StepBet: Walk, Get Active, Win Ratings and Reviews

Gets You Moving!

I joined a couple months ago and love it! I have a desk job and sometimes work 10-12 hours a day. I used to notice the rings on my Apple Watch would show if only stood up 3 or 4 times a day during my busy periods at work. I’m not a big fan of working out but I’m trying to get healthier habits mixed into my routine. Since joining StepBet I find myself getting up just to speed walk through the halls at work every hour or so. When I get home exhausted from the day at the office I used to plop on the couch and turn on the tv. Now I find myself pacing the floor and moving as much as I can while going about my evening. This isn’t an app to make a ton of money or anything; it’s meant to motivate you to get moving more. It works for me. I’m just competitive enough to not want to kiss my goals! I feel happier and accomplished when I hit them. The goals are going up and up with every game. I may do a recovery game or two to get them back to a number I can do or I may keep going until I hit my limit. Either way, I’m winning because I’m healthier and having fun!

Love It...For the Most Part

I joined my first StepBet 6 weeks ago and have really enjoyed using the app! It’s easy to use and navigate, syncs well with my FitBit, and overall is visually appealing. The reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because of an email they sent out a few days ago that I feel like had an unhealthy and potentially triggering message. The email subject line was “Earn That Extra Stuffing” and the message implied that food (specifically food during the holidays, a time of celebration) should be earned by participating in physical activity. It was off-putting after I had just enjoyed 6 weeks of using the app and successfully completing my first bet. I know not everyone shares the same opinion but I hope the developers understand how this mindset can be dangerous to those who have experienced disordered eating. I won’t detail my opinion on why this is harmful, just wanted to make the developers aware. I think the email (which was advertising the membership plan...totally fair and understandable) could have been effective without pairing the idea of earning food with it. Maybe something along the lines of motivation to move and be active during a time that we tend to do a lot of sitting and stay indoors a lot because of weather? After all, it seems like one of the overall themes of the app in general is motivation.

A lot of effort for little money back

This program feels like such a scam because of the little amount that you can win and the huge amount that they take from the pot. In my game they took 45% of the amount that all players lost. If they were to take 15% of the remaining pot, players would have gotten about $15 in additional winnings as opposed to $9.44 which is around what I got. The first week was a trial with no elimination, the second week until the six week was the real game. For the last five weeks of the game I took time from driving Uber to be able to meet my step goals. Yet on multiple days, I would end an hour early to meet my goals with StepBet. In an hour I averaged $20-$40 with Uber. In the time it takes me to do one or two rides I earn more than what I earn over the six week period. this should be like a step fitness membership not a bet. Realistically you get back less than two dollars for every week you complete.

This app is better designed for those who have wanted to spare hours of time 5 to 6 days a week keeping in mind, they will likely make less than two dollars per week unless they pay for a nearly hundred dollar subscription to remove fees. I estimate you would have to play between 3 to 6 games to recoup your hundred dollars from the Subscription. Each game takes 4 to 6 weeks. To complete and you can do up to three at a time with the subscription.

Best Motivation

I started using this app about four months ago. I’m now totally addicted. Before this app I would maybe fill up my rings on my Apple Watch a couple times a week. Now EVERYDAY my watch tells me I filled all my rings. The thing I like most is it uses your Apple Health app data to calculate your steps needed each day. The goals are achievable for yourself.

So, there’s a hike in my town, it’s only one mile but ALL up hill. The last .25 mile is even carved out steps in the rocks. This hike used to defeat me, I’d have to rest multiple times. Now I’m able to go from the bottom to the top without resting once and I even feel fine once I get to the top. It’s amazing how getting active everyday can change your life.

And if you’re like me and have a busy life and need something to hold you accountable to hitting your daily goal, this is the app for you. Just try it.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for the great review and for sharing your progress! We love that the app has helped you. Happy stepping!

No flexibility

Careful about joining a game if your plans are subject to change in any way wether you can foresee it or not. There is absolutely no flexibility on getting a refund if for reasons out of your control you can no longer participate in a game unless it’s a medical emergency, which is apparently the only good reason to not be able to participate in a time consuming activity. Also don’t expect professionalism from any customer service agent as I was lied to and patronized when I reached out for help. I explicitly let them know I couldn’t participate in the game and didn’t know until after it started and that was why I was requesting a refund and the response I got was they couldn’t issue a refund but I could earn my money back by completing the game. The thing I specifically said I couldn’t do. And for a game I had already failed out of because, as I said, I couldn’t participate. And apparently it’s perfectly fine for them to lie to you because I wound up speaking to someone else hoping to find someone who’d treat me with a modicum of respect and they didn’t even acknowledge that I was lied to or treated the way I was. The customer service is a joke. Don’t use the app unless your ok with giving your money away for reasons outside of your control.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for your review, though we're sorry you were dissatisfied with the outcome. Unfortunately, we require medical documentation for refunds outside of the refund period. When players sign up for a game, they are provided with game dates and goals and unless stated otherwise, most games have a refund period of 7 days from the start of the game. While we would love to accommodate every request like this, we do need to maintain the integrity of the game. In regards to lying, we apologize for the confusion. At the time we provided the information, it was up to date and accurate. Your steps hadn't yet synced so you were still technically in the game - which is why we let you know you could finish it out. We were trying to be helpful but can only use the information we have at the time. It was only after that reply that your steps synced, resulting in a disqualification for missing goals. We wish you the best!

