Compare Motivated and Habit Diary: Which App is the Best?

Motivated has some really cool features that make it stand out from other habit trackers. The best thing is probably the habit strength system - instead of just counting how many days in a row you did something, it shows you how strong your habit actually is. This is way more motivating when you're trying to build good habits.

Here's what we liked most:

1. Habit Strength Percentage:

This is the main thing that makes Motivated special. Instead of getting upset when you miss a day and break your streak, you can see your habit strength percentage. It's like having a progress bar for your habits - way better than just counting days.

2. Lots of Different Habit Types:

You can track pretty much any kind of habit - daily stuff, weekly goals, or monthly targets. The app handles all of them without any problems.

3. Notes for Each Habit:

You can add notes to your habits, which is really useful. We used this to plan our workout routines and keep track of what we're reading. It makes the app feel more like a personal planner.

4. Time-Based Organization:

You can group habits by time of day - morning, afternoon, evening. This is actually really helpful for building routines.

5. Tons of Customization:

There are over 550 icons to choose from and you can pick any color you want. It's fun to make each habit look different and personal.

But there are some downsides too. The free version feels pretty limited - basic stuff like widgets is locked behind premium, and some users feel like it's a "paid app pretending to be free." We also noticed you can't easily mark a habit as missed on a specific day, which several users have asked for.

Compared to Habitive which offers unlimited free habits, or Loop Habit Tracker which provides exceptional privacy features, Motivated's freemium model can feel restrictive. However, for users who want the unique habit strength tracking system, the premium features provide genuine value.

Overall, we'd give features an 8.0/10. The core stuff works great and the habit strength idea is really smart, but the free version restrictions and some missing features keep it from being perfect.

The app performs seamlessly, allowing you to track habits without any lag or interruptions. The habit completion functionality is quick and accurate, enabling you to mark off your daily habits effortlessly.

Performance strengths we observed:

• Fast App Launch: The app opens quickly and is ready for use almost immediately. We never experienced long loading times or delays
• Smooth Interactions: All user interactions feel fluid and responsive. Marking habits complete, navigating between screens, and customizing settings all work smoothly
• Efficient Data Handling: The app handles multiple habits and extensive tracking history without any noticeable performance degradation
• Reliable Widget Performance: Home screen widgets update promptly and accurately, providing real-time information without draining device resources
• Stable Operation: We encountered very few crashes or bugs during our testing period. The app maintained consistent performance throughout

However, we did notice some minor performance issues:

• Widget Updates: Some users have mentioned occasional delays in widget updates, though this didn't significantly impact our experience
• Date Picker Performance: The month-by-month scrolling in the date picker can feel sluggish when trying to set dates far in the past
• Large Data Sets: When dealing with very long habit histories, some operations may take slightly longer, though this is expected behavior

The best part is that the app works entirely offline. So, you can track your habits from any device, even without an internet connection.

Overall, Motivated delivers excellent performance that enhances rather than hinders the habit tracking experience. The app feels fast and reliable in daily use. We rate performance at 8.8/10 - very good performance with just minor areas for improvement.

The design is really clean and easy to use. You can start tracking habits right away without getting confused by a complicated interface. We really liked the customizable colors and how everything looks.

What most users seem to love is the dashboard and how habits are organized in a grid. It's super easy to find what you're looking for and navigate around.

Motivated's design is genuinely impressive - it's one of the cleanest, most intuitive habit tracking interfaces we've tested. The app strikes that perfect balance between being visually appealing and functionally clear, which is exactly what you want in a productivity app.

