App Review: Charity Miles
I know that my daily walking routine comes with all kinds of physical, mental, and emotional benefits—but I’m always on the lookout for ways to boost the benefits even more. If I can earn some free coffee or help out some four-legged friends or other causes while I walk, I’m all for it. And that’s why Charity Miles is one of my go-to walking apps.
Charity Miles doesn’t pay you to walk; it donates to a charity of your choice. It doesn’t cost anything to download the app or to sign up for an account; just sign up and choose your charity from an enormous list. Featured charities include Habitat for Humanity, the ASPCA, United Way, Autism Speaks, World Wildlife Fund, UNICEF, and many, many more. You can change your charity at any time, too—so you can stick with just one charity or change it up each year, each month, each week, or even each walk.
The app is incredibly simple to use. Whenever you’re ready to start a workout—whether you’re walking indoors or outdoors (or even running or biking)—you just start up the app and choose your activity, and the app tracks your mileage for you. Or, if you prefer, you can connect to a Strava account, so you can track your miles in two places at once, without draining your phone’s battery.
For every mile you walk, run, or bike, Charity Miles and their partners will donate to the charity of your choice. You can also boost your contribution by donating directly through the app or getting sponsors to donate additional funds.
Admittedly, though, I can’t tell you how much is donated per mile. Older archived articles suggest up to 25 cent per mile of walking and running and 10 cents per mile biked—but I haven’t been able to find anything more recent to confirm the numbers. Really, though, whether it’s 5 cents per mile or a dollar per mile, I’m pretty happy that I can download a free app and do a little extra good with my regular walking routine.
Pros:
– Free download/account
– A long list of charities to choose from
– Easy to use
– Can connect to Strava
– Allows walkers to do some good with their daily miles
Cons:
– Not clear as to how much is being donated
