Sweatcoin Review: A New App That Pays You to Walk
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Sweatcoin is good for two types of people: those who already take daily walks, and those who need an incentive to do so. Check out what Sweatcoin has to offer. The app is free, and it pays out real rewards.
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Since I work from home, I’ve realized that I don’t walk outside as often as I should. It’s too easy to move from my desk to the couch at the end of the day, and there’s no incentive to get outside.
Downloading the Sweatcoin app to my smartphone has changed that.
Using Sweatcoin has encouraged me to take walks that I wouldn’t normally because not only do I get some exercise, I can earn extra money and prizes for taking those walks. And since I already take my phone with me everywhere I go, there’s no additional device I need to buy. That makes it a simple and affordable way to get moving.
If you’re also interested in using Sweatcoin, here’s what else you need to know.
What Is Sweatcoin and How Does It Work?
Sweatcoin At a Glance:
Sweatcoin is a free step-tracking app that rewards you in its own digital currency known as Sweatcoins (SWC), for the steps you take. After earning enough SWC, you can cash in for prizes, gift cards, or vouchers.
Show Hide moreSweatcoins is a U.K.-based app that rewards you for collecting data about the steps you take outside. They claim that by using the app, users have become 20% more active each day, even after 6 months of use.
Once you’ve accumulated enough coins, you can use them to purchase goods, services, and experiences through the Sweatcoin website (or donate them to a charity like Women for Water and The UN Refugee Agency).
It has a 4.3 of 5-star rating on Trustpilot, a 4 of 5-star rating in the Google Play store, and a 4.5 of 5-star rating in the Apple App Store. User reviews of Sweatcoin claim that the app motivates them to move, offers excellent customer services, and they enjoy being able to donate to charity. Primary complaints include bugs and other glitches with the app as well as how long it can take to accumulate Sweatcoins to convert to prizes.
Because of the nature of the app, they collect more personal data than others, like banking or survey apps. Make sure you review Sweatcoin’s privacy policy in its entirety so you fully understand what they do with your information and how you can opt out of certain features.
Signing up for Sweatcoin
Registering for a Sweatcoin account is quick and easy. All you need to do is visit the website or download the app on your iPhone or Android smartphone.
Sweatcoin will walk you through the initial signup process. You’ll need to provide your first name, email address, and cell phone number so Sweatcoin can send you a four-digit code to verify the device you’ll be using when you walk.
The app also requires you to have your GPS location turned on with high accuracy for the best step conversion.
As a thank-you for signing up, Sweatcoin gives new users .95 SWC, equal to about 1,000 steps. You can check your Sweatcoin Wallet balance any time or get tips for earning more.
At this time, Sweatcoin doesn’t integrate with step trackers like Fitbit or Android Wear. It can track steps on only iPhones, Android smartphones, or Apple Watch 2s/3s, so if you forget your phone while you’re out for a walk, you’ll miss those steps.
Sweatcoin requires GPS, which isn’t included with some wearables. Plus, its unique algorithm (which eliminates steps unrelated to exercise) is limited to certain devices. Sweatcoin’s future goal is to integrate with more wearable devices.
Related: 13 Data Collection Apps That Pay You for Your Information
Walk, walk, walk
Every 1,000 steps you walk net you .95 SWC. The average person takes 2,000 steps per mile and should generally walk at least 10,000 steps per day.[1]
If you fall into this category, you can expect to earn approximately six SWC per day. The average step-to-Sweatcoin conversion rate is 65%, meaning that for every 1,000 steps you take, you’ll earn SWCs for 650 of them.
For Android and iPhone 7 or later models, indoor and outdoor steps are counted in your step total and are applied to your conversion rate. Sweatcoin also offers tips on how to improve your conversion rate. Some of these tips include turning off your phone’s battery saver or removing your phone’s protective cover, which could block GPS signals.
The website indicates that while walking is the primary way to earn SWC, some users report that if they keep their phone in their pocket while biking, they can earn extra SWC.
Related: 13 Legit Apps That Pay You to Walk by Tracking Your Steps
Get paid in Sweatcoins
If you let the Sweatcoin app run in the background of your smartphone, you’ll get paid in SWCs.
