Finding ways to earn a bit of extra money is on everyone’s mind these days. The CashWalk app claims you can make money just by walking, but there’s a lot more to this story. After looking at real UK user experiences, I’m giving you the full truth about whether CashWalk is worth your time.
Quick verdict: Whilst CashWalk is technically legit, it’s become increasingly problematic. The redemption thresholds have skyrocketed from 3,750 coins to as high as 50,000 coins for a £5 voucher in some cases, making it nearly impossible to cash out. I’d recommend looking at alternatives like Macadem, Sweatcoin, or Evidation instead.
Updated September 2026 - Redemption thresholds and user reviews rechecked. The situation hasn't improved — if anything, the goalposts have moved even further. Macadem remains my top recommendation as an alternative.
What Is CashWalk?
CashWalk is a free walking app available on iOS and Android that claims to reward you for your physical activity. You earn coins by walking, which can then be redeemed for gift cards from retailers like Amazon, Tesco, and ASDA.
The concept is simple: link the app to your phone’s step counter, walk as you normally would, and watch the coins add up. It’s one of many “get paid to walk” apps that have popped up in recent years, promising passive income just for staying active.
CashWalk launched in the UK in 2022 and initially seemed like a decent way to earn a few quid whilst getting your steps in. However, things have changed dramatically since then.
How Does CashWalk Work?
CashWalk tracks your steps through your phone’s built-in pedometer (Apple Health on iPhone or Google Fit on Android). The basic process: download the free app, create an account, enable step tracking, and earn 1 coin for every 100 steps you take. Complete bonus activities (games, scratch cards, watching ads, surveys) for extra coins, then redeem for gift cards once you hit the threshold.
Sounds straightforward. Here’s where it gets complicated.
The daily coin limit
CashWalk has a daily limit of 100 coins per day from walking alone. This means you need to walk 10,000 steps daily just to hit that maximum. If you walk 20,000 steps, you still only get 100 coins.
The lock screen issue
CashWalk requires you to enable lock screen ads for the app to properly track your steps when your phone is locked. If you disable these ads (and they’re intrusive), the app won’t count your steps unless your phone is unlocked. Most people walk with their phones in their pockets or bags.
Additional ways to earn
Beyond walking, CashWalk offers daily lucky boxes (open 3 chests per day, watch an advert for each), scratch cards, partner games, surveys, shopping rewards, and referrals. These help but don’t change the fundamental maths significantly.
Is CashWalk Legit or a Scam?
Technically, CashWalk is a legitimate app. It’s not an outright scam – people do receive gift cards, and the company does pay out. But calling it “legit” doesn’t tell the whole story.
The major problems
The biggest issue is constantly increasing redemption thresholds. When CashWalk first launched in the UK, you needed around 1,750-3,750 coins for a £5 gift card – achievable in about a month of regular walking. Here’s what’s happened since: started at 1,750-3,750 coins, increased to 5,000, then 10,000, then 12,500, then 20,000. Some users now report thresholds of 40,000-50,000 coins for a £5 voucher.
These changes often happen without warning, frequently just as users are approaching the redemption threshold. Multiple UK users on Trustpilot report being close to cashing out, only to find the goalposts moved overnight.
Different users also report different redemption thresholds at the same time — one person might need 20,000 coins whilst their friend only needs 10,000. There’s no transparency about why, which feels unfair.
Customer service is another problem. Users report sending multiple emails to CashWalk support with no response.
In early 2025, CashWalk also disappeared from the Google Play Store for UK Android users, leaving people unable to access their earned coins. It has since returned, but many users lost their balances.
What UK users are saying
On Trustpilot UK, CashWalk has a rating of just 1.4 out of 5 stars. Common complaints: “Started at 3,750 coins for £5, now it’s 50,000 – absolute con”, “Every time I get close to cashing out, they increase the threshold”, “Waste of time and battery life”, “The lock screen ads are intrusive and download apps without permission”.
My honest assessment
Is CashWalk technically legit? Yes. Will you actually earn meaningful money from it? Probably not, especially with current redemption thresholds. At 100 coins per day maximum, reaching 20,000 coins would take 200 days of walking 10,000 steps daily. For 50,000 coins, you’re looking at 500 days — nearly 1.5 years — just for a £5 voucher.
How Much Can You Actually Make?
Walking only (20,000 coins needed for £5): 100 coins maximum per day, 200 days to reach threshold. That’s £5 every 6-7 months, less than 1p per hour of walking.
Walking + all bonus activities (best case): Roughly 170 coins per day combining walking, lucky boxes, and scratch cards. Around 118 days for £5 — so £5 every 4 months (£15/year).
Time investment reality
You’re opening the app daily, watching 3-6 adverts, dealing with lock screen ads, and playing games or completing surveys. That’s 5-10 minutes daily.
At £5 every 4 months best case, you’re earning roughly £0.008 per minute of active app engagement. Less than 1p per minute. You’d earn far more spending that same time on survey sites like Prolific or Swagbucks.
CashWalk Referral Code 2026
If you do decide to try CashWalk despite the warnings, use my referral code to get a small bonus: 43RLJ
Both you and I will receive 100 bonus coins when you sign up with this code. That said, I’d suggest spending your time on better money-making apps instead.
