14 Best Goal-Setting Apps for Tracking & Achieving Goals

Everyone wants to achieve goals, however, few are actually able to do it. One way to make goal achievement easier is to use a goal-setting app that helps you set, track, and make progress towards your goals. Below we discuss the best goal-setting apps that can aid you in achieving important goals.

Here are the top 14 goal-setting apps and what they're best for:

• Strides: Habit tracker and personal project management tool
• Coach.Me: App with personalized community and coaching
• Habitica: Gamifies the goal-setting & achieving process
• Productive: Daily habit tracker for small repeatable habits
• Way of Life: Builds habits through daily accountability
• Stickk: Goal-setting app using negative incentives
• ATracker: Time-based habit management app
• GoalsOnTrack: App for professional & business goals
• Streaks: App for fitness-focused goals
• Habit-Bull: Goal-setting app with daily motivation
• Toodledo: Team-focused goal-setting app
• Lifetick: Builds habits based on defined core values
• Fabulous: App with step-by-step achievement plans
• Habitify: App that helps make data-driven decisions

Strides: Habit Tracker & Project Management

What It’s Used For: All-in-one habit tracker and project management tool
Price: Free up to three goals, $5/month for unlimited goals.

The Strides app tracker goes beyond other options as it helps you to kick bad habits and embed good ones by setting personal SMART goals and managing the related projects. Available on iOS and web, Strides uses four different tracking methods to help you achieve your goals. The free version tracks up to three habits or goals, while Strides Plus, which costs $5/month, allows unlimited goals. Data can be synced between devices.

Strides Features

• Habit/Goal Categories: Health, finance, hobbies, business, relationships, or you can create a custom category.
• Project Management: Create larger project goals using a variety of templates to set up your project, view metrics, and analyze project data.
• Goal-Tracking Options: Offers four customizable trackers, including Target, Average, Habit and Milestones.
• Additional Offerings: Strides includes a free 7-day email course promoting productivity through goal setting and habit creation.

Who Should Use Strides

Strides is an effective productivity tool and one of the best goal-setting apps for those who want an all-in-one habit tracker and project management tool. Its clean template and four customizable trackers help you to visually monitor progress to improve discipline and accountability. Check out Strides' website for more information.

Coach.Me: App With Community & Coaching

What It’s Used For: Kicking bad habits and building good ones with live, personalized coaching and support
Price: Free to track unlimited goals with personal coaching for $20/week, leadership coaching for $249/month

The Coach.Me goal tracker offers a clean interface to track unlimited habits for free. Available on iOS, Android, and web, users can select from a variety of habits under pre-selected categories or create their own goals. Once a goal is selected, you join a community of users with the same goal to help you achieve or kick the habit. For those who want extra guidance, Coach.me offers weekly habit coaching for $20/week and up and leadership coaching for $249/month.

Coach.Me Features

• Habit/Goal Categories: Themes include nutrition, sleep, learning, or fitness, and custom themes can also be created.
• Online Community: Become part of an online community related to your goal or habit category and use the chat function to get accountability and advice.
• Free Habit-Forming Advice: App offers additional advice to its users through things like the Medium platform.
• Premium Coaching: Coach.Me offers three levels of coaching: weekly group coaching, daily private coaching, or executive coaching for $20-$249.

Who Should Use Coach.me

Coach.me is most effective for goal-setters who need personalized support to set or change their habits or behavior. While not as attractive or customizable as others, Coach.me’s clean, simple interface gets the job done for free. The program’s large community of subscribers and menu of paid coaching options also sets it apart. Check out their website for more details.

Habitica: Goal-Setting Gamification

What It’s Used For: Goal-setting gamification through virtual avatars that show the positive and negative effects of your actions
Price: Free for basic app and multiple-user options for $9/month plus $3/user

Habitica is a gamified version of a goal-setting app. Users set up an avatar that earns rewards or punishments based on meeting or missing goals and habits. Available on iOS, Android, and web, Habitica also offers extensions to different third party sites like Chrome to support you in your goal. The basic app is free, with group plans for households, teams, or schools available for $9/month plus $3/user.

Habitica Features

• Gamification: Experience and gold is given to avatars for completing good habits or avoiding bad ones. If a user fails to avoid a bad habit, their avatar loses health. As a user conquers their tasks, they progress in the game, earning better weapons and tools.
• Single Player or Multiplayer Options: The gamification can be played as a solo adventure or together as a group where you work together as a team and hold each other accountable.

Who Should Use Habitica

Habitica is great for those who enjoy games and competitions. By gamifying good habits and virtually punishing bad habits, users quickly see the effects of their actions. The collaborative mode takes it a step further and adds additional accountability and partnership. Check out Habitica’s website for more information.

