An important strategy in achieving big goals is to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. For many things, this can be in the shape of forming new habits. But, habit-tracking requires a level of discipline and accountability that may be hard to do on your own. Enter the habit-tracking app. These apps are designed to track your progress, remind, and hold you accountable for maintaining your habits.
We looked through the different applications available for all platforms and found that Habitica stood out among the rest. It approaches habits from a role-playing game perspective, turning habits into exciting tasks to challenge yourself with. If that doesn't really sound like your thing, there are many great habit-tracking apps to browse in our top 10 list! If you need some pointers on what to look for, read through our buying guide to get some guidance.
Quick List - Top Habit-Tracking Apps
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With so many different kinds of habit-tracking apps out there, it can be difficult to wade through the options. Here are some points to keep in mind when trying to decide which one to download.
Think about what makes you excited and motivated when trying to attain a goal. Some people are motivated by positive reinforcement, such as compliments and encouragement, while others are driven by negative reinforcement, like tough love or penalties.
If you're a data-oriented person, graphs and statistics about your progress will be motivating. If you're a visual person, graphs that use colors or summarize your progress in a visually engaging way will work best.
Some apps encourage journaling to document your emotional or mental states while establishing habits. This can help you understand the reasons behind your current habits, including any connections between your mood and habits. This can also allow you to see the trends between certain activities and moods.
Is Siri basically your personal assistant? If so, an app that can automate tracking your habit can easily and accurately record progress. Does opening an app to do one thing feel tedious? Keep an eye out for apps with widgets if it’ll make you more likely to engage and record your habits.
Depending on the habit you’re trying to make or break, the frequency of the habit may differ. So if you’re trying to work with multiple habits at once, you will want to find an app that can be flexible in terms of time and frequency. Make sure the app can handle multiple unique habits with different schedules.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Habitica Gamify Your Life | ![]() | Turn Your Habits Into a Game | |
2 | Crunchy Bagel Streaks | ![]() | A Simple, Well-Designed Habit-Tracker | |
3 | Joan Boixadós Everyday Habit Tracker | ![]() | A Colorful Way to Improve Habits | |
4 | Luke Bickston Strides | ![]() | A Simple App to Reach Goals and Stay Organized | |
5 | Lucas Bickston HabitShare | ![]() | Never Feel Alone in Establishing a Habit | |
6 | Bitdreams OU Tangerine | ![]() | Track Habits With an Emphasis on Moods and Self-Care | |
7 | Unstatic Habitify | ![]() | An App Based on Using Data for Habits | |
8 | AppForge Inc. HabitBull | ![]() | A Solid App to Make or Break Habits | |
9 | Apalon Apps Productive | ![]() | An App With Guidance to Help You Get Started | |
10 | Maker and Baker Beeminder | ![]() | Use Data and Financial Incentives to Reach Your Goals |
This app is perfect for role-playing game (RPG) lovers. Your habits and to-do list items can get you experience points and gold in the app to help you level up and buy rewards. Leaving a habit unfinished or doing a bad habit can damage your avatar.
Currently, there is no offline mode, which limits the use of the app to when there is data or internet connection. Reviewers also pointed out that there aren't any ways to look at your stats, making it difficult to track your progress outside of the context of the game.
Overall, reviewers loved this app because it keeps them actively interested and makes habits a fun thing to approach. They liked connecting with and challenging friends and family through the app, saying it helps them stay accountable.
Streaks is a simple and visually pleasing app that allows you to input 12 habits. It encourages you to follow through with the habits by focusing on the number of days you consistently complete them. Shortcuts can also be made, and there are several widget options to choose from.
The desktop version was disappointing to users because it's the same as the mobile interface. But most reviewers loved its simplicity, saying the "streak" metric really helps them keep up their habits. They also liked that it's compatible with the Health app and Apple Watch, saving you the trouble of manually logging certain habits.
This app is compatible across all platforms and syncs between your devices. It has a simple and colorful customizable design. You to fill the screen with colors as you complete tasks, making this app is a great fit for those who like visual information.
