Why get a habit tracker?
What is a habit tracking app?
Habits aren't easily kept. But you want to keep an eye on the good and bad ones. According to a study by Philippa Lally and University College London, the average time it takes to embed a habit is around 66 days. Many people need apps to help them track habits as they motivate them to see them visually and decide what to focus on for the day ahead.
The thing about habit tracking is that it makes the invisible visible. You think you're meditating regularly, but when you look at the calendar view and see you only did it 4 times last month, that's a wake-up call. Same goes for the bad habits you're trying to break. Seeing a streak of smoke-free days builds momentum that's hard to give up.
So many things can help when using a habit tracking app, some of them: Helps you address good habits and bad habits. Incentivizes you to keep a streak and positive momentum. Good for bad habits too like smoking, poor routines, and beyond. Helps visually address your goals. Habit-tracking apps help many to be more accountable.
Honestly, the biggest value is accountability. When you've got a 30-day streak going, you don't want to break it over something stupid. That psychological trick works way better than willpower alone. Plus, many of these apps let you share progress with friends or join challenges, which adds social pressure (the good kind) to keep going.
They can help achieve goals by laddering towards an objective. Used for good and bad habits to track progress towards goal. If you're building a morning routine, tracking each component (exercise, meditation, journaling) helps you see which pieces you're actually sticking to and which ones need work.
Habitify
Best for All Round Use: Habitify
Habitify is one of the more all round habit trackers. Many people like it as it is available on iOS, Android, macOS and even web too, which makes it super accessible. It allows you to track habits, see progress with statistics and streaks.
You can create habits like routines allowing you to see a morning set of habits, evening and so on to your typical day. This is where Habitify really shines compared to simpler trackers. Instead of just a flat list of habits, you can organize them by time of day or context. Your morning routine might include meditation, exercise, and journaling, while your evening routine has reading and skincare. Seeing them grouped this way makes it easier to build actual routines instead of random scattered habits.
The detailed statistical breakdown is a good one and you can see your streaks appear on every task motivating you onwards. You get charts showing completion rates over time, best streaks, current streaks, and even which days of the week you're most consistent. This data is stupidly useful if you're trying to figure out why you keep failing at certain habits (spoiler: it's probably Mondays).
A lot of people like Habitify, as you can join with friends and share challenges which can be tracked via a leaderboard. This social aspect is optional, but if you're competitive or just need external accountability, it helps. Comes on iOS, Android, Mac and Web. Customize your areas for each part of the day or routine. Track streaks and data points like best stretch of habit.
Share challenges and have your family or friends join. Connects with Zapier and IFTTT for better connections, which is great if you're already using those tools for automation. Adds mood tracking, timer and logs to help the emotional side of the journey. Being able to log how you felt when completing (or skipping) a habit gives you insights into patterns you might not notice otherwise.
Best for
People who want a polished, cross-platform habit tracker with solid analytics. Budget-conscious users who appreciate the generous free tier. Families or friend groups who benefit from shared challenges and accountability. Anyone who wants to organize habits by routines rather than just a flat list.
Not ideal if
You need deep integrations beyond Zapier and IFTTT. You want gamification like Habitica's RPG elements. You're looking for a completely free solution with unlimited habits. You prefer a completely offline-first experience.
Real-world example
A remote worker uses Habitify to track morning and evening routines. Morning habits include: meditation (10 min), exercise (30 min), journaling (5 min). Evening habits include: no screens after 9pm, read for 20 min, prepare tomorrow's clothes. After three weeks, the charts show they're 90% consistent on morning habits but only 60% on evening ones. They adjust by setting a phone reminder at 8:45pm to start winding down.
Team fit
Works for individuals, couples, or small friend groups (up to 10 people). Particularly good for people with ADHD who need visual progress tracking. Not designed for large teams or organizational use.
Onboarding reality
Easy. Most people are tracking their first habit within 5 minutes. The interface is clean and intuitive. The challenge is building the daily habit of opening the app and checking off tasks, not learning how to use the app itself.
Pricing friction
The free plan allows you to track up to 3 habits. All the features are unlocked beyond just habit tracking for premium. Three habits is honestly enough if you're just starting out or focusing on a few key changes. But if you're the type who wants to track 15 different things, you'll hit that limit fast. Premium is $29.99 per year or $2.49 per month. If you want to go lifetime, you can get it for $59.99 and never pay again. That lifetime deal is pretty solid if you know you're going to use this long-term.
