Strides alternatives
Users often seek Strides alternatives due to its high subscription cost and limitations in the free version, which only allows tracking a few habits. Many also encounter bugs, syncing issues, and an outdated user interface. Alternatives offer more flexible pricing, better UI, or specific features like robust Apple Watch integration.
Why users look for alternatives to Strides
- Strides' free version is severely limited, allowing users to track only 1 to 3 habits, which many find insufficient and greedy for an app that then charges a high premium.R6R7R9R12
- The app is considered expensive, with premium subscriptions costing around $39 or $80, leading users to seek more affordably priced alternatives.R4R9R19R36
- Users report numerous bugs and performance issues, including the app freezing or not opening, reminders failing, data not syncing across devices, and incorrect streak tracking.R10R13R15R19
- Strides is not well-suited for tracking habits that are not daily, with users finding it frustrating when the app expects daily tracking for goals meant to be completed a few times a week or on specific days.R1R31
- Some users find the app's UI/UX outdated, complicated, or unintuitive, making it difficult to set up certain goals or navigate.R18R24R27R30
The alternatives
Habit Tracker offers extensive customization, a clean aesthetic, and a one-time payment option for lifetime access, which many users appreciate over subscriptions R53R58R60R64. It provides a widget for tracking daily progress from the home screen R60.
Better for: This app suits users who value a one-time purchase model, extensive customization, and a visually appealing, streamlined design R53R58R64. It is also good for those who want a home screen widget to monitor progress R60. However, some users report issues with syncing across devices and a lack of intuitiveness R54.
Head-to-head: Strides vs Habit TrackerStreaks is praised for its ability to gamify habit tracking, making users feel motivated by seeing their streaks grow . It offers high customizability, a simple visual design, and a useful widget . A key advantage is its one-time purchase model, avoiding monthly subscriptions R75R78.
Better for: Streaks is ideal for users who are motivated by visual streaks and gamification to stay on track . It's also a good fit for those who prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription and appreciate a customizable, simple interface with Apple Watch integration R66R75R78. However, it has limitations in viewing the history of weekly tasks and some users find the navigation confusing R68.
Head-to-head: Strides vs StreaksDo Habits is valued for its clean, minimal design and maximal functionality, including unit tracking and customizable reminders R83. It is considered one of the best habit tracking apps for iOS and Apple Watch R83.
Better for: This app is best for users seeking a minimalist design with robust functionality, especially those who use Apple Watch for tracking R83. It supports unit tracking and flexible scheduling R83. However, recent updates have introduced significant lag, glitches, and crashes, making it frustrating for long-term users R79R81R82. Some users also report issues with Apple Health syncing and unresponsive support .
Head-to-head: Strides vs Do HabitsGrit offers a user-friendly interface and appealing aesthetics, making it a good 'to-do' app R94. Its streak feature helps users visually track progress and stay accountable .
Better for: Grit suits users who prioritize aesthetics and a user-friendly design for their habit tracking R94. It's also good for those motivated by streak tracking . However, the free version is very limited, only allowing a few habits, and users report aggressive premium upsells and issues with free trials R93R95R96. The statistics section is also noted as not very useful .
Head-to-head: Strides vs GritHabit-Bull is praised for being a practical, easy-to-use habit tracker without ads R108. It aims for a balance between being not overcomplicated or under-complicated .
Better for: Habit-Bull is suitable for users looking for a straightforward, easy-to-use habit tracker without ads . However, it faces significant issues with syncing across devices, which is a deal-breaker for some . Users also report bugs like being unable to delete or deactivate habits, and a lack of developer support and updates R107R110. Its flexibility for setting habit periodicity is limited to 'weekly' R109.
Head-to-head: Strides vs Habit-BullYou should stick with Strides if you are primarily tracking long-term, daily goals and appreciate features like skip/pause options and Gantt charts for complex tasks . It is also a good fit if you find its interface simple and effective for managing many different types of goals and are willing to pay for the premium version .
Evidence note: No alternative had too-thin evidence.
Frequently asked
What are the main limitations of Strides' free version?
Is Strides expensive?
Does Strides have issues with syncing data?
Which alternative offers a one-time payment instead of a subscription?
Are there any Strides alternatives with a minimalist design?
What reviewers actually said
Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.
- [R6] Strides Good app but..: Good app but having to pay just to have more than three things is greedy
- [R7] Strides in app purchases: there are in app purchases that basically limit everything
- [R9] Strides Useless for free users: **SUMMARY** This is a great app, but the premium is way too expensive, and without it you’re only able to use one tracker. If you don’t feel like dishing out $80 to use this app properly, don’t bother downloading it. **FULL REVIEW** This is a brilliant app, and I really like all the options and customizations available. One of the best habit trackers I’ve come across. How
- [R12] Strides Seems great but: You can only track 2 things for free. Just 2. I don't want to have to pay to have only 3 things to track.
