Upkeep vs StepsApp: Step Challenges With Friends
StepsApp is a pedometer and step tracker that also runs challenges. Upkeep is built for the challenge: a private group, a daily step target and a result every member can trust. This page compares the two for a person who wants to start a step challenge with friends, family or coworkers.
StepsApp is a step tracker first, with daily goals, streaks and free challenges. Upkeep is built around the challenge. The host sets a daily step target, and each member passes or fails each day. Members always join free.
An Upkeep result is fair. One big day cannot make up for a missed day, and manually entered steps never count. Upkeep checks synced days, and a day that does not look like real walking can be removed from a challenge result. Every member is on the same footing, so the winner earned it.
What is Upkeep? Upkeep is a step challenge app for iPhone and Android. The host sets the daily step target and the length, then invites people to a private challenge. Steps sync from Apple Health or Health Connect, and manually entered steps never count. Members join free.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Upkeep | StepsApp |
|---|---|---|
| What the app is | A step challenge app for private groups | A pedometer and step tracker with challenges |
| Cost to create and join | ✓ | Free to create and join |
| Who takes part | Private, invite-only groups of friends, family or coworkers | Personal, friends, teams, companies, cities and schools |
| Challenge goal | A daily step target from 3,000 to 50,000; pass or fail each day | Most steps, or a daily or total step goal |
| Challenge modes | Solo, Duel and Group | Not stated |
| Auto-roll | A new round with the same people when a challenge ends | Not stated |
| Largest group | 50 with a Creator Pass, 250 on Pro | Not stated |
| Consistency Score | A score from 0 to 100 that grows as you hit your daily goal; a short day counts for what you did, never zero | Daily goals and streaks; more Streak Freezes on PRO |
| Step sources | Apple Health or Health Connect, so Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin and Galaxy Watch users can join one challenge | Apple Health and Apple Watch; syncs with Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, Whoop, Polar, Amazfit and more |
| Steps added by hand | Never count, even when Apple Health or Health Connect adds them to its total | Support pages explain how to add steps by hand in Apple Health or Google Fit and import them |
| Paid plan (US prices) | Pro $9.99/month or $49.99/year; Creator Pass $4.99 once | PRO $29.99/year; Family $59.99/year for up to 6 |
| Who pays | Only the host, for a bigger or longer challenge | Challenges are free; PRO adds features |
| Platforms | iPhone with iOS 18 or later; Android 10 or later | iOS 15.0 or later; Android on Google Play |
A Step Tracker With Challenges vs a Challenge App
StepsApp starts with the pedometer. It tracks your steps automatically, with daily goals and streaks. It also has leaderboards, groups and challenges with friends, family and coworkers.
Upkeep starts with the challenge. The host sets a daily step target from 3,000 to 50,000 steps. Each member passes or fails each day, so a member who walks a lot on one day cannot make up for the days they missed. You can run a Solo challenge for 7 days, a Duel with one friend, or a group challenge. Each goal day grows your Consistency Score, and a short day counts for what you did, never zero.
Private Challenges for Your Group
Every Upkeep challenge is private and invite-only. For a group of up to 50 people and up to 30 days, the host can buy one Creator Pass for $4.99. Upkeep Pro covers groups of 16 to 250 for up to 30 days. Any host can turn on auto-roll, which starts a new round with the same people when the challenge ends, so the group keeps going with no new setup.
What an Upkeep challenge gives your group
- A daily step target, with pass or fail each day
- Solo, Duel and Group modes
- A Consistency Score built from your goal days
- Auto-roll for a new round with the same people
- Manual entries never count; synced days are checked
- Members always join free
How Steps Count
StepsApp lists Apple Health integration and Apple Watch support. It says it syncs with devices such as Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, Whoop, Polar and Amazfit.
Upkeep reads steps from Apple Health on iPhone and Health Connect on Android. A watch or band counts when its app writes steps to one of those stores, so Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin and Galaxy Watch users can join the same challenge. Upkeep checks synced days. A day that does not look like real walking can be removed from a challenge result, so the winner earned it.
