Comparison

Wanderlings vs Pupstep

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

Head to head
About

Wanderlings

This game combines virtual pet care with real-world step tracking. Your daily steps help you nurture and play with your chosen companion. It's a relaxing experience for those who enjoy fitness and casual gaming.

Highlights
  • Virtual pet care
  • Real-world step tracking integration
  • Adoptable pets
  • Connects to Apple Health
  • No account required
  • Optional social features
Features
Read full description

Wanderlings is a cozy step-tracking game in which you raise a virtual pet. Every step you take in real life helps you care for your companion. Think Tamagotchi meets a pedometer. Four pets to adopt: gentle Mochi, mischievous Pixel, cheerful Sprout, bold Ember. This app connects to Apple Health for accessing steps data, so use whichever fitness device you prefer to log steps. No account required to play. No ads, no subscriptions. Social features are totally optional if you prefer a solo experience. This is a solo dev project by me (Jon). Hope you enjoy!

About

Pupstep

This app motivates you to walk by letting you care for a virtual dog. Track your steps, dress your pup, and collect memories as you reach your daily goals. Your virtual companion stays with you on your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Virtual dog companion
  • Step and distance tracking
  • Customizable dog outfits
  • Daily goal rewards and memories
  • Walk journal and postcard sharing
  • Home Screen and Watch face widgets
Features
Read full description

A little dog. A little reason to walk. Pupstep turns your everyday steps into time with a virtual companion. Start with a free Corgi, give them a name, and keep your pup nearby on your iPhone and Apple Watch. • Track your steps and walking distance with Apple Health. • Tap your pup for a hello and celebrate reaching your daily goal. • Dress your dog and collect a memory each day you reach your goal. • Keep a journal of your walks and share your favorite postcards. • See your dog and progress on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, Watch face or Smart Stack. On Apple Watch, check today’s activity and remaining goal at a glance. After the first sync, your Watch can read activity locally while your iPhone is away. Setup, outfit selection, purchases, memories and rewards stay on iPhone. Requires watchOS 26 or later. Each breed has its own daily goal. Missed goals can make your pup chubbier; reaching your goal helps them get back in shape. Your bond stays. French Bulldog, Jack Russell and extra accessories are optional one-time purchases. No subscriptions, ads or account. Your data stays on your devices. Sharing is your choice.

Screenshots

Wanderlings3 screens
Pupstep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wanderlings at none against Pupstep's 11. Wanderlings also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Pupstep sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Wanderlings asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Wanderlings against 5.0 for Pupstep. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wanderlings ships an update every 2 weeks, Pupstep weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Wanderlings versus Pupstep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWanderlingsPupstep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonathan GuerreraPredrag Samardzic

Customer experience

Wanderlings

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pupstep

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Wanderlings

No in-app purchases

11 purchases

Pupstep

One-time11
  • Blue Bandana$0.99
  • Sleepy Bandana$0.99
  • Cozy Scarf$0.99
Show 8 more
  • Party Hat$0.99
  • Gold Chain$0.99
  • Agility Bandana$0.99
  • Striped Sweater$0.99
  • Red Ball$0.99
  • Trail Harness$0.99
  • Jack Russell Pack$1.99
  • All Dogs$2.99

Questions

Is Wanderlings free?
Wanderlings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pupstep free?
Pupstep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Wanderlings or Pupstep?
Wanderlings and Pupstep are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Wanderlings or Pupstep have ads?
Neither Wanderlings nor Pupstep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Wanderlings or Pupstep?
Wanderlings ships an update every 2 weeks, and Pupstep weekly. Most recently, Wanderlings was updated on October 23, 2026 and Pupstep on October 25, 2026.

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