- [R4] Strides What a waste: I bought the paid version so I could try to really get into goal making. But it’s such a waste of money. This app is more annoying than anything, just constant reminders than at actual times that are constructive. I sincerely regret having bought the paid version of this app. I would have been better off had I known, then I just wouldn’t have downloaded in the first place. Not a fan.
- [R19] Strides Not good: To have to pay $39 for this app and it doesn’t really remind you because I set a specific reminder as specific time and it didn’t remind me and then it just says in one big thing you have 21 things to do and it’s like OK yeah I’m glad that you’re telling me. I have 21 things to do but but half of the list was supposed to be for a later timeframe so why do I have 21 things that I supposed
- [R36] Strides Decent App: I liked this and the free of charge version got me off to a solid start. I would have subscribed/purchased if the price was lower but it doesn’t represent value to me at the offered price and I found an alternative that was more realistically priced and equally good. Thank you for the leg up, Strides Team and I wish you well.
- [R10] Strides Won’t open: Just downloaded app on iPad Pro. When I try to open, app immediately freezes and quits. No way to contact support without having app open.
- [R13] Strides Streaks don’t transfer to new devices: Been using this app for years and when I got a new iPhone, all my history is gone, even when I “synced” my trackers. Really disappointed 😭.
- [R15] Strides Powerful tracker; waiting for key bug fix: Powerful and flexible habit tracker with great templates and easy customization. Supports tracking "do" and "don't" habits. There is however a critical defect where weekly "don't" habits (eg don't drink more than 3 alcoholic drinks) are incorrectly marked as a "Miss" even though the limit of 3 has not been exceeded. Lots of my habits are weekly so this is
- [R1] Strides Fine for daily goals but that’s it: It’s fine, not great, for getting yourself to hit daily goals. But for anything else it’s awful. If you only want to do something a few times a week, find another app. This one is clearly not designed for that
- [R31] Strides It’s ok?: This app is fine if your main focus is habits you do daily. Even if you set up something to be due 2 or 3 times a week, or just on weekends for example, the app asks you to track it daily and there’s no satisfaction in hitting your goal but not getting the “box checked” every day. Also- the project tracker is pretty tough to use. You’d think if you check off all the items for a milestone
- [R18] Strides Good but UI & UX IS OUTDATED: Good app does what you need, but it hasn’t changed fundamentally in the way it looks or functions since its inception, like 12 years ago. If the developer can revamp its look, and function, I really think this app has the potential to be the gold standard in its respective category.
- [R24] Strides Ugh Idk: Im trying the free trial and would normally find this sort if thing intuitive but I'm already having frustrating issues. These two are why I won't buy: 1) you can set an action to be done by a date but milestones are necessary?? What if I just want to finish an educational course by the end of March with no milestone? If you can, it's not intuitive. 2) you can track the number of someth
- [R27] Strides Its ok just overly complicated: Its decent in most parts and downloaded it based on the recommendation from 6 minute diary. Ive paid for the year. But I simply just want to log my 2 litre water intake. I dont want to sync it with my watch, i dont want to log how many times a day. I just want to log in ml how much I’ve drunk. But it’s just not logical to setup that way. When setting up a manual g
- [R30] Strides Feeling good: The whole vibe about the app is feeling good, a few small gremlins like adding a tag seems to fight you, but my biggest gripe would be the text size, had my eyes checked and they tell me just on the edge of needing reading glasses but not yet, but the text in this app is small and thin font not good if your doing this half a sleep
- [R53] Habit Tracker Please give font size options: The app is beautiful. Love the customization. I got a lifetime subscription and am happy to not have to pay annually. Could you please consider adding the ability to increase the font size? It would be perfect then.
- [R54] Habit Tracker This app sucks: It’s not intuitive.
- [R58] Habit Tracker Love this app so much!: The only money you have to spend is a one-time payment of a pretty reasonable amount, and you unlock all of their features for life, unlike most other habit tracker apps. I love the aesthetic of the app, and how many options it gives you for managing your habits, while still having a very streamlined design. I’ve been using it for years, and seeing the little “🔥 700 days” o
- [R60] Habit Tracker Best habit tracking app I’ve used: Love the customization this app allows, and the widget to keep track of my daily progress from the Home Screen. Thank you!
