Are you looking for the best habit tracker apps? You are on the right page. Making and breaking certain habits can drastically change your life—or at least make a positive impact on it. Overall, everyone needs habits. We are talking about the good ones here, such as staying fit and healthy, completing work on time, or creating better routines.
Of course, you want to lose some bad habits. For example, quit smoking, quit laziness at work, or quit eating unhealthy foods. However, what happens is that we stay motivated for a few days and then we give up. That’s why we need apps for habit tracking to stick to the good habits and eliminate the bad ones as fast as possible.
So, in today’s post, we will give you useful insights into tracking our habits and the top 10 habit tracker apps. You will also know how to choose the best app for this task for yourself or your business. With that being said, let’s get started making a new better version of you (almost).
What is Habit Tracking?
So, what’s this buzz about keeping track of your daily habits with habit trackers? What is it? Simply put, tracking your habits means monitoring your daily behaviors to identify how frequently and consistently you are into good or bad habits. Tracking your behaviors involves:
- Keeping a note of your current habits.
- Tracking your attempts to introduce new behaviors.
For example, if you want to stop drinking too much (not water), you will track how much you drink through your habit tracker apps and spot patterns and opportunities to limit alcohol consumption. Overall, while tracking your habits, you will start to see patterns and gain useful insights into your behaviors.
Importance of Habit Tracking
Did you know that as per the American Psychological Association, frequently monitoring progress towards your objectives boosts your chances of success? So, to change your self-deteriorating ways or reach a goal, tracking your habits is the key to understanding:
- Why you are excelling or falling short of establishing a habit.
- Observing your habits lets you establish plans that promote punctuality.
- Habit tracking provides motivation. Especially, if you are logging your behaviors or routines.
So, now you see that logging your habits is good. Moreover, there are 2 ways to do so, you can either manually track your habits in a diary or journal or you can use an app for tracking habits.
Read Also: 15 Best Legal Time Tracking Software for Lawyers in 2024
What are Habit Tracker Apps?
Simply put, habit tracker apps are applications that allow you to capture behavioral data regularly. Similar to organization apps, these too:
- Notify you to check your progress. For example, enter your number of steps or study hours.
- Some apps are specific. For example, exercise trackers or alcohol consumption trackers.
- Generic apps let you create custom goals.
- You can monitor your progress on multiple habits simultaneously.
- Some of these apps also provide graphs, statistics, and insights.
In short, insights from apps for habit tracking help you change your behavior. They help you identify and remove obstacles. Overall, by continuously using such apps, you will gain good habits and quit the bad ones.
Do Habit Tracker Apps Work?
The above was an overview. However, you must be wondering, do habit tracker apps work? Yes they do, researchers asked students to track their habits with an app. In their results, they found that it promotes and motivates automatic behavioral repetition. Plus, the app also encourages consistency, which is an essential element in forming habits. Habit apps help you form a routine by:
- Reminding you to do and track your habits.
- Sending you motivational messages.
- Notifying you to log in to the app daily.
What Makes the Best Habit Tracker Apps?
So what goes into making the best habit-tracking app? There are many behavior monitoring apps out there. However, only a few cut our top 10 list based on these criteria. So, without any more delays, let’s dive right into it.
1. Mobile App
You won’t be surprised at this one. Did you? These days we all know that there are around 60-70% smartphone users worldwide. So, the best habit tracker apps will be mobile-compatible, usually for both iOS and Android. This ensures:
- Easy access.
- Increases chances of usage.
- Is convenient to use.
- Users can track their habits anywhere.
2. Flexible Tracking
Another thing that makes the best apps to track daily habits stand out is flexible tracking. What we mean here is that they allow you to set fixed monthly or weekly targets. Plus, they allow you more control over what you want to track and when.
3. Being Actively Developed
Tracking habits gives the desired results after long-time usage. Since the habit tracker apps are so simple, users may demand new features and developments. The bottomline is that only the best developers take action on feedback.
4. Easy to Use
So, how do users choose which apps to track habits are best in the first place? The first and foremost feature they look for is easy usage. That means an intuitive user-interface, easy navigation, responsiveness, and compatibility.
5. Detailed Insights
Only the best habit-tracker apps provide detailed insights, stats, and graphical data on your habit-monitoring progress. These stats provide you with patterns, which makes identifying faults and improving your routines a walk in the park.
Read Also: Top 15 Employee Scheduling Software for Businesses in 2024
Advantages of Using Habit Tracker Apps
So, you already know that using a tracking habits app helps you set routines and achieve your goals. However, the benefits are not just limited to that. We found a few more advantages based on our expertise and trying the different behavior monitoring apps.
1. Progress Visualized
A benefit of using habit tracker apps is that you get your daily progress visualized in charts, stats, and graphs. Viewing these insights motivates you and pushes you to keep going till you succeed.
2. Accountability
Another advantage of using apps to track habits is it makes the users accountable and responsible for whether they make or break the habit. Since you have to honestly log what you did to achieve your goals, the app will tell you whether your progress is going uphill or not.
