No 18 · Comparison
The Best Habit Tracker Apps Without A Subscription
By Sebastian Röhl, creator of HabitKit
15 min read Published
A habit tracker without a subscription is one you can use for free, or pay for once and keep. Five apps do that well: HabitKit, Streaks, Loop Habit Tracker, Habitify and Habitica. They get there in very different ways, so the honest answer depends on what "no subscription" means to you.
For some people it means never paying at all. For others it means paying once instead of every month, or simply not being pushed toward a plan that renews. A free plan with a tight limit, a one-time price for one platform and a lifetime unlock for a subscription app are three different deals, and each app below is clear about which one it offers.
Full disclosure: HabitKit is our app, and we put it first because it is the one we would pick. Every app here gets the same treatment anyway: real strengths, real weaknesses and prices dated to the day we checked them. There are no affiliate links, and no app paid to be on this list.
-
HabitKit · Best Overall
Four habits free for good, and Pro is also sold once as Lifetime, on iPhone and Android.
4.8/5 from HabitKit's editors
-
Streaks · Best One-Time Price On Apple
$5.99 once with no in-app purchases, on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
4.6/5 from HabitKit's editors
-
Loop Habit Tracker · Best Free App On Android
Free, open source and ad-free, with no account and nothing to unlock.
4.5/5 from HabitKit's editors
-
Habitify · Best Lifetime Plan For Syncing
A lifetime Pro purchase beside the subscriptions, on every platform including the web.
4.2/5 from HabitKit's editors
-
Habitica · Best Free Game
The whole role-playing game is free; the subscription is optional extras.
4.0/5 from HabitKit's editors
Written by the maker of HabitKit, who wants you in the app that suits you. The stars are our own editorial rating out of five, not store ratings. Streaks, Loop Habit Tracker, Habitify and Habitica are named for comparison only; HabitKit is not affiliated with their makers. Prices and features come from the US App Store, Google Play and each developer's own site on the date above.
On this page
Quick Comparison
| App | Without a subscription | Price (US) | Platforms | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. HabitKit | Free plan or one-time Lifetime | Free for four habits. Lifetime, monthly or yearly Pro | iPhone, Android | 4.8/5 |
| 2. Streaks | Paid once | $5.99 one-time, no in-app purchases | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro | 4.6/5 |
| 3. Loop Habit Tracker | Free, nothing to buy | Free | Android | 4.5/5 |
| 4. Habitify | Free plan or lifetime Pro | Free for three habits. Lifetime from $59.99 | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Android, Wear OS, web | 4.2/5 |
| 5. Habitica | Free game | Free. Optional $4.99 a month or $47.99 a year | iPhone, iPad, Android, Wear OS, web | 4.0/5 |
"Our rating" is our own judgment against the criteria below, not a store rating. Store ratings are listed in each app's section.
Free, One-Time Or Lifetime: What You Actually Get
| HabitKit | Streaks | Loop | Habitify | Habitica | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usable without paying | Yes, four habits | No | Yes, everything | Yes, three habits | Yes, the whole game |
| One-time purchase | Yes, Lifetime | Yes, $5.99 | Nothing to buy | Yes, lifetime Pro | No |
| Subscription offered too | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes, optional |
| Ads | No | No | No | Not listed | Yes, on Android |
| Home screen widgets | Yes, with Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone and Android | Yes | No, Apple only | No, Android only | Yes | Yes |
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not checked | No |
"Not listed" means the store listing doesn't say; "Not checked" means we couldn't confirm it either way on the date at the top.
One thing the table can't show: a one-time price only covers the platforms it is sold on. Streaks is $5.99 for Apple devices, and Loop is free on Android, but neither comes with you if you switch to the other kind of phone.
How We Evaluated
We looked at five things, in this order of weight:
- What you get without a renewing plan. The free tier's limits, or what a one-time price unlocks.
- Logging takes one tap. A habit you have to think about logging is a habit you stop logging.
- You can see your progress without reading. Grids, rings and charts all try; some work at a glance.
- Platforms. Whether the app runs on the phone you have now and the one you might have next.
- Your data. Whether you need an account, and whether you can take your history with you.
Every fact on this page comes from the app's App Store or Google Play listing, its developer's website, help center or code repository, checked on the date at the top. For each app's weaknesses we also read its recent low-star reviews.
The 5 Best Habit Trackers Without A Subscription
HabitKitNo 01 · Best Overall
Screenshots from HabitKit's App Store listing.
