Tai Chi Walking App Reviews: Are They Worth Paying For? (Plus Free Alternatives)

Tai chi walking is a slow stepping drill taken from tai chi: heel down first, roll the foot flat, then move your weight onto it. The apps advertised under that name usually offer a series of short daily routines, often 10 to 20 minutes, mixing tai chi-style stepping and arm movements with gentle marching, side steps and stretches. Many follow a 28-day "challenge" format.

Most show the movements with an animated figure or short video loops and a countdown timer, rather than a teacher explaining each step. That can work well if you already know the basics. It is harder if you need the movement broken down slowly, or if you need to adapt it for balance problems.

None of this is a scam in itself: you do get routines you can follow. The question is whether the routines are worth a recurring charge, and whether the marketing matches what the exercise can do.

These are the most-reviewed apps that came up for "tai chi walking" in the US App Store and Google Play. Ratings, review counts and prices are as listed when we checked on 23 October 2026; they change often, so check the listing before you buy.

All four apps sit at 4.5 stars or higher, yet the written reviews that complain tend to focus on money rather than the movements. When you read reviews before you subscribe, look for these specifically:

• Paywalls partway through. Reviewers of some apps say a free start ends after a few days or workouts, and the rest of the plan is locked.
• Renewal surprises. The App Store listings we checked all say the subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends.
• Avatar vs instructor. An animated figure shows the shape of a move, but rarely tells you where your weight should be or how to make it easier.
• Names that over-promise. One UK listing is called "Tai Chi Walking: Weight Loss", yet its own description says to "forget calories and heart rate" and focuses on balance (App Store).

Much of the advertising sells tai chi walking as a weight-loss plan. Be sceptical. Slow tai chi burns roughly the same as a gentle stroll, about 110 calories in 30 minutes for a 154 lb adult over 60, and the walking drill is likely a little less. Regular hour-long tai chi classes have trimmed waistlines slightly in research, but not by the amounts implied in ads.

We go through the numbers in tai chi walking for weight loss: what it can and can’t do. In short: tai chi walking is good for balance and a gentle daily habit, not a shortcut to weight loss.

Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription. Cancel it in your phone’s settings:

1. 1

   iPhone or iPad

   Open Settings, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, choose the app, then tap Cancel Subscription (scroll down if you do not see it). If there is no cancel button, it is already cancelled (Apple).

2. 2

   Android phone

   Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile picture, then Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions. Choose the app and tap Cancel subscription.

3. 3

   Asking for a refund

   For iPhone purchases, go to reportaproblem.apple.com, choose "Request a refund", pick the subscription and submit (Apple). For Google Play, Google suggests contacting the app’s developer first, as that is often quickest (Google Play Help).

4. 4

   Helping a parent

   If you are checking a parent’s phone for unexpected charges, look at the same Subscriptions screen together. It lists every active subscription and its renewal date.

• Our step-by-step guide and printable. Tai chi walking for seniors breaks the heel-first step into four parts, with three moves on the spot, a four-week plan and a free 4-page PDF. No email or sign-up.
• A timed 10-minute routine. Our tai chi indoor walking routine is built for a small kitchen or hallway, with its own printable and 30-day chart.
• A seated version. If standing is hard, the free chair tai chi routine keeps the slow, breath-led movement sitting down.
• Free videos. Plenty of qualified tai chi teachers post free beginner videos online. Prefer a teacher who names their training and shows the moves slowly from the front and the side.
• Local classes. Senior centres, community centres and YMCAs often run low-cost tai chi, and some Medicare Advantage plans include fitness programs with tai chi classes. See how to find tai chi classes for seniors.

An ElderlyDaily original

Tai Chi Walking for Seniors — The Indoor 28-Day Plan

Seated version of every move

Get the 28-Day Plan· $12

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• Fillable PDF · 35 pages · US Letter + A4

A tai chi walking app can be a useful nudge if you like following a screen and will open it most days. Choose one you can try before paying, set a reminder before the renewal date, and ignore any weight-loss promise.

If you mainly want to learn the movement and build a habit, you do not need a subscription. Start with the free guide and printable, practise beside a counter, and add a class or a video later if you enjoy it. A one-off tai chi DVD is another option with no subscription, as is our own 28-day tai chi walking plan, a one-time printable.