Comparison

Red Diary vs Simple Step Counter (SSC)

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

Head to head
About

Red Diary

Log your walks, runs, and rides with detailed stats like distance, speed, and elevation. Capture photos and notes, and view your route on a map. Enjoy automatic trip start/stop and voice announcements, even with headphones on.

Highlights
  • Log walks, runs, and rides
  • Detailed trip statistics
  • Route maps with elevation
  • Add photos and notes
  • Automatic trip start/stop
  • Voice announcements
  • Independent watch app
Features
Read full description

Red Diary is the ultimate trip diary, keeping log of your walks, runs and rides, including details as distance, top speed, time, route map, elevation changes, points of interest, photos and notes taken. SPECIAL FEATURES * Privacy first: Trips are kept locally on the phone and synchronised using iCloud * Automatic trip start: Start trips automatically when the phone starts moving * Automatic idle detection: Trips are automatically stopped and saved after a period of inactivity * Voice announcements: The app announces ride time, distance and top speed changes, even when it is running in the background. Ideal for exercising with the headphones on! * Take photos during the trip or add photos later * Take notes during the trip or add notes later * Trip maps with points of interests, photos and notes, elevation maps and detailed trip statistics * Share trips via social media, chat, email etc. * Independent watch app: The Red Diary watch app can be used without the phone. Trips are recorded on the watch -- you can even leave the phone behind! The recorded trips will be synchronised when your watch and phone meet again. * Widgets for the Home Screen DISCLAIMER Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life

About

Simple Step Counter (SSC)

Features
Read full description

Your steps. Nothing more. Nothing less. Simple Step Counter is the minimalist step tracking app you've been looking for. No clutter, no complications, no subscriptions - just a beautiful, bold display of your daily steps. WHY SIMPLE STEP COUNTER? SEE YOUR STEPS INSTANTLY Open the app to see your step count displayed in large, easy-to-read numbers. No hunting through menus, no tapping through multiple screens - your steps are front and center where they belong. The count updates automatically in real-time as you move throughout your day. BEAUTIFUL HOME SCREEN WIDGETS Track your progress without opening the app. Simple Step Counter includes three elegant widget sizes that seamlessly integrate with your home screen: - Small Widget: Quick glance at your step count with a clean, minimal design - Medium Widget: Step count plus a circular progress ring showing your journey to 10,000 steps - Large Widget: Full dashboard with detailed progress bar and goal percentage All widgets automatically adapt to iOS light and dark mode, ensuring they look perfect no matter your preference. Widgets update every 15 minutes to keep you informed throughout the day. YOUR WEEK AT A GLANCE Tap "View History" to see your step counts from the past 7 days. Track your progress over time and celebrate your most active days. The simple list view makes it easy to spot trends and stay motivated. PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST Your step data stays on your device. Period. Simple Step Counter only reads step count information from Apple Health - no data is collected, stored on external servers, or shared with third parties. Ever. We don't use: - Analytics or tracking services - Advertising networks - Cloud storage for your data - Any third-party data processors Your health data is yours alone. NATIVE iOS DESIGN Built exclusively for iOS 18+ using SwiftUI, Simple Step Counter feels right at home on your iPhone. Enjoy smooth animations, a clean modern interface, and a design that respects your system preferences. The app automatically adapts to your device's appearance settings, looking beautiful in both light and dark mode. EASY SETUP Getting started takes seconds: 1. Open the app and tap "Get Started" 2. Grant permission to read step data from Apple Health 3. That's it - your steps appear instantly WHAT YOU GET - Large, bold step count display - Real-time automatic updates - 7-day history view - Three widget size options - Light and dark mode support - HealthKit integration - Clean, minimal interface - In-app widget installation guide - No ads, no tracking, no subscriptions - One-time purchase, yours forever PERFECT FOR - Anyone who wants simple step tracking without complexity - People who appreciate minimalist, well-designed apps - Users who value privacy-focused solutions - Those seeking a clean alternative to cluttered fitness apps - Anyone who prefers apps that do one thing exceptionally well REQUIREMENTS - iPhone running iOS 18.0 or later - Apple Health with step tracking enabled (built into all iPhones) A DIFFERENT APPROACH In a world of complicated fitness apps loaded with features you'll never use, Simple Step Counter takes a different approach. We believe your step counter should be simple, beautiful, and respectful of your privacy. No social features, no gamification, no pressure - just your steps, displayed clearly when you want to see them. Sometimes less really is more. Download Simple Step Counter today and rediscover the simplicity of just counting steps. Eula: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Red Diary4 screens
Simple Step Counter (SSC)3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Step Counter (SSC) at weekly against Red Diary's every 6 weeks. Red Diary's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Red Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Step Counter (SSC) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Red Diary ships an update every 6 weeks, Simple Step Counter (SSC) weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Red Diary versus Simple Step Counter (SSC): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRed DiarySimple Step Counter (SSC)
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.1 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAkos PolsterIvar Alex Nycolaas

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Red Diary

One-time1
  • Power User$4.99
3 purchases

Simple Step Counter (SSC)

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Annual Premium7 Days trial$2.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$9.99

Questions

Is Red Diary free?
Red Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Step Counter (SSC) free?
Simple Step Counter (SSC) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Red Diary or Simple Step Counter (SSC) have ads?
Neither Red Diary nor Simple Step Counter (SSC) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Red Diary or Simple Step Counter (SSC)?
Red Diary ships an update every 6 weeks, and Simple Step Counter (SSC) weekly. Most recently, Red Diary was updated on October 21, 2026 and Simple Step Counter (SSC) on October 18, 2026.

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