Comparison

Ascend vs PathQuest

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

Head to head
About

Ascend

This app transforms your stair stepper workouts by adding a competitive element and automatically logging your progress. Track steps, time, and pace, compete on leaderboards, and virtually climb famous landmarks. Guided workouts and personal best tracking help you stay motivated.

Highlights
  • Real-time competition with other climbers
  • Automatic step, time, and pace logging
  • Detailed climb analysis
  • Personal best tracking
  • Global and filtered leaderboards
  • Virtual climbs of famous towers
  • Guided workout routines
Features
Read full description

Never bored. Always logged. Finally consistent. Ascend turns your stair stepper into a climb with other climbers beside you and every step counted for you. No staring at the console. No forgetting to log. Just climb. COMPETE WITH OTHER CLIMBERS Every climb puts other climbers on the stairs beside you, each on their best attempt. See who's just ahead, pass them, and watch your rank change as you climb. YOUR CLIMBS LOG THEMSELVES Just wear your headphones. Motion sensors in compatible AirPods or Beats count every step on the machine, in real time. When you step off, the climb is already saved: steps, time and pace. Nothing to remember, nothing to type. ANALYZE EVERY CLIMB See your steps, time, pace and splits for every session. Pair a Bluetooth chest strap or connect Apple Health to add heart rate and effort. BEAT YOUR BEST Best Efforts turns your climbs into a record book only you can break: most steps, longest climb, fastest pace and more, each tied to the climb that set it. JOIN A GROWING COMMUNITY Weekly, monthly and all-time leaderboards. Filter by age, weight and location to see where you stand. Reach the podium, then defend it. CLIMB FAMOUS TOWERS Take on the real step counts of the Empire State Building, Taipei 101, the Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa and more. Each one has its own leaderboard and one permanent prize: the First Ascent. The first climber to finish keeps it forever, even after someone posts a faster time. FOLLOW GUIDED WORKOUTS Guided routines build intervals and changing intensity into your session. Or skip the structure and climb at your own pace, with a step goal if you want one. Every session lands in the same history. SHARE EVERY CLIMB Turn any climb into a share card for your story, with the result you earned. WHAT YOU NEED • A stair stepper • Compatible AirPods or Beats headphones (they count your steps) • Optional: Apple Health for heart rate and active calories, and a Bluetooth heart-rate monitor Every climb in Ascend comes from a session you do in Ascend. SUBSCRIPTION An auto-renewing subscription is required after onboarding. Plans, billing terms and any eligible trial are shown before purchase. Manage your subscription in your Apple Account settings; eligible purchases can be restored in Ascend. Ascend is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice. Terms of Use: https://ascendstepper.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://ascendstepper.com/privacy

About

PathQuest

Features
Read full description

Turn everyday walks into journeys you can actually see. PathQuest uses your Apple Health steps to move a small avatar along illustrated routes and story quests, right on your Home Screen widget. No streaks. No leaderboards. No noisy pressure. Just a calm reason to enjoy watching your steps add up. — HOW IT WORKS — Choose a journey. Walk as usual. Follow your progress along a unique illustrated path on your Home Screen widget. Complete stages. Reach the finish. Start another. Explore journeys inspired by real routes and imagined worlds: the Camino de Santiago, the 88-temple Shikoku pilgrimage, the Storm March across windswept moors, or a hidden academy at the edge of the woods. — FEATURES — • Automatic step tracking via Apple Health — no manual logging • A calm Home Screen widget — your journey, always visible • Illustrated paths and milestones for every journey • A Collection that grows with you: every completed fantasy quest earns a unique coin • Designed for iPhone, with a calm, nature-inspired palette • Private iCloud sync across devices (Voyager) • Up to three active journeys at once (Voyager) • Hero Mode and extended routes for deeper journeys (Voyager) • Built for hands-free use — works with VoiceOver and Voice Control across the entire app • No ads. No data sales. No social pressure. — THE COLLECTION — Complete fantasy quests to earn unique coins. Replay them in Hero Mode to unlock Hero variants, and uncover hidden conditions to reveal secret ones. Build a Collection that records where your steps have taken you. — PATHQUEST VOYAGER — Unlock the full journey library. The free version of PathQuest includes one active journey and a starter library. Voyager unlocks the full experience: every route, every story quest, private iCloud sync, Hero Mode, extended routes, and up to three active journeys at once. — PRIVACY — PathQuest reads only the steps and walking distance you allow through Apple Health, and uses them to advance your journeys. Your Apple Health data stays on your device. If you enable iCloud sync, your app progress is stored in your private iCloud account. We can’t see your iCloud data, and we don’t sell your data. — ABOUT — PathQuest is built independently for people who like walking, stories, and apps that don't yell. Privacy Policy: https://pathquest.castellet.dev/policy/ Terms of Use: https://pathquest.castellet.dev/terms/ Contact: pathquest@castellet.dev

Screenshots

Ascend4 screens
PathQuest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ascend at every 4 days against PathQuest's every 2 weeks. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ascend sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and PathQuest sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ascend ships an update every 4 days, PathQuest every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Ascend versus PathQuest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAscendPathQuest
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size122 MB56 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperTyler PavayJUAN CARLOS CASTELLET FERNANDEZ

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Ascend

Subscriptions2
  • Ascend Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Ascend Yearly1 Month trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$49.99
3 purchases

PathQuest

Subscriptions3
  • Voyager$1.997 Days
  • Voyager$2.991 Month
  • Voyager$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Ascend free?
Ascend is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PathQuest free?
PathQuest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ascend or PathQuest have ads?
Neither Ascend nor PathQuest shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ascend or PathQuest?
Ascend ships an update every 4 days, and PathQuest every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ascend was updated on October 31, 2026 and PathQuest on October 31, 2026.

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