepBuddy makes every step count. NEW: TEAM CHALLENGES & A FRESH NEW DESIGN Team up and take on other teams! Set a shared step goal, and StepBuddy splits it fairly between team members — everyone carries their part of the challenge. Follow your team's progress live, see who's on a streak, and crown your Challenge MVP when it's all over. We've also given StepBuddy a complete makeover: a new Rankings view that celebrates your leader, clear progress rings, streak tracking, rest days that keep your streak safe, and beautiful photo leaderboards for both teams and individuals. WHY STEPBUDDY? Challenges That Motivate: Create private groups in seconds. Who will take the lead during the lunch break? Team vs. Team: Rally your crew, share one goal, and battle other teams for the top spot. Real-Time Leaderboards: Follow your friends live. See exactly when you get overtaken and reclaim the top spot before the day is over! Seamless Tracking: We sync automatically with your phone's sensors so you never miss a single step. Social Motivation: Share your progress, cheer for your friends, and stay active together. FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE: Accurate Pedometer: Automatically track steps, distance, and active minutes. Custom Goals: Set your own daily targets and visualize your journey toward better health. Streaks & Rest Days: Keep your streak alive — and schedule rest days without losing it. Deep Insights: View your history with beautiful charts and stats that show your progress over time. BUILT FOR EVERY MOVE Whether you're training for fitness, walking the dog, or just trying to spend less time at your desk—StepBuddy is your perfect companion. It's time to turn your daily walk into the highlight of your day. Download StepBuddy today—your next challenge starts now! Terms of use: https://www.stepbuddyapp.com/terms-of-use/ Privacy policy: https://www.stepbuddyapp.com/app-privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Challenges4 screens
StepBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Challenges at none against StepBuddy's 2. Challenges also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). StepBuddy's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. StepBuddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Challenges asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Challenges ships an update every 3 weeks, StepBuddy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Challenges versus StepBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChallengesStepBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (5.7K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews51.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.7K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB57 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFitNowShapest AB

Bugs and requests

Challenges

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Syncing issues with Apple Health
  • Inability to delete account
  • Challenges not working as intended

Requested features

6 requests
  • Allow rest days in challenges
  • Increase maximum daily points
  • Add option to set individual vs. group challenges
  • Improve messaging and notifications
  • Add Garmin integration
Show 1 more
  • Allow challenge creators to manage teams

StepBuddy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Challenges

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

StepBuddy

Subscriptions2
  • 1 month subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • 1 year subscription$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Challenges free?
Challenges is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is StepBuddy free?
StepBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Challenges or StepBuddy have ads?
Neither Challenges nor StepBuddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Challenges or StepBuddy?
Challenges ships an update every 3 weeks, and StepBuddy every 2 months. Most recently, Challenges was updated on October 17, 2026 and StepBuddy on October 9, 2026.

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