# Step Pals vs Arius

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Arius at 100% against Step Pals's 55%. Arius also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 4 days vs weekly). Step Pals's advantage is ratings volume (118 vs 13). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Step Pals sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Arius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Arius holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Step Pals has 118 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Step Pals's written reviews are positive against 100% of Arius's.

Step Pals ships an update weekly, Arius every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Step Pals | Arius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/step-pals-walking-app/id6747041627/reviews) | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arius/id6788264116/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **118** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 54.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 100 MB | 156 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ben Leavitt Internation Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786105558) | [HEY IT'S TAYLOR J, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821935188) |

## What reviewers say

### Step Pals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/step-pals-walking-app/id6747041627)

This app gamifies your daily step count by linking your progress to the survival of a virtual pet. It provides motivation through emotional attachment and accountability, encouraging consistent movement and habit building.

**Highlights:** Virtual pet survival linked to step goals, Daily step tracking, Goal setting, Habit building, Emotional motivation, No login required

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| StepPals Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly  Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| StepPals Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $29.99 | per year |
| StepPals Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Revive pet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Steppals Lifetime | $54.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Very cute app
- 👍 Motivating to keep pet alive
- 🚀 Improved step count

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Steps not registering correctly
- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🙅‍♀️ No free option

**Reported bugs**

- Pet keeps getting sick even with step goals met
- App not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Option to manually log steps
- Ability to sync with other fitness trackers


### Arius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arius/id6788264116)

Embark on a fantasy fitness journey to become a skilled Assassin. This app offers personalized training schedules, progress tracking, and community challenges. Access a library of books and join live discussions to enhance your learning and development.

**Highlights:** Personalized training schedules, Training journal and progress tracking, Monthly fantasy-themed challenges, Book discovery, rating, and tracking, Live book club discussions, Expert guidance and community support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arius monthly Membership | $39.99 | per month |
| Arius annual Membership | $359.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Step Pals free?

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

### Is Arius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Step Pals or Arius?

Arius is rated higher. Step Pals averages 4.3 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while Arius averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do Step Pals or Arius have ads?

Neither Step Pals nor Arius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Step Pals or Arius?

Step Pals ships an update weekly, and Arius every 4 days. Most recently, Step Pals was updated on November 8, 2026 and Arius on November 10, 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.*