Productive: Daily Habit Tracker

What It’s Used For: Helps users build positive habits and routines into their day-to-day
Price: Free for 5 habits with unlimited habit tracking for $6.99 a month to $29.99 annually

Productive is a useful app for those who want to add positive routine and structure to their day-to-day. Both the free and premium version, available only on iOS, allow you to choose from a list of daily habits or customize your own. The free version is limited to five habits while the subscription-based premium version allows an unlimited number of habits for $6.99 a month, $11.99 for three months, or $29.99 annually.

Productive Features

• Habit/Goal Categories: Habits can be chosen from pre-engineered categories such as Morning Routine, Getting Stuff Done, Staying Fit, and Personal Finance, among others. Users can also create their own.
• Daily Habit Tracking: Habit-tracking can be customized to time of day, frequency, and length of habit. Reminders can be time-based or location-based.
• Don't Break the Chain Approach: The app displays your personal Life Log, which shows which days you have completed all, some or none of your tasks, encouraging you to build a streak of perfect days and further build your daily routine.

Who Should Use Productive

Productive is best for iPhone users who want to build positive habits and routines into their daily life. Productive’s colorful, customizable interface is great for those who are motivated by visual reminders and personal bests. To learn more, check out their website for details.

Way of Life: Daily Goal-Setting Accountability

What It’s Used For: Building daily accountability without spending excessive time on your phone
Price: Free to track three goals or habits, with unlimited tracking for $3.99/month

Way of Life is built around brief daily interactions to assess progress towards your goals as well as to understand how to improve your habits. The free version allows you to choose up to three habits or goals that you want to track, while the premium version includes unlimited habits and costs $3.99/month.

Way of Life Features

• Daily Accountability: The app is simple and sends s simple daily notification asking whether you have completed your good habits or avoided your bad habits that day.
• Daily Journal: Also included with the daily accountability is a journal space that can be completed to log your actions.
• Clean Interface: The app's interface incorporates custom reminders and widgets while organizing data so you can see trends over time to better gauge progress.

Who Should Use Way of Life

Way of Life is a great solution for those who want daily accountability towards reaching their goals or achieving a habit without spending too much time on their phone. Data visualization through pie, bar and line charts and journal entries help motivate users and pinpoint areas for improvement. Check out their website for more information.

Stickk: App Using Negative Incentives

What It’s Used For: Building habits through negative incentives rather than positive incentives (aka the “stick” rather than the “carrot”)
Price: Free with option to deposit money for further accountability

Founded by Yale professors, Stickk describes itself as a commitment platform rather than a goal-setting app. Stickk has users decide on a single goal, sign commitments to themselves, and then put money or similar type of accountability on the line to ensure they achieve their goal. Available for free on the web, iOS or Android, Stickk focuses on loss aversion to help users commit to behavior change.

Stickk Features

• Use of Negative Incentives: Users define their commitment with a preset goal and put money on the line. Funds are then put in escrow. Every time the user fails to meet their progress goals, the money is donated to a chosen anti-charity, random charity, or designated friend.
• Commitment Journal: Option to share progress, take notes, and update supporters and a referee, if you chose one.
• Group Wagers: Groups can also collaborate to tackle a similar goal, such as weight loss, and make a community wager.

Who Should Use Stickk

Stickk is best for those who are motivated by strong convictions and would find it difficult to sway from those. By using loss aversion and negative consequences to encourage positive behavior, Stickk literally uses the stick method to help you achieve your goals. Check out their website for more information.

ATracker: Time-Based Habit Management

What It’s Used For: Building good habits through better time management
Price: Free basic app with ad-free ATracker Pro between $2.99 and $4.99, as well as web-syncable Premium version for $2.99/month

If you’re looking to manage your time more productively, ATracker is one of the best goal-setting apps on our list. The basic ATracker app, free for iOS or Android, allows you to track and categorize time spent. ATracker Pro, with a one time cost of $2.99 for Android and $4.99 for iOS, provides ad-free access to unlimited task management, data export, and support for multiple devices including Apple Watch. ATracker Premium, for $2.99/month also syncs to the web.

ATracker Features

• Time-Tracking Functionality: Start and stop tracking an activity with a single click. Specified times and durations can be set to ensure adequate time is being spent on desired activities. For example, you may want to run a specific number of hours per week.
• Calendar View: Activities and goals can be viewed in a list or calendar form for you to analyze. Pie and bar chart reports can be reviewed and shared with others.

