# VirtuPet vs StepPet

The clearest difference is price: VirtuPet at Free against StepPet's $1.99. VirtuPet also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). StepPet's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads there is nothing between them.

VirtuPet is free to download; StepPet costs $1.99 up front. VirtuPet sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. StepPet asks for nothing beyond the download.

VirtuPet ships an update every 3 weeks, StepPet every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VirtuPet | StepPet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtupet-step-counter-pet/id6757349837/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 513 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MONTEL ANTHONY NEVERS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855098153) | [JOHN YUNG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877487927) |

## What reviewers say

### VirtuPet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtupet-step-counter-pet/id6757349837)

This game encourages physical activity by rewarding users for walking. Collect virtual pets by finding and hatching eggs on a real-world map, and keep your pets happy and healthy with your daily steps.

**Highlights:** Real-world egg discovery, Step-based pet care, Collect 101 unique pets, Live map exploration, Friend challenges and leaderboards, Daily quests and rewards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VirtuPet: Premium - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| VirtuPet: Premium - Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| 1000 Paw Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Paw Coins | $4.99 | one-time |


### StepPet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steppet/id6761721023)

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VirtuPet free?

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

### Is StepPet free?

StepPet costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do VirtuPet or StepPet have ads?

Neither VirtuPet nor StepPet shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VirtuPet or StepPet?

VirtuPet ships an update every 3 weeks, and StepPet every 2 months. Most recently, VirtuPet was updated on October 15, 2026 and StepPet on October 8, 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.*