The best dog walking apps in 2026
The best dog walking apps for tracking walks, making them fun, walking for a cause, GPS collars, and hiring a walker, with costs and who each one suits.
Pupnik is our app, so we've listed it first. We've also tried to be honest about when a different app is the better fit. Prices and features checked September 2026.
"Dog walking app" can mean three different things: apps that track and motivate your own walks, companion apps for GPS collars, and apps for hiring a walker. Here are the best options in each category, and who each one is really for.
Quick picks
- Best for making walks fun: Pupnik
- Best if you already use Strava: Strava's "With Pet" tag
- Best for walking for a cause: WoofTrax
- Best simple free tracker: HappyPupper
- Best GPS trackers: Fi (US) and Tractive (worldwide)
- Best for hiring a walker: Rover or Wag!
| App | Type | Cost | Platforms | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupnik | Walk tracker + adventure game | Free; optional Pupnik+ | iPhone | Making daily walks fun |
| Strava | Fitness tracker with a pet tag | Free app; paid plan available | iPhone, Android | People already on Strava |
| WoofTrax | Walk tracker that raises money for shelters | Free | iPhone, Android | Walking for a cause |
| HappyPupper | Simple walk tracker | Free | iPhone, Android | Basic stats, no fuss |
| Fi | Smart GPS collar app | Collar + membership | iPhone, Android (US) | GPS tracking and escape alerts |
| Tractive | Clip-on GPS tracker app | Tracker + subscription | iPhone, Android | Your own collar; 175+ countries |
| Rover | Walker and sitter marketplace | Walkers set their own rates | iPhone, Android, web | Booking a trusted walker or sitter |
| Wag! | On-demand dog walking | Pay per walk | iPhone, Android | Last-minute walks |
Apps that track and motivate your own walks
1. Pupnik: best for making walks fun
Pupnik turns the walk you were already going to take into a real-world adventure. Start a walk and your iPhone records the route, time, and distance. Collectibles appear along the way to find and claim, your dog's profile earns XP and levels up, and a daily streak (any walk of 5 minutes or more counts) keeps you both going. You can go paw-to-paw with dog friends in private weekly duels, and your home location is always blurred before anyone sees it.
Watch-outs: iPhone only for now, it doesn't sync with Strava, and it tracks the walk rather than your dog's steps. Free, with an optional Pupnik+ subscription.
2. Strava (with the "With Pet" tag): best if you already use Strava
Strava added a "With Pet" tag in late 2025, so you can mark walks, runs, and hikes you did with your dog. Brand challenges have followed, like an IAMS dog-walking marathon in September 2026. It's a great fit if you already log your own training there.
Watch-outs: it tracks you, not your dog. Beyond the tag, there's no dog profile or dog-specific stats. More on Strava for dogs.
3. WoofTrax: best for walking for a cause
WoofTrax is a free GPS walk tracker that lets you pick an animal shelter or rescue to support. Donations come from sponsorships and advertising, and the more people walk for an organization, the more it can receive.
Watch-outs: the tracking is basic, and donation amounts depend on sponsors rather than a fixed rate per mile.
4. HappyPupper: best simple free tracker
HappyPupper is a free, straightforward tracker for steps, distance, pace, and routes, with support for multiple dogs. If you just want the numbers, it does the job.
Watch-outs: it sticks to the basics. Great for stats, lighter on motivation.
GPS collar apps
These apps come with hardware. The tracker lives on your dog, so they can locate a dog that gets loose, which phone apps can't. Both need a subscription, because the trackers use cellular data.
5. Fi: best smart collar (US)
Fi's smart collars track location, activity, and sleep, send escape alerts, and can sync walks to Strava. A membership is required, and the app is available in the US only.
6. Tractive: best GPS tracker outside the US
Tractive's clip-on trackers work with your existing collar in more than 175 countries. Premium adds heart and respiratory rate monitoring and a year of location history. Walks can upload to Strava. Fi vs Tractive, compared.
Apps for hiring a dog walker
7. Rover: best marketplace for walkers and sitters
Rover connects you with independent dog walkers and sitters who set their own rates. You can book, pay, and message in the app, and walkers can send a walk report with a map and photos.
8. Wag!: best for on-demand walks
Wag! focuses on booking walks, including last-minute ones, with pay-per-walk pricing, and you can follow the walk in the app.
How we chose
We grouped apps by what they're actually for, then compared cost, platforms, whether they need hardware, and who they suit best. We make Pupnik and use it every day. For the rest, we relied on each company's own published features and pricing as of September 2026. Tell us if something has changed: tyler@pupnik.app.
Wondering how much walking your dog actually needs? Try our dog walk calculator or look up your breed's exercise needs.