Keeping track of our habits is important for personal growth and development, but it can be difficult to do so consistently without the right tools. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best habit tracking tools available to help you stay on track and achieve your goals.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the top habit tracking tools and provide an in-depth overview of each one. From Streaks to Habitica, Strides to Loop Habit Tracker and Coach.me, we’ll cover everything you need to know about these powerful tools.
Whether you’re a seasoned habit tracker or just getting started on your personal development journey, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to choose the best habit tracking tool for your needs.
Streaks
Streaks is a popular habit tracking app that helps users build good habits and eliminate bad ones. It is available for iOS and macOS devices, and has been praised for its simple design and ease of use.
The app allows users to track up to 12 habits at a time, with the option to set reminders and notifications for each habit. Streaks uses a color-coded system to show progress, with green indicating success and red indicating missed days.
One unique feature of Streaks is its integration with the Apple Health app, which allows users to track health-related habits such as exercise or water consumption. Streaks also offers a wide range of pre-set habit suggestions, but users can also create custom habits tailored to their specific needs.
In addition to habit tracking, Streaks also includes a feature called “tasks,” which allows users to set one-time or recurring tasks outside of their daily habits.
Why Streaks is one of the best habit tracking tools
One of the reasons why Streaks is one of the best habit tracking tools, is because it offers customization options for each individual habit you’re trying to cultivate. It allows you to set specific goals, track progress, and easily tweak habits as needed. This level of personalization is crucial for long-term habit formation.
Another feature that sets Streaks apart is its integration with Apple Health. This means that it can automatically track and report your progress on health-related habits such as exercise or water intake.
Streaks also has a unique approach to accountability – it offers reminders and notifications to keep you on track, but also includes a “shake to undo” feature for when you slip up on a habit. This anti-perfectionist approach encourages self-compassion while still holding you accountable for your goals.
How to use Streaks
To use Streaks, simply download the app and begin setting up your desired habits. The app will guide you through the process with intuitive visuals and easy-to-follow instructions.
Here’s how to get started with Streaks:
- Step 1: Download and Install the App – The first step in using Streaks is to download and install the app on your mobile device. The app is available on both iOS and Android devices.
- Step 2: Create Your Habits – Once you’ve installed the app, it’s time to create your habits. To do this, simply tap on the “+” icon located in the bottom right corner of the screen. You can then select from a variety of pre-made habits or create your own custom habits.
- Step 3: Set Your Goals and Reminders – After you’ve created your habits, it’s time to set your goals and reminders. For each habit, you can set a goal (e.g., exercise for 30 minutes each day) and schedule reminders to help you stay on track.
- Step 4: Start Tracking Your Habits – Now that you have set up your habits in Streaks, it’s time to start tracking them! Simply tap on each habit in Streaks, mark it as complete when you have completed it for the day, and watch as your streak grows longer.
- Step 5: Stay Motivated with Rewards – To help keep yourself motivated, Streaks offers a built-in rewards system. When you reach certain milestones (such as completing a habit for 7 days straight), you will earn rewards that will help keep you motivated as you work towards forming new habits.
In conclusion, using Streaks is easy and straightforward. By creating custom habits, setting goals and reminders, tracking progress daily, and utilizing rewards for motivation- you can get on top of your habits from day one!
Habitica
Habitica is a habit tracking and productivity app that adds an element of fun and gaming to help you stay motivated to achieve your goals. It’s a great way to turn your daily tasks and habits into a game, earning rewards and leveling up as you make progress.
At its core, Habitica is based on the idea of gamification, which means that it takes elements from games, such as points, rewards, and challenges, and applies them to real-life activities. In other words, Habitica turns your life into an RPG (role-playing game), where you are the hero and your daily tasks are quests.
The app helps you track good habits such as exercise, meditation, reading books or drinking water regularly. It also allows you to set reminders for important events such as meetings or deadlines.
Features of Habitica
Habitica has several features that make it stand out from other habit tracking apps. For example:
- Customizable avatars: You can create an avatar that represents you in the game world. As you complete tasks and level up your character will change.
- Gamified task management: Habitica allows you to create tasks or “habits” in three categories: Daily, To-Do’s or Habits. These can be marked off as done upon completion.
- Social accountability: The app has social elements like parties or guilds where other users join together for mutual support.
- In-app rewards: You can earn rewards by completing certain habits or reaching certain levels in the app.
- Integration with third-party apps: The app integrates with a wide range of third-party apps like Google Calendar and Trello.
Why Habitica is one of the best habit tracking tools
Habitica stands out from other habit tracking apps due to its unique approach of using gamification to motivate users. By turning daily tasks into quests and providing rewards for good habits, the app helps you stay motivated and focused on achieving your goals.
With its customizable avatars, social elements and integration with third-party apps, Habitica is a comprehensive tool for habit tracking and productivity. It’s a great tool for people who enjoy games or want to make their daily routine more fun.
How to use Habitica
To use Habitica, simply create an account and set up your avatar. Then start adding tasks or habits that you want to track. There are three categories of tasks: Daily, To-Do’s or Habits. You can also join groups or guilds for additional motivation and support. As you complete tasks or develop consistent habits, you will earn points and level up your avatar.
