This is a follow-up to the post Active 10 vs 10,000 Steps a Day.
I wanted to see how well the Active 10 app would work. Below are two screenshots. The first is the Active 10 app and the second is the iOS Health data.
Active 10
iOS Health
As you can see from my data, I had 7 days this month where I completed 30-40 minutes of brisk walking. Due to my knee issues, I never walked fast enough that I would have considered it brisk. Maybe just short of brisk? I never got out of breath or even close. Yet, the app gave me credit for brisk walking.
The app gives credit for minutes of brisk walking and blocks of 10-minute brisk walking. You can make the minutes easily without making the 3-blocks.
The app is more concerned with consecutive walking. What I discovered was that urban hiking is problematic to reach these 10-minute blocks, because we stop for cars and wait for the light to change. This stop is enough to reset the block.
Historical data is a bit light. There is no way for me to dig deeper into the data for past days. I can see the minutes earned, but not how many 10-minute blocks I earned. You can only see the block earned on the current day.
I will be uninstalling the app for a few reasons:
- I’m getting credit for brisk walking that I do not consider to be brisk. Perhaps I am too fit for this app? And if I am too fit, then likely so are the readers of this site.
- I walk mostly in the city and I do not want to be hit by a car, so getting the blocks for me could be a dangerous goal.
- Historical data to collect 10-minute block data is non-existent.
- I strongly suspect the Active 10 app is a battery drain. According to iOS, it is eating 6-7% of my battery, but it seems like more.
- For me, the iOS step data is enough. I’ll step 5-7,000 when my knee is bad and 10-15k if it ever gets better.
For those that joined me on the Active 10 test, what were your experiences?
Geoff
Feb 14, 2018 — 12:35 pm
My experience was similar to yours, and I will also be uninstalling the app. Like you I noted the discrepancy between what I consider “brisk” walking and the apps lower standard. Walking in a city area – or anywhere you could get caught by a red light for that matter – was also frustrating. I agree that the iOS step data is plenty good enough, especially since I know my notion of brisk walking easily meets the apps criteria.
Tim Steele
Feb 14, 2018 — 6:55 pm
Good experiment. I could see from the outset it did not fit my lifestyle. I bought a FitBit last summer, tried hard to like it…lasted about 3 weeks, lol. Too many problems and credit for steps I did not take. I have to laugh when people brag about 10, 20K steps, and hold up a FitBitted wrist as proof.
Chris Highcock
Mar 12, 2018 — 3:34 am
I’ve given up on the app too. Battery life was taking a hit.
I also do not think we are the target market.
alison özbek
Oct 26, 2018 — 7:57 am
Ive been using this app for months with no problems at all then suddenly last week it didnt register any walking. I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it worked for a couple of days then today its not registered anything again. There seems to be no way to get any help from them! Unfortunately it seems to be the only app that doesnt count steps and/or that differentiates between normal and brisk walking. I’m very disappointed!
Mart
Jan 20, 2019 — 9:59 pm
It’s credited me with 7 minutes walking just from getting up to going downstairs – 2 mins max, if that?
David B
Apr 12, 2019 — 1:14 am
The app measures when you’ve got up to a certain speed (about 3 miles an hour). It does allow for traffic light stops, kids slowing you down etc by “allowing” up to 2 slower minutes in the block of 10 and it still counts.
My experience has been that it is pretty accurate and consistent in doing that.
I don’t think it’s intended to be forensically accurate in the way a serious athlete or sportsperson would want from a training support app
It’s just one useful tool to help motivate people to work some exercise into their daily life.
If we judge it on those terms I believe it has some value
Emily Paris
Apr 18, 2019 — 5:49 am
Well I have just walked as fast as I can for 30 minutes and it said I had done 5 minutes brisk walking! I even jogged a bit of it. Had to stop for two minutes at traffic lights but I don’t understand why I have not been given the goal. Had this for two weeks and only achieved two goals. I am healthy and have no problems and wasmout of breath. Please e plain if anyone can?
Doreen
Apr 22, 2019 — 2:48 pm
In the last two weeks, twice when I have gone out for a twenty minute brisk walk (walking as fast as I can) it hasn’t even credited me with any walking!!!
Very disappointing.
Tom tom
Apr 24, 2019 — 5:36 pm
Too easy to achieve brisk walking. Good idea if you are mainly sedentary. Anything is good to get people up and moving so it’s good in that respect.
It’s always accessing my location and thus uses the battery a lot. Therefore it is unnecessarily invasive.
Tom thomson
Jun 15, 2019 — 7:13 pm
It’s very good for a free app. Sometimes it’s inconsistent with what is brisk and normal but it generally agrees with me on what I consider to be brisk. I like it because it gets me of my backside in order to complete my target.
I live in Thailand and it works here. Good app. Thank you.
Andy
Oct 23, 2019 — 3:57 pm
First time I used this app, it recorded my total walking time but no minutes were brisk. Annoyed at this, I set off again and walked as fast as I could. Still no minutes were brisk and yet I was puffing and sweating.
Also there are five steep streets on my route which I climb. I’m assuming the app makes no account of these?
Sue Williams
Jun 5, 2022 — 4:14 am
Thanks for this. I’m beginning to think it’s a drain on my battery too which is not a plus. Plus it seems my normal speed is brisk.
Alison Miller
Oct 26, 2022 — 1:50 am
I have uninstalld active 10 as I almost jogged around the park and only some minutes were counted. Also steep gradients and person’s height don’t seem to be considered – just time x distance. I was very discouraged and will continue with my fast, normal walk, tennis and regular gardening as these seem to support good mental health rather than feeling discouraged and that I am under achieving.