Stepr vs a spreadsheet for a step challenge
By Joseph Tung, who makes Stepr · Checked against a real office sheet on September 22, 2026
Most office step challenges start in a spreadsheet and most die there by week three. The sheet is free, works for every phone, and bends to any rule you invent, but every number in it is typed by the person it flatters, and one organiser spends the challenge chasing blanks. Stepr reads steps from each player's iPhone, settles every day at midnight, and needs no organiser after day one, at the cost of iPhone-only and one fixed format.
Side by side
| Stepr | Spreadsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free for every player. The host pays after launch: $18.99 for one league. | Free. |
| Phones | iPhone only. | Anything with a browser. |
| Who enters the numbers | Nobody. Steps are read from the phone and signed by it. | Each player, by hand, from whatever their tracker shows. |
| Rules | One format: the daily goal starts at 2,000, rises 250 a day, miss it and you're out. Presets change the start and the climb. | Anything you can write a formula for. |
| Organiser's job | Share the code. Days settle themselves and standings update live. | Chase blanks, resolve disputes, post the standings, repeat daily. |
| Disputes | Everyone sees which kind of device recorded every count. | Your word against theirs. |
Pick a spreadsheet if
- some of the office is on Android
- you want a rule the app does not offer, such as distance or minutes instead of steps
- it is a small group that trusts each other and someone enjoys running it
Pick Stepr if
- everyone has an iPhone
- the last challenge fell apart over typed-in numbers or an organiser who burned out
- you want to announce it once and get out of the way
Questions people ask
Is there a free step challenge tracker template?
Yes, and the guide on this site explains how to build one and when to stop using it. Stepr is the point at which typing numbers stops being worth it.
What does Stepr cost an office?
Nothing for employees. The host pays $18.99 once for a League Pro league, under a dollar a head for twenty people, and hosting is free during launch.
Start a league
Free to join. Share one code, and the last one walking wins.
More comparisons
Claims about other apps come from their own App Store listings on the date above. If one is out of date, email hello@stepr.io and it will be fixed.