Simply Step vs Pacer: the best free Pacer alternative for iPhone?

If you are on iPhone and want walking to feel like a game, Simply Step is the better Pacer alternative: your real steps move a character toward 21 real cities, fill in a fog-of-war map of your town, and earn coins and achievements, with an Apple Watch app. If you want a proven all-round walking platform with Android support, GPS routes, weight tracking, guided plans and a very large community, Pacer is the safer pick. Both are free to download; Pacer Premium's yearly plan is $49.99 on the US App Store.

Pacer's details come from Pacer's App Store page and mypacer.com, checked on September 26, 2026.

Simply Step vs Pacer at a glance

Pacer is broad and established: on the App Store since 2013, on Android too, with 4.9 stars from about 331,000 US ratings. Simply Step is new and focused on motivation, with about 4.6 stars from 32 US ratings. Here is how they line up.

What is Pacer?

Pacer, from Pacer Health, is one of the most established step counters on the App Store. It first launched in 2013, and its website reports more than 100 million downloads. It counts steps with your phone's motion sensors whether the phone is in your hand, pocket or bag, and syncs with Apple Health and Apple Watch.

According to Pacer's App Store page and its website, it covers:

• Activity tracking: steps, flights climbed, calories, distance and active time.
• GPS and routes: record walks, hikes, runs and rides on a map, and discover local routes, trails and parks.
• Community: walking groups and challenges you can share with friends and family on any phone.
• Weight and plans: daily goals, weight and BMI tracking, guided workouts and personalized plans, plus lessons from what Pacer calls its AI Coach.
• Premium: the website lists extra weight-loss and fitness challenges, advanced data insights, and streak and challenge bonuses. On the US App Store, "Pacer Premium Yearly" is $49.99, and the in-app purchase list shows other Premium options between $3.99 and $29.99.

It is also on Google Play, where it has 4.8 stars from about 975,000 reviews and more than 10 million downloads. That reach is Pacer's biggest strength: your whole family can join the same challenge no matter what phone they carry.

What is Simply Step?

I built Simply Step for people who know they should walk more but get bored of watching a number. It is a live step counter first, reading from Apple Health with charts and stats, and then it gives those steps somewhere to go. In Adventure mode your steps walk a 3D character toward 21 real cities, collecting passport stamps. Tiles mode clears a fog-of-war hex map of your real city as you explore. Treadmill mode keeps things simple.

Walking earns coins for a 200+ item character shop, there are 54 achievements to unlock, and you can join walking groups and friends leaderboards. There is a full Apple Watch app with its own tracking, plus widgets. The free version has ads and includes the Venice journey; Simply Step Premium unlocks the rest. For the full feature list, see the Simply Step app page or my Simply Step review.

How do they compare?

Step tracking

Both apps read your steps on iPhone and work with Apple Watch, so the count itself is not the deciding factor. Pacer tracks more metrics out of the box (flights climbed and active time, for example) and adds weight and BMI. Simply Step keeps the numbers simpler and spends its effort on what those numbers unlock.

Motivation

This is the real difference. Pacer motivates through structure: goals, plans, group challenges and a big community. Simply Step motivates through play: a city you are walking toward, a map that fills in, coins, costumes and achievements. Free users earn 3 coins per 1,000 steps and Premium users 3 per 500, so even your usual loop around the block moves something forward. If challenges and plans keep you going, Pacer is excellent. If you drift away from dashboards, a game loop may stick better.

Breadth versus focus

Pacer is the broader wellness app. Simply Step does not try to be your weight tracker or workout planner. It tries to make the daily walk something you look forward to.

Where Pacer wins

• Android. Pacer works on both platforms, so mixed-phone families and friend groups can walk together.
• Community size. Pacer cites 12 million walkers; that means more active groups and challenges to join.
• Track record. Pacer has been updated since 2013 and has hundreds of thousands of ratings. Simply Step launched in 2026.
• Weight, BMI and plans. If weight loss is your main goal, Pacer's plans and weight tracking cover it in one app.
• Route discovery. Pacer helps you find local routes, trails and parks.
• Languages. 17 versus Simply Step's 8.

Who should pick which?

Choose Pacer if you or your friends use Android, you want weight tracking and guided plans alongside your steps, or you like big public challenges and an app with a long track record.

Choose Simply Step if you are on iPhone and Apple Watch, and what you need most is a reason to walk again tomorrow: a city to reach, a map to uncover, and rewards for every step. If you are unsure how many steps to aim for in the first place, I looked at the research in is 10,000 steps a day a myth?

The bottom line

Pacer is a strong, proven all-round walking app, and it is the right choice if you need Android, weight tracking or guided plans. Simply Step is the better Pacer alternative for iPhone users who want the walk itself to feel rewarding. If you like the fog-of-war idea in particular, I also compared it with a map-only app in Simply Step vs Stomped.

Frequently asked questions

First published June 2, 2026. Updated September 26, 2026: checked Pacer's prices, platforms and features against its App Store page and website, expanded the Pacer section, added where Pacer wins, corrected Simply Step's paid tier name to Premium, and shortened the Simply Step feature list.