HabitLab review (2026): is it any good?
Free browser extension that cuts time on distracting sites
HabitLab report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for cutting time on distracting sites
HabitLab is a free open-source Stanford project that tries different interventions on sites you pick and reports which ones worked for you. It's about browsing time, not a daily habit list, and the main download is for Chrome.
Who HabitLab is for
- Fits if you lose hours to a few websites and want something to nudge you
- Works for people who want a free tool and don't mind that it's a research project
Who HabitLab is not for
- Skip it if you want a daily habit checklist, because it only works on browsing
- Not for you if you're on Safari or iPhone, as the site mentions Chrome and Android
- Watch out: some anonymized data is sent to Stanford for research
- Watch out: it's a research project, and the site shows no company behind it
Why HabitLab gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree with no paid plans listed, and anyone can install it. Nothing in the category costs less.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright: a browser extension and an Android app, with no plan to hit a cap on.
- CFeaturesOver 20 interventions, usage tracking and results on what helped. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job than habit tracking.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. Install the extension, pick your sites, and it runs by itself.
- BPlatforms and integrationsA browser extension and an Android app. The home page mentions Chrome only, and there's no iPhone app.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from HabitLab's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make HabitLab? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/habitlab#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/habitlab.svg" alt="HabitLab: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where HabitLab stands among habit trackers
HabitLab's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 61 of the 64 other habit trackers we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 52 of 64) and worst on features (C, above 0).
HabitLab has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 65 habit trackers we grade, cut by the letter each got. HabitLab’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 47 of 64, level with 17
- AFree plan and trialAbove 52 of 64, level with 12
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 64, level with 39
- BEase of useAbove 22 of 64, level with 24
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 46 of 64, level with 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 44 habit trackers. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep HabitLab, or make your own?
Keep it
HabitLab is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 61 of the 64 other habit trackers we grade.
What you could make
- Habit tracking and time tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- A real app for Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. HabitLab’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is HabitLab?
HabitLab is an open-source project from the Stanford HCI group. You pick the sites you want to spend less time on, and it tries different interventions on each visit, such as hiding feeds or blocking videos. It then reports which ones worked best for you.
Worth knowing
- The site's main download is for Chrome; other browsers are not mentioned on the home page.
- Some anonymized data is sent to Stanford for research purposes, according to the site.
- It targets browsing time and is not a daily habit checklist.
Key features
- Over 20 interventions
- Includes hiding feeds, removing clickbait and blocking videos, rotated between visits to see what works.
- Sites you choose
- Supports Facebook, YouTube and any other site you pick as one you want to use less.
- Usage tracking
- Tracks your online time so you can see where it goes.
- Analytics on what helped
- Shows which interventions reduced your time the most.
- Android app
- The site also offers HabitLab for Android alongside the Chrome extension.
HabitLab pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, HabitLab is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free; the site lists no paid plans.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| HabitLab | $0 | Free browser extension and Android app; the site lists no paid plans. |
Read from habitlab.github.io on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with HabitLab before you buy.
HabitLab alternatives
- HabitLab vs Habitica
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
- HabitLab vs Streaks
From $5.99 one-time
- HabitLab vs Habitify
Free plan · from $29.99/yr
- HabitLab vs Beeminder
Free plan · from $8/mo
Common questions
Does HabitLab have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. HabitLab is listed for Android.
Does HabitLab have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. HabitLab is listed for Android.
Is HabitLab open source?
Yes. HabitLab is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.