The quick answer
- Love collecting on a map? Pokémon GO.
- Want more action? Monster Hunter Now.
- Want a calm step game, no map needed? Walkr.
- Want your runs to grow something? Run&Grow — every run grows a plant.
- Comparing garden apps? RunGarden.
- Want a story? Zombies, Run!
Why people love Pikmin Bloom
Pikmin Bloom launched in 2021 from Niantic and Nintendo. Pikmin grow from seedlings with every step you take. Your Pikmin collect petals, and you plant them along your route, so your walk leaves a colourful trail on the map. At the end of the day, a lifelog shows your steps, your path and your photos.
It is free with optional purchases, and it is still going strong: Pikmin Bloom passed $100 million in lifetime player spending on 1 December 2025, and Scopely now runs it after buying Niantic’s games in 2025.
So why look for something else? Usually one of these:
- You want something new after months of the same daily loop.
- You started jogging and want an app that tracks runs properly, with GPS, distance and pace.
- You want less screen time on the walk, with a game that works in the background.
- You want more action than a gentle stroll.
Apps like Pikmin Bloom compared
| App | What you do | Move by | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon GO | Collect creatures on a map | Walking | Free, in-game purchases |
| Monster Hunter Now | Hunt monsters nearby | Walking | Free-to-play |
| Walkr | Steps power a spaceship | Steps (any walking) | Free, in-app purchases or SPARKFUL plan |
| Run&Grow | Every run grows a plant | Running (GPS) | Free on iPhone |
| RunGarden | Cozy plant collection | Running | See App Store listing |
| Zombies, Run! | Audio story missions | Running or walking | See official site |
Checked October 2026. Prices and features change, so check the official listing before you buy anything.
Like Pikmin Bloom, but for runs
Run&Grow is a free iPhone run tracker. Every run grows a plant in your garden. Skip a week? Your garden waits.
Get the free appFree on iPhone · Also on Android
The 6 apps, one by one
Collect creatures on a map · Free, in-game purchases
Pokémon GO
The best-known map game and the closest cousin to Pikmin Bloom. You catch Pokémon around your area, hatch Eggs and pick a buddy to walk with. It has more going on than Pikmin Bloom: raids, battles and events.
Pick it if: You love collecting and want lots to do on every walk.
Official site or listing →Hunt monsters nearby · Free-to-play
Monster Hunter Now
Made by Capcom and Niantic, now published by Scopely. Monsters appear in your area and you hunt them in short, action-packed fights. Same “go outside and explore” idea as Pikmin Bloom, with a lot more action.
Pick it if: You want excitement more than calm.
Official site or listing →Steps power a spaceship · Free, in-app purchases or SPARKFUL plan
Walkr
Your daily steps become fuel for a spaceship. You explore 100+ planets, finish 30+ missions and help lost space creatures get home. There is no map, so you can play on any walk, even indoors. Optional SPARKFUL plan: $7.99 a month or $69.99 a year (as of October 2026).
Pick it if: You want a calm step game with no need to go anywhere special.
Official site or listing →Every run grows a plant · Free on iPhone
Run&Grow
The Pikmin Bloom feeling, built for runs. Every GPS run grows a plant in your garden, so you can see your habit grow over time. It reads runs from Apple Health and works with Apple Watch. No public feed and no pace shaming. Skip a week? Your garden waits.
Pick it if: You love watching something grow, and you want to run more.
Official site or listing →Cozy plant collection · See App Store listing
RunGarden
Another garden-style run tracker with a cozy plant-unlock loop. We compare it side by side with Run&Grow and Pikmin Bloom in our garden run tracker guide.
Pick it if: You want to compare garden apps before you choose.
Official site or listing →Audio story missions · See official site
Zombies, Run!
Not cute at all, but it shares Pikmin Bloom’s best trick: it gives you a reason to go out that is not about fitness. You are Runner 5, and each run is a story episode. You can walk the missions too.
Pick it if: You want a story to pull you out the door.
Official site or listing →From walking game to running habit
Lots of Pikmin Bloom players find that the daily walk turns into “maybe I could jog a bit”. That is a great place to start. Here is a simple path:
- Weeks 1–2: Keep your normal walks. Add one minute of easy jogging, then walk for two. Repeat five times.
- Weeks 3–4: Jog two minutes, walk two. Three times a week is plenty.
- Week 5 and on: Follow a run-walk plan to 5K (3.1 miles). Our free couch to 5K plan takes you there step by step.
New to all this? Read how to start running, and use our run-walk interval calculator to set your jog and walk times. In the UK and Australia, a free Saturday parkrun is a friendly first goal. You can walk it, too.
How to choose: four quick questions
- Do you want a map? Pokémon GO and Monster Hunter Now are built around places near you. Walkr and Run&Grow work on any route, even the same loop every day.
- Calm or busy? Pikmin Bloom, Walkr and Run&Grow are low-pressure. Pokémon GO and Monster Hunter Now have battles, raids and timed events.
- Walking or running? Step games count every step. A run tracker uses GPS to record distance and pace, in km or miles.
- How much screen time? Map games want you to look at your phone. A run tracker can stay in your pocket until you finish.
Seasonal tips for walkers and runners
- US and UK: Autumn is turning into winter, and evenings get dark early. Walk or jog at lunch, wear something bright, and pick routes with good street lights.
- Australia: Spring is the best time to build the habit. Go early in the morning before it gets hot, and carry water on longer walks.
Can you play Pikmin Bloom and track runs at the same time?
Yes. Pikmin Bloom counts your steps, so a jog still grows your Pikmin. At the same time, a run tracker can record your route and distance. On iPhone, Run&Grow reads your runs from Apple Health, so a run from your Apple Watch or another app grows a plant in your garden too. You do not have to pick just one.
Want more game-style options? See our garden run tracker comparison, the best gamified running apps, and apps like Zombies, Run!.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best app like Pikmin Bloom?
- It depends on what you love about it. For collecting creatures on a real map, Pokémon GO. For a calm step game you can play without going anywhere special, Walkr. For the “my walks grow something” feeling but with runs, Run&Grow, where every run grows a plant in your garden.
- Is Pikmin Bloom still free in 2026?
- Yes. Pikmin Bloom is free to download with optional in-game purchases. It is now run by Scopely, which bought Niantic’s games, including Pikmin Bloom, Pokémon GO and Monster Hunter Now, in a deal that closed on 29 May 2025.
- Is there a Pikmin Bloom for running?
- Pikmin Bloom counts steps, so jogging works, but it is a walking game, not a run tracker. If you want GPS run tracking with the same cozy “grow something” idea, try a garden run tracker like Run&Grow or RunGarden.
- Do apps like Pikmin Bloom work with Apple Health?
- Some do. Run&Grow reads your runs from Apple Health, so runs from an Apple Watch or another running app count too. Walkr uses your iPhone’s motion data to count steps. Check each app’s listing for the exact connections.
- Which walking game is least competitive?
- Walkr and Run&Grow are both solo-friendly with no leaderboards to chase. Pikmin Bloom is also gentle. Pokémon GO and Monster Hunter Now have more battles and events, which some people love and others find stressful.
Watch your runs grow
Run&Grow turns every run into a plant, so you can see your habit grow. Free on iPhone, and it works with Apple Health and Apple Watch.
Get the free appFree on iPhone · Also on Android