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Best Walking Apps for Active Seniors

Written By: William Rivers
Reviewed By: William Rivers
Published: March 13, 2024
Last updated: October 1, 2024

Staying active is incredibly important if you want a positive quality of life. This is especially true as we get older. For those who haven’t engaged in regular exercise, the idea of starting a new workout routine can be a daunting task. It might even seem impossible. But getting fit doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think. 

One of the most underrated forms of exercise is simply walking. Though it might not seem like much, walking every day can produce incredible health benefits. For those of us who were fortunate enough to make it into our senior years, it can make daily life so much more enjoyable. But where do you begin? 

Fortunately, fitness apps have come a long way in recent years, and there are quite a few great options to choose from. This article will help you narrow down the best fit for you by going over the four most popular walking apps. Depending on what you want to get out of the app, one option may be a better fit than another. 

Overall Best: WalkFit

WalkFit is currently the number one walking app in the app store, with over 20.8K positive reviews in the app store making it the overall best pick. This weight loss walking app acts as your very own personal trainer in your pocket. Get fit in only 4 weeks just by following the daily walking challenges. 

Some of the features include: 

  • Personalized Workout Plan 
  • Personalized Daily Goals 
  • Guided Workouts 
  • Warm-Up/Cool-Down Workout Videos 
  • Activity Tracking 
  • Watch Apps 
  • Built-in GPS with Follow Along Map 
  • Real-Time Progress Analytics 

The personalized workout plan is tailored to your specific needs based on the information you provide in the questionnaire. Additionally, a library of over 200 different walking exercises provides an unmatched variety of options to choose from. And each exercise in the library has been carefully curated by certified coaches. If the exercise of the day doesn’t interest you, then simply choose one of the many other options. 

The daily goals are also designed to challenge you with a combination of moderate and high-intensity exercises that will help you reach your goals and keep you motivated. At the end of your exercises, the cooldown session helps to maximize your recovery time as well. Adding this to your workout can help to boost your results. 

The guided workouts are also one of the best features of this app. It offers audio and visual instructions for each exercise. This ensures that you are able to perform each exercise with confidence, knowing that you have proper form. 

Best for Motivation: Fitbit

Fitbit is an excellent walking app that specializes in motivation. It makes getting your steps in every day incredibly simple. In fact, you don’t actually need to own a Fitbit watch in order to use the app. With that said, you will certainly get more out of the app when it’s paired with its intended device. 

Some of the main features of the Fitbit app include: 

  • Daily Motivational Messages 
  • Virtual Workout Challenges 
  • Basic Metrics (Without Fitbit Watch) 
  • Certain Notifications May Be Disabled 

Fitbit offers reminders every hour for you to get up and move your body. You can also enable the app to send motivational messages to your phone and keep you motivated to stay active. Additionally, the virtual workout challenges can be done with friends or others from all over the world. This feature indicates your ranking within a group of other Fitbit users, so you can strive to go that extra mile. 

Best for Accountability: Nike Run Club

The Nike Run Club app is an excellent option for those who need a certain level of accountability. With reminders aimed at pushing you to get up and move, this app helps those who tend to slack off a bit too much and require that extra push. The community fostered in this app is one of the most inspiring attributes about it and can be just the thing to keep you accountable. 

Some of the most notable features include: 

  • Nike’s Free Run-Tracking 
  • A Variety of Training Programs 
  • Guided Workouts 

Because everyone is at a different fitness level, there are those who may need a more intense workout, while others might require a much simpler and easygoing workout to start. Some of the different training programs mentioned include Getting Started, 5K, and Half-Marathon. No matter what fitness level you’re at, Nike Run Club has something for everyone. The best part about the different training programs is that no matter the program you choose, the community that’s built into the app is one of the best fitness apps out there. 

Participate in group challenges with friends and others who have the same goal as you. Post and receive encouraging messages from those in the community. You can also sync your Apple Music or Spotify account and jam along to your favorite playlist. The fact that this app is free is just another reason so many people love it. 

Best for Tracking Metrics: MapMyFitness

If you’re primarily concerned about tracking your metrics, then the MapMyFitness family of apps might be the best option for you. This line of fitness apps has been around for many years now, and their popularity hasn’t waned much. This is likely due, in part, to the fact that most of the features offered in the app have remained free to this day. 

The most popular trackable metrics include the step counter, walking distance, walking pace, calorie counter, and a trail marker with GPS. The trail marker follows you in real time, displaying a red line as you follow the route. This is an incredibly convenient feature for those who prefer to take the guesswork out of distance measuring. 

Conclusion 

In summary, the overall best walking app is WalkFit. The personalized workout plan is tailored to your specific needs and offers over 200 different walking exercises that have been curated by certified coaches. The best for motivation is the Fitbit app. You don’t need to own a Fitbit watch to use the app, and the motivational messages, as well as the reminders that notify you every hour, help keep you active throughout the day so you can get those steps in. 

The best app for accountability is the Nike Run Club. It’s perfect for those who want the benefit of a strong community to give them that extra push to hit their goals. It offers a variety of training programs for different fitness levels as well as challenges you can participate in. The best app for tracking metrics is the MapMyFitness app family. It is a well-established fitness app that offers many free features for those on a budget. With the GPS-enabled trail marker and other popular features, it is easily one of the most straightforward tracking apps available. 

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William Rivers is an editor with a master’s degree in Human Services Counseling at Maine State University. He has more than 20 years of experience working in the senior healthcare industry.
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