A good reason to walk is for your health. Another is because there are apps to earn rewards for using your fitness tracker. And who doesn’t like the idea of free money?
For more ways to save, check out all of our frugal posts.
We are stuck at the end of second winter here. We got a little taste of spring and t-shirt weather, and then the temperature dropped and I had to actually break out my winter coat — which is super rare for March in North Carlina.
When it’s cold out, it’s easy to stay inside and stream your favorite series.
But your brain shouldn’t let you. And your fitness tracker shouldn’t let you. And you budget shouldn’t let you either.
See, there are apps to earn rewards for using your fitness tracker and being active. Because if you’re gonna do all that hard work, you might as well get rewarded for it.
But remember, if you don’t move, you don’t get points. And if you don’t get points, you’ll be kicking yourself later. It gamifies life, in a way, and gives you an excuse to go out and take a bike ride rather than just sit on the couch.
So move around. Dance at home, run in place while you’re waiting for water to boil, and make an excuse to go to the store so you can walk around. The incentive, on cold days, isn’t fitness. It’s the free points you earn that can eventually turn into free money.
Or maybe that’s just me. So just follow my lead.
If you’re a fan of apps that help you earn and save, you should definitely use cash back apps when you’re shopping. Every penny adds up. So, be sure to check out our list of Top 10 Cash Back Apps To Save You Money On Everything too.
Apps To Earn Rewards For Using Your Fitness Tracker
Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.
Apps come and go very quickly and programs change often. I’m looking at you, Walgreens Balance Rewards and Sears Shop Your Way (two of the best apps for getting rewarding for healthy activities that are no longer available. I got a nice amount of money from them over the years, so I do miss the extra cash. Sigh.).
We try to update this list annually, just to see what changes these programs have made. So bookmark it, keep your step goals going, and come back to this list from time to time to see if there’s anything new.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
This one is my favorite. You need to download the Dick’s Sporting Goods app and sign up for an account. Even if you already have a Dick’s Sporting Goods account online, you need to create an app-based account.
Once you sign up, you can link your ScoreCard account (which is Dick’s Sporting Goods’ free loyalty rewards program) to the free app. Then, link your Fitbit or Apple Health apps.
There are three daily activity goals you can shoot for: 3 miles of activity, 10,000 daily steps, or 30 minutes of physical activity. Each day you achieve one of those three goals, you’ll get three points. When you get to 300 points, you get a $10 certificate to use on anything in store or online at the Dick’s Sporting Goods’ website. That’s a great way to stock up on stocking stuffers for the fitness lovers on your list.
Evidation
The Evidation app, formerly known as the Achievement app, is probably the easiest app to get a little extra money for your healthy lifestyle.
Download the Evidation app and connect your fitness tracker or your mobile phone’s fitness apps (Apple Health, Google Fit, etc.). That’s it. It will track your sleep and miles and give you points for both. When you’ve hit 10,000 points, you can cash out for $10 via PayPal, charity donations, direct deposit to your bank account, and more.
There are surveys you can take, and articles you can read, that give you more points. You can also refer friends for points. So the points do add up.
You need to read at least one article or read at least one article every six months in order to keep your points active.
AARP Rewards
AARP has a rewards program called AARP Rewards (formerly AARP Rewards For Good). You can earn points for activities like taking surveys, watching videos, and, of course, for your fitness activities.
Just sync your fitness tracker to your AARP Rewards account to earn up to 5,000 points per day. And, you don’t even have to be an AARP member to take part in the program. AARP members earn points 50% faster, so that is a perk of joining. And, in case you didn’t know, you can join AARP without being a senior citizen.
You can redeem those points for discounts on hotels, gift cards, and more. So, not real cash like Evidation, but gift cards are just as good as real money, in my opinion.
Paceline
The Paceline app is new to me. But, from what I understand, you download the app and connect your Apple Watch, Garmin, and Fitbit. Then, set your fitness goals. When you achieve your goals, you earn points. You can redeem those points for exclusive offers and deals from Paceline partners, like Therabody and Whole Foods.
There was a credit card as part of Paceline which gave you cash back for health purchases, but it seems like that ended in 2023.
Optimity
Optimity, also a new mobile app to me, is based on more than just your fitness, although that is a part of it. Optimity is focused on your overall health. There are five components to Optimity: physical activity, nutrition, mental health, social connection, and financial wellness.
It uses information from wearable devices (Fitbits, Apple Watches, etc.) to optimize your health — hence the name.
Each healthy step (not literal step) earns you points towards rewards, like Amazon gift cards, charity donations, and more.
LifeCoin
If you’re someone who loves to walk outside and has an active lifestyle rather than someone who has a fancy gym membership, LifeCoin is for you. The app uses your phone’s GPS data to track your steps. You earn LifeCoins for each step, which can be turned into rewards for things like Amazon gift cards, lululemon gift cards, and more.
The only thing I don’t love about apps that use your GPS is they’re always running in the background, so your phone battery dies. Those apps are also not great for someone who goes to the gym. At the gym, you’re on a treadmill, but you’re not moving locations. Or your on a bike, but you’re not moving locations. Since your GPS doesn’t have any data to report, LifeCoin won’t count any of those physical activities.
Purchase Fitness Trackers Online:
You need some sort of activity tracker for these apps. If you don’t have one, you can purchase one at the following stores online:
Be mindful of a store’s minimum cart total to qualify for free shipping. Also, consider instore or curbside pickup to avoid shipping charges.
Tips to get 10,000 steps:
If you’ve ever tried to figure out the number of steps you should get in a day, you’ve probably seen the magic number: 10,000. Honestly, that’s a big daily step goal. Depending on the size of your stride, that’s between 4 and 5 miles.
Most people I know don’t have the time to go out and jog five miles every day. But, you can add a little exercise here and there throughout the day to achieve that goal. For a little help with that, check out our posts on 10 Ways To Get 10k Steps When It’s Hot Out and 10 Ways To Get 10,000 Steps When It’s Too Cold To Walk Outside.
If you’re on vacation, read our How To Get 10,000 Steps On A Road Trip and 10 Ways To Exercise On Vacation posts.
Which of these Apps To Earn Rewards For Using Your Fitness Tracker have you used? Let us know about it in the comments.