3. You Build Routines
By regularly tracking your behaviors with habit tracker apps, you will make a routine of working towards a positive change. Plus, you won’t even realize it when monitoring and improving your behavior will become second nature.
4. Improve Mental Health
By tracking and logging your habits with the right app for tracking daily habits, your mental health will also escalate. For example, as you quit bad habits and embrace good behavior, you will feel more positivity, which will make your days better and more energized.
5. More Productivity
Monitoring your work habits can also make you more productive as you identify and fix productivity gaps. Usually, the more sensible way to do so is to use productivity monitoring software, which gives you a broader perspective of your work performance than just behavioral data.
Disadvantages of Using Habit Tracker Apps
Like everything else, habit tracker apps also have their fair share of cons. So, only after weighing these disadvantages, you should decide whether such apps are right for you or not.
1. Complete Dependency
An issue with long-term usage of the app for tracking habits is that you can become completely dependent on it. It will be more like an addiction, which is a red flag. For example, suppose, if there is a bug in the app and it stops working, your routine can falter. Overall, all that you worked so hard for will be put to waste.
2. Not 100% Accurate
As we mentioned before, habit tracker apps are simple and thus require continuous development to keep functioning. Thus, we can safely presume here that the data from the app is not 100% accurate at all times. Especially, if it’s user-fed.
3. Must Use Consistently
Another issue with the tracking habits app is that you must use it daily and consistently for the best results. It can be time-consuming, especially if the data is user-fed. Overall, tracking the habits can take more time than actually taking action toward achieving them.
4. Not Tamper-Proof
After using a few good ones, we concluded that habit tracker apps are not tamper-proof or foolproof. We mean, who knows that you might feed incorrect data into the app to inspire yourself that you are doing great. It doesn’t usually happen. However, we can’t rule this possibility out.
5. It May Takeover
Just like you are addicted to other apps on your phone, you might cling to your app to track daily habits for everything. For example, you may start using the app for fun or to track even the most minor unnecessary behavioral details, which is bad for your life.
So, what will you do if habit tracker apps are not right for you? You can always:
- Use a journal or diary.
- Join a community of people who are monitoring similar habits.
- Look up to peers and family members for inspiration.
- Follow a role model or influencer. (not social media influencers though)
How to Choose the Best Habit Tracker App?
If you are reading this section, it means that you have decided to use the tracking habits app. However, you can’t just download and start using the first application you scroll across. With that being said, here’s how to choose the right habits app for your personal or business use.
1. Requirement Analysis
The first step to choosing any kind of app or software is requirement analysis. Habit tracker apps included. Here we recommend listing down whether you want a generic or specific app. Plus, it’s also crucial to identify the level of customization you need.
2. Compatibility Check
The next step to selecting the right app for tracking your daily habits is checking version compatibility. For example, suppose you blindly downloaded the Habits app and later find out that it’s not compatible with your smartphone device, it will be a waste of your time only.
3. Cost vs Requirement Analysis
Here’s some news for you. Most of the habit tracker apps are free. However, their paid versions provide more features and upgrades. Thus, a cost vs requirement analysis is also a must when choosing such an app for yourself.
4. Read Reviews
Reading others’ reviews will let you identify and shortlist the best from the various apps to track habits. However, it is apparent that you only read genuine reviews here for the most precise selection.
5. Try First
After you have finalized your habit tracker app, we recommend trying it first. The idea here is to create some dummy habits and see how it goes for a few days. Doing so will help you decide whether the app you chose will be beneficial for you.
The Best 10 Habit Tracker Apps
To help you save your valuable time and quickly choose the best app for tracking habits, we made an expert shortlist for you. Please note that our list includes both apps and software ideal for personal and professional use. With that being said, here are the top 10 behavior monitoring applications.
- DeskTrack
- Clockify
- Loop
- Way of Life
- StickK
- Timelog
- Awesome Habits
- Habitica
- 10000 Hours
- Notion
1. DeskTrack
DeskTrack is the best employee monitoring software, which is also good for tracking habits. Designed for professional use, it helps employers identify unusual employee behavior. Plus, it also gives insights in real-time, helping you spot work gaps and employee pain points.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Best overall | $5.99/user/month | Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Linux, Windows |
2. Clockify
Clockify is a Best time tracking software, which can be used as a simple online behavior tracking tool. What we like about it is the simplicity of how it can track time spent on various activities, providing you with detailed reports. However, it’s not specifically made for logging habits.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Simple online habit tracking | $3.99/user/month | iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Linux, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Edge extensions |
3. Loop
If you need a habit tracker app for tracking how much water you drank for the day, or anything related, we recommend Loop. What we like about it is how you can attach a unit of measurement to your goal.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Unit-based measurable habits | Free | Android |
4. Way of Life
Change your way of life with this app for tracking daily habits of the same name (we couldn’t help but insert this pun). Moreover, it’s one of the best for weekly habit tracking as it provides a professional view of your weekly report. Plus, you also get 4 options to track your habits:
- Yes or No to mark whether you completed a task or not.
- Skip indicates that the particular habit is not daily.
