Apps That Pay Real Money for Walking: Most Don't Pay Cash

Yes, some apps pay real money for walking. But only WeWard and Evidation pay US users actual cash without asking you to put money in first, and steps alone earn you pocket change.

Cash, gift card or crypto: the honest sorting

Most “get paid to walk” lists put six to 25 apps side by side as if they all pay the same way. They don’t. Several of the top-ranking lists are also published by rival fitness apps that rank themselves.

WeWard: real cash, fuzzy numbers

WeWard is the closest thing to “walk, get PayPal money.” The company says it has 30 million walkers in 29 countries and has sent $50M to users. Those are its own marketing figures.

WeWard’s terms say Wards “have no monetary value” and can’t be turned into cash directly. The cash comes through in-app rewards, with conditions:

• Bank transfers and gift cards need at least 14 days of activity in the app.
• WeWard can ask for ID and age documents, and it can cancel cash prizes if you refuse.
• US users may have to fill in an IRS Form W-9. Legally required withholding is deducted, and you pay any bank fees.
• Faking GPS or steps is banned, and Wards can be pulled if fraud is only suspected.
• If you’re inactive for 30+ days, your account can be deleted and your Wards go with it.
• Arbitration applies to US users.

We couldn’t confirm WeWard’s steps-to-Wards rate or its cash conversion from official pages, so you won’t get a made-up monthly figure from us. Most WeWard payouts go through PayPal, which matters if you want the money in another wallet. Our guide to apps that pay to Cash App covers that route.

Evidation: real cash, but walking is the small part

Evidation is the most transparent about what points are worth. Its redemption FAQ says every 10,000 points equals $10. The reward arrives as a Tremendous email within 1 to 5 business days, and your profile has to be complete first.

Points come from synced steps and health data, surveys, daily Cards and research studies. Tracked health activities earn up to 100 points a day, and that cap is why walking alone is slow money here. If you’re comfortable with surveys, our survey apps for students guide covers how that side of earning usually works out.

Two catches: you must be 18+ and a US resident, and the member terms say points “do not constitute property of the Member.” Evidation can change the rules at any time, even in ways that affect points you’ve already earned. Breaking the rules or giving false information can get your account closed and your points cancelled.

StepBet: you’re betting on yourself

StepBet makes you pay to walk, and you might win. Per the StepBet FAQ:

• Most bets are $40, and free games generally aren’t offered.
• Most games last six weeks, with goals set from your tracker history. Week 1 is usually a warm-up with no disqualification.
• StepBet keeps 15% of the gross pot.
• Winnings arrive as points you can cash out only through PayPal.
• You can get a full refund through day 7.
• Garmin, Apple Health, Apple Watch, Fitbit and Google Health Connect are supported. Samsung Health isn’t supported directly.
• Steps must sync within 24 hours of the week ending, and cheating gets you removed immediately.
• Membership has a 7-day free trial and then auto-renews.

We don’t recommend apps you have to pay into to earn. StepBet can work as motivation if losing $40 would get you off the couch. As a way to make money, it’s a bet with a house cut, much like the cash tournaments we warn about in our game apps guide.

Sweatcoin: popular, but its own terms say no cash

Sweatcoin has around 401K App Store ratings. Its US terms are blunt: “Sweatcoins cannot be redeemed for cash from SweatCo or any of its affiliates.” You spend coins in its marketplace instead.

• Only 10,000 steps a day count on the free plan, or 20,000 on Premium. The App Store lists Premium items at $4.99 and $24.99.
• The SWEAT crypto token opened to US users in September 2023. After a July 2024 community vote, free users only earn it on steps 3,000 to 10,000 each day.
• Sweatcoin can cap your daily coins, destroy coins earned without real movement, and stop you earning if you don’t open the app for 30 days.

Cashwalk and Winwalk: gift cards only

Cashwalk counts up to 10,000 steps a day and redeems for gift cards. In replies to App Store reviews, the developer admits it has raised coin requirements.

Winwalk pays 1 coin per 100 steps, up to 100 coins a day, redeemed for cards like Amazon and Walmart. Its release notes mention PayPal “in supported countries” without saying whether the US is one of them. The iPhone app needs iOS 16.4 or later.

