Comparison

Uphill vs TreadCal

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

Head to head
About

Uphill

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Uphill complements your gym treadmill instead of replacing it. It leaves out what the treadmill's display already shows (time and distance) and focuses on what it can't: calories tuned to your body, and the elevation and floors you climb on an incline. If you're into the 12-3-30 workout (12% incline, 3.0 mph, 30 minutes) or incline walking in general, Uphill turns that uphill effort into visible height. ■ How you use it during a workout Whenever you change the speed or incline on the treadmill, just match it in the app. Your climb and calories add up in real time, and your height is told through real-world landmarks — "You've reached the top of the Statue of Liberty," "You're as high as the Eiffel Tower." No watch, no Bluetooth pairing. It works with any gym treadmill or walking pad — all it needs is your speed and incline. ■ Why Uphill • Personalized calories — an ACSM metabolic formula that factors in your weight, height, sex, and age for a better estimate than the generic number on your treadmill's display. • Visible achievement — turns the height you climb on an incline into elevation and floors, and adds it up across sessions — like a stair counter for your treadmill walking. • Landmark stories — reframes your climb as the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, or Mount Everest, turning abstract numbers into achievements you remember. ■ Key features • Easy speed and incline adjustment (with presets, including 12-3-30) — built for quick, reflexive changes while walking or running • Custom presets — save your current speed and incline, then bring them back with one tap • Workout programs — plan speed, incline, and time in steps, with a sound and vibration cue at every switch • Uphill Pro (subscription) — unlimited custom presets and programs; one of each is free, and everything else stays free • Live screen: calories, current height, and landmark messages • Pause and resume — so numbers don't inflate while you step off the belt • End-of-workout summary + saved workout history (including time and distance) • Share your climb — turn a workout into a card with your floors, landmark message, and stats, then send it to any app • Cumulative stats + progress to your next landmark • Workout reminders — on the days and times you choose, scheduled entirely on your phone • Metric / imperial units • Works fully offline · no account • English · Español · 한국어 · 日本語 · 简体中文 · 繁體中文 ■ Who it's for • Incline walkers and 12-3-30 fans who want their uphill effort to count • Treadmill walkers and runners tracking workouts without a smartwatch • Anyone walking for weight loss who wants calories and progress they can see ■ To be honest Every number is an input-based estimate (±10–20%). Enjoy it as a fun conversion, not a precise measurement. It is not a medical device or health advice. ■ Privacy Your profile and workout history are encrypted and stored only on your device. The app never sends them anywhere (a share card leaves your phone only when you pick an app to send it to) — no server, no account, no ads. The app does send anonymous crash diagnostics and usage statistics so bugs can be found and fixed — these never include your body profile. Usage statistics may carry a few coarse workout figures (floors climbed, minutes elapsed), never calories, distance or elevation. Whether it's incline walking (12-3-30) or an easy run, every bit you climb today adds up. Take the climb with Uphill ↗ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

TreadCal

Estimate calories burned and vertical climb during incline treadmill workouts. It uses your weight, speed, incline, and optional weighted vest to provide accurate estimates. Shareable climb cards summarize your progress.

Highlights
  • Incline-aware calorie estimates
  • Vertical climb and distance tracking
  • Live heart rate and zones on Apple Watch
  • Weighted vest calorie contribution
  • Shareable climb cards
  • Treadmill calibration
Features
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TreadCal helps you understand your incline-treadmill and walking-pad workouts. Enter your treadmill’s speed and incline—or measure its stopped deck with your iPhone—then start your workout on Apple Watch. TreadCal combines your weight, grade, speed, optional weighted vest, and rail use to estimate active calories. MAKE EVERY CLIMB COUNT • Incline-aware active-calorie estimates • Vertical climb and approximate treadmill distance • Live heart rate and heart-rate zones on Apple Watch • Time spent in each heart-rate zone • Weighted-vest calorie contribution included in your total • Workout receipts with steps, duration, and workout settings • A shareable climb card for every workout; the artwork grows with the climb MEASURE YOUR TREADMILL Use two-position iPhone calibration to map your treadmill’s console setting to measured percent grade. Calibrate only while the belt is stopped. YOUR WORKOUT IS YOURS Apple Watch workouts require permission to write Workouts and Active Energy to Apple Health. Other Health read permissions and Motion permission are optional. TreadCal keeps your profile, calibration, and workout history on your devices. No account, ads, or analytics. TRY THREE WORKOUTS Your first three completed workouts are included. Unlock unlimited workouts with a single TreadCal Pro purchase. No subscription. TreadCal is an exercise estimator, not a medical device. Calories and heart-rate zones are estimates; distance depends on the speed you enter. Never place your iPhone on a moving treadmill belt. Heart-rate zone features require watchOS 27 and appropriate permissions.

Screenshots

Uphill4 screens
TreadCal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Uphill at none against TreadCal's 1. Uphill also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. TreadCal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Uphill asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Uphill ships an update every 4 days, TreadCal weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Uphill versus TreadCal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUphillTreadCal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB6 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperSuk Jin KangCarbide Studios

In-app purchases

None

Uphill

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

TreadCal

One-time1
  • TreadCal Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Uphill free?
Uphill is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TreadCal free?
TreadCal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Uphill or TreadCal have ads?
Neither Uphill nor TreadCal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Uphill or TreadCal?
Uphill ships an update every 4 days, and TreadCal weekly. Most recently, Uphill was updated on October 25, 2026 and TreadCal on October 29, 2026.

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