# StepBuddy vs StepMates

The clearest difference is update cadence: StepMates at fortnightly against StepBuddy's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StepBuddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and StepMates sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

StepBuddy ships an update every 2 months, StepMates fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StepBuddy | StepMates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Size | 57 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shapest AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615601634) | [Ibrahim Boutiba](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779221360) |

## What reviewers say

### StepBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepbuddy-walking-challenge/id6741153413)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 month subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| 1 year subscription | $14.99 | per year |


### StepMates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepmates/id6779221358)

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Together (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Together (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Point Boost 1,000 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Point Boost 3,000 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Point Boost 4,500 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Skip Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Point Boost | $4.99 | one-time |
| StepMates Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| Together (Lifetime) | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StepBuddy free?

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

### Is StepMates free?

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

### Do StepBuddy or StepMates have ads?

Neither StepBuddy nor StepMates shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StepBuddy or StepMates?

StepBuddy ships an update every 2 months, and StepMates fortnightly. Most recently, StepBuddy was updated on October 9, 2026 and StepMates on October 19, 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.*