Walking Apps 2026: 14 Apps Tested & Compared

There are truly a lot of apps you could call a "walking app." Trying every single one is impossible.
So we picked out a number that caught our eye and tried them out. In particular, we were looking for apps that make your everyday walking more enjoyable.
Our other conditions: it has to run on Android, and be testable within the free tier. Testing was carried out in September 2026.
The apps we tried are as follows.

• Walk Around Japan (散歩で日本一周)
• Arukuto (あるくと)
• Smanpo
• ALKOO
• Walking RPG
• MapMyWalk
• Poisura (ポイすら)
• Dragon Quest Walk (DQウォーク)
• Pikmin Bloom
• SuperWalk
• Walk the Distance
• Walkr
• Fantasy Hike
• Zombies, Run!

That's a lot, isn't it… Honestly, just installing and setting up every single app took some doing. We installed all of them at minimum, but dropped any that didn't meet the conditions above fairly quickly, so how long we actually spent testing each one varies quite a bit.

As mentioned above, there are many "walking apps," each with its own character. To help you choose, we mapped out what kind of features each app has. This reflects what we found by actually using them, but please note the categorization also includes some subjective judgment. We've also listed each app's language support.
Having lots of features doesn't necessarily make an app a good app. What you want from a "walking app" differs from person to person, so pick whichever suits you. Using several apps at once is completely fine too — feel free to enjoy a variety of apps (though using 10+ at the same time, like we did here, is admittedly a lot...).

Table 1: Feature Matrix by App

○ = feature included. Apps with multiple elements may be categorized differently depending on the person.

Table 2: What Each Feature Means

Table 3: Language Support

◎ = Supported　△ = Limited　✕ = Not supported

First, browse the table above to find an app that catches your eye, then check the category articles below for the full details.

14 Apps in One Line Each

• Walk Around Japan: Lets you take a virtual walk the length of Japan using your step count. Street View brings each area to life, and it's a simple app that makes daily progress easy to feel.
• Arukuto: A collection/growth-focused app where you solve residents' requests by walking through a virtual town. Feature-rich, with ranking and reward-point elements too, and a somewhat flashy presentation.
• Smanpo: Lets you take a virtual trip to tourist destinations around the world. Its custom route-creation feature is powerful, letting you build a route of any length starting from anywhere you like.
• ALKOO: A real GPS-based tracking app. Automatically generates a loop route from your current location based on a target step count, and supports shaded-route selection and sightseeing walks.
• Walking RPG: An RPG where your step count directly powers up your character. The walk → get stronger → progress further loop keeps you motivated.
• MapMyWalk: A serious workout-tracking app. Meticulously records GPS route, distance, time, and elevation. Built more for running, but usable for walking too.
• Poisura: A reward-point app that turns your steps into points. Also includes a slime-raising element; points can be exchanged for things like Amazon gift cards. Requires watching ads.
• Dragon Quest Walk: A location-based spin-off of the famous Dragon Quest RPG. Uses GPS to have you walk around the real world for battles and reaching destinations. Very game-heavy.
• Pikmin Bloom: A spin-off of the famous Pikmin game. Walk around to collect and raise Pikmin sprouts. Cute graphics and high production values. Leans more toward "game."
• SuperWalk: Converts your steps into points redeemable for things like Amazon gift cards. You can also earn points through mini-games. Ads appear fairly often.
• Walk the Distance: A virtual-travel app that lets you tour world tourist destinations using your step count. Notable for beautiful photo-backed spot information and the ability to view other users' progress. No Japanese support.
• Walkr: A game where your steps power space exploration and planet-raising. Its atmospheric graphics and pleasant BGM are appealing. Multilingual.
• Fantasy Hike: A fantasy virtual journey themed after The Lord of the Rings. Notable for beautiful, picture-book-like graphics. No Japanese support.
• Zombies, Run!: An audio-drama game where you flee zombies based on the distance you've walked. Its strength is that you can enjoy it without looking at your phone. A Japanese version has been released, but availability depends on your download environment.

Browse by Category

Tap a category to jump to its full comparison article.