Pros and Cons of CashWalk
Pros
- Free to use — no upfront costs or subscription fees
- Automatic step tracking — once set up, tracks in the background
- Multiple ways to earn — not limited to just walking
- Legitimate payouts — some people do successfully cash out gift cards
- Can motivate you to hit daily step goals
Cons
- Drastically increased redemption thresholds — now 5-10x higher than at launch
- Extremely low earning potential — takes 4-6+ months for just £5
- Intrusive lock screen ads
- Requires lock screen ads active — app won’t track properly without them
- 100 coin daily cap regardless of steps walked
- Inconsistent thresholds — different users see different redemption requirements
- No transparency — thresholds change without warning
- Poor customer service
- Significant battery drain
- Privacy concerns — lock screen ads may download unwanted apps
Better Alternatives to CashWalk
Macadem (my top recommendation)
Macadem is a UK-based walking app that’s far more generous than CashWalk. You earn points for every 1,000 steps, and the redemption thresholds are much more reasonable. I’ve personally had great success with Macadem and find it far less frustrating.
Sweatcoin
Sweatcoin converts your outdoor steps into a digital currency. You can exchange Sweatcoins for products, services, or donate to charity. More transparent, more established, bigger rewards catalogue.
Evidation (formerly Achievement)
Evidation pays you for healthy activities tracked through various fitness apps. Points convert to actual cash paid via PayPal — which is a significant advantage over gift cards only.
WeWard
WeWard is a French app available in the UK. You earn “Wards” for walking, exchangeable for gift cards or donated to charity. More generous rewards and a clearer structure.
Survey sites instead
You’d earn more spending 10 minutes on Prolific, Swagbucks, or YouGov surveys than you would in months of CashWalk. Prolific pays £5-10+ per hour on academic surveys. Worth considering if passive income from walking isn’t working for you.
Is CashWalk Worth It?
No, CashWalk is not worth it for UK users right now.
The combination of dramatically increased redemption thresholds, intrusive lock screen ads, daily caps, and poor customer service makes it one of the worst walking apps available. The constant moving of goalposts, lack of transparency, and minimal payouts make it frustrating rather than rewarding.
If you’re determined to try it anyway, go in with realistic expectations — £5 every 4-6 months at best, and be prepared for the redemption threshold to increase just as you’re about to cash out.
Skip CashWalk and use Macadem, Evidation, or Sweatcoin instead.
CashWalk FAQs
Is CashWalk legit?
Yes, CashWalk is technically legitimate — it’s a real company that does pay out gift cards. However, the redemption thresholds have increased so dramatically (from 3,750 to 20,000-50,000 coins for £5) that many users consider it practically unusable. You won’t be scammed, but you probably won’t earn anything meaningful either.
How much can you make with CashWalk?
With current UK thresholds, you can expect to earn around £5 every 4-6 months if you maximise your daily coins. That’s roughly £10-15 per year. Given the time investment and battery drain, this is a very poor return.
What is CashWalk?
CashWalk is a fitness app that pays you in coins for walking. You earn 1 coin per 100 steps (maximum 100 coins daily), and can redeem coins for gift cards from Amazon, Tesco, ASDA and others. The redemption thresholds have increased significantly, making it very difficult to cash out.
How many coins do you need for £5 on CashWalk UK?
This varies between users, but current reports show UK users need anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 coins for a £5 gift card. This has increased from the original 3,750 coins. At 100 coins per day maximum, you’re looking at 200-500 days of walking 10,000 steps daily.
Does CashWalk work without lock screen ads?
No. CashWalk requires lock screen ads to be enabled for proper step tracking when your phone is locked. Without them, the app won’t count your steps unless your phone is actively unlocked.
What are the best alternatives to CashWalk?
Better UK alternatives include Macadem (my top recommendation), Sweatcoin, Evidation, and WeWard. Or spend that 10 minutes daily on Prolific surveys instead — far better return on your time.
Can you cash out CashWalk to PayPal?
CashWalk primarily offers gift cards rather than PayPal cash. Some users report PayPal being an option, but it’s not consistently available for UK users.
Why does CashWalk keep increasing the redemption threshold?
CashWalk hasn’t publicly explained it. Many users believe it’s to reduce payout obligations whilst still generating ad revenue. The lack of transparency and advance notice is one of the main complaints.
Is CashWalk available in the UK?
Yes, CashWalk is available on both iOS and Android in the UK. However, the app was temporarily removed from the Google Play Store in early 2025, causing access issues for Android users and some reported lost balances.
How long does it take to earn £5 on CashWalk?
With current UK redemption thresholds of 20,000-50,000 coins, anywhere from 4 months to over a year of daily walking — assuming thresholds don’t increase further during that time.
Related posts:
It used to be a good walking app with pay outs every couple of months, but in the last year, they keep requesting more and more points to exchange for a £5 voucher. It was 3750 as it stated in the description. (once they had an offer for UK customers when it cost 1250 points), but later on went up to 5000/10000 and at the moment is 20.000 points, which makes not possible to reach a £5 voucher maybe twice a year or even less. So personally not recommend any more this app.
Yeah, it’s deffo not a GOOD payer and annoying to have to click to cash in. Macadem is much better as it’s easier to cash your steps in.