- [R66] Streaks Wishing for more dots per page: Streaks is awesome. I love the Apple Watch aspect. I wish I could fit more dots per page, like 3 columns, 4 rows, as I prefer to fit my whole day on a single page
- [R67] Streaks Suggested: Still figuring it out. Love all the options to customize colors and stuff with categories. I wish there was a way to either select a default view like always show my monthly calendar, I wish there was a way to put that on a widget. I wish there was a way to limit what screens you toggle through when you’re clicking a task, and I wish there was more of like a zoomed out dashboard view. I
- [R68] Streaks Critical missing feature: This is a great app but with a critical missing feature. It lets you create streaks where you have a goal of “N per week.” This way you don’t have to do the task every day. However, you cannot see which days you completed that task. I’ll often wonder, did I already mark that task completed today? Or was it yesterday? The frustrating part is that there is even a calendar v
- [R69] Streaks PrettyGood: So far I like it. Wish Tasks weren’t auto ALL CAPS. Not easy on the eyes & kinda ANGRY.
- [R79] Do Habits Slow, Glitchy App: This app was one of the best habit trackers, but now is just glitchy and slow. It frequently has UI lag and doesn’t respond to user input. And worst of all, I can’t export my data to move to another app because it hangs on the CSV export. I’ve emailed support twice and received no response. I decided to not renew this year. Once a great app, now slow and poorly supported. Recomm
- [R80] Do Habits Good: So far it’s perfect
- [R81] Do Habits Lags terribly: I’ve been using this app for years and it’s been helping me keep good habits- I have a streak that’s 47 months long. But it’s been really laggy and crashes a lot lately. It’s disappointing. I’d rather not move to another app but I’m starting to feel like I’m being forced to.
- [R82] Do Habits Does not work anymore at all and just hangs: Since some of the newer updates, for whatever reason the app just doesn’t load anything at all and doesn’t allow me to click or do anything. My iphone is one of the newer models so it’s not an update thing.
- [R93] Grit Not very good: I would actually give it a 3 but just so you can see I’m showing it as a 5. You need to get the premium to edit habits (even the ones they start you out with) and it feels like there’s pressure to complete everything. The next day, if you didn’t completed something the day before it adds a minus to your habit and it’s like you have to earn it back. It also needs more work and update
- [R94] Grit 5 stars: Extremely easy to navigate through
- [R95] Grit 3 stars and this why: I downloaded and followed procedure to make account I just think it’s too limited on your goals. I shouldn’t be limited to only 1 choice when it could be any and all or a multitude of them collectively: deleting app. But it’s a good attempt. Cheers
- [R96] Grit DO NOT GET THE FREE TRIAL: They renew it before the week is up and buy the most expensive version of it so you’re stuck with it a whole year! Woke up the morning I subscribed to it to turn it off because it’s not a very good app and they renewed me for a whole year!
- [R107] Habit-Bull Not Supported Anymore?: The tracker itself is good and helpful, but the app is starting to have the weird bugs that are tells for a lack of developer support. For instance, you can not delete or deactivate habits. If you click on the buttons, a dialogue box seems to open at the top of the screen. But attempting to scroll up to the box removes it. That seems small but it’s actually breaks the app
- [R108] Habit-Bull Used it for years: Best habit tracker out there.
- [R109] Habit-Bull Needs More Flexibility: It’s frustrating that under the “Number of Days Per Period” the only periodicity option is “Weekly.” This should be a drop-down menu allowing the choice between Weekly or Monthly.
- [R110] Habit-Bull Can’t delete success habit: I have used HabitBull for at least 3 to 4 years the new version has a flaw: it won’t let me delete habits that is successful.
- [R16] Strides The free version isn’t useful: The free version is not useful, you only can add 3 goals.
- [R34] Strides Extremely Limited: You get three habits for free on the free version. Heads up.
- [R48] Strides Lost all data??!: I’ve had this app on my phone forever and used it very regularly. Recently, I deleted it, not sure if I deleted it from my home screen only or from my library. But anyway, when I open the app back up again all my data has disappeared. I can’t see where to login to retrieve my previous data.. is this possible? Normally, when I delete an app from my phone and then reinstall it all
- [R64] Habit Tracker GREAT APP! GET IT!: I got a one time lifetime purchase for the pro and I am super grateful! I love this habit app so far! It is very easy to use and I love the encouragement it gives me when I complete each task!🍕🎮😊🎉🎊👍🏻
- [R75] Streaks Insanely Generous: I never write reviews for apps but I gotta appreciate how this is the one app that doesn’t need a subscription every month. No idea why that was ever normalized. On top of this they make it so easy to use and this app has genuinely improved my life.
- [R78] Streaks Best habit app worth every cent: I use this to keep track of all my habits. Great and very useful app. Worth the one time fee easily!
- [R83] Do Habits cleanest design, nothing superfluous: this is the best habit tracking app for ios and apple watch. it’s worth the subscription cost immediately if you want a minimal design with maximal functionality (unit tracking, customizable reminders + schedule) for tracking your habits. i’ve tried many other apps and nothing is as simple and beautiful without missing features.
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store