The short answer
Daily Pact
Our pick★ 5.0 on the App StoreIf you want to add more people, or more than workouts.
Daily Pact works for a pair or a whole group: one-tap check-ins, a leaderboard, notifications when a friend shows up, and PactPause for sick weeks. Any habit, daily or weekly, on iPhone and Android. 14 days free with everything, then $0.99 a month.
If that doesn't fit you
- You want photo proof for a gym group: GymRats, free with ads.
- You want streak freezes and a team score: Habit Huddle.
- Your friends all wear different trackers: Stridekick.
- You're two iPhone users with a non-gym goal: BuddyUp.
Quick comparison
| App | 3+ people | Android | Free tier | Any habit | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Daily PactOur pickPairs or groups, any habit | $0.99/mo after trial | iOS · Android | ||||
| GymRatsGroup fitness challenges | Free / $3.99/mo | iOS · Android | ||||
| Habit HuddleHuddles with friends or the public | Free / paid plan | Web · iOS · Android | ||||
| StridekickStep and activity challenges | Free / Pro | iOS · Android | ||||
| BuddyUpTwo-person goals | Free / $4.99/mo | iOS | ||||
| SweatmatesTwo-person workout accountability | Subscription | iOS · Android |
Prices are US storefront, checked 21 October 2026.
How we chose
We build Daily Pact, so read our pick with that in mind. Every app here was judged on the same questions: who notices when you skip, how fast the check-in is, what happens after a missed day, and what it really costs. We say plainly where another app does something we don't. The full policy is on our About page.
1. Daily Pact
Our pickSweatmates for more than two, and more than workouts
Sweatmates is built for exactly two people. Daily Pact works the same way for a pair and keeps working when the gym buddy turns into a group chat of six. You start a private group, pick a challenge such as "work out 3 times a week" or "walk 20 minutes a day", and everyone checks in with one tap. The leaderboard shows who has shown up, you get a notification when a friend checks in, and friends can nudge and cheer each other. PactPause lets you ask for a break that your group votes to approve, so a sick week doesn't cost the streak. The habit doesn't have to be a workout.
New accounts get 14 days free · No credit card
Pros
- Rated 5.0 on the App Store
- Works for 2 people or a whole team
- Daily or weekly challenges, any habit
- PactPause for sick weeks and travel
- iPhone and Android in the same group
Cons
- Not a workout tracker: no distances or calories
- No wager feature built in
- No free tier after the 14-day trial
2. GymRats
Photo proof, for the whole group
GymRats is the closest thing to Sweatmates for a group. Every workout is posted to the challenge with a photo and a title, and the leaderboard scores it however your group decides: number of workouts, minutes, miles, steps, calories or your own points system. The free version is ad-supported, allows unlimited participants and lets you be active in up to two groups. Pro is $3.99 a month or $32.99 a year. Rated 4.9 from about 4,700 App Store ratings.
Pros
- Free version with unlimited participants
- Photo check-ins, like SweatCam
- Custom scoring and team challenges
Cons
- Workouts only
- Ads on the free version
- Free users can be in two groups at a time
3. Habit Huddle
A shared chain instead of a wager
Habit Huddle replaces Sweatmates' wager with a team score. Each member of a huddle sets a Floor (the minimum that counts on a bad day) and a Ceiling, checks in once a day with a note or photo, and adds a link to the huddle's Checkin Chain. You earn a streak freeze for every 30 days of showing up, and a 14-day vacation mode pauses everything. Huddles can be private or public, with monthly seasons. Web, iPhone, Android and a Discord bot. Free to start, with some features on a paid plan.
Pros
- Generous free tier
- Streak freezes and vacation mode
- Web, Android and Discord
Cons
- More setup than Sweatmates
- Paid features for the extras
- Not built around workouts
4. Stridekick
When your partner wears a Fitbit and you wear a Garmin
If your idea of working out together is a step race, Stridekick is the better fit. It connects Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, Withings, WHOOP, Oura or just a phone and scores steps or active minutes automatically. Free challenges last up to 7 days, hold up to 10 people and are public; a Pro subscription adds challenges up to 45 days, more people and private challenges. Rated 4.6 from about 4,500 App Store ratings.