The app counts your steps in real-time but holds SWCs until you’ve accumulated 2,000 steps. After you reach this threshold, the app will analyze your steps using the Sweatcoin algorithm and calculate how many of your steps can be converted into SWCs. If you want SWCs credited to your account before you reach the 2,000-step threshold, you can force-send your steps at any time without incurring a penalty.
While SWCs don’t hold any cash value, the company’s long-term goal is to list them on exchanges like other cryptocurrencies. Additionally, SWCs never expire. You can keep SWCs in your wallet indefinitely. This makes saving for larger prizes and offers attainable if you have the patience.
Note that they do take a 5% commission off your earnings.
Redeeming your Sweatcoins
You currently can’t cash out SWCs via PayPal, bank transfer, or check; you can only redeem them for products in the marketplace or paid Sweatcoin subscriptions. Sweatcoin partners with more than 160 brands and the offers can change daily. If you can’t find something you like, check back again a few days later for new offers.
But if you see a tempting offer that you could cash out on immediately, do it. While there are no real cash-earning opportunities at the lower levels, you can still save real money by using SWCs to fund these purchases.
Marathon offers
Sweatcoin reserves marathon offers for high SWC earners to redeem such as $1,000 in PayPal cash or a brand new iPhone XS. You might even be able to find deals on travel or other experiences. These offers are typically limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Since earning such high numbers of SWCs could take someone years to accomplish, you can work together as a family to earn faster and transfer all SWCs to a single account to purchase a marathon offer.
6 Tips for Earning More with Sweatcoin
The way to earn the most on Sweatcoin is to take long, daily walks outside. But there are other tips you can try that could help you earn more money with Sweatcoin.
1. Claim daily bonuses.
Sweatcoin offers daily bonuses for watching ads on the app. Users can earn one, two, and four SWCs for watching ads on three consecutive days.
After that, you can start a new three-day streak to earn an additional seven SWCs every three days.
2. Turn off your battery saver.
Using a battery saver could keep Sweatcoin from accurately counting your steps. Depending on the device you’re using, you could be losing indoor steps or steps that aren’t specifically taken for exercise, so turn off your battery saver to help maximize the steps you take.
3. Turn your GPS on high accuracy.
It may drain your battery faster, but setting your GPS to high accuracy will help Sweatcoin count more steps. You can turn it off while you’re inside for an extended period of time, but remember to turn it on during your hikes and outdoor walks.
4. Walk outside.
You might not realize how many steps you take inside versus outside. Don’t be surprised if Sweatcoin doesn’t pay you for more than half of your daily steps. It’s important to schedule outdoor walks if you want to earn more on Sweatcoin.
5. Upgrade your account.
Sweatcoin currently offers four membership levels. Upgrading to a level that fits your normal walking schedule could help you earn more on Sweatcoin.
- Mover Plan (free): Earn up to five SWC per day or 150 SWC per month.
- Shaker Plan (4.75 SWC per month): Earn up to 10 SWC per day or 300 SWC per month.
- Quaker Plan (20 SWC per month): Earn up to 15 SWC per day or 450 SWC per month.
- Breaker Plan (30 SWC per month): Earn up to 20 SWC per day or 600 SWC per month.
There’s also a Trouble Maker plan but rather than paying with your earned SWC, users need to pay a small fee of $1.49 per month. However, one of the perks of this plan includes earning up to 50 SWC per day, reducing the number of miles you have to walk to earn the same amount of SWC, and you can take advantage of the marathon offers sooner.
6. Invite your friends to try Sweatcoin.
You can earn five SWC for every friend who signs up using your unique referral link. You can text that link to your friends or share it on social media.
Sweatcoin Review Summary
Using Sweatcoin to earn rewards for walking is legit, and you can reap some real health benefits from daily exercise. Plus, it’s a good way to break up the monotony of the day, especially if you have a work-from-home job.
If you already like to walk, this is an easy way to start earning money from taking your phone with you on walks. If having an app track your every step doesn’t bother you, then downloading the app is a good place to start. If you don’t like it, you can always delete it later.
Sweatcoin is most valuable to users who already walk outside on a daily basis, but it can create an incentive for others to walk more. Since walking is one of the best forms of low-impact exercises, earning SWCs toward real-life rewards is worth it.