Steps Added by Hand
StepsApp's support pages explain how to add steps by hand. On iPhone, you add steps in Apple Health and resync, or use the Import Data option in StepsApp. On Android, you add an activity in Google Fit and import it into StepsApp. Steps added this way show up in StepsApp. On Upkeep, manually entered steps never count, even when Apple Health or Health Connect adds them to its total. In an Upkeep challenge, every member is on the same footing, and the winner earned it.
Plans and Prices
StepsApp plans
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Daily step tracking, goals and streaks, a basic progress view |
| PRO | $29.99/year ($2.50/month billed yearly) | 7-day free trial; advanced analytics, GPS workout tracking, premium customization, more Streak Freezes, advanced goals, ad-free |
| Family | $59.99/year | Up to 6 family members |
Prices checked 16 October 2026, as shown on steps.app. StepsApp says its challenges are completely free to create and join.
Upkeep plans
| Plan | Price (US) | People | Longest challenge | Challenges | Hosted at once |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 3 to 15 | 7 days | Private | 3 |
| Upkeep Pro | $9.99/month or $49.99/year | 16 to 250 | 30 days | Private | unlimited |
| Creator Pass | $4.99 once | Up to 50 | 30 days | Private | One challenge |
Prices checked 16 October 2026. US prices; local prices differ. The annual Upkeep Pro plan has a 14-day free trial in most countries. Members join free. Only the host needs Upkeep Pro or a Creator Pass.
- Pro: $9.99/month or $49.99/year, 16 to 250 people
- 14-day free trial on the annual plan
- Creator Pass: $4.99 once, one challenge of up to 50 people
- Challenges of up to 30 days
- Members join free
- PRO: $29.99/year, with a 7-day free trial
- Family: $59.99/year, up to 6 family members
- PRO features need an active paid subscription
Why Groups Choose Upkeep
A fair step challenge for your group
- Private, invite-only challenges. The host sets the daily step target, from 3,000 to 50,000 steps, and the length.
- Each member passes or fails each day, so showing up daily wins, not one big day.
- Manually entered steps never count, so every member is on the same footing and the winner earned it.
- Solo, Duel and group challenges. Auto-roll starts a new round with the same people.
- iPhone and Android in one challenge. Steps sync from Apple Health or Health Connect.
- A Consistency Score from 0 to 100 that grows with every goal day. Members always join free.
Get Upkeep
Free to download. Joining a challenge is free. Hosts can upgrade to Upkeep Pro. Get Upkeep on iPhone or Android.
Members join free. Only the host needs Upkeep Pro or a Creator Pass for a bigger or longer challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. StepsApp says its challenges are completely free to create and join. StepsApp PRO costs $29.99 a year and adds features such as advanced analytics, GPS workout tracking and an ad-free app. On Upkeep, members join free, and a free host can run a private group of 3 to 15 people for up to 7 days.
StepsApp is a pedometer and step tracker that also has challenges. Upkeep is built around the challenge itself. A small private group gets a daily step target that the host sets, and each member passes or fails each day.
The host sets the length. A challenge runs for up to 30 days on Upkeep Pro or a Creator Pass. Any host can turn on auto-roll, which starts a new round with the same people when a challenge ends.
No. Upkeep reads steps from Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android, and manually entered steps never count. Upkeep checks synced days. A day that does not look like real walking can be removed from a challenge result.
StepsApp's support pages explain how to add steps by hand and import them: in Apple Health on iPhone, or in Google Fit on Android. On Upkeep, manually entered steps never count, even when Apple Health or Health Connect adds them to its total, so every member of a challenge is on the same footing.
StepsApp lists Apple Health integration and Apple Watch support, and says it syncs with devices such as Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, Whoop, Polar and Amazfit. Upkeep reads steps from Apple Health or Health Connect. A watch or band counts on Upkeep when its app writes steps to one of those stores.