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Get Paid to Walk: Is This Real?
How to earn some extra spending money one step at a time.
Walking. It’s something you do all the time without even thinking about it. One foot in front of the other, thousands of times, each and every day.
What if I told you it’s possible to get paid to walk in Canada? There are plenty of apps out there that promise to pay you real money just for walking, but are they for real? Keep reading to find out.
Is getting paid to walk actually legit in Canada?
Yes, there are several legit apps that pay you to walk in Canada.
Most of the time, these are step-tracking and reward apps. These apps keep count of your daily steps and convert them into coins or points, which you can then redeem for cash or gift cards.
But don’t expect to get rich just from walking. Realistically, you might make a few dollars per month from tracking your steps, while you’ll also typically need to sit through plenty of in-app ads and be willing to have your location data sold to advertisers and market researchers.
There are also other apps that pay you to walk. Some are gig-based apps—for example, you could make money walking dogs—while others are part of health insurance wellness programs (such as Manulife Vitality) designed to reward you for being active and staying healthy.
Once again, these aren’t going to pay you the big bucks, but they do provide a legit way to get rewarded just for walking.
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Which legit apps pay you to walk?
There are actually plenty of legit apps that pay you to walk, but not all of them are available to Canadian residents. Some apps focus solely on the USA or other countries around the world, so make sure you choose an app that’s available in Canada.
Here are 9 get-paid-to-walk apps worth checking out in Canada.
1. Macadam
How it works: This popular step-tracking app converts your daily steps into coins, which you can then withdraw as real cash via PayPal or redeem for gift cards. Macadam is compatible with fitness smartwatches as well as your phone’s pedometer, syncing with Google Fit for Android or Apple Health for iOS. You can also earn coins by visiting Macadam Spots (specific locations on a map), as well as by playing games, answering surveys, watching partner ads and completing other in-app offers.
How much it pays: 10,000 steps will earn 75 coins. The value of coins varies depending on your Activity Level and what you redeem them for. On the Bronze level, 45,000 coins gets you a $30 PayPal gift card.
Pros
- Motivates you to get moving
- User-friendly app
- Multiple ways to earn
Cons
- Steps must be manually validated in the app each day
- Other survey and game offers in the app offer higher rewards than walking
- Daily step limit applies
2. WeWard
How it works: WeWard is a health and fitness app that tracks your daily steps using Apple Health or Google Fit and turns them into points known as “Wards.” You can also earn Wards by completing challenges, shopping at partner retailers, completing surveys and playing games. You can then cash out your Wards via PayPal or redeem them for gift cards, discount vouchers or charitable donations.
How much it pays: Earn up to 25 Wards from walking per day. 7,000 Wards will get you a $50 PayPal transfer.
Pros
- Multiple ways to earn
- Easy to track your steps
- Good motivation to stay active
Cons
- You need to validate your steps each day
- Slow earn rate
- Daily step limit applies.
3. Sweatcoin
How it works: This free get-paid-to-walk app rewards you with in-app currency for your daily steps. It automatically keeps track of your steps in the background, while you can also earn coins by watching optional video ads. The coins you earn can be redeemed for gadgets, digital subscriptions, travel vouchers, charitable donations or crypto in the Sweatcoin app.
How much it pays: 1,000 steps = 0.95 sweatcoins. You’ll need 1,500 Sweatcoins to get a $5 gift card.
Pros
- Plenty of positive app reviews
- Easy to set up and start tracking
- Supports charitable donations
Cons
- Slow earning rate
- Daily step limit
- Premium subscription needed to maximize rewards
Related: Money-making apps in Canada
4. CashWalk
How it works: You can earn 1 coin for every 100 steps, and 5,000 coins will get you a $5 gift card.
How much it pays: CashWalk is a pedometer app that tracks your indoor and outdoor steps each day. It can sync with smartwatches and fitness trackers to ensure more accurate counting of your steps, and the steps you take are converted into coins. Those coins can then be redeemed for gift cards from a range of retailers, including Amazon and Starbucks.
Pros
- Users report fast payouts
- Multiple gift cards to choose from
- User-friendly app
Cons
- 20,000 daily step limit
- Coins expire after 1 year
- Slow earn rate
5. Winwalk
How it works: Winwalk is another legit app that lets you get paid to walk in Canada. It uses your phone’s built-in pedometer and syncs with Apple Health or Google Fit to track your steps and convert them into coins. You can then redeem your coins for gift cards from a wide range of retailers.
How much it pays: You can earn 1 coin for every 100 steps, and a $10 gift card costs 12,500 coins.
Pros
- Also tracks distance and calories
- Free to use
- Wide range of gift cards
Cons
- Maximum 10,000 steps a day
- No cash payouts
- You need to claim your coins each day
6. Walkify
How it works: Walkify is a fitness app that tracks your daily steps and converts them into coins. It uses your phone’s pedometer to keep track of your steps, while you can also earn coins by completing surveys, playing games and watching ads. When you reach the minimum cash-out threshold, you can redeem your coins for gift cards from a range of major brands or cash via PayPal.
How much it pays: 1 coin for every 100 steps, with a $25 PayPal gift card available for 50,000 coins.
Pros
- User-friendly app
- Wide range of rewards
- Other ways to earn besides walking
Cons
- Lots of ads
- 10,000 daily step limit
- Slow earning rate
7. Optimity
How it works: Optimity is an app that rewards you for reaching your health and fitness goals. When you reach your daily steps goal, answer health-related quizzes and complete challenges and daily activities, you earn gems in the Optimity app. You can redeem those gems for gift cards or for discounts on fitness-related products.
