The 4 Best Habit Apps for Building Routines That Last

By Jeremy Wirahadikusuma · 23 August 2026

Four approaches to building better habits, from simple tracking to understanding the context behind your progress.

The Right App Depends on What You Need

Building a habit is not only about remembering to check a box.

Sometimes you need a simple way to record completion. Sometimes you need guidance, a focus timer or a clearer understanding of why your routine works on certain days and falls apart on others.

The best app for you depends on the kind of support you need.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU NEED?
Different apps solve different parts of habit building
LIFE CONTEXT
Jorna
GUIDANCE
Atoms
VISUAL TRACKING
Things Take Time
FOCUSED TIME
Onrise

1. Jorna

Jorna is an app that connects context from across your life, including your habits, health, workouts, food, journal entries and personal reflections.

This broader understanding is what makes it especially powerful for building and maintaining habits.

Instead of checking off every habit individually, you can simply talk about your day. Jorna organises what you share, records your progress and remembers the context surrounding each habit.

This allows Jorna to understand more than whether you completed something. It can also help you explore what supported your progress or made a habit more difficult to complete.

For example, a missed workout may be connected to poor sleep, a demanding workday, lower energy or a change in your normal routine. These details might be recorded in different places, but Jorna brings them together.

SLEEP
Energy and recovery
FOOD
Nutrition and timing
WORKOUTS
Activity and performance
JOURNAL
Thoughts and emotions
JORNA CONNECTS THE CONTEXT
Separate parts of your life become one understandable story
BETTER HABIT INSIGHTS
Understand what helps you stay consistent and what gets in the way

You can ask Jorna questions about your progress, identify routines that work well together and discover the conditions that make consistency easier.

Best for: People who want to understand how their habits connect with the rest of their life.

Price: Free to download with optional in-app purchases. Options currently listed on the Australian App Store include Jorna Premium at A$14.99, a weekly subscription at A$4.99 and an annual subscription at A$99.99.

Download Jorna on the App Store

2. Atoms: From Atomic Habits

Atoms is the official app based on James Clear's bestselling book Atomic Habits.

It focuses on the idea that small, repeated improvements can create meaningful long-term change. The app combines habit tracking, streaks and progress insights with bite-sized lessons based on the book's core principles.

Atoms encourages you to make habits obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying while gradually building routines that last.

Rather than attempting a dramatic transformation overnight, it helps you begin with a manageable action and build momentum through repetition.

START SMALL
Choose an action that feels manageable
REPEAT CONSISTENTLY
Use reminders, streaks and structured guidance
BUILD MOMENTUM
Allow small improvements to compound over time

Best for: Readers of Atomic Habits and people who want structured guidance.

Price: Free to download. Atoms Pro costs A$7.99 per month or A$59.99 per year.

Download Atoms on the App Store

3. Things Take Time

Things Take Time offers a calm, minimalist approach to tracking habits, routines, personal metrics and daily activities.

The app displays your trackers together in a monthly grid, making it easier to see how small actions accumulate over time.

It also includes analytics that can help you identify patterns without overwhelming you with unnecessary features or complicated dashboards.

Its clean interface makes it a strong choice for people who want tracking to feel quick, organised and visually satisfying.

SMALL ACTIONS ACROSS THE MONTH
Progress becomes easier to see when each day appears together
·
·
·
VISIBLE PROGRESS
Simple tracking makes consistency easier to recognise

Best for: Minimalists who want flexible tracking and a clean monthly overview.

Price: Free to download. Things Take Time+ costs A$4.99 per month or A$59.99 for lifetime access.

Download Things Take Time on the App Store

4. Onrise

Onrise combines a straightforward habit tracker with a Pomodoro focus timer and personal journal.

Its timer is particularly useful for habits that require focused blocks of time, such as studying, exercising, reading, writing or practising a skill.

Instead of recording only whether you completed something, you can dedicate a specific amount of time to the activity. This gives the habit a clear starting point and can make difficult tasks feel more approachable.

Onrise's simple design helps you focus on completing your routines without introducing complex dashboards or distracting features.

CHOOSE A HABIT
Reading, studying, exercise or focused work
SET A FOCUS TIMER
Create a clear and manageable session
COMPLETE AND RECORD
Turn focused time into visible progress

Best for: Time-based habits, focused work sessions and simple daily tracking.

Price: Free.

Download Onrise on the App Store

Which App Should You Choose?

Each app takes a different approach to helping you build routines. The right choice depends on whether you want deeper understanding, structured guidance, minimalist tracking or focused time.

WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU?
Choose the type of support that fits your habits
Connect habits with your wider life Choose Jorna
Follow the Atomic Habits method Choose Atoms
Keep tracking visual and minimal Choose Things Take Time
Build habits through timed sessions Choose Onrise

Jorna is the strongest choice for understanding how your habits connect with your health, food, workouts, thoughts and wider life.

Atoms is ideal for people who want a guided system based on the principles of Atomic Habits. Things Take Time provides an attractive minimalist experience, while Onrise is an excellent free option for habits that benefit from timed focus sessions.

Ultimately, the best app is the one that makes recording and understanding your progress easy enough to continue, even on your busiest days.

Prices are in Australian dollars and were checked on 23 August 2026. App Store pricing may change.