Breaking the bad habits and forming good ones can be a real challenge, but some apps make it easier than ever to get on track with your goals.
With customizable planners, reminders, and analytics, habit trackers provide the structure and accountability needed to build lasting habits.
But with so many free options out there, it can be tricky to find one that’s feature-rich and effective. After testing over 20 of the top options, I’ve rounded up the 11 best options for both Android and iOS.
From minimalist trackers to comprehensive goal-setting suites, there’s something for every type of user. So let’s dive in.
Top 11 Free Apps for Tracking Habits [Android & iOS]
The idea behind this list is to give you only the best. I have decided to include only those which I found to be very useful in all departments.
I have excluded basic ones such as Loop Habit Tracker and only included feature-rich ones. All the apps mentioned below will help you easily track your habits, as well as see how you have progressed with each of them over time.
Gamifying your habits with these is a rewarding experience and will help you commit better to them.
1. Best of All: Habitica
Habitica is my favorite habit tracker app. It not only lets you track your goals, but also allows you to set daily, weekly, and monthly targets. At the end of the month, you can see how well you have done.
I used this app to set my reading targets and it has worked out really well for me. Besides that, the app also sends out rewards for completing tasks, which is quite satisfying too.
The app also seamlessly syncs across devices, so no matter what device you’re using, you can easily log your progress there. All in all, it’s one of the top anti-procrastination apps.
Key Features
- Color-coded tasks for easy identification
- Streak counter to keep you motivated
- Option to team up with friends on the app
- Regular reminders for completing tasks
- Find people who share similar interests
2. Best Runner Up: Habitify
Habitify is another very good option for those who like to track their habits and plan their daily routine in a journal. The app not only lets you set daily tasks and track them but also visualizes your progress in a great manner.
Personally, my favorite feature here is the ability to keep notes which allow you to document your progress over time.
While it carries all the tasks and habits you want to track, the app also lets you track your mood, which is another pretty interesting feature.
Key Features
- Smart reminders so you’re always on track
- Detailed statistical reports for each habit
- Sync data with Apple Health/Google Fit
- Easy-to-use widgets for better logging
- Privacy lock for premium users
3. Best for Daily Routine: Fabulous Daily Routine Planner
There are two UI approaches that apps tend to take – it is either the minimalist one or the flashy one. Fabulous falls under the latter.
It is all flashy and colorful and features graphics and fonts that pop out of the screen. The app provides you options to set up various routines and to time them according to different times of the day but the primary highlight here is the visual appeal.
This is more than just a routine planner, as it also helps you work on your self-care aspect.
Key Features
- To-do lists to organize your daily tasks
- A space to journal your thoughts
- Provides ‘coaching’ on various wellness issues
- Allows you to track your mental health
- Positive daily affirmations to keep you motivated
4. Best with Calendar: Productive
Personally, I’m a big fan of Productive’s UI. The app comes with a very slick design style where everything can be found quickly.
There are certain pre-set habits that come with the app that you can pick and choose from, while you can also add some custom habits and routines.
The app gives you access to a calendar where you can easily track your daily progress. Interestingly, there are also articles and programs on Productive that help you get more productive in life.
Key Features
- Challenges: Compete with other users
- Articles to help you improve your habits
- Analyzes your habits and provides detailed stats
- Special assistance for people with ADHD to focus better
- Allows you to set smart reminders for your schedule
5. Best Plant-Based Tracker: Avocation
Avocation is a very fun and ‘zen’ app that helps track your habits. It is an app that helps you become a better version of yourself. Avocation lets you create habits and track your progress.
It also showcases your statistics on how you’ve performed compared to your goals. The app compares building habits to growing a plant. The more regular you are, the better your plant will grow.
Key Features
- Allows you to list and track your habits
- Lots of customization options for each habit
- Set reminders according to your schedule
- Motivates you to work on goals with the plant
- Clean and colorful UI
6. Best with Minimal UI: Routinery
As someone who really loves minimalist applications, I love Routinery. The app takes a straightforward approach to building routines and tracking habits and provides a very clean user interface.
