Habitica vs Pavlok (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Habitica grades higher than Pavlok: 3.4 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Habitica grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Habitica
Habit and task tracker that works like a role-playing game
Pavlok
Wearable that uses a vibration, beep or zap to break habits
Which one is for you
Pick Habitica if
- Fits if levels, gear and pets get you moving when a plain checklist doesn't
- Works for friends who want to keep each other honest, since a Party takes on Quests together
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a calm, plain tracker, because the game is the whole point
- Pricey if you need to assign shared tasks, as that's a Group Plan at $9 a month plus $3 a member
- Not for you if you expect the subscription to add features, since it's in-game perks only, and Gems are sold on top from $0.99
- Not for you if you want a Mac or Windows app or integrations, as none are listed
- Watch out: public pull requests to the open-source code have been paused since August 2026
Pick Pavlok if
- Fits if you want a physical nudge on your wrist when you slip on a habit
- Works for people who keep missing alarms and want a device that escalates
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want software only, since every route here is a device purchase or rental
- Not for you if you dislike a startling zap, which the company itself describes as unpleasant
- Pricey if you're comparing with habit apps that cost a few dollars a month
- Watch out: the rental is for the US and Canada only, and the refund terms sit on a separate page
- Too light for tracking many habits on a checklist
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAHabiticaVery good | 1.4GPAPavlokWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe tracker is free and open source, and the vendor's own listing says the app can be fully enjoyed for free. The $4.99 a month subscription buys in-game items, not features. The one real paid feature is a shared task board, at $9 a month plus $3 for each extra member. | DDevices run $159.99 to $219.99 against a category where a paid app starts near $2.49 a month. The $19.99 monthly rental is only for the US and Canada. |
| Free plan and trial | ANo cap anywhere to walk into: Habits, Dailies and To Do's, rewards you set yourself, avatar customization, Parties and Quests, synced across your devices. Gems, the in-game currency for gear and outfits, are the only thing sold from $0.99. | FNothing free: no free plan and no trial. A 180-day money-back guarantee is listed, but that's not a trial. |
| Features | AHabits logged as they happen, Dailies on a daily, weekly or monthly schedule and one-off To Do's, plus reminders, widgets and sync. On top sits a role-playing game with gear, pets, health points, Parties and Quests, which its rivals here don't offer. | CBeep, vibration and optional zap, smart alarms, habit routines, a buddy feature and automations. It reacts to a moment but it's no daily habit checklist. |
| Ease of use | C4.3 on the App Store from about 3,500 ratings, which on our ladder needs ten times that volume to earn a B. There's a vocabulary waiting too: Habits against Dailies against To Do's, Gems, Mystic Hourglasses, Parties and Quests. | CNo store rating on record. You have to buy a device and pair it with the app before it does anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | BThe web app, iPhone and Android, all synced, which covers a laptop and whatever's in your pocket. No Mac or Windows app is listed, and nothing on record that it connects to: the code is on GitHub, but public pull requests have been paused since August 2026. | CCompanion app for iPhone and Android only, with IFTTT, Zapier, Tasker and Shortcuts links. No web or desktop version. |
| Best for | turning habits and to-dos into a role-playing game | a wrist device that interrupts habits |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Habitica and Pavlok. How we grade
Price against what you get
Habitica starts at $4 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pavlok starts at $19.99 a month and scores 2.0.
Habitica scores higher and starts $15.99 a month lower. Of the other habit trackers on the chart, 1 scores higher than Habitica for less, and 38 score higher than Pavlok for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Habitica is open source, according to its own site.
- Habitica also covers tasks.
- Pavlok also covers goals.
At a glance
| Habitica | Pavlok | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $4.99 per month, or $47.99 for 12 months (App Store prices) | $19.99 per month (Shock Clock 3 rental); devices from $159.99 |
| Free plan | Habits, Dailies, To Do's, rewards, avatars, Parties and Quests are free; the vendor's App Store listing says the app can be fully enjoyed for free. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | HabitRPG, Inc. | Pavlok |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | pavlok.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Habitica
- The vendor lists a website plus Android and iOS apps; no desktop apps are listed.
