HabitNow vs HabitPal (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HabitNow grades higher than HabitPal: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
HabitNow grades higher on value for money and the free plan. HabitPal grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
HabitNow
Android habit tracker and to-do list with a one-time upgrade
Free plan · from $0.99 one-time
HabitPal
Habit tracker with streaks, heatmaps, widgets and Apple Health
Free plan · from $2.99
Which one is for you
Pick HabitNow if
- Fits if you're on Android and want habits and a to-do list in one app
- Works for timed habits, with a stopwatch, a countdown and an interval timer built in
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an iPhone or want a web or desktop version, as it's Android only
- Not for you if you want cloud backup for free, since that's a premium feature you switch on yourself
- Tight if you'd share the upgrade, because the license is tied to one Google account and can't be transferred
- Watch out: Play shows in-app items from $0.99 to $11.99 and doesn't name the premium price
- Watch out: the vendor doesn't publish where the free version stops
Pick HabitPal if
- Fits if you want habits on the Home Screen and Lock Screen
- Works for people who want to track without making an account
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you track a lot of habits on the free version
- Watch out: the App Store lists purchases from $2.99 to $39.99 and doesn't say which is which
- Watch out: sync is described for Apple devices through iCloud only
- Watch out: Friends needs an account
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAHabitNowGood | 2.6GPAHabitPalGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AA one-time upgrade, and even the top of Google Play's $0.99 to $11.99 range is less than four months of this category's middle subscription. Play doesn't name which item is the premium unlock, so the exact price only shows at the upgrade screen. | CUnlimited Access is listed from $2.99 to $39.99 with no word on which is monthly, yearly or lifetime, so it lands in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to download, with the habit tracker, to-do list, timers, reminders, streaks and charts on one phone. Cloud backup is the paid part on record, and the vendor never publishes where else free stops. | CFree to start without an account, but the number of habits is limited. |
| Features | BHabits, recurring tasks and one-off to-dos in categories and lists with priorities, daily, weekly or monthly goals, an in-app calendar, stopwatch, countdown and interval timers, alarms, streaks, charts, daily notes, widgets and an app lock. It connects to nothing. | BStreaks, heatmaps, completion rates, Apple Health habits, widgets, Shortcuts, friends and bad-habit tracking, with nothing in the listing showing a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: install it from Play and start adding habits, with no account and no sync to configure. The widget shows the day's progress without opening the app. | BNo verified store rating on record, the site's own 4.8 is the maker's claim. No account needed, so you open it and start. |
| Platforms and integrations | DOne operating system. Android, through Google Play, and the vendor's pages mention nothing else: no iPhone, no web, no desktop, nothing it connects to, and the premium licence is tied to a single Google account. | BiPhone, Mac and Android, with Apple Health, Shortcuts and Watch widgets. Sync described is iCloud only. |
| Best for | habits and to-dos together on Android, paid once | habits with widgets and Apple Health |
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: HabitNow and HabitPal. How we grade
Where they differ
- HabitNow can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- HabitNow also covers tasks.
- HabitPal also covers goals and reports.
In commonFree planAndroidHabit tracking
At a glance
| HabitNow | HabitPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $0.99 to $11.99 one-time (Google Play in-app purchase range) | $2.99 to $39.99 for Unlimited Access (billing periods not shown) |
| Free plan | Free to download and use, with data stored only on the device. The vendor's pages do not list the limits of the free version. | Free to start with no account needed; Pro unlocks unlimited habits and every premium feature. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | HabitNow Apps | HabitPal |
| Price read from | play.google.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
HabitNow
- The vendor's pages mention only Google Play; no iOS, web or desktop version is listed.
- Google Play shows in-app purchases from $0.99 to $11.99 per item and does not name the exact price of the premium upgrade.
- Without premium, data is stored only on the device; cloud backups are a premium feature that has to be switched on manually.
- The premium license is tied to one Google account and cannot be transferred or shared.
HabitPal
- The free version limits the number of habits; Pro removes the limit.
- The App Store lists several Unlimited Access purchases from $2.99 to $39.99 without saying which is monthly, yearly or lifetime.
- The site describes iCloud sync for Apple devices only, and Friends needs an account.
Key features
HabitNow
- Habits and to-dos together
- Habits, recurring tasks and one-off to-dos live in one app, organized into categories and lists with priorities.
- Flexible scheduling
- Each habit or task can be given a daily, weekly or monthly goal, and the schedule can be reviewed in an in-app calendar.
- Timers
- A stopwatch, a countdown timer and an interval timer track timed activities, including alternating work and break intervals.
- Reminders and alarms
- A customizable reminder system with alarms notifies you about scheduled habits and tasks.
- Streaks, charts and daily notes
- Success streaks, charts and statistics show progress on every habit, and daily notes can be added alongside them.
- Widgets, app lock and backups
- Home screen widgets show daily progress, a lock screen protects the app, and backups can be exported to another device.
HabitPal
- Streaks and heatmaps
- Shows streaks, year-at-a-glance heatmaps, completion rates and best streaks.
- Apple Health habits
- Steps, sleep, workouts and mindful minutes can complete matching habits automatically.
- Widgets and Shortcuts
- Track from Home Screen, Lock Screen or Apple Watch widgets, and log habits through Siri and Shortcuts.
- Friends
- Share habits with friends, follow progress and send nudges; this is the only part that needs an account.
- Bad habits
- Mark a habit as one to quit and log slips to see progress over time.
- iCloud sync
- Keeps habits in sync across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch when you turn it on.
Plans
HabitNow
Free$0
The habit tracker and to-do list with data kept only on the device. The limits of the free version are not published.
Premium$0.99 to $11.99
one-time purchase; Google Play shows only a price range
A one-time upgrade tied to a Google account that unlocks additional features and optional cloud backups.
HabitPal
Free$0
Start tracking habits for free without an account, with a limit on the number of habits.
HabitPal Pro$2.99
to $39.99; subscription or lifetime, periods not shown
Unlimited habits and every premium feature, as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, HabitNow or HabitPal?
As of Nov 13, 2026, HabitNow starts at $0.99 to $11.99 one-time (Google Play in-app purchase range), and HabitPal starts at $2.99 to $39.99 for Unlimited Access (billing periods not shown).
Which has a free plan, HabitNow or HabitPal?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both HabitNow and HabitPal have a free plan.
Which platforms do HabitNow and HabitPal run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only HabitPal lists macOS and iOS apps. Both list an Android app. 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.