How much it pays: Earn at least 10 gems for reaching your daily step target. Gem value varies widely depending on what you redeem them for.
Pros
- Multiple ways to earn
- Helps develop good health habits
- Tracks a wide range of health and fitness statistics
Cons
- Monthly redemption limit
- Slow earning rate
- Some complaints about step syncing issues
8. Noom Vibe
How it works: Noom Vibe is a free step and habit-tracking app designed to promote wellness and healthy living. It rewards you for walking, working out, logging healthy habits (such as how much water you drink), meditation and listening to live sessions from wellness coaches. In return you earn the in-app currency “Vibes,” which can be redeemed for gift cards or charitable donations.
How much it pays: Earn 1 Vibe per 100 steps, up to a maximum of 15,000 steps per day. A $5 gift card is 16,200 Vibes.
Pros
- Helps promote a range of healthy habits
- Access over 1,000 free workouts and meditations
- You don't need a Noom weight loss subscription plan
Cons
- 15,000 daily step limit
- Some complaints about lots of app notifications
- Not everyone will feel comfortable sharing their health data
9. Runtopia
How it works: Runtopia is a fitness app that rewards you for the steps you take while walking and running, and it can also be used to track cycling activities. Your steps are converted into Sports Coins (SPC), which can be redeemed for cash via PayPal, used to access exclusive deals and discounts in the Runtopia app, or used to purchase sports gear and VIP services.
How much it pays: Varies depending on the activity. Run 5km and you’ll earn 10 SPC, walk 3km and you’ll earn 5 SPC. When we checked the rewards store, you could purchase a $3.99 Runtopia Premium monthly membership for 798 SPC.
Pros
- Easy to track your performance
- You can also get rewarded for running and cycling
Cons
- You'll need a premium membership to earn maximum rewards
- Not going to make you rich
- Daily limit applies
Scams and risks to watch out for
- Won’t make you rich. Apps that pay you to walk can help you earn a little extra cash on the side, not provide a sizable income. Don’t quit your day job just yet.
- High minimum cash-outs. Check the minimum cash-out threshold for any app you’re using, as it could potentially take you months to earn enough money to make a withdrawal.
- Data sharing. Get-paid-to-walk apps often share data about your location and your health statistics to third-party advertisers, so you’ll need to consider your privacy and what info you’re comfortable sharing. Check the app’s terms and conditions and privacy policy to find out what data is collected and how it is used.
- Confirm your steps. Many apps require you to log in daily and verify or activate your steps. Forget to do that and a whole day’s worth of walking could go unrewarded.
- Daily step caps. Some apps limit the number of steps you can be rewarded for each day, capping your earning potential.
- Other ways to earn. Many of these apps offer multiple ways to earn money, such as completing surveys or playing games. You may find that walking rewards only make up a small percentage of your total earnings.
Battery drain. Some apps use GPS tracking to monitor your location, which will drain your phone’s battery quicker than normal. - Ads. A common complaint about get-paid-to apps is the sheer amount of ads you need to sit through just to verify your steps or earn rewards. Be prepared to spend more time than you’d like watching ad content.
Alternatives to getting paid to walk
1. Walk dogs with Rover
How it works: Rover is a pet-sitting and dog-walking platform where you can sign up and offer your services as a dog walker in your local area. Simply sign up, create a profile, and start accepting bookings from dog owners near you. If you love pets, it’s a great way to turn your passion into extra income.
How much it pays: You can set your own prices, but Rover takes a 20% cut of whatever you charge. So if you charge $25 per walk, you’ll receive $20.
Pros
Higher pay rate than other apps that pay you to walk
- No need to market yourself or set up your own dog walking business
- Can become an ongoing source of income
Cons
Plenty of competition
- The platform takes a commission
- Walking on wet-weather days
2. Use get-paid-to apps
How it works: Get-paid-to apps like Freecash and Swagbucks pay you real money to do simple (and sometimes fun) things, like playing games and answering surveys. Download the app, check out the latest offers, and start making spare change in your spare time. The rewards you earn can usually be cashed out via PayPal or redeemed for gift cards.
How much it pays: $0.50 to $5 per hour, up to $35
Pros
- Anyone can do it
- Make extra money in your spare time
- Multiple ways to earn
- Lots of GPT apps to choose from
Cons
- Not a full-time income
- Some apps have plenty of ads
- Some offers require in-app purchases
3. Earn cashback or rewards
How it works: Comparison sites like ours (Finder Canada) and moneyGenius pay cash rewards when you complete specific tasks. For example, you could earn a cash bonus when you open a new bank account, or earn cash back when you apply for a new credit card. You can often stack these rewards on top of the provider’s own sign-up bonus too, so it’s a simple way to boost your bank balance. Discover Finder Rewards.
How much it pays: $25 to $250 in rewards or 1% to 10% cashback
Pros
- "Free" money
- Simple way to earn extra cash
- Wide range of offers available
Cons
- You need to make sure the product suits your needs
- Terms and conditions may apply
- It could take several weeks to receive your cash
Bottom line
It might sound like a scam, but you can get paid to walk in Canada. There are several legit apps that pay you to walk. Just be aware that you’ll need to feel comfortable sharing your location and health data, and that walking isn’t going to bring in the big bucks. Compare get-paid-to-walk apps today to find one that offers the most lucrative rewards.
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