Overview
Count.It makes it easy to compete in wellness challenges by converting all activities into points. This system ensures everyone can join in — whether you walk, cycle, meditate, swim, or do yoga — and compare progress on a fair playing field.
👉 As a handy reference, keep in mind that, on Count.It, 1 step = 1 point.
Points Conversion Table
Activity | Unit | Points per Unit |
Steps | Steps | 1 |
Daily Distance | Meter | 1.25 |
Exercise Duration | Minute | 200 |
Mindfulness | Minute | 150 |
Biking Distance | Meter | 0.55 |
Running Distance | Meter | 1.35 |
Swimming Distance | Meter | 3.75 |
Challenge Types on Count.It
Daily steps challenges
General exercise challenges — 139 different workout types!
Meditation and mindfulness challenges
Combination challenges, i.e. "Daily Steps + Exercise"
Sport-specific challenges, i.e. cycling, swimming, running.
Exercise Logging
When a challenge includes general exercise, users can log from a long list of different exercise types, ranging from aerobics to Zumba.
👉 Regardless of the exercise type chosen, 1 minute = 200 points.
Pro Tip
Many fitness apps attempt to auto-track periods of increased activity, which each app defines slightly differently — e.g. Apple Health: "Exercise Minutes," Google Fit: "Heart Points," Fitbit: "Active Zone Minutes," Garmin: "Intensity Minutes."
This activity is healthy — sprinting to catch your bus or train may be good for you 😉 — but it does not earn points on Count.It. To earn points, you need to log an intentional workout of a specific type, with a specific duration.
Key Things to Know
Applies to all challenges: Unless otherwise stated (e.g. in rare custom setups), these conversions are standard across all Count.It challenges.
Based on calorie burn: The points are derived from average adult calorie expenditure for each activity, including normal walking.
Standardized, not personalized: Everyone burns calories differently, but the goal is to provide a fair baseline conversion that motivates all participants equally.
Feasible for everyone: You don’t need heart rate monitors or advanced calorie tracking to take part.
Real-World Examples of Point Equivalents
It can be helpful to see how different activities stack up against each other in terms of points. Here are some quick examples based on Count.It’s standard conversions:
Activity Example | Equivalent To… |
10,000 steps | ~50 minutes of exercise |
30-minute workout | 6,000 steps |
8,000 steps | ~40 minutes of exercise |
20-minute workout | 4,000 steps |
Step “De-Duping” in Combination Challenges
In combination challenges (e.g. Steps + Exercise), Count.It ensures steps aren’t double-counted during workouts. For example, a runner shouldn’t earn points both for minutes of exercise and every step taken while running.
To prevent this, Count.It removes any steps logged during the timeframe of a workout — regardless of activity type. So:
If you run for an hour, you’ll earn points for 60 minutes of exercise, but not for the steps taken during that run.
The same applies to tennis, soccer, swimming, and other logged workouts.
On your personal activity log, this means your total steps shown for the day may not equal the step points earned on that day in a combination challenge.
Note: When it's not possible to identify how many steps were taking during a workout, Count.It will not remove any points from the Daily Steps total.
How We Set Our Point Values
Our points system is grounded in research on average calorie burn and exercise intensity. Here’s what the science shows:
Moderate walking burns about 4 calories per minute.
Most forms of exercise burn 1.5–2 times more calories than walking:
Swimming: ~7 calories/minute
Cycling: ~7 calories/minute
Weight training: ~6 calories/minute
Yoga: ~4.5 calories/minute
On average, a person takes about 110 steps per minute while walking. With the Count.It conversion of 1 step = 1 point, that means walking earns about 110 points per minute.
Our updated conversion of 200 points per minute of exercise reflects the higher calorie burn of workouts compared to walking. In effect, exercise earns ~1.8 times more points than walking — a fair balance that aligns with real-world differences in energy expenditure.
Why We Use This System
Our aim is to keep Count.It challenges fun, fair, and motivating. By using standardized conversions, we ensure that:
Everyone can participate, regardless of activity preference.
The system is easy to understand.
Teams and individuals compete on a level playing field without needing special equipment.
Pro Tip
For a simple explanation of how Count.It challenges work, including the basic mission, and what sets the "finish line," and the difference between "activity points" and "goal points" see: How do Count.It challenges work?