It is also one of the most popular habit tracker apps, with over a million downloads. The app not only helps you track your routine and habits but also helps you manage your time better.
It can also recommend different habits based on different times of the day.
Key Features
- Set different routines for morning, night, etc
- Recommends different habits
- You can set a timer for some habits
- Provides detailed habit stats and charts them on a calendar
- Badges to keep you motivated
7. Best Streak Builder: Way of Life
Way of Life is a great app for people who not only want to create and stick to habits but also for those who like to track their progress in great detail. The app shows lots of insights into how you have been progressing with your habits.
The app comes with a very basic UI but gives you all you need to track your routines. It also comes with a dark mode and various color schemes you can choose from. It is the perfect no-nonsense habit tracker app.
Key Features
- Chains that help you build streaks
- Lots of charts to help you examine your progress
- Widget for quicker tracking and logging habits
- Privacy lock so only you can access your data
- Easy backups to cloud storage
8. Best for Students: Habit Rabbit
If you enjoy a splash of colors and quirky graphics on your habit building app, then Habit Rabbit is the perfect option for you. The app is your “productivity pet” that will help you build good habits like quit smoking.
Personally, I am not a big fan of these kinds of UI, but I do understand that they can be highly appealing to a lot of people.
The app comes with this interactive element of a pet – and the better you build your habits, the happier your pet rabbit is going to be!
Key Features
- Graphically appealing UI with quirky visuals
- Detailed habit statistics about how you’ve progressed
- Mood tracking panel for mental health
- The rabbit keeps you motivated to do better
- Earn carrots on successfully logging habits
9. Best Ad-Free Option: Onrise
Onrise is a relatively new player here and has been around since 2020. However, this is the one app that has impressed me quite a lot – and if I were ever to switch from my usual app, it would be to Onrise.
Firstly, this is a completely free app with no ads, which is a big green flag. It is absolutely minimalist and provides a space to track and journal your progress. At the moment, Onrise is only for iOS.
Key Features
- Minimalist UI with only important things present
- A Focus mode for when you’re working
- A Break mode when you want to relax for a bit
- Animations and completion sounds upon finishing a task
- Dark mode which is easy on the eyes
10. Best To-Do List Maker: TickTick
TickTick is perhaps one of the best To-do list apps that you can find. While it is also a habit tracker, the primary purpose here is to get things done on a daily basis.
It even gives you a calendar, as well as helps you club your tasks based on the situation (school, health, office, etc). Tick Tick is an award-winning app that has received multiple accolades. It comes with a minimalist UI.
It also comes with a Pomodoro timer which can help you focus. But it’s not as feature-rich as dedicated Pomodoro technique apps out there.
Key Features
- Calendar-based task approach
- Set reminders to complete tasks
- Pomodoro timer to help you focus
- Interactive widgets that show all information in one place
- Track habits and view your progress over time
11. HabitShare
If you’re an old-school user who prefers bare bones no-nonsense habit-tracking applications, HabitShare is great for you. The app gives you exactly what you asked for – a habit tracker!
Open the app, tick on the habits you’ve stuck by for the day, and move on. It’s a very basic app, but it gets the job done rather efficiently.
You can even track your progress on this app and compare your performance against that of your friends who use the app.
Key Features
- Basic approach: open the app and start tracking
- A calendar view for a better perspective
- Add friends and track their progress
- Get reminders for your daily habits
- Use the app across multiple devices
Frequently Asked Questions
Habitify is completely free to download, but there certain premium features such as privacy lock and unlimited additions which require a premium pack to be purchased separately.
The fabulous Habit Tracker app is free to download, but if you want to use certain advanced features such as their coaching series, adding unlimited habits, or one-on-one coaches, you’ll need to buy the premium subscription.
Wrap Up!
Tracking your habits is great for you. It allows you to see how you have progressed over time, and it also allows you to observe the moments where you dropped the ball – so that you can improve on them in the future.
These apps keep you motivated with the help of streaks, and can also work as a great option for a reminder, especially for something like meds. You can also use these to build new habits like walking or reading.
Do let me know how you use them and which of these worked the best for you.
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