From HelloHabit to Streaks, 4 habit tracker apps you should try

You don’t need to wait till another New Year’s Day to start working on a new habit. It could be in the middle of the year. But the secret is to be consistent in what you do and as with a lot of our activities, there are apps that can help you start new habits and track them.

There are many such apps – you'll find a long list of them on the internet - that you can use across multiple devices and platforms such as Android, iOS and the web.

But what are habit tracker apps?

As the name suggests, these apps help you form good habits and then remind you to keep repeating (and ultimately achieving) your goals. Habit tracker apps also help you track your progress over time. Such apps not only help you make and follow a routine, but over a time span can allow you to make new habits and break old (bad) ones. They work on the ideas of consistent tracking and positive reinforcement

Do they really work?

Studies suggest that app-based habit tracking can have benefits. For instance, a 2020 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology showed that app-based habit building reduced motivational impairments and interferences during studying. The research study also said that it helped with self-control and habit repetition.

Another 2020 study in The European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences found that extended use of monitored habit management application could help people to adopt and sustain good habits, and ultimately lead a healthier lifestyle.

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Ultimately, it comes down to what you want to achieve with such an app – for some of us it might be about being more productive at work or building a good fitness routine.

Let's look at 4 interesting habit tracker apps that you can try.

HelloHabit: HelloHabit is an all-in-one, minimal app that also comes with an in-built journal and calendar. I started using the app some weeks ago by trying to work on a simple habit – sleeping on time. I used HelloHabit to set a reminder for midnight daily. The app sends me a prompt reminder every night now to sleep on time. Obviously, the app does not induce sleep for me in any way but helps me make a conscious effort to improve my sleep cycle. For instance, I often find myself on the couch, surfing OTT apps, around midnight when my habit reminder usually pops up. Over days, the reminder has helped as a tap on the shoulder to move from the couch and make my way to the bed to get some shut eye.

Apart from the reminder system, the other feature I like is HelloHabit’s colorful habit-setting tab where you can set a new habit and even choose to track the time since you stopped a bad habit. The habits are also categorised across themes such as fitness, health, mind, and chores. You can, of course, add your own customised tags for a habit, and choose a color of choice. You can even group habits into routines to stay more organized. (Available on iOS, Android, Web, MacOS, or Windows)

Habitica: Gamification within an app can make such a big difference. We’ve seen it previously in language-learning apps like DuoLingo. In similar vein, Habitica is a productivity and habit app that gamifies your habit tracking, by offering in-game rewards and penalties to keep pushing you to meet your goals. It’s almost like a video game that makes your tasks into little monsters. The more you conquer them, the more you progress within Habitica. Another cool USP of the app is social productivity, where it connects you with friends and other ‘Habiticans’. (Available on iOS, Android and web)

Streaks: As the app’s name says, Streaks lets you track your habits daily and form a streak. But if you break the chain, your streak is reset to zero days. Streaks can be used in a host of languages and lets you choose from up-to 24 to-do tasks, apart from creating your own customized goals. The app is high on customizability – you can choose from 78 different color themes and 600 task icons. No wonder, it’s an Editors’ Choice on the App Store. The app also works with Apple Health and Apple Watch. (Available on iOS, MacOS)

HabitShare: Another social habit tracker, HabitShare lets you smash your habits with friends, for that extra bit of motivation and accountability. The app is completely free and claims to be the only habit tracker app that is social to its core, according to information on its official website. The app also gives a user full control over their privacy. According to the HabitShare website, by default all habits are private. For each habit, a user chooses which friends to share their habit with, and vice versa. (Available on iOS and Android)

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