How Pawdometer compares
There are three kinds of "dog walking app" and they do different jobs. This page is the honest version of where Pawdometer sits, including the things it does not do.
| Pawdometer | GPS collar apps (Fi, Tractive, Whistle) | Walker marketplaces (Rover, Wag) | Other phone-only trackers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needs hardware | No | Collar device | No | No |
| Works when the dog is away from you | No | Yes, live location | No | No |
| Route and distance of a shared walk | GPS, measured | Phone GPS during the walk | The walker's phone | GPS, measured |
| Dog's own paw steps | Estimated from height and speed, labeled | Collar motion score, no distance | No | Varies; some show the owner's steps |
| Calories for the dog | Estimated, shown against daily need | Some, from motion | No | Varies |
| Weight log against ideal | Yes, with reminders | Some apps | No | Rarely |
| Streak with rest days | Any walk counts; 2 free rest days a week | Activity goals | No | Varies |
| Multiple dogs on one walk | Yes, separate numbers | One collar per dog | Per booking | Varies |
| Account required | No | Yes | Yes | Usually |
| Where the data lives | On the iPhone only | Vendor servers | Vendor servers | Varies |
| Ads | None | None | None | Some |
| Price | 3 days free, then $4.99/week or $29.99/year | Device plus subscription | Per walk | Free to a few dollars |
| Platform | iPhone, iOS 17+ | iOS and Android | iOS and Android | Varies |
Competitor columns describe each category from the vendors' own public pages and App Store listings; features vary by product and change over time. Pawdometer facts are from the app itself.
What Pawdometer does not do
- Locate a dog who is not with your phone. That is a GPS collar's job, and a real one.
- Count paws directly. No phone can; Pawdometer estimates from GPS distance and shoulder height and says so.
- Give diet or feeding advice.
- Run on Android or Apple Watch, for now.
- Work without a subscription after the 3-day trial. That is the alternative to ads and data sales.
3 days free · then $4.99/week or $29.99/year · cancel anytime
The long version
- The best dog walk tracker apps for iPhone, honestly comparedThree kinds of "dog walking app" exist and they do different jobs. What each measures, what it needs, and which one fits how you walk.
- Can you track your dog's walks with just an iPhone?Yes: your iPhone's GPS measures the walk you take together. What it measures, what it can only estimate, and when a collar is worth it.
- How many steps does a dog take in a mile?Four paw falls per stride and a stride of 1.1 to 1.5 times shoulder height: about 8,000 paw steps a mile for a Labrador, 30,000 for a Chihuahua. Table for 50 breeds.