Comparison

start walking vs Waddle

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

Head to head
About

start walking

This app helps you reduce phone usage and build healthy habits by blocking distracting apps until you meet your daily step goals. It integrates with health tracking to encourage physical activity and improve focus.

Highlights
  • Smart App Blocking
  • Automatic Step Tracking
  • Personalized Goals
  • Usage Analytics
  • Streak Tracking
  • Premium Design
Read full description

Transform your relationship with your phone by turning every step into digital freedom. Start Walking blocks distracting apps until you reach your daily step goal, helping you break phone addiction while building healthy habits that stick. **As of June 2025, Start Walking users have walked over 2 million steps while breaking their scrolling habits.** Many wellness enthusiasts and productivity professionals trust Start Walking to help them build better phone habits. You can too. "Start Walking helped me reduce my Instagram time by 3 hours daily while getting my 10K steps" – Sarah, Wellness Coach "This app changed everything. I used to scroll for hours, now I take evening walks instead." – Michael, Software Engineer "Finally, an app that makes healthy habits rewarding instead of restrictive!" – Emma, Marketing Director "Game-changer for phone addiction. My screen time dropped 40% in the first week." – David, Teacher BENEFITS: Walk an average of 2,847 more steps per day while reducing mindless scrolling by 1 hour and 37 minutes. * 96% of Start Walking users report feeling more in control of their phone habits * 93% say they're more physically active throughout the day * 90% experience reduced anxiety from constant notifications * 91% discover new hobbies and interests outside their phone Added benefits: - Break the cycle of endless scrolling and phone addiction - Increase daily physical activity naturally - Improve focus and productivity at work - Better sleep quality from reduced evening screen time - Stronger real-world connections and relationships - Enhanced mental clarity and reduced digital overwhelm - Build sustainable, long-term healthy habits - Feel accomplished and motivated every single day FEATURES (requires in-app-purchase) - Smart App Blocking: Choose which apps distract you most and unlock them by reaching your step goals - Automatic Step Tracking: Seamless integration with Apple HealthKit for accurate, privacy-first tracking - Personalized Goals: Set daily step targets that match your fitness level and lifestyle - Usage Analytics: Beautiful visualizations of app usage, screen time, and phone pickup patterns - Streak Tracking: Build momentum with daily streaks - Animated Feedback: Delightful animations and transitions that make every interaction joyful - Goal Flexibility: Adjust targets based on your schedule, weather, or energy levels - Progress Insights: Track weekly trends in both walking and phone usage - Premium Design: Clean, modern interface with custom illustrations and smooth animations CREATE YOUR PERSONAL WELLNESS ROUTINE Easily select which apps are your biggest distractions and set realistic daily step goals. Start Walking does the rest, automatically tracking your progress and rewarding healthy choices. PRIVATE & SECURE We use Apple's HealthKit and FamilyControls frameworks to track steps and manage app access. Setup is simple and takes just minutes on your iPhone. Unlike other apps, Start Walking works entirely on your device and your personal health and usage data never leaves your phone. Your privacy is our priority – your data stays yours, always. TERMS, PRIVACY & CONDITIONS Read on https://startwalking.app/privacy-and-terms & https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Waddle

This app encourages physical activity by locking down chosen applications until a daily step goal is met. Users can track their progress on a personal map, compete with friends in leagues, and unlock virtual rewards. It aims to help users reduce excessive screen time by making them earn their digital access through walking.

Highlights
  • Lock chosen apps until step goal is met
  • Earn extra minutes by exceeding step goals
  • Explore a walking map of your city
  • Find and connect with friends
  • Maintain daily step streaks with freezes
  • Compete in weekly leagues
  • Unlock virtual ducks and trophies
Features
Read full description

Walk more. Scroll less. Your phone is the reason you're not hitting your steps. Every "just one more video" keeps you on the couch, and the walk you promised yourself never happens. Waddle changes that: before you open Instagram, TikTok or your games, you walk. Then your apps unlock. It's a simple step counter that locks your apps, made for anyone who wants to walk 10,000 steps a day without relying on willpower. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose the apps to lock 2. Set your daily step goal 3. Walk: every step earns screen time 4. Hit your goal, free your duck, and scroll guilt-free WHAT YOU GET • App blocking: your apps stay locked until you walk • A step counter that turns walking into screen time • Walking streaks: see your progress every single day • Weekly insights: your average steps and the screen time you won back • A city map that reveals itself as you walk • Friend streaks to keep each other moving PERFECT FOR • Building a daily walking habit (hello, 10k steps) • Cutting your screen time without deleting your apps • Getting in shape without forcing it • Getting your evenings back Waddle isn't just another pedometer. It's the accountability you've been missing: it turns time on your phone into time on your feet. Download Waddle and start your walking streak today. PRIVACY Waddle uses Apple's Screen Time framework to lock the apps you choose. We never see which apps you use or what you do in them, and nothing leaves your device for advertising. Waddle requires an active subscription to unlock its features. Terms of Service: https://grove-eggplant-3f5.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-3a34f62259b1814bafb3f76c9af86fe2 Privacy Policy: https://grove-eggplant-3f5.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-3a34f62259b181e2848bc59ea6628b85

Screenshots

start walking4 screens
Waddle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: start walking at none against Waddle's shown. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. start walking sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Waddle sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. 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 — 5.0 for start walking against 5.0 for Waddle. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

start walking ships an update every 4 days, Waddle weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
start walking versus Waddle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterstart walkingWaddle
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (12 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCole SchafferCorentin Martins

Customer experience

start walking

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Waddle

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

start walking

Subscriptions5
  • unlimited (1 week)7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • unlimited (1 year)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • unlimited (1 year)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • unlimited (1 year)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • unlimited (1 year)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • friends and familyFree
4 purchases

Waddle

Subscriptions4
  • Waddle Premium — Weekly$9.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly — Final Offer$10.491 Year
  • Premium Yearly — Gift Offer$17.491 Year
Show 1 more
  • Waddle Premium — Yearly$34.901 Year

Questions

Is start walking free?
start walking is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Waddle free?
Waddle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, start walking or Waddle?
start walking and Waddle are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 12 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do start walking or Waddle have ads?
Waddle shows ads; start walking does not.
Which is updated more often, start walking or Waddle?
start walking ships an update every 4 days, and Waddle weekly. Most recently, start walking was updated on October 24, 2026 and Waddle on October 31, 2026.

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