Who Should Use ATracker

ATracker is best for independent professionals and those trying to better understand and manage their daily time and productivity. Target tasks, reminders and duration settings will ensure that you are spending adequate time on desired tasks while data reports can help you find or reallocate time so you can work on achieving your goals. For more information, check out their website.

GoalsOnTrack: Professional & Business Goals

What It’s Used For: Achieving professional goals through customized goal templates and action plans 
Price: $68 annually for unlimited access to the web and mobile applications

GoalsOnTrack describes itself as the “goal setting and goal management software for high achievers”. Membership costs $68 annually and includes unlimited access to the web and mobile applications. The software’s dashboard helps you create SMART goals through the use of templates, and track manually or by subgoals, tasks, and outcomes.

GoalsOnTrack Features

• Custom Professional Dashboard: Custom dashboard helps you set major goals, tasks and habits, including custom or preset goals such as starting your own business or creating a passive income stream.
• Professional Templates & Tools: Templates include multi-level goals with action plans. Integrated tools such as a time tracker, task manager, habit tracker, calendar, vision board and journal work together to support you in achieving your goals while the Goal Review reports help you assess progress.

Who Should Use GoalsOnTrack

GoalsOnTrack high price point and detailed templates will appeal to professionals and business owners who want to achieve financial and career goals. Their SMART goal strategy and preset action plans build a framework that works best for achieving “Mount Everest” goals, such as starting a business, creating passive income streams or writing a book. Check out their website for more information.

Streaks: Fitness-Focused Goals

What It’s Used For: Building fitness-focused habits with support from iOS Health app and Apple Watch 
Price: Track up to twelve habits for better health and well-being for $4.99

Streaks is a paid iOS app that helps you focus on achieving health-related goals. Costing $4.99 to download, Streaks allows you to select up to twelve actions to focus on in order to create a habit and integrates with Apple Watch as well as the iOS Health app, especially useful for tracking habits related to your personal health.

Streaks Features

• Health & Wellness Goals: Integration with the iOS Health app and Apple Watch means fitness and health goals are automatically tracked. The goal is to create a health-related streak and avoid breaking it or it resets to zero.

Who Should Use Streaks

Streaks colorful and easy to navigate interface is best for fitness-related goals and habits. Integration with the iOS Health app and Apple Watch and customizable widgets keeps users engaged in building good habits and avoiding bad ones, to help them achieve optimal wellness. For more information, check out their website.

Habit-Bull: App Focused on Daily Motivation

What It’s Used For: Helping beginners build good habits through a simple interface and the use of motivation 
Price: Free version tracks 5 goals while Premium version between $4.99/monthly to $19.99/annually tracks up to 100 habits

Habit-Bull is a goal-setting app and productivity tool for iOS and Android users. Habit-Bull helps you break bad habits and reinforce good ones through a focus on motivation. Similar to Streaks and Productive, this app adheres to the, "don’t break the chain” philosophy. The free version allows tracking of five goals while the Premium version for $4.99/monthly, or $19.99/annually, offers tracking of 100 habits, cloud backup and sync, widgets, and data export capability.

Habit-Bull Features

• Motivational Focus: Motivational phrases and support help you get advice and push through obstacles, while a thoughtful graphic interface inspires you not to break the chain.
• Clean Interface & Design: HabitBull’s clean interface allows you to set a positive or negative habit, with reminders and a streaks calendar.

Who Should Use HabitBull

Habit-Bull’s user-friendly interface is best-suited for beginners who want to create positive or eliminate negative habits. Simple to set up and visually appealing, Habit-Bull’s motivational quotes and positive community will support you in achieving your goals. Check out their website for more information.

Toodledo: Team-Focused Goal-Setting

What It’s Used For: Setting team goals and managing associated team projects
Price: Four options including a free version as well as pricing from $2.99/month to $4.99/month, with a custom-priced business option

Toodledo calls itself a flexible, multi-functional productivity tool with robust collaboration features. Based on the ‘Getting Things Done’ philosophy, Toodledo systematically organizes your personal, professional, and household tasks to optimize productivity. In addition to a free option, Toodledo has four subscription options including Standard for $2.99/month, Plus for $4.99/month, and a custom-priced Business option.

Toodledo Features

• Team-Focused Goals: Toodledo’s goal-setting tools support project management by sharing and assigning tasks. The Workspaces feature permits other users to access pre-approved to-do lists, files, and tasks, for better team engagement.
• Prioritized Task List & Scheduler: Toodledo’s hotlist automatically prioritizes a list of tasks based on due date or user priority. If there is free time in the calendar, the scheduler will generate tasks based on due-dates, priorities, and time estimates so you can better complete projects within a team setting.
• Customization Options: Toodledo allows users to customize their settings to the level of detail they find useful. Users can set goals, schedule tasks and subtasks, put in reminders and alarms, and generate statistics to gauge progress.

