These exercise apps reward steps with freebies – but which ones are worth the effort? | Consumer affairs
GSeeing your steps could do more than just pick up your mood: runs link to lower rates of depression and anxiety; Better cardiovascular health; and improved memory. The NHS says just 10 minutes quick walk a day is enough to make a difference.
And next to health benefits could also earn steps, such as coffee and other small treats, thanks to a growing number of apps that turn your footsteps in freebies.
The government searches for whether financial incentives could encourage more people to increase the amount that they run and improve their diet. It now assesses the results of an official pilot scheme in Wolverhampton where people have received fitness and earned rewards of their supermark of their supermark.
In the meantime we tested some apps you want to switch your steps for goods.
Paace
If you are looking for immediate, tangeable rewards, PACE is the most right of the bundle. It will not tell you just how many steps right is a point, but the points you deserve to be for offers of your coffee, or even a package smoke at independent cafes (usually) in London.
The app has had more than 98,000 downloads and there are more than 200 Palace partner sales.
The app puts a daily purpose of 8,000 steps. It took me about a week to earn enough points to earn my first reward – an Iced Latte for £ 1 and 90 points – a discount on the £ 3.70 the café precious cost. For this, I ran an average of 14,000 steps a day on that period of time (I was on a city break for a part of it), who just gave me under 100 points.
To create a purchase, you add the items to your basket and swipe to “unlock” the reward. Be careful: You only have 15 minutes to use the voucher after you have unlocked it, so don't make the mistake I have made up of it early and open
In total, I have saved £ 15.10 and spent under 500 PACE PACE (That's the maximum you can store without upgrading and pay for Paace + at £ 29.99 a year).
If you sign in, you must share personal information including your name, email address, and phone number. It is also recommended that you share location data so you can see what locally available. You can turn this off in settings and still looking for places near you in the card function, but some features may not work.
Jack Blackwell, the owner at Debbie Jo Bakkerij in West London, says Paace has helped with football and attracted new customers to his company. “I liked the idea of moving people. For me, that is always something to stimulate,” he says.
“But it is also great for customers of customers. If anyone, you hope to find that customer and returns. It comes back. It comes back. It is perfectly traffic.”
The app also brought a new kind of customer. “Pace definitely brings a younger audience, especially people in their 20s, people who are active,” Says blackwell.
He adds companies can customize the rewards to customize “as much as we want”, who can help on days where it has been thinking to be less busy.
“On a weekday, if it is quiet, I can shift my offer on Palace, which is great to get people in,” says.
Sweatcoin
You must be at least 13 to sign up to this app, making your steps with its own digital currency (Sweatcoin) that you can spend offers in their in-app marketplace.
The market has most promotional offers, such as free trials or “about pospave” approximately “approximately” approximate pool and FitNisite, instead, instead you can claim a catch.
You can also earn daily rewards (up to 21 coins if you build a region) for viewing ads.
Sweatcoin sets a 12,000 steps-a-day purpose, a goal I usually failed to achieve. And in unscrewing paace, the rewards are not local or especially directly. There is also a whole separate Crypto element – “sweat”, a token you can earn if you choose in the blockchain based version of the app. I didn't.
After a month with the app, I could receive different free trials, including: Including Magnesium Glycinate (Though I must cover the posting of £ 3.95 postage); Free discounts on Hellofresh and green chef; a one-time audible free trial for 25 sweat coins; and 10% off at the time of full price on nike for 130 coins.
You can get more than you upgrade to the Premium Account for £ 24.99 per year, or £ 4.99 per month, which may deserve additional sweat coins for your steps. You can also earn daily rewards (up to 21 coins if you build a region) for viewing ads.
SweatCoin does not require much of you. Like SNEACE, it is running in the background, logs steps and how often you remember it exists and check how many coins have you have. Whether you ever will be actually using, is another matter.
Users should enter their mobile phone number for verification, and their email address. SweatCoin says it can also collect data on your contacts, pictures and payment information.
Better operation
This app Rewards Active Pending, with points for walking, cycling, cycling, take public transport and in some cases, recycling or present practice classes. You can exchange points for Vouchers to use on Amazon, Argos and new look. You can also choose to donate them to Charities, including airpusuals UK and cancer research uk.
However, there is a catch: betterpoints, however, better works well as the local council or a partner organization performs a program in your area. Participating Council include: Newham and Zouthmar in London; Sheffield; York; Oxfordshire, Leicbaartershire, and East Dunbartonshire, Wrexham and Deeside.
If you are in an active area you will earn Points for specific activities – like to follow a walk with GPS (instead of steps of steps), a Codce recycling bowl, or checking in a participation gym. In other parts of the country, you can still follow your activity in the app, but you will not earn a solid points. You may still be able to enter the price.
You can turn tracking, so it logs your travels automatically but it's not always accurate. For example, it is a cycle on an e-bike included as a car trip, and you cannot edit, after the day is done – so it's worth checking when you try to earn points. Unfortunately, my district is not on the scheme, which means everything I could do was to follow my walks to benefit without financially.
If you sign in, you share your name, email address, year of birth, location, and postal code. You must allow Location Tracking, and must be at least 13 years.
What about your data
Asking all apps to – and collect – information about you.
Dr MINAMAAM MORE HELDER IN THE DPANTING INFORMATION IN ROYAL HOLLOWAY, says the TOLEFF: You pay for the FREE Rewards of the App with your personal data.
“Those companies can use for different things. For example, like where you are used and how often – is used for straight ads. Or a brand's discounted, the app is paid for a committee.
“They can also sell large amounts of potential anonymous anonymous data to other companies. This helps that companies to understand large trends.”
Measurement says users must be carolar of how their health and location data is used.
“While Apps claim Anonymed Data it may often be identified to reveal sensitive information about your routines, like where you live and work.
“This data is very valuable and can be used to make detailed profiles or other commercial purposes, and also creates a data breach and personal locations to Hackers,” she adds them.
Users can restrict the data that apps-collecting by collecting by managing their phone and manage in-app settings.
“One effective way of applying app permissions on their device, as well as setting location to” only when using the app 'to avoid background, “says for mere.
However, she notes that this can affect the app's usual.
“You need to decide if the benefits are worth this risks. I personally have a problem with any app that wants to know my location on all times,” she says.
The best of the rest
Other apps and companies also offer rewards to become fit and stay healthy. They include:
The health insurance Fitibilitywhichever offers the opportunity to earn the opportunity if they get active – going to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym Gym to go or go to the gym or go to the gym or walk to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym or go to the gym. Points unlock weekly and monthly “active rewards”. For example, earn 12 activity points in a week and you can choose a weekly “reward” at Caffè Nero (a free drink or 50% discount on the plan you have), plus 25% off a meal; or 50% off on an Odeon of Vue Cinema ticket. A workout at a participating gym could earn you five points, a 5km park run you earn eight. You need to download the app and connect your phone or fitness tracker.
The retailer Decathlon Let customers earn points and make them in vouchers for use online or set. On top of 10 points for each £ 1 you spend on the retailer, you can earn 150 points per week by participating by 150 minutes of sports. This is going to log your sport activity through a connected app like Strava, Garmin or Kiprun. You can also earn points by sharing product divisions about items you purchased. For 2,000 points, you will receive a £ 3 Decathlon voucher, while 6,000 gets you a £ 10 voucher.
