Forming even a simple habit requires patience and persistence, and to stay motivated, it's helpful to use a habit tracker that allows us to visualize our progress. These trackers are available in various forms, such as apps, journals, and calendars, with both free and premium options. In this article, we have compiled the best applications for tracking and managing new habits to help you achieve your goals.
1. Tiny Rockets
Good habits start with small steps, hence the word “Tiny” in the brand name of Tiny Rockets. Although this platform is paid and only available on the web, it allows you to record and track your daily and monthly progress, as well as maintain a daily journal.
In addition to monitoring your habits, Tiny Rockets offers articles to help you continue learning about habits, personal development, and well-being.
Available only on the web.
2. Done
Done is a straightforward, color-coding iPhone habit tracker with a twist. It features a clean and intuitive interface and easy-to-use tools. If you aren’t only focusing on daily goals but rather want to record if you did or didn’t succeed at doing the task, Done is the right tracker for you. It monitors your actions, not the outcomes.
The app offers a range of packages for purchase on the app store. The yearly subscription starting at $59.99.
Available only in iOS.
3. HabitNow
HabitNow allows you to track daily, weekly, and monthly habits and add recurring tasks (those that are not tracked) and one-time tasks (unique pending tasks). By entering your daily routine on the app, you will record progress and seamlessly integrate habit-building into your life.
You can specify which days you want each habit to repeat, and whether you want to be reminded to do it. You can mark it by checking yes or no, recording a numerical value, or running the built-in timer for a set period.
The app is free for up to 7 habits. For unlimited habits and features, it starts at $9.99 a month.
Available only on Android.
4. Habitify
Habitify provides you with a clear, organized schedule that keeps you on track for success. It provides insightful metrics and celebrates your milestones. If you enjoy a bit of competition, it allows you also to engage in friendly competitions and participate in monthly challenges to make habit-building a lighter experience.
Free for up to 15 check-ins a week. Pro version costs $4.99 a month and includes unlimited check-ins, data export and additional features.
Available on iOS, Android, MacOS, and Web.
5. HabitBull
HabitBull is a user-friendly habit tracking app with a simple but powerful UI. It provides a comprehensive view of your habits for the month and offers graphs and charts for visual data on your performance.
You can customize habit frequency and quantity, export data in CSV format, and receive reminders. The app supports building positive habits and breaking negative ones, making it suitable for flexible habit-building goals.
It’s a free app, but you can unlock premium features starting at $4.99 per month or $19.99 per year.
Available on iOS and Android.
6. stickK
stickK is a unique app that helps users build good habits and achieve goals by using behavioral economics. Users sign a commitment contract that includes setting goals, defining actions, and putting money at stake for accountability.
The app offers progress reports and commitment journals. StickK's approach involves binding agreements, with users collectively putting $51 million on the line and avoiding 42 million cigarettes.
While stickK's app is free to download, users must pay to participate in its accountability system.
Available on iOS and Android.
7. Notion
Notion is a productivity tool that allows users to create databases, notes, to-do lists, and more, all in one place. In the context of habits, it’s useful because you can create or copy tracker templates for your daily habits. You can also use its reminder and scheduling features to keep you on track with your habits.
It offers a free version with limited functionality and paid plans starting at $4 per month.
Available on iOS, Android, macOS, and Web.
8. Habitica
If you enjoy gaming, this is the best tracker for you, as it treats your real life like a game. Habitica has in-game rewards and punishments that are there to motivate and inspire you. You can create your own Avatar and unlock in-game features such as battle armor, mysterious pets, and magic skills, to level up. The whole idea is to have fun while you build a new habit in a gamified way.
Free for most features, start at $4.99 a month for bonus items.
Available on iOS and Android.
9. Daily Habits
Daily Habits bring things back to basics with a simple calendar view. It allows you to see your activity for the entire month while tracking which areas you might need to focus on. Its interesting aspect is that it allows you to set flexible goals instead of streaks. Goals and progress are measured on flexible consistency, which makes it difficult if you temporarily detour from your habits.
DailyHabits is a free habit tracker app.
Available on Web.
