Podo vs Pedometer++: which step counter for iPhone?

Pedometer++ has been on the App Store since 2013 and has grown from a simple counter into a hiking companion with route planning, GPX import and offline maps. Podo is younger and narrower: steps first, then sleep, energy and recovery around them, with nothing to sign up for.

Pedometer++: The veteran iPhone step counter with badges, complications and serious hiking tools. Facts checked against the US App Store listing on September 6, 2026.

Side by side

Feature Podo Pedometer++
Built around steps Yes Yes
GPS workouts with route — free Yes No
Sleep score and stages Yes No
Recovery from HRV Yes No
Energy through the day Yes No
AI coach Pro No
Apple Watch app Yes Yes
Home Screen widgets Yes Yes

“—” means the listing does not mention it.

Where Pedometer++ is stronger

  • Route planning: tap start and end points, tweak by terrain, see elevation and weather, import GPX — on iPhone and Apple Watch.
  • Offline map downloads for large areas, not just a single route.
  • Badges and a wide range of Watch complications for glanceable progress.
  • Heart-rate data during workouts, including from AirPods Pro 3 and Powerbeats Pro 2.

Where Podo is stronger

  • Sleep score and stages, energy reserve and HRV recovery — Pedometer++ does not track sleep or HRV (the developer sells a separate Sleep++ app).
  • GPS workouts on iPhone are free in Podo; in Pedometer++ iPhone workout tracking requires Premium.
  • Explainable numbers: the source device, the period and the formula behind every metric.
  • An AI daily digest (Pro) that turns yesterday into three sentences.

Price

Premium subscription — in-app purchases listed from $1.99 to $5.99 monthly and $19.99 to $39.99 yearly.

Free. Pro $39.99/year or $3.99/week (3-day trial) for the four AI features.

Pedometer++ Premium unlocks iPhone workout tracking; Podo keeps that free and charges only for AI.

Which one to pick

Pick Pedometer++ if You plan hikes, want offline maps and GPX routes, and like a face full of complications.

Pick Podo if You walk in the city, want to record a route for free, and care about sleep and recovery as much as the count.

Common questions

Is Pedometer++ free?

The core step counter is free. Its listing states that iPhone-based workout tracking is only available to Premium subscribers, offered monthly or annually.

Does Podo have Watch complications?

Not yet. Podo has an Apple Watch app and four iPhone Home Screen widgets; complications are not in the current release. If a watch face full of data is the point, Pedometer++ is the stronger choice today.

Can Podo import GPX routes?

No. Podo records walks, hikes and rides with their GPS route and saves them to Apple Health, but it is not a route planner.