Here’s a step by step guide:
- Step 1: Sign Up for an Account – The first step is to visit the Habitica website and sign up for an account. You can do this by clicking on the “Sign Up” button on the homepage and entering your email address, username, and password.
- Step 2: Create Your Avatar – Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can create your avatar. You can choose from different hairstyles, skin colors, clothing options, and more. This avatar will represent you in the game and will be visible to other users if you choose to join groups or participate in challenges.
- Step 3: Set Up Your Habits – Now it’s time to start setting up your habits. Click on the “Habits” tab at the top of the screen, and then click on “Add a Habit.” You can enter the name of your habit (e.g., “Drink 8 Glasses of Water”), select a positive or negative habit (depending on whether it’s something you want to do or avoid), and set a difficulty level.
- Step 4: Set Up Your Dailies – Dailies are habits that you want to do every day. Similar to habits, click on the “Dailies” tab at the top of the screen and then click on “Add a Daily.” Enter the name of your daily task (e.g., “Go for a Run”), set how many days per week you want to complete it, and set a difficulty level.
- Step 5: Set Up Your To-Dos – To-Dos are one-time tasks that you need to do. Click on the “To-Dos” tab at the top of the screen and then click on “Add a To-Do.” Enter the name of your task (e.g., “Clean the Kitchen”), set a due date, and set a difficulty level.
- Step 6: Join Groups and Challenges – Habitica has a great community of users who can offer support and motivation. To join a group or challenge, click on the “Groups” or “Challenges” tab at the top of the screen and browse through the options. You can join groups based on interests, habits, or goals, or participate in challenges to earn rewards.
- Step 7: Track Your Progress – As you complete your habits, dailies, and to-dos, you’ll earn points and rewards in Habitica. You can track your progress by clicking on the “Overview” tab at the top of the screen. Here you’ll see your avatar’s level, health points, experience points, gold coins, and more.
In conclusion, Habitica is an excellent habit tracking tool that helps make habit formation fun and engaging. By following these steps for using Habitica for habit tracking, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals and building better habits.
Strides
Strides is a habit tracker with an intuitive interface that makes tracking your progress towards your goals easy and fun. Whether you want to form new habits, break old ones, or just keep track of important tasks, Strides has got you covered.
The app allows you to set up various types of goals, including habits, projects, and targets. You can also create custom trackers with specific metrics that matter to you. For example, if you want to track the number of pages read per day or miles run per week, Strides can help you do that.
One of the unique features of Strides is its flexibility. You can choose from four different modes: “Target,” “Habit,” “Average,” and “Milestone.” Each mode has its own set of options and parameters that allow you to fine-tune your tracking experience.
Another great feature of Strides is the ability to add notes and tags to each goal. This makes it easy to keep track of why certain goals are important to you or what specific tasks are required.
Features of Strides
- Daily Goals – Strides allows users to set daily goals and track their progress over time. It offers four types of daily goals: “Do More,” “Do Less,” “Limit,” and “Target.” These goals allow users to focus on different aspects of their habits, such as increasing a positive behavior or limiting a negative one.
- Habit Templates – Strides provides several pre-built habit templates that can be customized to suit individual needs. These templates include common habits like drinking more water, exercising regularly, or sleeping better.
- Reminders and Notifications – To help users stay on track with their habits, Strides offers customizable reminders and notifications. Users can choose to receive reminders at specific times or locations throughout the day.
- Progress Charts – Strides provides visually appealing progress charts that allow users to see how they are progressing towards their goals over time. This feature can be very motivating for those who want to see tangible results from their efforts.
- Habit Streaks – One of the most popular features of Strides is its habit streaks functionality. This feature tracks the number of consecutive days a user has completed a specific habit, providing positive reinforcement for maintaining healthy habits over time.
Why Strides is one of the best habit tracking tools
One of the key features of Strides is its ability to create personalized goal trackers for any type of habit or routine you want to establish. You can choose from different goal types such as “target,” “habit,” “average,” or “limit” depending on your specific needs. Additionally, you can set reminders, track progress over time, and receive reports that provide insight into how well you’re doing.
Strides also offers a variety of visual tools to help you stay motivated and engaged with your goals. You can view charts that show how often you’ve completed a particular habit, see streaks of consecutive days where you’ve met your goals, and even customize the app’s appearance with different themes.
One unique feature of Strides is the ability to set up negative habits, which allows you to track things like avoiding junk food or not smoking cigarettes. Negative habits are just as important as positive ones in building better habits and Strides recognizes this.
How to use Strides
To use Strides for effective habit tracking:
- Start by downloading the app from Google Play Store or Apple Appstore
- Open the app and select “Create New Goal”
- Choose from the preset templates or create your custom goal
- Set the goal parameters such as the frequency, duration, and target completion date.
- Choose your preferred tracking mode such as Streaks mode or Targets mode.
- Start tracking your progress daily, and Strides will send you reminders to keep you on track.
