Why there's no ranking here
A list that puts App A ahead of App B almost always comes from one of the two companies, and reads that way. It can still be verified, but that takes more effort than most people spend before a download. These seven checks work differently: each takes a minute or two on the device itself, whichever app happens to be on trial.
You get to keep the answer. Some apps pass all seven, some pass none, and most land somewhere in between — the point is seeing it yourself instead of taking a marketing page's word for it.
Check 1 — location access only while walking
Some apps ask for location "always"; others only "while using the app". That distinction decides whether the app keeps collecting position after you've closed it.
- iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → tap the app to see which level is set.
- Android: Settings → Apps → the app → Permissions → Location, which offers "Only while using the app" or "Allow all the time".
A walking app rarely has a reason for "always" — it needs to track while a walk is running, not around the clock.
Check 2 — does a shared route get trimmed
A recorded walk almost always starts and ends at the front door, so sharing it uncut hands over a home address. You can test whether an app trims that part before you check it.
Record a walk, then look at it from a second account or a friend's phone, and compare where the start and end points sit against your own view. If nothing has moved, a stranger sees exactly the same map you do. A companion article covers what this kind of trimming looks like in practice.
Check 3 — who is legally responsible, and where
Who's liable for the data, and where the company is registered, belongs in an imprint and a privacy policy, not the store listing. If either is missing, or points only at an address with no name attached, that's already an answer.
Inside the EU, GDPR adds a right to access and delete your data. For a company based elsewhere, it's worth checking whether the policy even explains how to send that request.
Check 4 — export and deletion without a form
Look for "delete account" or "export data" in the app's own settings. Finding a direct path there is a good sign. Getting redirected to an external contact form or an email address with no indication of who reads it or how long it takes is a detour worth knowing about beforehand.
Check 5 — tracking before you've said yes
Watch the very first launch closely: does the app ask for location before it asks for consent to process your data, or the other way round? If a recording already seems to be running in the background before any consent dialog shows up, that's a warning sign you only get one chance to catch.
Check 6 — permissions the app doesn't need
The permission list (iPhone: Settings → the app; Android: Settings → Apps → the app → Permissions) often has one line that has nothing to do with recording a walk — contacts, calendar, or microphone access on an app that has no voice feature at all. A requested permission isn't proof of misuse on its own, but every extra line is one more thing that could leak something later.
Check 7 — private or public by default
A brand-new account should make it obvious who can see your walks from day one: nobody, confirmed contacts only, or anyone on the app. If visibility defaults to public and it takes several menus to turn off, every stranger sees your route for as long as that setting stays unfound.
What you'll know afterwards
Run all seven checks on every app you're considering, Barnaby included. Whatever you see on your own screen is the only answer that didn't come from us.