Who Should Use Toodledo

Toodledo is best for professional users seeking a combined goal setting and project management tool. The free version, available only for individuals, is less useful than some of our other options, given the limit on habits, tasks, and data storage of only two weeks, making it less useful. If you’re looking to set team goals, check out their website.

Lifetick: App Focused on Core Values

What It’s Used For: Building good habits by understanding core values and the ‘why’ behind your actions
Price: Free individual version for up to four goals or unlimited goals for $5/month; team version costs $10/month and up

Unlike the other apps on our list, Lifetick takes a philosophical approach to goal-setting before arming you with the tools to achieve them. Lifetick asks you to start with your core values and understand why they matter before you commit to a series of tasks. LifeTick, integrated via web, iOS, and Android, has a free individual version for up to four goals or unlimited goals for $5/month. Team memberships for organizations run $10/month and up.

Lifetick Features

• Value-Based Goal-Setting: users select up to 10 core values, which may include health, family, education, lifestyle, friends, spirituality, finance, and career or a custom selection. They then set SMART goals, linking to a specific core value, writing down why it matters, and marking the magnitude and priority of low-to-high.
• Reminders & Reports: The free individual version also includes email reminders, a journal of achievements, and goal and task reports. The paid version for individuals also includes multi-task checklists, the ability to customize trackers and tracker reports.
• Multi-User Collaboration: Users can set shared goals with other users, called collaborators, who then add, edit or complete tasks together. Users can also set up supporters to update them of progress and cheer them along the way.

Who Should Use Lifetick

Lifetick is most useful for people or groups wanting to link their goals to core values as well as understand the ‘why’ behind their actions. This can help with better behavior and sustained habitual changes. Check out their website for more information.

Fabulous: Step-by-Step Achievement Plans

What It’s Used For: Building habits and self-discipline through a gentle, step-by-step plan 
Price: Subscription only service costs $9.99/month or $95.99/year

The Fabulous app for iOS and Android was incubated in Duke's Behavioral Economics Lab. Focused on health and wellness, the app will help reset habits, retrain your mind, and build self-discipline. Fabulous is a subscription-only service, costing $9.99/month or $95.99/year. Fabulous takes a step-by-step approach to self-improvement, instilling one or two habits at a time before moving on to the next one.

Fabulous Features

• Plans & Programs: Through individual journeys, such as Morning Ritual, Start an Exercise Habit, Mental Toughness, or Building Self-Discipline, the app provides a program and tools for building focus and concentration, better sleep, stress management, healthy eating, exercise, motivation and happiness.
• Rigid Structure: Fabulous is fairly rigid with little flexibility to customize habits and routines. That said, additional ‘live’ challenges can be joined, such as meditation or healthier eating, allowing users to discuss, share progress, and motivate others along the way.

Who Should Use Fabulous

Fabulous is good for those who want a gentle, step-by-step plan to improve their health and holistic well-being. The app focuses on one keystone habit at a time, making sure it sticks before moving on. Integrated coaching for exercise, meditation and diet helps users to focus on specific actions and triggers to improve their health. Check out their website for more information.

Habitify: Data-Driven Decision-Making

What It’s Used For: Achieving goals with performance data and number crunching 
Price: Free to track 3 goals, with unlimited goals for $4.99/month, $30/year or $39.99 one-time payment

Habitify is perfect for those who are motivated by performance data. Once goals are set and habits tracked, performance analysis improves effectiveness. Habitify drills down on hourly and day of the week trends to help you assess stumbling blocks. Available on the web, iOS and Android, the free version tracks 3 goals while the premium version ($4.99/month, $30/year or $39.99 one-time) allows unlimited goals.

Habitify Features

• Analyzer & Data-Exporter: A yearly analyzer and data export will help you dig deep into the data. The premium version also allows you to make notes, set unlimited reminders, and skip a habit if you're sick or on holiday or archive habits.

Who Should Use Habitify

Habitify is great for those who enjoy assessing data to improve performance. Habitify’s useful charts and tables provide specific, actionable insights to help pinpoint trouble spots while unlimited reminders ensure you tick off that habit until it’s second nature. Check out their website for more information.

Conclusion: Best Goal-Setting App

Whatever facet of your life you are looking to progress in, goal-setting apps are useful tools to set and stay on target. Each tool uses a different approach, leveraging technology in order to reinforce good habits or dissuade you from bad ones. Whether you are motivated by positive psychology, the stick rather than the carrot, or graphs and charts, there are a variety of tools to help you achieve goals and accelerate your growth.