- Assigning shared tasks to other people needs a Group Plan at $9 a month plus $3 for each additional member.
- Gems, the paid in-app currency for equipment and avatar customizations, are sold separately in packs from $0.99.
- Subscription benefits are in-game items and perks rather than extra task features.
Pavlok
- It is hardware: the price is a device purchase or a rental, not a software subscription.
- The zap is described by the company as unpleasant and startling, so it is not for everyone.
- The rental program is offered for US and Canada only, according to the product page.
- The page lists a 180-day money-back guarantee, but check the returns page for its terms.
Key features
Habitica
- Habits, Dailies and To Do's
- Habits are positive or negative actions logged as they happen, Dailies repeat on a daily, weekly or monthly schedule, and To Do's are one-off tasks.
- RPG rewards
- Finished tasks earn gold, experience and items for a customizable avatar, and missed ones cost health points. Rewards to spend gold on can be customized.
- Parties and Quests
- Friends team up in a Party for accountability and take on Quests together, which award Pets and Equipment.
- Group Plans
- A paid Group Plan lets members work from one task board and lets tasks be assigned to any number of members.
- Reminders, widgets and sync
- The mobile apps include reminders and widgets, and progress syncs across devices.
- Open source
- The code is published on GitHub and the project says it will stay open source. Public pull requests have been paused since August 4, 2026.
Pavlok
- Beep, vibration and zap
- Devices escalate from a chime or vibration to an electric zap; the page says intensity is adjustable from 0 to 100%.
- Smart alarms
- Shock Clock devices can require actions such as jumping jacks, scanning a QR code or solving a puzzle to switch off.
- Habit routines in the app
- The Pavlok app lets you create and customize routines, track habits and sleep, and use AI insights.
- Buddy and challenges
- A trusted friend can trigger the zap for you, and monthly Pavlok Challenge groups add peer accountability.
- Automations
- Connects to services such as IFTTT and Zapier, and offers an API and a productivity extension.
Plans
Habitica
Free$0
Habits, Dailies and To Do's with rewards, avatar customization, Parties and Quests, synced across devices.
Subscription$4.99
per month; $14.99 for 3, $29.99 for 6, $47.99 for 12 months
Optional in-game perks: an exclusive gear set every month, Mystic Hourglasses and the ability to buy Gems with Gold.
Group Plan$9
per month, plus $3 per month for each additional member
A shared task board with tasks assigned to members, and full subscription benefits for everyone in the group.
Pavlok
Shock Clock 3 rental$19.99
per month, rental with option to buy; US and Canada
Rents the Shock Clock 3 with no contract; the page says you can return it and may buy it outright.
Shock Clock 3$159.99
one-time purchase
Wake-up wearable that escalates from vibration and chime to a zap, controlled in the Pavlok app.
Pavlok 3$184.99
one-time purchase, Sports and Deluxe editions
Wearable that interrupts unwanted habits in the moment with beep, vibration or an optional zap.
Shock Clock MAX$219.99
one-time purchase
Sleep and wake-up device with a backlit display, sold as a one-time purchase.
Ways to pay less
Habitica
- Annual discount
About 20% less with a 12-month subscription
The App Store listing shows the subscription at $4.99 for 1 month and $47.99 for 12 months, about 20% less than 12 monthly payments ($59.88).
Pavlok
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Habitica or Pavlok?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Habitica is cheaper to start with: $4 a month when paid by the year, against $19.99 a month for Pavlok. Habitica starts at $4.99 per month, or $47.99 for 12 months (App Store prices), and Pavlok starts at $19.99 per month (Shock Clock 3 rental); devices from $159.99.
Which has a free plan, Habitica or Pavlok?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Habitica has a free plan. Pavlok does not.
Which platforms do Habitica and Pavlok run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Habitica lists a web app. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.