What it really pays per hour

Evidation, health tracking only:

• 100 points a day × 30 days = 3,000 points = $3 a month
• First $10 from tracking alone: 10,000 ÷ 100 = 100 days
• We assume your daily walk takes about an hour: $0.10 a day ÷ 1 hour = about 10 cents an hour

StepBet, a sample game (all assumptions):

• 100 players × $40 = $4,000 pot. StepBet keeps 15% ($600), leaving $3,400.
• If 75 players win: $3,400 ÷ 75 = $45.33 each, a $5.33 profit over six weeks
• At an assumed hour a day for 42 days: $5.33 ÷ 42 hours = about 13 cents an hour, before any membership fee
• Miss your goal and you’re down $40. If so many players win that winners would fall short of their stake, StepBet waives its cut under its “No Lose Guarantee”

WeWard Premium break-even: $46.99 a year ÷ 12 = $3.92 a month. Premium has to raise your earnings by that much before it pays for itself. At walking-app rates, that’s a big ask.

These apps pay for steps you’d take anyway. Treat the money as a rebate on your daily walk, never a wage.

Your data

• Evidation collects synced health data, survey answers and research study data. Read each study’s terms before you join. Members who earn $600 or more in a year are asked for their address and Social Security details.
• WeWard’s terms ban faking GPS, so location is part of how it checks your steps. It may also ask for ID and a W-9 with your taxpayer details.

Complaints worth knowing

• App Store reviews of WeWard often complain about accounts flagged for fraud, and the terms let WeWard pull Wards on suspicion alone.
• The goalposts move. Cashwalk raised its coin requirements, Sweatcoin changed its SWEAT window, and Evidation can change its rules whenever it likes.
• Take a month off and you can lose your WeWard balance or stop earning on Sweatcoin.
• WeWard and Sweatcoin both sell Premium, and StepBet’s membership auto-renews. Sweatcoin’s terms say you must cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends.

Taxes on step rewards

The IRS doesn’t name step apps specifically. Treating the rewards as prizes or other income is a reasonable reading, though, and IRS Publication 525 says prizes must be included in your income, with non-cash prizes counted at fair market value.

• For tax years beginning after 2025, the 1099-MISC threshold for prizes is $2,000, up from $600.
• PayPal and Venmo only have to send a 1099-K above $20,000 and more than 200 transactions. They may still send one below that, and some states set lower limits.
• Getting no form doesn’t mean you owe no tax. Small amounts are still reportable.
• SWEAT tokens count as digital asset income. Selling them later goes on Form 8949.

None of this is tax advice. If your rewards add up, check with a tax professional.

Red flags: when a “walking app” is a scam

Fitness-reward apps have burned people before. In 2017 the FTC settled with Pact, a fitness app it said didn’t pay promised rewards and charged users who had met their goals or cancelled. Walk away if an app:

• Shows a growing balance but wants a deposit (often crypto) before you can withdraw. The FTC calls that a task scam.
• Promises fast cash for minimal work or pressures you to act now.
• Makes you buy NFTs or tokens to start. STEPN’s GST token fell about 98% in two months in 2022, after entry sneakers had cost around $600.

Better alternatives

• For the most transparent cash rate: Evidation, plus its surveys and studies, which earn far more than tracking alone.
• For a simple PayPal or Venmo payout: WeWard, as long as you keep your account active and expect ID checks.
• For actual hourly pay while walking: walking gigs like dog walking or flyer delivery pay for your time instead of your step count.

FAQ

Can you cash out Sweatcoin? No. Its US terms say coins can’t be redeemed for cash. You get marketplace items or SWEAT crypto.

Which walking app pays real cash in the US? WeWard (PayPal or Venmo) and Evidation ($10 per 10,000 points). StepBet pays through PayPal, but only after you’ve put in your own bet.

How old do you have to be? Evidation requires 18+ and US residency. Sweatcoin allows 13+, with parental consent under 16. The App Store rates WeWard and Cashwalk 13+ and Winwalk 16+.

Do walking app rewards count as taxable income? Most likely, as prizes or other income, even below the 1099 thresholds. Crypto rewards count as digital asset income.

Use it if

• You already walk daily and want a small rebate for doing it.
• You’re 18+ in the US and fine sharing health data with Evidation.
• You’ll cash out regularly and never pay for Premium.

Skip it if

• You need real income. Walking apps pay pennies an hour.
• You’re not comfortable handing over location, health or ID data.
• An app wants money up front, in a bet, a deposit or NFTs, before it pays you.