Integrations that matter
Zapier (connect to thousands of apps), IFTTT (automation workflows), Apple Health (sync workout data), Google Calendar (see habits in calendar view). Native cross-platform sync across iOS, Android, macOS, and web.
Habitica
RPG Habit Tracker
Habitica is one of the easiest and fun ways to track habits. It makes a game-like experience for your habits by giving you a character and a way to track tasks, habits, and goals for them to achieve by playing a game.
You can use it on the web or on iOS and Android to track habits and earn rewards to add armor, clothing, and equipment to build your character. Complete your meditation habit and your avatar gains experience points. Skip your workout and your character takes damage. It sounds ridiculous, but for people who grew up playing RPGs, this actually works.
People love using this as it feels like a game but allows you to manage your habits effectively and grow your skills in and out of the game. Track habits whilst collecting gems and upgrading areas of the game. Full scale gamification of your habits and tasks. Good for sharing with other people who like this sort of RPG game. You can join guilds, fight bosses as a party, and compete in challenges. If your friends are also using Habitica, you can hold each other accountable by teaming up for quests where everyone's habits affect the group's success.
Track tasks alongside your habits, perfect for keeping tally. The app doesn't just do habits. You can add one-off tasks (like "file taxes"), daily tasks (like "take vitamins"), and long-term goals. Everything feeds into the same reward system, so your entire productivity life becomes part of the game.
Manage tasks in Kanban views and recurring tasks too. Good for sharing with others as you can set challenges. The community aspect is surprisingly active. There are guilds for everything from writers to parents to people with ADHD. If you're the type who benefits from community support, this is one of the few habit trackers that really delivers on that.
Best for
People who love RPGs and gaming mechanics. Anyone who's tried "serious" habit trackers and bounced off because they felt boring. Friend groups who want to make habit tracking a shared game. People with ADHD who respond well to gamification and immediate rewards.
Not ideal if
You find game mechanics and fantasy themes cringe or distracting. You want minimalist, clean design. You need advanced analytics and detailed habit statistics. You prefer private habit tracking without social elements.
Real-world example
A college student struggling with procrastination turns habit building into an RPG. They set up dailies: attend class, study for 2 hours, exercise, eat vegetables. Habits: don't hit snooze, don't doomscroll. To-dos: finish essay, submit application. Each completion earns gold and XP. After a month, their character is level 12 with full armor. More importantly, they've attended 95% of classes and finished assignments on time. The game mechanics made boring tasks feel rewarding.
Team fit
Individuals or small friend groups. The party and guild features work for 3-10 people collaborating. Not designed for professional teams or workplace use.
Onboarding reality
Moderate. The RPG elements require a short tutorial to understand. Setting up your first habits takes 10-15 minutes. If you're familiar with RPGs, it clicks immediately. If you've never played games like this, expect a learning curve.
Pricing friction
It is free to use with not real limits (you get less gems and less collectables). There's no feature you don't get as part of premium that you don't get with free. The free version is fully functional. Premium just gives you more cosmetic options and bonus gems. For most people, the free version is plenty. Yearly pricing for more gems, collectables and all sorts is $48.99 per year. This is more for the hardcore habit tracker, the people who want every pet, mount, and costume option.
Integrations that matter
Beeminder (goal tracking), Habitica API (for developers to build custom tools), webhooks for task automation, iOS Health app (basic integration). The focus is on the game itself rather than extensive third-party connections.
TickTick
Task App with Habits
TickTick is a task management app with habit-tracking capabilities that you can use to manage your habits. The habit-tracking abilities are simple but allow you to add as many as you like as part of the premium subscription. They work efficiently for tracking habits on the go, as you can switch between tasks and habits easily.
TickTick is also a notably good task management app that should be considered. Each habit can be logged with a swipe. You can see what days you have completed with a streak. You can add a fun icon and emoji to each habit. Manage your tasks alongside your habits & a pomodoro timer. Comes with iOS widgets for seeing progress of habit.
The beauty of TickTick's approach is that habits and tasks live side by side. Instead of jumping between a task app and a separate habit tracker, everything is in one place. Your morning routine habits appear alongside your work tasks for the day. This integration feels natural and reduces app-switching fatigue.
