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.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- Immersive global scenery
- Guided coaching tours
- Treadmill, bike, elliptical compatible
- Cinema quality visuals
- Monthly and yearly subscriptions
- 7-day free trial
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Walk the Distance | Virtual Active Roam |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.3K ratings) — better | 4.7 (14 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K — better | 14 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 107 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Virtual Walk LLC | Virtual Active Inc. |
Customer experience
Walk the Distance
Virtual Active Roam
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
Walk the Distance
- Premium Membership1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Premium Membership (yearly)1 Month trial$29.991 Year
Virtual Active Roam
- Virtual Active Roam Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Virtual Active Roam Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Walk the Distance free?
Is Virtual Active Roam free?
Which has better reviews, Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam?
Do Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam have ads?
Which is updated more often, Walk the Distance or Virtual Active Roam?
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