Great motivation, but...

Stepbet is a great motivation to get moving. When I really get into a funk with my workout routine, the possibility of losing $40 gets me off the couch more than anything. However, I’ve had Stepbet for a little over a year and my step goals have gotten out of control. I live in NYC, so naturally I’m walking a lot without trying. I understand that the goals are calculated based on your step history, but it seems unfair that other people in the game will have a stretch goal of 9,000, while my stretch goal is 19,000, and we’re playing for the same reward. It takes me twice the amount of time to get those steps, and really hinders my opportunity to add strength training or more varied workouts into my routine.

So while I think Stepbet is great, I’m going to have to stop using it until the system is changed. It would be great if there were set goals, such as everyone having to get 10k steps a day, or 15k steps a day like Spryfit. It would be more sustainable in the long term, because I know I’m not the only one struggling with their ever-increasing step goals. There are only so many hours in a day.

Consistent sync issues

Scroll the challenge comments and you will see that there are consistently sync issues with tracker and StepBet app. I personally have the Apple Watch. StepBet syncs from Apple Health, not your tracker or Activity App. In two instances (separate challenges), Health did not sync the correct steps from my watch/Activity app. Interestingly enough, another step app that I use synced the correct number of steps even though it’s connected to Health. That happened to me TWICE. While I understand some of the burden of the issue lies on Apple, I think StepBet should evaluate how they capture steps when there a numerous participants with sync issues no matter what device they’re using. I often see FitBit and Garmin users in the challenge comments complaining about sync issues as well.

The first time the sync issue occurred, a StepBet rep said she knew it was a known issue because of the iOS update and updated the steps on their end accordingly. This second time I reached out (after have installing the update), a StepBet rep said too bad. 🤷‍♀️ Cool...thanks for the help. I would not recommend this app until StepBet rectifies syncing issues that are discussed in the challenge comments.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for your detailed review, though we're sorry you've experienced syncing issues. Unfortunately, StepBet can only count steps that are taken through Apple Health directly. If any other step sources feed into Apple Health, they will not count towards steps in StepBet as they cannot be verified. If the issue is with Apple Health not capturing the correct amount of steps, we're limited with at as well - unfortunately. We definitely do try to assist players whenever we can but we appreciate your feedback!

Huge glitch in app

In the middle of a game somehow I was logged out and when I tried to log back in the app suggested I log in through Facebook. I did this and suddenly my game was gone. I sent an email asking for help and the automatic response said they would get back to me in 3-5 days. Meanwhile if I miss a day I lose the competition. The email indicated if you lost your game it may be from a duplicate account, which is what happened, but all is suggests is logging out and then trying again, which doesn’t work. So meanwhile I will lose my game because they can’t respond. It would be very helpful if they would inform us of this issue as we first sign up. Hopefully they will at least refund me my original $40 that was used to sign up.

Update: they contacted me and were able to find the previous account. It would be really good though if in the log in page they built in a warning telling everyone to always log in with same account to avoid this issue

Scam? Wrongly out $190, can’t find anyone to talk to

Would give 0 stars if app would allow. I signed up and the program got me moving more, great! Then one night I worked hard to hit my goal by midnight and somehow it didn’t register. I have searched and can’t figure out who to talk to, how to get it fixed and I’m out a bunch of money because I was confident of (and succeeded at) following through on my goals so I signed up for the membership and three programs. Now I’m out $190. Because there was a bug in how my watch talked to my phone, or because it’s a scam, or both. Not sure how many others this has happened to?? It was not the first time the app didn’t easily synch to my watch, but the other times it was earlier in the evening. I am a runner, a triathloner and an honest person and am worried this company is taking advantage of people. I’m a busy mother of 3, who works full time, so even writing this post is pulling energy from places I don’t have it to spare. If magically the company gets back with me about this ‘hack/bug’ in the software gets resolved I’ll take down this review. Until then, feel I must warn people.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for the review. We aren't able to locate your specific communication with us based on this username, but if we haven't replied, please email us at support@waybetter.com. Thanks.

App is good; choose team wisely

I joined StepBet because I thought it would be a good way to join in with others for team support, motivation and/or fitness camaraderie. If that is what you’re seeking, find your team carefully or join with those you already know. I joined a team by myself. I post motivational messages regularly, like their comments and comment on their comments. I get very little interaction from them. There’s no connection at all going into week three. Some of them are posting about their pets vs. how they’re getting their fitness activity in. Initially, I thought I’d just keep doing these challenges, one after another after another, but I don’t think I will unless I have my own group join with me or if I see a group that is interacting as a real team. If you’re looking for help with motivation, you may not find it here. I can use my FitBit for my stats, so don’t need StepBet for that. Good luck with your fitness! You can do it!!