- Note to add any additional notes with the day’s habit (s).
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Weekly habit tracking | $6 | Android, iOS, macOS |
5. StickK
StickK is one of the best habit tracker apps if you want to commit to improving your habits. A feature of this app is stakes, which forces you to check off your tasks daily. Otherwise, it will take the staked amount and donate it to charities. Luckily, this feature will only work if you allow it to. Nevertheless, it also provides you with:
- StickKFlic for boasting about your progress via a one-time video for some added inspiration or to make your family and friends jealous.
- The Communities feature on the other hand lets you join others with similar goals and interests.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Tracking habits with high-stakes commitment | $90/month | Android, iOS, macOS |
6. Timelog
What makes this app for tracking habits unique is you can track your behaviors and habits in real-time. Plus, it also lets you set moods for the habits as per how you feel doing an activity at a particular time. This lets you identify when you are in your best shape for a specific task. All you have to do is:
- Select from either the Pomodoro, a stopwatch, or a countdown timer.
- Click the play button.
- Perform your habit, task, or action.
- Stop the timer.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Timer-based habit tracking | $17.99 | Android, iOS |
7. Awesome Habits
Awesome Habits is one of the best habit tracker apps for result-oriented tracking. What we like about it is that it provides intuitive progress charts. Plus, the way it tracks habits in percentages and numbers helps you stay motivated.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Result-oriented habit tracking | $12.99/user/year | macOS, iOS, Apple Watch |
8. Habitica
Habitica is one of the best apps for habit tracking for Gen Z users. When it comes to logging habits, it offers a gamified interface where you can make your character and start tracking by creating.
- Daily, monthly, or weekly habits.
- To-do lists.
- Habits that need checking off daily.
With customization controls for making the habits positive or negative (the ones you want to get rid of), this habit tracker app gives you an immersive user experience. For example, if you have done a negative activity for the day, you can tap the minus button next to it and your character will lose health. Overall, all this makes you accountable and responsible.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Gamified habit tracking | $4/user/month | iOS, Android, Web |
9. 10000 Hours
10000 Hours is the tracking habits app you need if you want to work only on improving a single habit. All you have to do is enter your goal and start the timer. You can stop the timer, once you are finished. What we like about this app is you will get a motivational message saying that you are now a little closer to your 10000 hours. However, that’s that.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Keeping you on track with your habits | Free | iOS, macOS |
10. Notion
For customized behavior tracking, it couldn’t get any better than Notion. This habit tracker app provides you with the option to add checkboxes, files, and media to tweak your habit entries. Although it’s not a habit building app, it provides many features to help you keep a log of your daily habits.
| Best For | Initial Pricing | Availability |
| Customized habit tracking | $8/user/month | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Desktop, Web Clipper for Chrome, Safari, Firefox |
Expert Tips for Using Habit Tracker Apps
So, now you have selected the right app for tracking daily habits, it’s time to use it. However, responsibly. Using these best practices for using behavior monitoring apps to log habits will ensure the best results.
- Set achievable goals so that you don’t get overwhelmed when performing and tracking them.
- Use reminders and triggers to ensure that you progress daily.
- Track only the essential habits you want to improve.
- Use a habit journal or diary as a backup.
- Don’t procrastinate if you forget to use the app for a day or two. The important thing is to get fruitful results.
Conclusion
We hope you are now clear about 10 of the best habit tracker apps out there. As a final word, we would like to say that tracking habits should be an essential part of our lives. Whether we want to improve on a professional or personal aspect of our lives, it’s important to keep a log of where we are now, where we want to go, and our progress. Overall, tracking our behaviors helps us identify patterns and see where we are faltering or succeeding. Although we can manually keep track of our habits, using an app for the same is better as it provides an immersive user experience and motivation. However, using the best practices with the right app is key to success. But if you want more than just habit tracking, DeskTrack provides all the best features for employee monitoring software for businesses of all scales and diverse workforces.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is Habit Tracking Healthy?
Ans. Yes, it is a good practice, as per research:
- People who track their progress on goals like:
- Weight losing
- Quitting smoking
- Lowering blood pressure will likely improve than those who don’t.
Q. What are Apps for Tracking Habits?
Ans. Applications for habit tracking are digital solutions that help you keep records of your progress toward specific goals. These apps also show you stats, graphs, and charts that help you identify patterns and progress continuously.
Q. Are Habit Tracker Apps Worth it?
Ans. Yes, habit tracker apps are worth it. As per research, such apps promote automatic behavioral repetition by:
- Reminding you to do and track your habits.
- Sending you motivational messages.
- Notifying you to log in to the app daily.
This repetition of quitting bad behaviors and doing more of the good ones helps you improve your quality of professional and personal life.
Q. Which are the Best Apps for Tracking Habits?
Ans. To help you choose the right app for tracking habits for your business or personal use, we shortlisted the top 10 options for you.
- DeskTrack
- Clockify
- Loop
- Way of Life
- StickK
- Timelog
- Awesome Habits
- Habitica
- 10000 Hours
- Notion
