They say there’s an app for everything, so now we have habit tracker apps. Our phones can now help us build habits for all sorts of purposes, such as losing weight or getting rid of debt. These can help you reach your short-term goals and long-term objectives, and habit tracker apps can serve as your guide.
This means you must choose the best ones, but it’s not that easy. A quick search on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, and you’ll get hundreds of choices. You’ll have to decide if using the free apps is okay. We’ll give a few of our recommendations later.
First, we must further discuss the need for a habit tracker app. Later, you’ll see the qualities that yours should have, so you’re likely to yield results. After that, we will talk about some of the nifty options for Android and iOS. More importantly, we will show you the other methods needed aside from smartphone apps.
Why would I need a habit tracker app?
Habits are the various things you do regularly. They could be a small action, such as pouring cereal before the milk into your bowl.
On the other hand, they could be as important as setting aside money for savings. No matter what, they change your life, so you should adopt good habits.
Let’s use that example about savings once again. Build enough savings, and you will have enough to buy an iPhone 13. Better yet, you’ll be able to cover an emergency.
Fortunately, you have the power to build habits, so you can determine how they will affect you. We all know it’s not that easy to create new habits, and it’s even harder to break old ones.
This is why you need to keep track of your progress. Seeing your efforts can encourage you to keep going. Also, it lets you see if you should adjust for better results.
Back then, people wrote these down in journals, but it’s much better to use your smartphone nowadays. This is where a habit tracker app comes in handy.
We already bring our smartphones everywhere, and it’s almost another body part, which lets you check your progress at any time. What’s more, habit tracker apps have these other features:
- Flexible tracking – Your app should be more than another calendar by letting you track more details. For example, it must allow you to conveniently keep track of your daily, weekly, and monthly habits.
- User-friendly – Your habit tracker app should be simple and easy to use. It shouldn’t have too many icons on the screen, and the colors shouldn’t strain your eyes.
- Show stats – The app should help you track your progress by showing the data in an organized manner.
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7 of the best habit tracker apps
- Habitify – Overall best habit tracking app
- Streaks – Great habit tracker tool for iPhone users
- Done App – Simple habit checker for iPhone
- Today Habit Tracker – Track habits however you want on iPhone
- Loop – Great habit tracker program for Android users
- Habitica – Habit tracking turned fun and engaging
- HabitShare – Building habits on mobile with friends
#1. Habitify – Overall best habit tracker app
Photo Credit: www.habitify.me
When we say the best habit tracker, we mean it. Habitify has been the best of Google Play for 2017 and 2018 and the App Store’s Editor’s choice for 2018.
It’s no surprise as it blends simplicity and functionality smoothly. The UI is easy on the eyes, and the features are divided neatly into tabs. Yet, it has a lot of features, such as:
- Reminding you to follow your new habits
- Showing how many times you’ve been consistently following a habit
- Providing a bird’s eye view of your habit calendars
- Showing you how closer you are to completing a certain goal.
- Letting you write notes about your goals
What’s more, Habitify works on Google Chrome, and it syncs with your account from the mobile app. This is great if you prefer to manage your habits using a mouse and keyboard.
Even better, it has a free version on iOS and Android. On the other hand, you could pay $39.99 once for the extra features. This is great because other habit tracker programs require regular monthly payments.
#2. Streaks – Great habit tracker app for iPhone users
Photo Credit: streaksapp.com
People form habits by doing the same thing over and over. The Streaks app knows this. That’s why it’s based on the idea of keeping a streak of small wins for your goals.
It keeps things simple by providing preset options for your daily habits, such as “walk the dog.” This means you can just pick an option to track that habit immediately.
What’s more, Streaks has exclusive features for Apple users. For example, this habit tracker app lets you monitor your wellbeing with Apple’s Health Kit.
Streaks are even better if you have an Apple Watch because it lets you track habits on that device. It also shows progress in other activities like walking a certain number of steps.
#3. Done – Simple habit checker for iPhone
This is a great name for a habit tracking app, don’t you think? Its users want to finish routine tasks or “get things done.” Hence, we have the Done app.
That simple name also describes the layout of this mobile application. Similar to other habit tracking apps, the Done app shows your desired habits in grey boxes.
As you make progress, the number of times you’ve completed it increases. Also, you see how you’re doing as it fills up with color, just like a loading screen for other PC applications.
That’s all you’ll see on the habit tracking page. You won’t see too many animations wanting your attention. There isn’t any other information displayed on the screen either.
Some may prefer this design as it helps them focus. The Done app helps you “get things done,” and that’s what it will do. If you prefer a straightforward habit tracking app, this is for you.
If that didn’t convince you, perhaps the other features will. The biggest one that the Done app gives is monitoring your progress in quitting a habit. The developers knew that some habits can be harmful.
Perhaps you play video games too often. On the other hand, you might have a bad habit that’s more serious, such as excessive drinking. This app could guide you in ditching such behaviors.
You may also appreciate the Done app’s journal function. It lets you take note of issues with your habit-forming progress, so you can get better results.
As the title says, the Done app is just for iOS devices, so it has Apple-only features. Let’s take a look at the following list:
- Passcode protection with Touch ID or Face ID
- Use a widget or your Apple Watch to log activity
- Create data backups via DropBox and iCloud
- You can create shortcuts for this
- The Done app also integrates with Siri
- It integrates with Apple HealthKit, so the Done app can assist with your fitness goals.
Its upsides might seem like negatives for some people. For example, certain users like the Done app for its simplicity, but others might think it has barebones habit tracking features.