Pros
- Works with almost any wearable
- Automatic scoring, no photos
- Team and virtual race modes
Cons
- Steps and active minutes only
- Free challenges are public and short
- Private challenges need Pro
5. BuddyUp
One buddy, any goal, stakes optional
BuddyUp keeps Sweatmates' two-person shape but drops the gym focus. You set a goal, invite one accountability buddy, and see each other's progress side by side: daily habits with streaks, numbers like miles or pages, or a list to finish. An optional challenge mode adds stakes you agree on, like "winner buys dinner", which is Sweatmates' wager idea applied to any goal. The core app is free; premium is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year and adds group goals. It's new and Apple-only.
Pros
- Free for two people
- Any goal, not just workouts
- Optional stakes like Sweatmates' wagers
Cons
- iPhone and iPad only
- Very new, few ratings
- Groups need premium
6. Sweatmates
For reference: the app you're comparing
Sweatmates is a workout accountability app for you and one partner. You set a weekly goal, say three workouts, log each one with a SweatCam photo your partner sees right away, and agree a light wager such as dinner or a chore if someone misses. Nudges, widgets and recaps round it out. It's rated 4.9 from about 15,000 App Store ratings and is on Google Play as Sweatmates: Couples Fitness. Workout logging requires a subscription.
Pros
- Very simple for two people
- Photo check-ins your partner sees
- Light, funny wagers
Cons
- Two people only
- Workouts only
- Logging needs a subscription
What Sweatmates does well
Sweatmates gets a lot right by doing very little. No stats, no feed, no points. You pick a weekly number, take a photo when you work out, and your partner sees it. The wager makes missing a little funny instead of shameful, and Pinky Promise solves the classic "I did go, I just forgot to log it" argument by letting your partner decide. Almost 15,000 App Store ratings at 4.9 say the formula works.
People look for a Sweatmates alternative for specific reasons: a third person, habits beyond workouts, something free, or a partner whose steps already live in a Fitbit.
Pick a Sweatmates alternative by what you need
| You need | Best alternative | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| More than two people | Daily Pact | GymRats |
| Habits beyond workouts | Daily Pact | Habit Huddle |
| Something free to start | GymRats (with ads) | BuddyUp, Habit Huddle |
| Photo proof in a group | GymRats | Habit Huddle (photos in check-ins) |
| Wearable step data | Stridekick | GymRats |
| A wager with one buddy | BuddyUp | keep Sweatmates |
Who should pick what
Couples who only care about the gym: stay on Sweatmates. It is built for you, and nothing here is simpler.
A pair that wants to grow into a group: Daily Pact. Start as two, add the friend who keeps asking, and switch from workouts to sleep or reading whenever you like. If one of you runs a running club or a team, one person can cover everyone with a Group plan.
A gym crew of five to twenty: GymRats. Photo proof and custom scoring are exactly what a competitive group wants, and the free version covers most of it.
Friends on different wearables: Stridekick. Nobody logs anything by hand.
Two iPhone users with a non-fitness goal: BuddyUp, free for two. For more no-cost options, see our free habit tracker apps with friends.
If you want the wider picture beyond workouts, our roundup of accountability apps covers eleven of them, and the workout accountability apps guide goes deeper on gym and running options.
Does a workout partner really help?
There's decent evidence that doing it with people you know helps you stick with it. In a weight-loss study by Wing and Jeffery (1999), participants recruited with friends were more likely to finish the program (95% versus 76%) and to keep the weight off at 10 months (66% versus 24%) than those who signed up alone. Every app here is trying to bottle that: someone who notices.
What matters more than the app is the agreement. Decide together how many days count and what happens on a sick week. Our accountabilibuddy guide walks through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sweatmates free?
Sweatmates is free to download, but its App Store listing says workout logging requires a subscription (Sweatmates Pro). GymRats, Stridekick, BuddyUp and Habit Huddle all have free versions. Daily Pact is free for 14 days, then $0.99 a month.
Is Sweatmates on Android?
Yes. It's on Google Play as Sweatmates: Couples Fitness, as well as on the iPhone App Store.
Can more than two people use Sweatmates together?
Sweatmates is designed around you and one partner. If you want three or more people in the same challenge, Daily Pact, GymRats, Habit Huddle and Stridekick all support groups.
What is the best free Sweatmates alternative?
For a gym group, GymRats: the free version is ad-supported and allows unlimited participants. For step challenges across wearables, Stridekick. For two people and any goal, BuddyUp on iPhone.
Related guides
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5.0 from 12 App Store ratingsAvailable on iPhone & Android · 14 days free for new accounts