10. Way of Life
Way of Life is a productivity tool that color codes good and bad trends. Powerful set reminders will keep you on track until good habits are formed, or bad habits are broken. It has a strong focus on being able to journal about your challenges and achievements, rather than spending time updating the app on your progress.
Free habit tracker for up to 3 habits and for more habits, it costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 per year.
Available on iOS and Android.
11. Strides
If you’re new to the habit-tracking world, this is a great option to consider. Strides is one of the most flexible and simple trackers out there. It allows you to track good and bad habits or anything that matters to you as a to-do-list.
Strides it’s easily customizable and provides reminders to keep you on track and colorful charts and graphs to assess your progress.
It’s costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 per year for unlimited goal and habit trackers, progress reports and more.
Available on iOS.
12. Habit Tracker
Habit Tracker is designed for those who like keeping things simple. With a clean and user-friendly interface, it makes it simple to create an organized life and your one-time to-do list.
The app also features a number of 10+ rigorously designed 30-day challenges, based on the scientifically proven 3-stage habit-building method. Overall, if simplicity is what you’re looking for, this is the right app for you.
The premium version starts at $14.99 per year.
Available on iOS.
13. Conjure Habits
Conjure Habits is a platform for time management, habits, achievements and behaviors, through data and automation. With a highly customizable approach, you can set your own rules to automatically complete habits and objectives. It also integrates with a number of widgets such as Apple Health; making your habit tracking easier, sending you selected notifications or progress and achievements.
Free plan for up to 5 habits, after which the standard plan starts at $8.99 per month.
Available on iOS and Android.
14. Streaks
Streaks is an award-winning to-do list app that allows you to track up to 24 habits at once. As the name suggests, it aims to help you never miss a day and keep your “habit streak” going. It can link up with your iPhone or Android device’s health app, making it a great choice for those aiming to track their fitness or health habits specifically.
It costs $4.99 and has a limit of 12 tasks per day; there is no Android version.
Available on iOS, Apple Watch, macOS.
15. Atoms
Atoms is a habit app inspired by the groundbreaking principles of “Atomic Habits”, James Clear’s best-selling book. It isn’t just a habit tracker; it’s also a personal guide packed with short lessons and insightful strategies to facilitate positive changes, one small step at a time.
For the first 28 days you can access a free full version of the application, after that you must pay $16.99 per month. If you do not pay, the free version will only allow you to track one habit at a time.
Available only on iOS.
What Should a Habit Tracking App Have?
Tracking habits can be done through various methods like calendars or journals, but using an app can be more convenient. The best habit tracking app for you depends on your preferences and digital skills. For an app to be excellent, it should:
- Easy to use: tracking your habits shouldn’t be a daunting task but rather simple and quick. If it’s complicated and awkward, it will go against the habit creation altogether and should therefore be avoided.
- Be constantly updated: since habit tracking is a long-term goal, you should focus on using apps that are periodically updated and maintained. You don’t want to have to abandon using the app you love because it’s not maintained and becomes outdated.
- Allow for flexible tracking: the advantage of using mobile apps is that you can track things more intuitively than with a calendar. The best apps should allow you to set daily, weekly, or monthly targets and track that progress in a way that resonates better with your personal preferences.
- Offer stats and streaks: data analysis should be a benefit of using any app. Habit trackers should be able to offer statistics and insights into how often you do each habit, how long your current streak is, etc.
What Is The Importance of Habit Tracking?
Long-term goals can be overwhelming, as humans seek instant gratification. To develop great habits or replace bad ones, it's crucial to keep our goals in focus.
Habit tracking provides the necessary motivation by offering daily, weekly and monthly feedback, which facilitates the habit-building process. In addition, it can have many benefits, such as:
- Increases automaticity: you will start performing actions without consciously thinking about them, slowly building the foundation for your positive habits.
- Promotes mindfulness and self-reflection: focus on the mental journey of habit formation and go beyond checklists to build a balanced lifestyle.
- Boost motivation: these apps provide constant feedback and visual cues, which prevents overlooking progress and keeps you motivated.
At Tiny Rockets, we understand that significant change begins with a single, small step. More than just a platform, we're a community of determined individuals committed to positive transformation: a community of doers. That's why we invite you to join our waitlist to use the Tiny Rockets app and embark on a journey of habit transformation that propels you toward your goals.