The free version only allows three habits. If you want it to handle more, you will have to pay $3.99. You can find habit-tracking apps that have more features, but perhaps the Done app fits your needs.
Also, it provides you with an overview of the habit streaks. Tap the star icon, and you’ll see each of your tasks for every day of the week. Download it on the App Store for $4.99.
#4. Today Habit Tracker – Track habits however you want on iPhone
Photo Credit: appadvice.com
You can say this is the exact opposite of the Done app. The Today Habit Tracker lets you track various metrics for your goals. It’s a great option if you want to adjust each routine for maximum efficiency.
Similar to the other habit tracking apps, you add entries and tick them each time you complete them. What’s great about the Today app is that you can add the following cards:
- Streak Calendar gives an overview of the tasks you’ve completed every month. Let’s say you weren’t able to finish a task yesterday. You could finish it today, so you can mark that previous task as “completed.” This productive habit tracker also lets you see how many times you’ve completed certain routines.
- Milestones serve as the Today Habit Tracker’s to-do lists. Some good habits require doing several tasks, so this can help you break them down into manageable chunks.
- Apple Health Charts are for your fitness goals. It can monitor more than 30 types of health info such as your weight, sleep duration, and caffeine intake. You could set a target value, so you can add or edit them anytime you want.
- Photo Covers, as the name suggests, lets you display an uplifting image for each of your habits. The Today Habit Tracker has an ever-growing gallery, but you can upload photos from your phone. As a result, this is one of those habit-tracking apps that also help you stay motivated.
The Health Charts can also show you how many minutes you’ve allocated for meditation. Nowadays, people recognize the benefits of mindfulness, so this productive habit tracker can help you get into it too.
As mentioned earlier, this does more than just habit tracking. It offers you badges and awards whenever you build healthy habits or get rid of harmful ones.
This visual representation can feel uplifting, and it gives you something tangible for motivation. Similar to the Done app, this simple habit tracker provides Apple-only features.
For example, you can protect the habit tracking app via FaceID and TouchID. The Today app also lets you make backups on iCloud and Dropbox, and it links to the Apple Watch.
However, this isn’t the best habit tracker if you want a simple interface. You might not like how it measures your progress with bar graphs. If you want unlimited habit tracking, you need to pay $4.99 for the Premium plan.
#5. Loop – Great habit tracker app for Android users
Photo Credit: loophabits.org
The next habit tracker app puts function over form. The Loop Habit Tracker or Loop looks clunkier than the previous entries because of the blocky spreadsheets and calendars.
Yet, it does its job quite well. Similar to Streaks, it tracks the number of times you’ve consistently performed a habit. Just like Habitify, it lets you set reminders and schedules.
A few things make Loop special, such as the home screen widget. Instead of constantly opening the app, you can just hit the widget to see your habit progress.
Here’s what makes it shine above the previous apps: it’s free and private! You don’t need to pay, create an online account, or always link to the internet. Check it out on the Google Play Store.
#6. Habitica – Habit tracking turned fun and engaging
Photo Credit: habitica.com
This is one of the most unique habit-tracking apps out there as it turns your progress into a video game. Habitica uses video game mechanics to motivate users.
You start by creating a character that looks like 2D-sprites from the 90s. Similar to other habit tracker apps, you list the habits you want and tick your progress.
However, Habitica refers to them as “quests.” As you complete tasks, you earn virtual gold. You can use that to buy new items and clothing for your character.
This may seem like the badges and awards from other habit-tracking apps. Yet, it’s more effective as it rewards short-term progress instead of the long-term ones only.
You might find yourself striving for more tasks just to get more stuff for your character. This could also incentivize you to handle multiple habits as Habitica boosts your motivation.
Another cool thing about Habitica is that it connects you with fellow users. You can work with those people to reach your goals. Habitica even encourages this as it posts group tasks.
This type of support group can be crucial for people who are struggling to get things done. You may find it easier to reach your goals if they help you align with group habits.
This is a unique habit app, but it might not be for everyone. If you’re not into video games, you might look at its premise as a distraction. That’s okay because this is a free app.
Try it out on your iPhone or Android to see if it works for you. If it doesn’t, just uninstall without any issues. If it does, then you now have one of the most effective and affordable habit trackers out there!
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#7. HabitShare – Building habits on mobile with friends
Photo Credit: appadvice.com
Let’s say you didn’t like the video game look of Habitica. Yet, you still find the social features to be interesting. In that case, you might like HabitShare.
It lets you communicate with fellow users, so you can help each other form positive habits. You may help each other in tracking habits by sending reminders.
You could share your milestones with the community, so you could inspire others. If you’re struggling, HabitShare users can give pointers on how you can form your new habit.
This is a free app that’s available for Android and Apple devices. This allows you and your friends to improve all your habits with HabitShare.
It’s at the bottom of this list because other apps can provide its other features better. For example, the Today app has more comprehensive metrics than HabitShare.
The social integration adds more clutter to the screen, so the Done app has a cleaner look. Still, this is a great app for developing great habits with your friends.
Final Thoughts
We haven’t covered all the habit tracker apps out there, such as Bullet Journal. You can check so many other options, not just our recommended ones.
It’s not the only way you can form habits, though. For example, you can use free printable guides and calendars for this. No matter what, you will need one thing to build habits: discipline.
This means keeping at it even if you don’t feel like it anymore. You will have to work for at least 30 days or more to succeed. Eventually, you will have a new habit for the new you!
If you are interested in content marketing, please email [email protected]. Updated on April 26, 2022.
