7 Step Counting Applications for Business (Guide)

Integrating step-counting tools into companies helps promote good health by encouraging employees to walk on a daily basis. By tracking their physical activity and setting training targets, employees can improve their physical condition and general well-being.

This approach also encourages the creation of a positive collective dynamic around health, strengthening cohesion and motivation within the company.

This guide presents the 7 best specialized applications for businesses, and helps you make the choice best suited to your needs.

Why adopt a steps-per-day application in your company?

The benefits of integrating a step-counting app into your wellness strategy are numerous:

- Impact on employee health - The recommended target of 10,000 daily steps contributes significantly to reducing cardiovascular risk. Several studies show that employees who walk regularly during the working day report less back pain and better concentration. Regular walking also helps manage stress by lowering cortisol levels, resulting in improved overall well-being.

- Measurable benefits for the company - Regular physical activity programs such as step counting reduce absenteeism by an average of 27%, according to a study by the American Journal of Health Promotion. These initiatives also help strengthen the employer brand, attracting wellness-conscious talent. Health care costs can be significantly reduced, with some companies reporting savings of up to 30% on medical expenses after implementing such programs.

- Team-building - Collective walking challenges create positive emulation and strengthen bonds between colleagues. Unlike other sporting competitions, which can be exclusive, walking is accessible to almost all employees, whatever their physical abilities. Step challenges encourage informal conversations and can even help to break down silos between departments through mixed teams.

Our selection of the 7 best health apps

1. Google Fit

- Accurate, accessible step counting - Google Fit is a robust, free solution that excels in its core function of counting daily steps. The app uses the smartphone's built-in sensors to automatically record steps taken throughout the day. It offers a clear visualization of daily and weekly statistics, enabling users to easily track their progress. Google Fit also calculates "Cardio Minutes" and "Cardio Points", giving a better indication of physical activity intensity, in line with World Health Organization recommendations.

- Outstanding integration for businesses - One of Google Fit's key assets for businesses is its compatibility with most workplace wellness applications and its ease of integration into a business ecosystem. It syncs easily with other apps and connected objects, enabling HR teams to centralize activity data. For companies using Google Workspace, integration is particularly seamless, enabling the creation of collective challenges without the need for complex additional infrastructures.

2. Pedometer - Step counter & Calorie counter

- Comprehensive counting features - This app focuses exclusively on counting steps, and does it extremely well. It detects and counts steps with remarkable accuracy, even when the phone is in a pocket or bag. Users can view not only the number of steps, but also the distance covered, calories burned and activity time. The app also offers a detailed analysis of walking pace, and enables personalized goals to be set for each profile. Graphs clearly show trends over the day, week or month, making it easy to monitor progress.

- Adapted to the professional context - For companies, this application offers the possibility of creating user groups, enabling teams to share their progress and take part in collective challenges. Its low battery consumption makes it a wise choice for all-day professional use. The uncluttered, intuitive interface requires no training, making it easy for all employees to adopt, whatever their level of technological proficiency. Automatic weekly reports can be shared with wellness program managers to track collective commitment.

3. StepsApp Pedometer

- Elegant, motivating interface - StepsApp stands out for its particularly neat and intuitive interface, which presents step data in a visually appealing way. The application counts steps with great precision and displays colorful, easy-to-understand graphs showing daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly progress. Step targets are clearly visualized by a circle that gradually fills up over the course of the day, creating immediate visual motivation. The app also features customizable notifications that encourage users to reach their daily goals.

- Business-friendly features - StepsApp offers features that are particularly useful in a corporate context, such as the ability to easily export data for integration into workplace wellness reports. The application lets you create groups where colleagues can share their statistics and motivate each other. Detailed analytics help identify patterns of activity, enabling HR teams to tailor wellness initiatives to the times when employees are least active. Synchronization with leading cloud services also facilitates integration with other corporate health platforms.

4. Accupedo

- Advanced accuracy and customization - Accupedo is renowned for the accuracy of its step-counting algorithm, which effectively filters out parasitic movements. The application offers a high level of customization, enabling the sensitivity of the step detector to be adjusted according to the way the user wears his phone and his walking style. This flexibility ensures accurate counting in a variety of work situations, whether the phone is in a pocket, bag or held in the hand. Users can also personalize their step targets, with recommendations based on their profile and initial activity level.

- Corporate reporting features - Particularly suited to the business context, Accupedo offers advanced reporting features that enable wellness program managers to track collective trends. The application generates detailed reports showing the evolution of step counts over different periods, making it easy to assess the impact of corporate initiatives. Data can be easily exported to spreadsheets for further analysis. The application consumes very little battery power, a considerable advantage for continuous professional use throughout the day.

5. Asana Rebel

- More than just counting steps - Asana Rebel combines precise daily step counting with a complete wellness ecosystem. The app automatically records walking activity and converts it into calories burned and distance traveled. What really sets Asana Rebel apart is its holistic approach, which complements step counting with guided yoga and fitness exercises tailored to the professional context. These short sessions can be performed right in the office and are designed to complement walking activity, offering a complete physical wellness solution.

