Comparison

Walk the Distance vs Virtual Active Roam

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

Head to head
About

Walk the Distance

Turn your daily steps into an adventure by walking iconic trails virtually. Track your progress on real maps, unlock checkpoints, and compete with friends. Ideal for fitness goals, weight loss, or building a walking habit.

Highlights
  • Walk iconic virtual trails
  • Syncs with Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin
  • Unlock real waypoints and landmarks
  • Compete with friends on leaderboards
  • Group step challenges
  • Corporate wellness programs
Features
Read full description

Walking step challenges on real famous trails. Walk the Distance turns your everyday steps into an adventure on 20+ iconic hiking trails — from the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail, Camino de Santiago, and beyond. No treadmill or special device needed — just walk, and watch your progress come to life on a real trail map.. WALK ICONIC TRAILS - Appalachian Trail (2,190 miles) - Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles) - Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles) - John Muir Trail - Camino de Santiago - Marathons, city walks, and national park routes STEP CHALLENGES THAT KEEP YOU MOVING Works automatically with Apple Health — no extra hardware required. Also syncs with Fitbit and Garmin so every step counts, whether you're walking the dog, commuting, or hitting the trails. Your steps sync all day, every day, and fuel your progress on the trail. STAY MOTIVATED WITH CHECKPOINTS Unlock real waypoints as you progress — trail shelters, scenic overlooks, and landmarks. Each checkpoint keeps you moving toward the next milestone. WALK WITH FRIENDS & COMPETE Add friends and walk the same trail together. See who's ahead on the leaderboard, get notified when someone passes you, and join group step challenges to stay accountable. BUILT FOR YOUR HEALTH GOALS Whether you want to lose weight, build a daily walking habit, burn more calories, or just get moving — step challenges on famous trails make fitness fun and meaningful. CORPORATE WELLNESS Companies use Walk the Distance for employee step challenges with team leaderboards and admin dashboards. Tap "Send to HR" to get your workplace started. SET IT AND FORGET IT The app runs quietly in the background, pulling your distance from Apple Health once per hour. When you reach a checkpoint or a friend passes you, you'll get a notification. BETTER THAN A PEDOMETER A pedometer counts steps — Walk the Distance gives them meaning. Step challenges on real trails turn your daily walking into an adventure, keeping you motivated every step of the way. Free trails in every category, with additional routes available for $0.99 each or with a premium membership.

About

Virtual Active Roam

Experience immersive cardio workouts with breathtaking global scenery and guided coaching. Explore iconic locations from your home equipment, enjoying cinematic visuals and smooth motion. Choose between guided tours or simply enjoy the view to enhance your fitness journey.

Highlights
  • Immersive global scenery
  • Guided coaching tours
  • Treadmill, bike, elliptical compatible
  • Cinema quality visuals
  • Monthly and yearly subscriptions
  • 7-day free trial
Features
Read full description

Transport your mind as you transform your body. Virtual Active Roam elevates your cardio workout with epic scenery and inspiring coaching. Visit stunning sights around the world, from the bustling streets of Paris to the rugged peaks of New Zealand's Souther Alps, all from your treadmill, bike, or elliptical. Enjoy smooth motion and cinema quality photography that will make you feel like you're there. Take a challenging guided tour with one of our coaches, or just zone out and enjoy the scenery. To access all features and content you can subscribe to Virtual Active Roam on a monthly or yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://virtualactive.vhx.tv/tos Privacy Policy: https://virtualactive.vhx.tv/privacy

Screenshots

Walk the Distance4 screens
Virtual Active Roam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Walk the Distance at every 10 days against Virtual Active Roam's every 4 months. Walk the Distance also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 14). Virtual Active Roam's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Walk the Distance sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Virtual Active Roam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Walk the Distance against 4.7 for Virtual Active Roam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Walk the Distance has 1.3K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Walk the Distance's written reviews are positive against 100% of Virtual Active Roam's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Walk the Distance ships an update every 10 days, Virtual Active Roam every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Walk the Distance versus Virtual Active Roam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWalk the DistanceVirtual Active Roam
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.3K ratings) — better4.7 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews86.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.3K — better14
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size83 MB107 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVirtual Walk LLCVirtual Active Inc.

Customer experience

Walk the Distance

All ratings1,258 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews109 reviews
Positive86.2%
Neutral2.8%
Negative11.0%

Virtual Active Roam

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Walk the Distance

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashes after recent iOS update
  • Unable to create custom password

Requested features

5 requests
  • More trail options (e.g. PCT, Ireland, Australia)
  • Ability to send messages to friends on the trail
  • Elevation and weather information for trails
  • Panoramic views of trail landmarks
  • One-time purchase option for all trails

Virtual Active Roam

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Walk the Distance

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Membership1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • Premium Membership (yearly)1 Month trial$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Virtual Active Roam

Subscriptions2
  • Virtual Active Roam Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Virtual Active Roam Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Walk the Distance free?
Walk the Distance is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Virtual Active Roam free?
Virtual Active Roam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam?
Walk the Distance is rated higher. Walk the Distance averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Virtual Active Roam averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.
Do Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam have ads?
Neither Walk the Distance nor Virtual Active Roam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam?
Walk the Distance ships an update every 10 days, and Virtual Active Roam every 4 months. Most recently, Walk the Distance was updated on November 1, 2026 and Virtual Active Roam on November 3, 2026.

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