Best for
People who want both task management and habit tracking in one app. Users already invested in TickTick who don't want to add another tool. Anyone who appreciates the all-in-one approach (tasks, habits, pomodoro, calendar). Budget-conscious users who get solid value from the premium tier.
Not ideal if
You want a dedicated habit tracker with deep analytics and insights. You need advanced habit features like mood tracking or detailed statistics. You prefer separate apps for different purposes. You're looking for a completely free habit tracking solution.
Real-world example
A freelance designer uses TickTick for everything. Morning habits (meditation, exercise) appear in the Today view alongside client tasks. The pomodoro timer helps them focus on deep work. When they complete their "drink 8 glasses of water" habit, it's right there next to "finish logo design for Client X." Having everything in one app means they actually use both the task and habit features consistently.
Team fit
Individuals and small teams (2-5 people). Works well for solopreneurs and freelancers who need to manage both personal habits and professional tasks. Not designed for large teams.
Onboarding reality
Easy to moderate. If you're already using TickTick for tasks, adding habits takes 5 minutes. New users might spend 20-30 minutes exploring all the features (tasks, lists, folders, calendar, habits, pomodoro). The interface is clean enough that most people figure it out without tutorials.
Pricing friction
Free version limits you to 2 habit check-ins per day, which is pretty restrictive. Premium unlocks unlimited habits, more calendar views, themes, and advanced features for $27.99/year (often on sale for $21.99). The pricing is reasonable for what you get, especially if you use it as your primary task manager and habit tracker.
Integrations that matter
Google Calendar (two-way sync), Apple Calendar, Siri shortcuts, iOS widgets and Apple Watch, Pomo List (pomodoro focus mode), IFTTT (basic automation). Native apps on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, web, and even Apple Watch.
Streaks
Simple Habit Tracker
Streaks is a dead simple, easy-to-use, and cheap one-off app that you can download and get started with habit tracking. Many people say this is one of the better, more superficial habit tracker apps designed to make it easy to manage and start habits daily. It's easy and simple for the most basic habit tracking needs.
This is a long-standing iOS app and has been recommended more towards those who want something all on one page, so they don't have to open multiple screens and works for iPad too. The design is minimal and clean, which keeps you focused on the habits themselves rather than navigating through features.
Streaks limits you to 12 habits maximum, which sounds restrictive but is actually brilliant. It forces you to focus on what truly matters instead of tracking 30 different things and completing none of them. The constraint is the feature.
Best for
Minimalists who want simple, focused habit tracking. iPhone and iPad users who value clean design. People who prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions. Anyone who needs just the basics without analytics, social features, or gamification.
Not ideal if
You want to track more than 12 habits. You need cross-platform support (it's iOS only). You want detailed statistics, charts, and habit insights. You prefer free apps or subscription models with ongoing updates.
Real-world example
A busy parent uses Streaks to track 8 essential habits: take vitamins, drink water, exercise, meditate, no phone after 9pm, read to kids, journal, and practice gratitude. The app opens to show all 8 habits on one screen. Each day, they check them off. The visual simplicity means they actually do it daily instead of getting overwhelmed by a complex app.
Team fit
Individuals only. No sharing, collaboration, or team features. Perfect for personal habit tracking.
Onboarding reality
Extremely easy. Download, add your first habit, start tracking. Takes about 2 minutes. The learning curve is essentially zero.
Pricing friction
One-time purchase of around $4.99 (price varies by region). No subscription, no in-app purchases, no premium tiers. You buy it once and own it forever. Some people prefer this model over paying $30/year for more feature-rich apps.
Integrations that matter
Apple Health (sync with health data), Siri shortcuts, iOS widgets, Apple Watch app, iCloud sync across iOS devices. Focused on the Apple ecosystem with deep native integration.
Daylio
Best for Mood Tracking
Daylio flips the script on habit tracking by starting with mood. Instead of a list of habits, you log your mood multiple times per day (rad, good, meh, bad, awful), add activities you did, and optionally write notes. Over time, patterns emerge about which activities correlate with better or worse moods.
The interface is colorful and friendly, using emoji-style mood icons that make check-ins feel quick and non-intimidating. You tap your mood, select activities from a customizable list (exercised, worked, watched TV, socialized, etc.), and you're done in 30 seconds. If you want to elaborate, add a note. If not, move on.
