Comparison

Simple Steps vs NOVA

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

Head to head
About

Simple Steps

This free app tracks your daily steps, calories, and distance with a focus on privacy. Set custom goals and view progress with simple charts, all without needing an account or internet connection.

Highlights
  • Daily step tracking
  • Calorie and distance monitoring
  • Customizable step goals
  • Weekly and monthly reports
  • Apple Watch complication
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

A simple step counter that respects your privacy. Completely free! Track your daily steps, set goals, and monitor your walking progress. All without creating an account, seeing adverts, or being tracked. Features: • Today View - See your step count at a glance with a clean radial progress dial. Track calories, distance, and active minutes throughout the day. • Walk Mode - Start a walk with a specific goal (steps or time) or just walk freely with an open goal. • Reports - View your weekly and monthly step history with clear, simple charts. See your daily averages and track your consistency over time. • Targets - Set minimum and maximum daily step goals that work for you. Watch your progress as you move from your minimum towards your stretch goal. • Apple Watch - Step count complication, progress, last 5 days, and recording a walk. Simple by design: • No account required, just download and go • No internet connection needed, works anywhere • No GPS, better for your battery • No tracking or analytics • No adverts • No AI • No subscriptions or paywalled features. Simple Steps uses Apple HealthKit and your device's built-in pedometer to read your step data and nothing else. We don't collect, store, or share any of your information. Just simple steps.

About

NOVA

Read full description

NOVA: Timer Beautifully simple. Effortlessly precise. Designed from the ground up to eliminate distraction, NOVA redefines how you interact with time. Wrapped in a subtle space-inspired aesthetic and built as a screen-on experience, it transforms your device into an ambient, visually captivating timepiece that looks striking on any desk or stand. Minimal by design No complicated menus. No unnecessary clutter. Absolutely no ads. Just a clean, celestial interface that serves as a visual anchor while you work, study, or relax. Crafted for complete control - Tutorial: Learn how to use the buttons with the simple app tutorial on launch. - Multi gesture start button: Tap start, tap pause, tap resume, swipe right over the button to reveal stop, then tap to stop. - Custom Presets: Tap a preset for instant focus, or long-press to easily create your own. - Custom clock: Choose from Classic or Glass and choose your colour, or simply match wallpaper. - Orbit Intervals: Track orbits clearly displayed as numbers directly underneath the timer. - Collections: Pick from a selection of images as your background - Add your photo: Use your own image as a background - Remembers Your Setup: Automatically saves all your chosen preferences so NOVA is always ready when you are. - Countdown and Stopwatch: Choose which way you want your. timer to work. Tailor your environment Toggle features on or off with a single tap to fit your exact flow, or long press for more detailed precise options. - Noise: Custom audio alerts and notifications. - Orbit: Interval tracking indicators. - Vibrate: Tactile haptic feedback. - Animate: Fluid visual movement, sound effects, and celebratory confetti - or switch them off for total static minimalism. Key Features: - Ambient Space Design: Built to remain on screen as a stunning, functional timepiece. - Volume: Lowers the volume of background audio so you can hear the countdown and success prompts - Zero Distractions: No ads, no popups, and no tracking clutter. Just a beautiful experience. - Customise: Make it your NOVA Time, elevated. Experience NOVA today.

Screenshots

Simple Steps4 screens
NOVA4 screens

Verdict

The call

Simple Steps and NOVA are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Steps ships an update every 4 days, NOVA every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Simple Steps versus NOVA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple StepsNOVA
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGavan Grenville-HuntRobert Dowling

In-app purchases

None

Simple Steps

No in-app purchases

None

NOVA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Steps free?
Simple Steps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NOVA free?
NOVA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Simple Steps or NOVA have ads?
Neither Simple Steps nor NOVA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Steps or NOVA?
Simple Steps ships an update every 4 days, and NOVA every 3 days. Most recently, Simple Steps was updated on October 9, 2026 and NOVA on September 30, 2026.

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