STEPN

What it does

STEPN is a Web3 lifestyle app centered around the concept of "move-to-earn." Users acquire NFT sneakers and then earn in-game currency and rewards by engaging in physical activities like walking, jogging, or running. It blends fitness tracking with gamified, social, and financial elements.

Where it shines

The app's most striking feature is its onboarding, which immediately establishes a sense of exclusivity. After a quick email verification (00:11), a new user doesn't see the app's features or dashboard. Instead, they are met with an "Activation code" gate at 00:23. This is a deliberate and bold point of friction that frames the app as a high-demand, community-centric product from the very first session.

UX highlights

The sign-up process is exceptionally minimal, requiring only an email address and a verification code, which reduces initial user effort.
A clear countdown timer appears at 00:12 after requesting a code, managing user expectations for its arrival.
The activation gate screen (00:24) is well-designed, providing three clear and distinct paths forward: enter a code, get a code from Discord, or join a waitlist.
The visual design contrasts a vibrant, abstract background with a clean, functional white card for the forms, focusing user attention on the task at hand.

Monetization & growth

Direct monetization methods like subscriptions or in-app purchases are not visible in this onboarding video. However, the app's primary growth strategy is on full display. The activation code system is a powerful viral loop that serves multiple purposes. It forces new, interested users to join the app's Discord server, driving community growth, and it turns existing users into ambassadors who distribute access codes. This creates controlled, community-vetted growth.

Who it’s for

The app is designed for an audience at the intersection of fitness, cryptocurrency, and NFT collecting. It targets users who are motivated by gamified experiences and the potential for financial incentives tied to their physical activity. It requires a certain level of tech-savviness and a willingness to engage with Web3 concepts.

Notes & opportunities

The main friction point is the activation code itself. While effective for its goals, this approach will inevitably cause a significant drop-off of more casual users who are unwilling to go to another platform to find a code. The app could potentially test showing a brief, non-interactive preview of the main experience before this gate to increase the user's motivation to complete the final step.