HabitKit gives you two ways to never subscribe. The free plan tracks four habits for as long as you like, with no trial clock running in the background, and it isn't a stripped-down demo: notes, categories, quit habits, a reminder per habit and the automatic daily backups are all in it. If you want more, Pro is sold as a one-time Lifetime purchase next to the monthly and yearly plans, and all three unlock the same features.
Every habit is drawn as a grid, one tile per day, so a good month is a solid block and a missed day is one gap rather than a counter back at zero. One tap logs a Yes / No habit; Count and Measure habits take a number in your own unit and fill the tile partway as you go.
What it does well
- A free plan without a clock. Four habits are free for good, with reminders, notes and backups (free vs Pro).
- Pay once if you want more. Lifetime unlocks unlimited habits, widgets, charts and extra reminders, the same as a subscription.
- No account. Your habits stay on your phone, with daily backups beside them and, on iPhone, in your own iCloud.
- The same app on iPhone and Android. A free export moves your history between them in either direction (moving to a new phone).
Where it falls short
- Widgets and a fifth habit need Pro. It's the most common complaint in HabitKit's own low-star reviews, and it's fair.
- No sync, no Apple Watch app and no Apple Health. If you want habits logged from your wrist, Streaks fits better.
- A Lifetime purchase is per store. It's bought through Apple or Google, so it stays with that store's account.
- Pricing
- Free for four habits. Pro comes as a one-time Lifetime purchase or a monthly or yearly subscription; prices vary by country and are shown in the app.
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android.
- Ratings
- 4.8 from 2,484 ratings on the US App Store, 4.6 on Google Play.
StreaksNo 02 · Best One-Time Price On Apple
Screenshots from the Streaks listing on the App Store. Images by its developer.
Streaks is the cleanest "pay once" deal in habit tracking: $5.99 on the App Store, with no in-app purchases at all. There is no upgrade screen because there is nothing to upgrade to, and Family Sharing lets up to six people in a household use the one purchase.
For that price you get every Apple screen. Streaks runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro, syncs through iCloud without an account, and completes fitness habits from Apple Health by itself. Its widgets let you tick tasks off from the home screen.
What it does well
- One small price, no extras. $5.99, no subscriptions, no in-app purchases.
- Every Apple device, synced through iCloud.
- Apple Health auto-completion for steps, workouts and mindful minutes.
- Widgets you can tick from, plus Apple Watch complications.
Where it falls short
- Apple only. There's no Android version, so a switch of phone means starting over somewhere else.
- No free version to try first, and at most 24 tasks.
- Progress lives behind a tap. The main screen shows today; how a month went is in the statistics.
- Pricing
- $5.99 once on the US App Store, with no in-app purchases.
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro.
- Ratings
- 4.8 from 27,352 ratings on the US App Store.
Loop Habit TrackerNo 03 · Best Free App On Android
Loop is the answer if "no subscription" means "no payment, ever". It is free, open source under the GPLv3 licence, shows no ads, needs no account and works without an internet connection. There is nothing to unlock, because nothing is sold.
It's also more capable than most free apps. Habits can run on schedules such as three times a week or every other day, reminders let you check a habit off from the notification, and six widget types put habits on the home screen, including one you can tick from. Its habit score is deliberately forgiving: in the listing's words, a few missed days after a long streak "will not completely destroy your entire progress".
What it does well
- Free and open source, with no ads and none promised in future.
- No account and no internet needed. Data stays on your phone, with CSV and SQLite export.
- Widgets you can tick from, at no cost.
- A forgiving score instead of an all-or-nothing streak.
Where it falls short
- Android only. There is no iPhone version, so it can't follow you to an iPhone.
- No sync between devices. The listing says your data never leaves your phone.
- Slow updates. The last Google Play update was in September 2025.
- Pricing
- Free, with no in-app purchases and no ads.
- Platforms
- Android, from Google Play or F-Droid.
- Ratings
- 4.7 from about 63,500 ratings on Google Play.
HabitifyNo 04 · Best Lifetime Plan For Syncing
Screenshots from the Habitify listing on the App Store. Images by its developer.
Habitify is mainly sold as a subscription, but it also offers a lifetime Pro purchase, which makes it the one-time option for people who need their habits on a phone, a watch, a computer and the web at once. Pro adds automatic logging from health and fitness apps, timers and integrations on top of unlimited habits.
