# Steps Unlock vs StepTower

The clearest difference is monetization model: Steps Unlock at free with in-app purchases against StepTower's subscription. Steps Unlock also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (127 vs 11). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Steps Unlock sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and StepTower sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Steps Unlock against 4.2 for StepTower. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Steps Unlock has 127 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Steps Unlock ships an update weekly, StepTower every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steps Unlock | StepTower |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (127 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steps-unlock/id6754281962/reviews)** | [4.2 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steptower-walk-to-scroll/id6758021252/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **127** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 5.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 7 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lit Apps LLC (Mobile)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798178404) | [Andreas Losing](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870348703) |

## What reviewers say

### Steps Unlock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steps-unlock/id6754281962)

This app helps you stay focused by locking selected applications until you reach a set number of daily steps. It encourages physical activity and productivity by turning screen time into step time, promoting healthier habits.

**Highlights:** Set daily step goals, Choose apps to lock, Walk to unlock apps, Build healthy habits, Stay focused on tasks

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Reference Subsctiption | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Reference Subsctiption | $9.99 | per year |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


### StepTower

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steptower-walk-to-scroll/id6758021252)

This app encourages physical activity by locking distracting applications behind a step-based unlocking system. Users place apps on different tower floors, with higher floors requiring more steps to access. Reaching daily step goals frees up all apps for the day.

**Highlights:** Lock distracting apps with steps, Place apps on tower floors, Unlock floors with 1,000 steps, Sync steps with Apple Health, Daily goal completion, 15-minute pause breaks, Home Screen widget

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steps Unlock free?

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

### Is StepTower free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Steps Unlock or StepTower?

Steps Unlock is rated higher. Steps Unlock averages 4.2 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while StepTower averages 4.2 from 11 ratings.

### Do Steps Unlock or StepTower have ads?

Neither Steps Unlock nor StepTower shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steps Unlock or StepTower?

Steps Unlock ships an update weekly, and StepTower every 3 weeks. Most recently, Steps Unlock was updated on October 30, 2026 and StepTower on October 31, 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.*