Blog

Need to know how many steps you actually take in a day? Well there's an app for that, or several. The way that technology has evolved in the last decade has meant strides forward, literally and figuratively in the science of measuring steps, including: Smart Watches, Apps, and FitBit style accessories that calculate movement over a 24 hour period.

See below for the top rated, and most accurate ways you can measure your steps as you walk your way to health!

Believe it or not in a study published in 2015, Smartphone Applications were shown to be more accurate with regard to actual steps taken, so we'll start with more of the garden variety application measurement devices and move forward:

1.) Argus: Available on both your Android and iPhone IOS devices, plus hey FREE! Argus continuously scores high in accuracy. This app also includes a distance measurer, total time active, calorie counter as well as a weather monitor if you opt to venture outdoors for your steps. The interface has been ranked as very intuitive and friendly.

2.) Pacer: Available as well on Android and iPhone IOS devices and comes both as a Trial Version or Paid Download with a Subscription model: $3.99 per month or basically $20 for the year. This app is as well pretty accurate and Pacer shows today's steps, approximate calories burned, active time and miles traveled

3.) Stepz: Free on the iPhone. Basic pedometer app really, but also has a graph for the previous weeks worth of activity to show your progression. You can also set step goals day by day and via color coding the app will indicate how close you are to achieving your goal. Plus the app provides positive feedback for reaching out for those goals every day!

4.) Pedometer++ : Free on the iPhone. Set a goal and go. You can also earn badges as you progress! In the app, your step count shows up in big, bold numbers with your total estimated distance underneath. A graph shows the past week of activity. Data can be exported in a .csv file.

5.) Other Options: Health on iPhones will track steps under your Activity. Moves, a new effort from Facebook as well lets you know how active you have been with regard to steps, and how far you have traveled if going by bike.

FitBits and Wearables

Though a little less accurate than their App counterparts, wearable fit tracker devices have gained substantially in popularity in the last 2-3 years. Partly due to the fact that they are replacing watches, they can track your efforts without you having to cart around your device, you simply strap them to your wrist and go about your day. They do have a higher price tag overall than applications, but if you run, walk or otherwise like to be out hands free they can be a convenient and ready made solution to tracking your steps with ease.

FitBit: Basically we're looking at the original here. FitBit premiered way back in 2008 at a TechCrunch gathering and the idea took off. Now after many incarnations, the devices can be seen on millions of wrists the world over. It sits well reviewed still with its Charge 2 version, and still is a strong device at an average price of $149.99.

Garmin: Putting out a great device, though again, a higher price tag: $219.99, the Garmin activity tracker Vivosmart HR+ gets great reviews. Battery life, notifications, water resistance, running stats, sleep monitory, 24/7 heart monitoring, GPS and oh yeah it tracks your steps.

Misfit: Newer on the scene is the Misfit, the most economic of the three main producers, the Misfit Ray sits at $99. Not limited to wrist wear, the accessory can be changed up to be worn as a pendant. Decent intro effort if you are unsure how much you would in fact use an activity monitor.

So there you have it. We live in truly a great age for being ever more aware of our efforts to maintain and be healthy. By tracking our efforts, we will see results so keep at it!

Want to get moving? Start with our October Health Challenge: https://www.conversehospital.com/about-us/teaching-programs/health-challenge-october/