This is a comprehensive list of the 6 best habit tracker apps and their features that will help you manage your time and build better habits faster than your heart melted after seeing Baby Yoda for the first time.
Each app was given one of six awards:
- Ol’ Reliable
- Rookie of the Year
- Most Elegant
- Most Immersive
- Honorable Mention
- Best All-Around Habit Tracking App
The apps are:
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Related: The Best To-Do List Apps
Why You Need To Use a Habit Tracker
Building new habits (and especially breaking old ones) is deceptively hard.
So habit tracking apps were designed to make the process of personal development a little bit easier.
But, not all habit trackers are created equal.
Think of it this way: if your personality is your house, then your habits are the foundation that your house is built upon. And habit trackers are the tools you use to lay that foundation.
Poor tools can lead to a poor foundation which thus leads to unstable house that’s liable to collapse at any minute!
I’ve personally used habit trackers to help me lay a solid foundation for about 10 years. Now my foundation isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly better than it would have been had I never used habit trackers in the first place.
For this article I tested over two dozen habit tracking apps — these are the 6 that made the final cut.
Chains.cc (ol’ reliable)
- Platform: Browser
- Price: Free
- Features:
- Single screen to view all your “chains”
- One habit type: yes/no
- Drag and drop habit reordering
- Habit descriptions
- Habit notes
- Habit color customization
- Groups: create and join “group chains” with others
- Missing Features:
- Advanced statistics screen
- Integer habits
- Timed habits
- Skip day
- Archive habit
- Darkmode
- Reminders
- Weekly calendar view of all habits
- Widgets
The Samuel L Jackson of habit trackers, “chains.cc” is the oldest and most basic habit tracker out there.
There are very few features and customizations because the concept is simple: start a habit, and don’t break the chain!
This is the first habit tracker I started using some 10 years ago. I’ve outgrown its lack of advanced features (like integer or timed habits), but even advanced users may find its simplicity refreshing.
This is the only app to make the list that does not have Android and iPhone functionality. So if you want to use it on your phone (it was recently removed from the App store) you’ll have to use the web version in your browser (which can be a bit buggy.) Watch the video to see an example.
If you’re looking for a simple, barebones habit tracker, then chains.cc will always be my first suggestion.
NewHabitApp (rookie of the year)
- Platform: iPhone / Android
- Price: Free (up to 5 habits), Premium: $0.99/month, $5.49/year, or invite 3 friends
- Features:
- Each habit has its own “mini-dashboard” control panel
- Multiple habit types: yes/no, bad habit, counter, timed
- Advanced habit descriptions that are loaded with helpful tips
- Hundreds of pre-created habits grouped by category
- Habits of over 50 famous people (like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
- Advanced statistics screen
- Darkmode (premium)
- Reminders
- Weekly calendar view of all habits (monthly calendar view for individual habits)
- Missing Features:
- Skip day
- Drag and drop habit reordering
- Widgets
The Tom Holland of habit trackers, NewHabitApp is the most innovative habit tracker I’ve ever seen.
What I really like about the app is that it almost doubles as a personal coach because of its in-depth descriptions for its hundreds of pre-created habits.
Each description includes the following information: a list of the benefits, the first step to take, progress and the next steps to take, helpful tips to make it a habit, tips for beginners, and famous people that use the habit.
The famous people section is very novel as well. The only problem is that their habits were compiled from publicly available data. If contemporary famous people provided their habits information to the developers directly, then I would be much more intrigued.
The app does leave something to be desired (like widgets and various stability improvements.)
But keep an eye on this one, because with a few tweaks and improvements I could easily see it taking next year’s Best All-Around award.
Related: Discover your personal strengths and weaknesses with the TriMetrix® Personality Assessment.
Habitify (honorable mention)
Browser version
- Platform: iPhone / Android / Mac App / Browser
- Price: Free (up to 3 habits), Premium: $4.99/month, $24.99/year, $39.99 life-time
- Features:
- Multi-platform compatibility
- Group habits by custom categories or the time of day
- Two habit types: yes/no, timed (buggy)
- Drag and drop reordering
- Advanced statistics screen
- Habit notes/descriptions (premium)
- Skip day (premium)
- Archive habit (premium)
- Darkmode (premium)
- Reminders (up to 2 per habit with free)
- Weekly calendar view of all habits (monthly calendar view for individual habits)
- Widgets
- Missing Features:
- Integer habits
The Tom Cruise of habit trackers (a great actor, but maybe just a bit crazy?)
