Once upon a time, there was a workout app called GymPact. It paid its users for sticking to their fitness goals. Sadly, that app no longer exists.
But …
I’ve conducted rigorous testing to find new apps that also pay their users for the priceless time spent getting swull. In the end, there are two apps I’ll recommend: Achievemint and Sweatcoin.
Achievemint
If you’re wanting an easy to use app that pays you with real money (not digital currency), you need not look any further because Achievemint is as good as it gets.
To get set up, you really only need a smartphone. Download the Achievemint app and then connect to the fitness apps you’re already using. More than 30 apps are supported, including but not limited to Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin, several MapMyFitness apps, Misfit, RunKeeper, Samsung Health and Strava.
Each time you complete activities, take steps and/or log meals, the Achievemint app will sync with your other apps’ data and calculate points. The more apps you connect to Achievemint, the faster you’ll collect points.
Once you hit 10,000 points, you can claim your first $10 reward. You may also complete short surveys on the app and read health and fitness-inspired Medium posts by Achievemint’s staff to earn extra points.
Rewards are redeemed using Paypal or GiftRocket.
Sweatcoin
Those who are looking for bigger prizes, and who have the patience to play the long-game, should check out Sweatcoin.
Again, getting set up is easy: Download the Sweatcoin app to your phone. After that, just let the Sweatcoin app use your location in the background and start walking, running or just going about your normal day.
The Sweatcoin app needs to track your steps, with GPS always enabled, in order to convert your efforts into a digital currency called Sweatcoin. Unfortunately, this means using treadmills, ellipticals or stationary bikes is a no-go. Think of using this app kind of like mining for Bitcoin, except you have to get moving to do the “mining.”
The coins you earn can be used to purchase things like gift cards or even an iPhone X. But it’ll take you a while to get enough coins to make those purchases (remember you’re playing the long-game).
To earn Sweatcoins more quickly, you can subscribe to a membership within the app and pay (using your earned Sweatcoins) to raise the maximum number of coin you can earn on any given day. The free subscription earns a maximum of 5 Sweatcoins per day. Pay more for a shaker, quaker or breaker membership to earn you a maximum of 10, 15 or 20 Sweatcoins per day. Remember, though, those memberships only earn you more coins if you get outside and get stepping.
My preference
Of the two apps, I prefer Achievemint. Adding it to my daily routine was easy because all the apps I was already using interfaced with the app. All I needed to do was check-in occasionally to see what my progress was toward the $10 payout.
Occasionally, I needed to refresh the app or just learn to be patient while my data updated on Achievemint’s servers. Otherwise, using this app was a breeze and I highly recommend it.
Because I didn’t want to drain my smartphone’s battery more than necessary, I tended to deny and then re-allow Sweatcoin access to my location right before going for a walk or a run. Unfortunately, the app will not work at all if you only let it use location services “While Using the App.” As a result, I often forgot to enable location services or open the app at all — which resulted in me losing out on a lot of Sweatcoin.
Lead image courtesy of Barta IV via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).
