TreadSpan vs WalkingStar
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TreadSpan
This app simplifies tracking steps for treadmill desk users, automatically logging activity without manual session input. It provides detailed step metrics and syncs with Apple Health for organized fitness data.
- Automatic treadmill session logging
- Distinguishes treadmill steps from other activity
- Syncs with Apple Health
- Open source with Github code available
- Supports treadmills with app capabilities
Read full descriptionHide full description
Treadmill desk users have different needs than treadmill users. Treadspan was built for the walking pad use case. Someone that wants to track their steps throughout the day without being a slave to an app to log each session. This app coupled with a $17 chip, you can buy off Amazon - your treadmill sessions will be automatically stored in memory and ready for sync whenever you choose—no need to log each session individually. This means you can focus on your work instead of logging each workout. Treadspan also provides detailed step metrics, distinguishing between treadmill activity and other sources, and syncs directly with Apple Health to keep your fitness data organized. Supports most treadmills that have app capabilities. Take control of your treadmill tracking with Treadspan—sync when you want, not after every session! Treadspan is open source and full source code is available on Github. The hope is this project will gain traction and other people will add firmware for other treadmills overtime.
WalkingStar
Read full descriptionHide full description
WalkingStar is a no-nonsense iPhone controller and tracker built specifically for KingSmith WalkingPad treadmills (R-series, P-series, and C-series with Bluetooth). It is an independent third-party app — not made or sold by KingSmith. Pair your pad once over Bluetooth, then walk. No third-party servers, no accounts, no tracking. FIVE WAYS TO CONTROL SPEED Pick the one that suits your walk: classic +/- buttons, a vertical edge slider, a circular dial, a virtual SF-to-LA route that accumulates over time, or an audio-first layout that puts the time-elapsed front and centre and surfaces the current Now Playing podcast or song. Switch anytime in Settings. WHAT YOU SEE AT A GLANCE A bright accent block shows your current speed, the active pace zone (Stroll, Walk, Brisk, Power), and a range track. A 2x2 stat grid keeps Time, Distance, Steps and Calories visible. A Live Activity carries the same numbers to the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island so you can glance at your phone without unlocking it. HISTORY THAT RESPECTS YOUR TIME Every session is saved locally to the History tab with a weekly summary card, a 7-bar mini chart, and per-day breakdowns. Tap any session to see the full detail and share a postcard image of the walk. BUILT FOR APPLE HEALTH Finished sessions write to Apple Health as walking workouts with steps, distance and calories. Permission is requested once and you stay in control — disable it any time in iOS Settings. DESIGNED FOR THE WAY YOU WALK - mph / km/h toggle that runs through every screen - Pace presets you can rename, reorder, and add to - Manual mode (you set the speed) or Auto mode (the pad follows your stepping position) - Auto-pause when you step off, with a smart resume that remembers your pre-pause speed - Dark-only theme tuned for OLED displays PRIVACY BY DESIGN WalkingStar talks to one device — your treadmill. No analytics. No telemetry. No accounts. Your walks live on your iPhone and (if you allow it) in Apple Health. That's the whole list. WHAT YOU'LL NEED A KingSmith WalkingPad treadmill with Bluetooth (most R-series, P-series, and C-series models). The pad is not made by WalkingStar — we're an independent third-party controller. OPEN-SOURCE HERITAGE WalkingStar is a Swift/SwiftUI port of the open-source WalkingPad web controller at github.com/CodeJawn/walkingpad. The Bluetooth protocol layer, the auto-pause/resume behaviour, and the cumulative-stat tracking logic were all derived from that original Python project, which is licensed under the GNU GPL v3. WalkingStar is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by KingSmith. WalkingPad is a trademark of KingSmith Co., Ltd.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: WalkingStar at every 9 days against TreadSpan's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TreadSpan ships an update monthly, WalkingStar every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TreadSpan | WalkingStar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Blake Robertson | Dhruv Parpia |
In-app purchases
TreadSpan
No in-app purchases
WalkingStar
No in-app purchases