I’m torn with Habitify. On the one and it’s truly a great application, on the other hand it’s extremely overpriced.
Most upsetting is that the free version is almost unusable. All of the features that make the application truly great are blocked by the paywall.
However, if you only need to track 3 or less habits, and don’t have any use for the premium features, then Habitify may be exactly what you’re looking for. And, admittedly, it has a very crisp, clean design.
There’s a lot of potential here, so I felt compelled to include it on this list as an honorable mention. I have the Premium version myself, but I don’t use it (mostly because of the lack of integer habits.)
HabitShare (most elegant)
- Platform: iPhone / Android
- Price: Free
- Features:
- Social features: share habits with friends, message friends within the app
- One habit type: yes/no
- Drag and drop habit reordering
- Habit notes/descriptions
- Skip day
- Archive habit
- Reminders
- Weekly calendar view of all habits (monthly calendar view for individual habits)
- Missing Features:
- Advanced statistics screen
- Integer habits
- Timed habits
- Darkmode
- Widgets
Related: Habit Trackers vs Journals vs Spreadsheets? The Best Productivity Tool
The Scarlett Johansson of habit trackers, HabitShare takes the category of most elegant. Very clean, very simple, very self-explanatory.
Honestly, I don’t even miss Darkmode with this app.
And, yes, it’s missing some advanced features like integer habits, but you almost don’t care because the entire app is free. There’s no premium version, no ads, and you can track unlimited habits right away.
The social features are very novel and core to the app. You can message your friends directly within the app (something you won’t find anywhere else.)
All in all, HabitShare stole my heart. I don’t use it myself because of the lack of advanced features, but I highly recommend it to new users and groups.
Habitica (most immersive)
Browser version
- Platform: iPhone / Android / Browser
- Price: Free, Purchase “gems” for additional loot
- Features:
- Full-fledged RPG video game based on your habits and life
- To-do list
- Immense social features
- One habit type: yes/no
- Drag and drop habit reordering
- Habit notes/descriptions
- Skip day
- Archive habit
- Reminders
- Widgets
- Missing Features:
- Advanced statistics screen
- Integer habits
- Timed habits
- Archive habit
- Darkmode
- Weekly calendar view of all habits (monthly calendar view for individual habits)
The Joaquin Phoenix of habit trackers, Habitica wins the category of most immersive and most unique.
I know it looks like there’s a lot of missing features but, trust me, the rest of the app more than makes up for it.
Habitica is essentially an RPG video game based on your life. You have an in-game character that you can customize, upgrade, and fight bosses with.
When you complete a habit / daily / to-do list item your character gains experience and gold. If you fail then you lose a bit of health. Lose all your health and you lose your loot.
Habitica is not the only RPG themed habit tracker out there, but it’s definitely the best and the most immersive. You can even join parties, go on raids, and fight boss battles with other “players”.
If you’re a gamer, or just a bit of a nerd, then get this app like yesterday. If you’re new to habit tracking then be warned it’s a bit dense and has a learning curve (just like a real video game!)
Habitbull (best all-around habit tracker)
- Platform: iPhone / Android
- Price: Free (up to 5 habits), Premium: $7.99 one time, $9.99 one time
- Features:
- Everything you need is on one screen (Android)
- Two habit types: yes/no, integer
- Drag and drop reordering
- Advanced statistics screen
- Habit notes/descriptions
- Archive habit
- Darkmode
- Reminders
- Weekly calendar view of all habits (monthly calendar view for individual habits)
- Widgets (premium)
- Missing Features:
- Timed habits
- Skip day
- Export / sync data
UPDATE: Habitbull’s export / sync data feature is broken and the support team has been unresponsive. When I get more information I’ll post another update. But for now I’d avoid Habitbull if exporting your data is important to you.
The Christian Bale of habit trackers, Habitbull is the best overall app on the market.
It has a unique combination of elegance and advanced features (such as integer habits) that you can’t find anywhere else.
Think of it as combination of the ease of use of chains.cc, the elegance of HabitShare, and the features of Habitify.
This is the habit tracker that I personally use today.
And that’s about all there is to say! It’s simple, easy to use, and full of features
Related: What is the best productivity tool overall? Habit Trackers, Journals, or Spreadsheets?