# StepUp vs Hydro Dots

The clearest difference is ads: StepUp at none against Hydro Dots's shown. StepUp also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StepUp sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Hydro Dots sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly daily. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StepUp | Hydro Dots |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepup-retro-pedometer/id6502121777/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **62** | — |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Daily | Daily |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 63 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [App Craft Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744452155) | [Kengo Tate](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458012620) |

## What reviewers say

### StepUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepup-retro-pedometer/id6502121777)

This app helps you track your daily steps and reach your fitness goals. It offers supportive notifications, a unique feature to block distracting apps until your goal is met, and customizable home screen widgets. Your health data remains private on your device.

**Highlights:** Step tracking, Supportive notifications, App blocking feature, Home screen widgets, 100% private data, Customizable widgets

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StepUp Extended \| Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| StepUp Extended \| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| StepUp Extended \| Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| StepUp Extended \| Gift | Free | one-time |
| StepUp Extended \| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


### Hydro Dots

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydro-dots/id6794577673)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A drop | $0.99 | one-time |
| A glass | $2.99 | one-time |
| A bottle | $5.99 | one-time |
| Pro — Founding Member | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StepUp free?

StepUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hydro Dots free?

Hydro Dots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do StepUp or Hydro Dots have ads?

Hydro Dots shows ads; StepUp does not.

### Which is updated more often, StepUp or Hydro Dots?

StepUp ships an update daily, and Hydro Dots daily. Most recently, StepUp was updated on November 4, 2026 and Hydro Dots on November 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*