There is a skip option that won't break your hard-earned streak for days when you don't get to your habit or habits with irregular scheduling. The free version of the app includes all features and allows for up to three habits, which some reviewers felt were too few.
Most reviewers loved this app, saying the visual tracking is encouraging and effective. They also liked it has a learning section and sends emails with advice and helpful information for habits that helps keep them on track.
With four different ways to track your behavior, Strides helps you understand your goals and progress. A daily goals section keeps you focused by showing tasks relevant to the present moment, meaning your habits for the evening won't be displayed in the morning.
The ability to edit habit completion from previous days is a feature that is missing from some habit-tracking apps, but Strides is an exception.
Some users ran into bugs with syncing data or the app crashing. However, users mentioned that the developers are quick to respond and resolve issues. Overall, reviewers found this app especially useful for quitting bad habits. Many also loved that it's very flexible and customizable.
What makes this habit tracking app special is its focus on social networking. By sharing your goals and progress with friends, you get external accountability. This can keep you more focused on your goals and help you feel supported.
Some reviewers felt the app was missing some useful features, such as color-coding or habit-grouping capabilities and group chays. However, most users loved that it's simple to use. They especially liked that they were able to send each other reminders or motivational messages.
Using positive psychology, Tangerine is an app that encourages and tracks habits from an emotional and mental standpoint. This is great for those who want to pay more attention to the emotional aspects of creating and maintaining habits. Journaling and prompts help you self-reflect, too.
Some reviewers disliked that the choices of moods to choose from are fixed and limited. However, many users loved how comforting and pleasant the app is to look at and use. Users were able to learn about themselves and enjoyed the guidance they get from the app.
Those who love looking at data may find this app useful. Its graphs show statistics like streaks, daily performance, yearly reviews, and completion rates. Habitify is great for irregularly scheduled habits because you can customize the timing to certain days and times. There is also a timed habit feature.
Some reviewers felt that the free version of the app is too limited. However, many users liked its simplicity, saying it's straightforward and doesn't distract them. They also said that this app works smoothly across devices.
Habitbull is a good app for those looking to break bad habits, establish routines, and check off to-do lists. The app keeps you motivated with features like inspirational quotes related to your habits. It also has goals and graphs to show you your progress.
It lets you set flexible goals, allowing you to make habits with different times and frequencies. Plus, it keeps track of your habit "streak," giving you additional motivation to keep going. You can chat with other users on the forums, too!
The daily motivational quote picture wouldn't load for a few users, which made them feel disappointed. Some others had issues with the notifications not working properly. However, most users said that this app is user-friendly and intuitive. Many also liked that the free version allows for five habits to be tracked.
If you have a general idea of what you want to achieve but aren't sure what habits to set, this app can come in handy. There are premade lists of habits, such as morning routines or habits for better sleep. It also has special challenges for positive changes, likes mindfulness or detoxing from social media.
Several reviewers complained about data not syncing across devices or challenges starting over if the window of opportunity to log them is missed. However, most reviewers loved that it's very simple and intuitive. Some even mentioned that they achieved their goals and contiued using the app to organize other parts of their lives.
Just like in The Wizard of Oz, following the yellow brick road will get you to where you want to be. However, going off track will cost you real money that you commit to the habit! Beeminder keeps you on track and accountable with your habits by penalizing you with a fee if you veer off the yellow brick road.
The app uses graphs and data points to show the general direction of your behaviors. The yellow brick road allows for some flexibility and forgiveness when you don't engage in a habit once in a while, accounting for the daily influences of life.
A few reviewers commented that the user interface could be better on phones. However, the developers mentioned that the mobile apps are meant to be supplementary, saying computers are the recommended way to use the app.
Reviewers loved using this app for self-improvement, saying it helps them maintain many habits. They also appreciated that the development team continually updates it. Some reviewers said that they have been using this app for years to achieve all sorts of goals!
Now that you can track your habits, here are some apps that may support the actual act of doing those habits!
No. 1: Habitica |Gamify Your Life
No. 2: Crunchy Bagel |Streaks
No. 3: Joan Boixadós|Everyday Habit Tracker
No. 4: Luke Bickston|Strides
No. 5: Lucas Bickston|HabitShare
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