The lifetime price is the catch. The US App Store lists Pro Lifetime at $119.99, with a second lifetime item at $59.99, and Habitify's own pricing page shows lifetime at $59.99. Which one you're offered can depend on the offer of the day, so check the price on the screen before you buy.
What it does well
- A lifetime option on every platform, including Mac, Wear OS and the web.
- Automatic logging from Apple Health, Health Connect, Fitbit and Strava with Pro.
- Detailed progress views, including scores and heatmaps.
Where it falls short
- The smallest free plan here. Three habits, and recent reviews mention frequent upgrade prompts.
- The highest one-time price on this list, and two different lifetime prices to choose between.
- Widget complaints. Recent App Store reviews say its widgets appear blank or don't update.
- Pricing
- Free for three habits. Plus is $29.99 a year; Pro is $8.99 a month, $49.99 a year or a one-time lifetime purchase listed at $59.99 and $119.99 on the US App Store.
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, Android, Wear OS and the web.
- Ratings
- 4.6 from 7,142 ratings on the US App Store and 4.2 on Google Play.
HabiticaNo 05 · Best Free Game
Screenshots from the Habitica listing on the App Store. Images by its developer.
Habitica turns your habits, daily tasks and to-dos into a role-playing game, and the whole game is free. Following through earns your pixel-art character experience and gold; skipping your dailies costs it health. Join a party with friends and everyone's follow-through counts toward the same quests.
The subscription is optional extras rather than a gate: the listing says the game "can be fully enjoyed for free".
What it does well
- The whole game is free, on phone, watch and web.
- Accountability with friends through parties, quests and challenges.
- Habits, dailies and to-dos in one place.
Where it falls short
- Ads on Android and an account to sign up for.
- The game is the interface. If you just want to see your consistency, the avatar and gear get in the way.
- No one-time option. You can buy gems, but there's no lifetime subscription.
- Pricing
- Free. An optional subscription costs $4.99 a month, $14.99 for three months, $29.99 for six months or $47.99 a year, and gems are sold separately.
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Android, Wear OS and the web.
- Ratings
- 4.3 from 3,522 ratings on the US App Store and 4.6 on Google Play.
Which One Should You Pick?
- If you want a free plan for good and the option to pay once later, on iPhone or Android: pick HabitKit.
- If every device you own is from Apple and $5.99 once sounds right: pick Streaks.
- If you're on Android and never want to pay: pick Loop Habit Tracker.
- If you need your habits on every platform and would rather pay once: pick Habitify, and check which lifetime price you're shown.
- If you want a free game with friends: pick Habitica.
Comparing more than price? Our six best habit tracker apps weighs widgets, platforms and data too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There A Habit Tracker With No Subscription At All?
Yes. Streaks is a single $5.99 purchase on Apple devices, and Loop Habit Tracker is free on Android with nothing to buy. HabitKit and Habitify both sell a one-time lifetime purchase next to their subscriptions.
What Is The Best Free Habit Tracker App?
On Android, Loop Habit Tracker is free with no limits. On iPhone and Android, HabitKit's free plan covers four habits for good with no account, and Habitica's game is free on both.
Does HabitKit Have A Lifetime Purchase?
Yes. HabitKit Pro is sold as a one-time Lifetime purchase as well as monthly and yearly subscriptions, and all three unlock the same features. Prices vary by country and are shown in the app (what Pro unlocks).
Is A Lifetime Purchase Worth It?
If you expect to track habits for more than a couple of years, usually yes, because a lifetime price often costs about what two or three years of a yearly plan would. If you're not sure you'll keep the habit, start on a free plan first and decide once the app has earned a place on your home screen.
Do I Lose My Habits If I Stop Paying?
It depends on the app. In HabitKit, the history you logged stays on your phone, and the free plan keeps four habits going. Check each app's help pages before you buy.
Final Thoughts
The cheapest habit tracker is the one you keep using. A free plan you outgrow in a week costs you more in restarts than a fair one-time price, and a lifetime deal for an app you stop opening is money spent on a folder icon.
So start free where you can, give it a month, and pay once only when the app has proved it belongs in your day. If you're unsure what to track first, start smaller than feels worthwhile.
HabitKit is free for four habits, takes a minute to set up and keeps your habits on your phone. Get it on the App Store or Google Play.
Sources
Checked on the date at the top of this page. App names, icons and screenshots belong to their developers and are shown to identify and illustrate each app; HabitKit is not affiliated with any of them.