What we particularly loved about the design:

• Clean, Premium Feel: The interface has this polished, premium quality that makes it feel like a high-end app. Users consistently mention the "beautiful UI" and "simple yet feels like premium" experience
• Intuitive Color System: Being able to assign custom colors to each habit creates a beautiful, personalized dashboard. We found ourselves actually looking forward to filling in our daily habits because the visual feedback was so satisfying
• Modern Iconography: The 550+ custom icons are well-designed and meaningful. We could easily find icons that perfectly represented our habits, making the app feel more personal and engaging
• Consistent Visual Language: Every screen follows the same design principles - clean spacing, clear typography, and logical information hierarchy. Navigation feels natural and intuitive
• Beautiful Widgets: The home screen widgets are thoughtfully designed and match the app's aesthetic perfectly. They're both functional and visually appealing

We also noticed some design elements that users frequently praise. The percentage-based habit strength display is not only functional but also visually motivating - seeing your habits turn from red to yellow to green as you build consistency is genuinely satisfying.

However, there are a couple of design quirks. The date picker for setting habit start dates requires scrolling month by month, which we found cumbersome when trying to set a habit that started years ago. Some users have mentioned this as well, suggesting it could be more user-friendly.

While HabitKit offers the most elegant GitHub-style visualization and Habitive provides a clean, distraction-free interface, Motivated's design excels in creating a premium, motivating environment. The visual feedback system is particularly effective for maintaining user engagement.

Overall, the design is excellent and clearly a major strength of the app. We rate it at 9.2/10 - it's beautiful, functional, and genuinely enhances the habit tracking experience.

Motivated can be used for free without signing up, providing access to a range of offline features. However, the free version feels quite limited - basic features like widgets are locked behind premium, which some users find frustrating.

What we found valuable about the app's pricing:

• Lifetime Purchase Option: The availability of a one-time lifetime license is excellent and provides great long-term value compared to subscription models. Many users appreciate this option
• Comprehensive Free Tier: The free version includes all essential habit tracking functionality, allowing you to fully evaluate the app before committing to premium
• Quality Premium Features: Premium features like unlimited habits, widgets, and advanced analytics provide genuine utility rather than just cosmetic enhancements
• No Hidden Costs: The app is transparent about pricing with no surprise charges or hidden fees

However, we also encountered several value concerns that users frequently mention:

• Premium Gating: Several users have described it as a "paid app masquerading as a free app" with a "predatory paywall" that's "forced into your face at every opportunity"
• Feature Limitations: Some users feel that "some basics features that other apps would have free are paid for this app"
• Regional Pricing Concerns: Some users in certain regions have mentioned that the lifetime premium price could be more affordable for their local currency

For users seeking the best free experience, Habitive offers unlimited free habits with no paywalls, achieving a perfect 10.0 value rating. Meanwhile, HabitNow provides comprehensive features with a one-time premium upgrade, earning a 9.5 value rating.

The pricing plans are reasonable, making it a cost-effective solution for serious habit trackers. However, the heavy restrictions on the free version and the perception of aggressive premium gating affect its overall value proposition.

In the Security & Privacy category, we give Motivated a solid 7.5/10. The fact that you can use this tool without needing an account sets it apart from some competitors.

What we observed about privacy and security:

• Local Data Storage: The app stores your habit data locally on your device, which is good for privacy. Your personal information isn't automatically uploaded to external servers
• Minimal Permissions: Motivated only asks for essential permissions like notifications for reminders. It doesn't request access to unnecessary device features
• No Account Required: You can use the app without creating an account, which means you're not sharing personal information with the developers
• Transparent Policies: The app provides clear links to privacy policies and terms of service, though these are hosted externally

However, we also noticed some privacy concerns that users have mentioned:

• Premium Features: Some premium features like cloud backup could potentially involve storing your data on external servers, though this is optional
• Analytics Usage: The app may use third-party analytics tools, which could potentially track your usage patterns
• Limited Privacy Controls: Compared to some privacy-focused alternatives, users have fewer options to control how their data is handled

For users who prioritize maximum privacy, Loop Habit Tracker offers exceptional offline-first privacy with a 9.8 rating in this category. Similarly, Habitive keeps all data local without requiring accounts, achieving a 9.0 privacy rating.

Based on our testing and the user feedback we've seen, we rate security and privacy at 7.5/10. The app provides basic privacy protection but doesn't go as far as some competitors in terms of transparency and user control over data.