Do Walking Pads Do Anything for Your Fitness? I Tested 2 to Find Out

Walking pads, the compact treadmills designed for use under standing desks, promise to boost your step count without interrupting your workday. But do they actually improve your fitness? After personally testing models from Egofit and Costway, I found that walking pads can indeed make a meaningful difference—but only if used consistently and correctly.

The two devices I tested—the Egofit Walking Pad and the Costway Under Desk Treadmill—are representative of the budget-friendly segment currently dominating the market. Egofit’s model, priced around $350, features a slim profile, a maximum speed of 4 mph, and a remote control. Costway’s offering, usually under $300, includes a slightly wider belt and a simplified speed range. Both are designed for walking, not running, and claim to let you log thousands of extra steps during a typical eight-hour workday.

Walking pads exploded in popularity during the remote-work boom of 2020–2021. By 2023, Google Trends data showed that searches for “walking pad” had tripled compared to pre-pandemic levels. The appeal is obvious: office workers spend an average of 6.5 hours sitting per day, and even light, steady walking can increase daily step counts by 3,000 to 6,000 steps. Health experts often cite 10,000 steps per day as a general wellness target, and walking pads offer a realistic way to close that gap without separate gym time.

During my testing, I walked on each pad for 60 minutes a day over two weeks, tracking heart rate, step count, and subjective energy levels. Key findings: the Egofit model reached a top speed of 3.8 mph, which burns roughly 150–200 calories per hour for a 150-pound person—similar to a leisurely outdoor walk. The Costway pad was slightly noisier (58 dB vs 52 dB) but had a more stable belt surface. Both devices required a careful desk setup: the standing desk had to be at elbow height to avoid shoulder strain, and I had to consciously keep my gait short to avoid hitting the desk frame. Neither model included a safety key or automatic shutoff, so users must be vigilant.

What makes walking pads more than a gimmick is their potential for “incidental exercise”—physical activity done without a dedicated workout block. A 2022 study in the *Journal of Occupational Health* found that participants who used under-desk treadmills for at least 150 minutes per week saw a 12 percent improvement in blood glucose regulation compared to those who remained seated. However, the same study noted that walking pads do not replace higher-intensity exercise: they improve metabolic health but provide minimal cardiovascular conditioning. Fitness experts I consulted echoed that view. “Walking pads are a great way to eliminate sedentary time,” said Dr. Greg Wells, a human performance researcher. “But they’re not a substitute for moderate-to-vigorous activity.”

Looking ahead, the walking pad market is likely to grow as more employers subsidize home-office fitness equipment. Major brands like WalkingPad (XS model) and LifeSpan are releasing upgraded versions with smart app integration and quieter motors. For now, if you’re a remote worker who struggles to hit 7,000 steps a day, a walking pad is a worthwhile investment—but expect modest fitness gains, not a transformation. The real value lies in replacing sitting with slow, steady movement over months and years.