- Specific corporate programs - Asana Rebel offers dedicated corporate packages that include customized programs according to the organization's objectives. The app enables the creation of corporate challenges combining step-counting and other activities, diversifying wellness initiatives while maintaining walking as a foundation. HR managers can access anonymized dashboards showing overall engagement and activity trends. The app also includes educational content on the importance of regular physical activity, reinforcing employee awareness of the benefits of an active lifestyle.

6. The native pedometer for smartphones

- Immediately available solution - Most modern smartphones now include a pre-installed pedometer application (Samsung Health for Samsung, Apple Health for iPhone, etc.). These native pedometers offer surprisingly accurate daily step counts without the need to install additional applications. They run in the background, consume little battery power and automatically synchronize data with associated cloud services. For companies, this solution has the considerable advantage of already being available on employees' devices, eliminating barriers to adoption.

- Simplified integration with corporate programs - Native pedometer APIs are generally well documented and accessible, facilitating integration with corporate wellness platforms. Employees can simply authorize the sharing of their step data with the corporate application, without having to manage several different applications. This approach greatly simplifies large-scale deployment and reduces resistance to change. Many wellness program providers now offer turnkey solutions that build on these native pedometers while adding gamification and team challenge features.

7. TeamSteps

- Focus on the collective dimension of step counting - TeamSteps is one of the few applications specifically designed for step counting in a corporate context. Beyond the precise individual tracking of daily steps, the application focuses on the collective dimension of physical activity. It offers real-time visualization of each member's contribution to group objectives, while preserving an inclusive approach that values individual progress over absolute performance. Users can track their personal step count, but also see how their activity contributes to team challenges.

- Advanced social features - The application integrates communication tools that facilitate mutual encouragement and the sharing of experiences around the walking activity. A peer coaching system enables more experienced users to accompany beginners, creating a community of mutual support. The administrative interface enables HR managers to configure different types of step challenge to suit the company's culture, such as inter-departmental competitions or collective objectives such as reaching the equivalent number of steps around the Earth together.

Implementation tips to maximize adoption

To ensure the success of your corporate step-counting program, here are a few key recommendations:

- Involve all stakeholders from the outset - A successful program requires the support of human resources, management, employee representatives and occupational medicine. Organize presentation sessions to explain the expected benefits and gather any concerns. Set up a steering committee including representatives from different departments to ensure a plural vision of needs and expectations. This early involvement of stakeholders will greatly facilitate subsequent deployment.

- Communicate positively and inclusively - Always present the initiative as an opportunity, not an obligation. Focus on individual and collective benefits rather than performance targets. Make sure your communication values the accessibility of walking for everyone, whatever their age, physical condition or position. Use inspirational messages that emphasize well-being rather than competition or weight loss, to avoid excluding certain profiles or creating counter-productive pressures.

- Offer varied and renewed challenges - To maintain commitment over time, alternate different types of challenge: individual, team, collaborative, thematic or seasonal. Vary the length of the challenge, too, by offering short challenges (one week) and longer ones (one quarter). Include themes that reflect current events or causes close to your company's heart. This diversification enables you to reach different motivational profiles and avoid the fatigue that can set in with a single, repeated format.

- Value progress rather than performance - Set up a recognition system that celebrates individual improvement and consistent effort rather than absolute performance. Create reward categories that allow everyone to find their place: "greatest progress", "exemplary regularity", "team support", etc. Organize regular group celebrations to share successes and reinforce support for the program.

Choosing the right application for your context

To select the ideal application from our selection, here are the essential criteria to evaluate:

- Alignment with your corporate culture - The application you choose should reflect your organization's values and culture. A company that strongly values collaboration will favor a solution like TeamSteps, while a tech-friendly organization might be content to use native smartphone pedometers. Also assess the tone and aesthetics of the application to make sure they match the image you want to project. The ability to customize the interface with your corporate colors and logo also reinforces user ownership.

- Technical compatibility and security - Check the app's compatibility with the operating systems used in your company (iOS, Android, etc.). Google Fit works best in the Android ecosystem, while Apple's Health app is native to iOS. Carefully examine aspects related to personal data protection: server location, RGPD certification, anonymization processes, data retention policy. These technical aspects, often overlooked, can become major obstacles during deployment.

- Overall budget and return on investment - Most of the applications mentioned offer free versions with sufficient functionality to start a step-counting program. Premium versions may be considered for access to advanced reporting and analysis features. Also consider the potential savings generated by the program: reduced absenteeism, lower health insurance costs, improved productivity. These factors all contribute to the overall ROI of your investment.

Conclusion

The latest version of the application includes an innovative feature that tracks not only the number of steps taken per day, but also the number of calories burned. With a simple click on the dedicated button, users can access detailed information on their physical activity and energy consumption.

What's more, data confidentiality is guaranteed thanks to strict security protocols and a clear description of privacy settings. By integrating this application into your wellness strategy, you show your employees that their health and privacy are priorities for your organization.

So which app will you choose to take the first steps towards a healthier, more active business?