To get the most out of Strides, make sure to review your progress reports regularly and adjust your goals as needed. By doing so, you’ll be able to achieve long-term success in developing new habits and achieving your goals.
Loop Habit Tracker
Loop Habit Tracker is a free, open-source habit tracking app available for Android devices. It’s a simple and easy-to-use tool that helps you stay on track with your goals. With Loop Habit Tracker, you can create new habits, track your progress, and get reminders to keep you motivated.
The app has a minimalist design and is user-friendly. It offers a range of customization options, allowing you to set the frequency of your habit and the days of the week when you want to perform it. Additionally, it lets you record notes about your progress, view history graphs of your performance, and receive notifications as reminders.
Loop Habit Tracker is perfect for people who want a straightforward way to build positive habits into their daily routine. The app stands out due to its simplicity, ease-of-use and flexibility. You can customize it according to your needs and preferences.
Features of Loop Habit Tracker
- Customizable Habits – One of the best features of Loop Habit Tracker is that it allows you to customize your habits according to your needs. You can create new habits, set up reminders, and track your progress over time. This flexibility helps you tailor your habits to fit your lifestyle and achieve your goals.
- Detailed Progress Tracking – Loop Habit Tracker provides detailed progress tracking for each habit you are trying to build or break. It lets you record each time you complete a habit or skip it, providing you with a clear picture of how well you are doing. You can view trends in your progress over time, helping you identify areas where you need to improve.
- Integrations – Loop Habit Tracker integrates seamlessly with Google Fit, allowing you to track physical activities such as walking or running alongside your other habits. It also supports backup and restore via local storage or Google Drive, making it easy for users to switch devices without losing their progress.
- Dark Mode – For those who prefer a darker interface, Loop Habit Tracker comes with a dark mode option which reduces eye strain and makes using the app easier on the eyes during night-time.
Why Loop Habit Tracker is one of the best habit tracking tools
First and foremost, it offers a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy to track your habits. The app allows you to create a list of habits that you want to track and then mark them off as you complete them each day. You can set up reminders to help you stay on track, and the app also provides statistics on how well you’re doing.
One of the unique features of Loop Habit Tracker is its ability to allow for negative habits. Rather than just tracking positive habits like exercising or drinking water, Loop Habit Tracker also lets users track negative habits they want to stop such as nail-biting or smoking. This way, users can be aware of their negative behaviors and work towards breaking those bad habits.
Another great feature of Loop Habit Tracker is its ability to export your data in CSV format. This feature allows users to analyze their habit data in Excel or Google Sheets, making it easier to identify patterns or areas that need improvement.
Loop Habit Tracker is also completely free with no ads or in-app purchases. This makes it an accessible option for anyone who wants to start tracking their daily routines without having to pay for a premium version.
How to use Loop Habit Tracker
Here’s how to use Loop Habit Tracker:
- Download and install the Loop Habit Tracker app from the Google Play Store.
- Open the app and tap on the “+” icon to create a new habit.
- Enter the name of your habit, choose an icon to represent it, and set a goal for how often you want to do the habit (e.g. daily, weekly, or monthly).
- Choose whether you want to track positive or negative habits (i.e. things you want to do vs things you want to avoid).
- Set a reminder for each day that you want to do the habit.
- Start tracking your progress by marking each day as completed or missed.
- View your progress on the app’s home screen, where you can see a calendar view of your habits and check off completed days.
Loop Habit Tracker also allows you to customize your habits with different colors and icons, set up multiple reminders for each habit, and view detailed statistics about your progress over time.
Coach.me
Coach.me is a habit tracking app that also provides coaching services to help users achieve their goals. Formerly known as Lift, this app has been around since 2012 and has undergone significant updates over the years.
With Coach.me, users can set goals and track their progress towards them. The app offers a range of habit-tracking features, including reminders, progress charts, and streak tracking. Users can also join communities to connect with others who share similar goals.
One of the unique aspects of Coach.me is the coaching feature. Users can hire a coach through the app to provide guidance and accountability as they work towards their goals. Coaches are available for a variety of areas such as fitness, productivity, and mindfulness.
Coach.me offers both a free and paid version of the app. The free version includes basic habit tracking features, while the paid version provides access to coaching services and additional features like advanced analytics.
Conclusion & summary
After having reviewed and analyzed the top five habit tracking tools, it is safe to say that each of them has its own set of unique features and benefits. However, our overall recommendation goes to Streaks due to its user-friendly interface, extensive range of features, and flexibility in terms of personalization.
Streaks allows you to track up to twelve different habits at once and provides a seamless integration with Apple Health. Additionally, the app offers multiple customization options such as color coding and icon selection for each habit.
Habitica is a close second with its gamification approach that turns habit tracking into an enjoyable experience. It also includes a social community feature that allows you to connect with like-minded individuals who share similar goals.
Strides prides itself on providing users with a detailed performance analysis that helps in identifying patterns and trends. Loop Habit Tracker is ideal for those who prefer minimalist design with easy-to-use functionality.
Lastly, Coach.me offers both habit tracking and coaching services from certified professionals which can be helpful in achieving long-term goals.