After a few weeks, Daylio's statistics show you fascinating insights. You might discover you're consistently happier on days when you exercise and socialize. Or that working late tanks your mood the next day. These data-driven insights help you make better decisions about habits to build or break.
Best for
People who want to understand patterns between activities and mood. Anyone interested in mental health tracking alongside habits. Users who love data, charts, and analytics. People who prefer quick mood check-ins over detailed journaling.
Not ideal if
You find constant mood tracking stressful or triggering. You want traditional habit tracking with checkboxes and streaks. You don't care about correlating activities with emotional states. You need extensive customization beyond activities and moods.
Real-world example
Someone with anxiety uses Daylio to track mood three times daily: morning, afternoon, evening. They log activities: therapy, exercise, caffeine, social time, work stress. After two months, the stats reveal a clear pattern: exercise + therapy days = good moods. Caffeine after 2pm + work stress = bad moods next day. They adjust their habits based on these insights and mood improves measurably.
Team fit
Individuals only. This is a personal mood and habit journal, not designed for sharing or collaboration.
Onboarding reality
Easy. The colorful interface and simple mood selection make it approachable from day one. Most people are logging their first mood within a minute. The challenge is remembering to check in multiple times daily until it becomes habit.
Pricing friction
Free version is functional with some limitations on moods, activities, and backup features. Premium unlocks unlimited everything, multiple daily reminders, advanced stats, and export options. Pricing is around $29.99/year or $4.99/month. Reasonable for the insights you get if you stick with it.
Integrations that matter
Google Drive and Dropbox backup, CSV export for data analysis, PDF reports, PIN lock for privacy. More focused on data portability than third-party integrations. Available on iOS and Android with sync across devices.
How to Choose the Right Habit Tracker
What matters when picking a habit tracking app?
Picking a habit tracker comes down to what actually motivates you. If you're a data person who gets excited by charts and completion rates, go with something like Habitify that gives you detailed analytics. If you need the dopamine hit of leveling up a character, Habitica is your best bet.
Pricing matters too. Free plans are great for testing things out, but they usually limit you to 3-5 habits. That's fine if you're focusing on one or two big changes. But if you're tracking morning routines, exercise, work habits, and evening wind-down, you'll hit those limits fast. The $30 per year range (Habitify, Daylio) is pretty reasonable if you're serious about this. Lifetime deals can be worth it if you know you're the type to stick with one app long-term.
Platform availability is huge. If you're switching between iPhone, laptop, and Android tablet throughout the day, you need something that syncs everywhere. Web-based options or apps like Habitify work anywhere but might not have the polish of native apps. iOS-only apps like Streaks are beautifully designed but useless if you ever switch to Android.
Think about whether you want social features. Some people thrive on sharing progress with friends or joining challenges. Others find that pressure annoying and just want to track privately. Habitify and Habitica both do social well if that's your thing. Streaks is more solo.
The biggest mistake is downloading five different habit trackers and not sticking with any of them. Pick one, commit to it for at least a month, and actually use it. The best habit tracker is the one you'll actually open every day.
Final Thoughts on Habit Trackers
Making habit tracking work for you in 2026
Habit tracking apps work because they make abstract goals concrete. Instead of vaguely trying to "be healthier," you're tracking whether you exercised today. That specificity makes all the difference.
The 66-day average for habit formation means you need something you can stick with for at least two months. Don't pick the app with the most features. Pick the one with the interface you'll actually enjoy opening every single day. If looking at your habit tracker feels like a chore, you've already lost.
For most people starting out, we'd recommend trying Habitify or TickTick. Both have solid free plans that let you test the concept without commitment. If you find yourself wanting more features after a few weeks, then consider upgrading or switching to something more specialized.
If you're someone with ADHD or executive function challenges, the visual progress and streak mechanics in these apps can be incredibly helpful. Many users in ADHD productivity communities swear by habit trackers as external accountability systems. The key is finding one that works with your brain, not against it.
Remember that the app is just a tool. It can't build habits for you. But it can make the process visible, give you data to work with, and provide that little hit of satisfaction when you check something off. Sometimes that's enough to tip the scales from "I should do this" to "I actually did it."