Compare Habitive and PaperSpan: Which App is the Best?

	PaperSpan	Habitive
	A reliable read-it-later app with clean formatting and offline reading. Great for organizing articles by category, though the interface feels dated. Read It Later Productivity	Habitive is a beautifully designed habit tracking app that helps you build positive habits through an intuitive interface, achievement system, and unlimited habit creation. It's completely free with no ads or subscriptions required. Habit Tracker Productivity
Key Features	Clean Reading Experience – Articles displayed in distraction-free format Offline Reading – Access saved articles without internet connection Audio Playback – Listen to articles with text-to-speech feature Smart Organization – Auto-categorization and folder management Cross-Platform Sync – Save from desktop, read on mobile devices Kindle Integration – Send articles directly to Kindle devices	Unlimited Habits – No limits on how many habits you can create Flexible Goals – Set weekly targets that fit your life (daily, 4x/week, etc.) Achievement System – Unlock rewards as you build your habits Home Screen Widgets – Keep your habits visible without opening the app Progress Tracking – See how you're doing over time Quick Setup – Get started in just 3 clicks
Our Rating	7.2	9.2
Total users	0	0
Total ratings	0	0
Average rating	— ⭐	— ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Android	Downloads	Downloads
iOS
Features	7.3 PaperSpan is pretty good at the basic stuff. It takes messy web articles and makes them actually readable, which is honestly the main thing you want from an app like this. No ads, no random pop-ups, just clean text that's easy on the eyes. Saving Articles: Click one button and it's saved. The app even sorts them into categories automatically, which actually works most of the time. Clean Reading: Articles look way better in the app than on the original websites. No clutter, just the content. Offline Reading: Download stuff to read on the subway or plane. Really handy when your internet is spotty. Listen to Articles: The text-to-speech thing is useful if you want to "read" while doing dishes or whatever. Works Everywhere: Save on your computer, read on your phone. It syncs pretty well most of the time. Kindle Thing: You can send articles to your Kindle, which is nice if you prefer reading on e-ink. The annoying part is that sometimes the text gets cut off halfway through an article, so you have to switch to the web view to finish reading. Also, the search could be better. It's a solid app for basic use, but if you want fancy features, you might be disappointed. We'd give it 7.3 out of 10.	8.5 Habitive has all the basic features you'd want in a habit tracker, plus some nice extras. It's not trying to do everything - it focuses on helping you build habits without getting complicated. What we liked most: 1. Unlimited Habits This is where Habitive really shines. Most free habit trackers only let you create 3-5 habits, but Habitive lets you create as many as you want. No artificial limits. Unlike HabitKit which restricts free users to just 4 habits, or Disciplined which locks away detailed statistics behind a paywall, Habitive gives you everything upfront. Setting up a new habit is super simple. Just tap the plus button, pick a name, and choose how often you want to do it each week. That's it. 2. Weekly Goals Instead of forcing you to do something every single day, you can set flexible goals. Want to exercise 4 times a week? No problem. Want to read every day? That works too. This makes it much more realistic for most people's lives. 3. Achievement System The app has a fun game-like system where you unlock achievements as you stick with your habits. It sounds silly, but it actually helps keep you motivated. While not as elaborate as Habitica's full RPG experience, it provides just enough gamification to keep things interesting. 4. Progress Tracking You can see your stats for each habit - how many times you've completed it, your current streak, and a calendar view of your progress. 5. Home Screen Widgets You can add widgets to your phone's home screen so you always see your habits. This is great for staying on track, though some users have reported bugs with this feature. What could be better: The app doesn't let you organize habits into groups or categories. If you have lots of habits, they can feel a bit scattered. Also, syncing between different devices doesn't work very well. For users who need more organizational features, Loop Habit Tracker offers better categorization and grouping options. Overall, we give features an 8.5. It has all the essentials and does them well, but could use some organizational tools.
Performance	6.9 Performance is PaperSpan's biggest weakness. When everything works correctly, the app is fast and responsive. Article saving is quick, reading is smooth, and offline functionality is excellent. The problem is consistency—too many things go wrong too often. The most common issues we encountered include sync problems between devices, network connectivity failures during signup, and the frustrating text view cutoff that interrupts reading sessions. The discontinued Chrome extension also limits desktop integration significantly. These aren't dealbreaking problems, but they add up to an inconsistent user experience. The positive news is that recent ratings have improved significantly (4.13/5 for the last 100 reviews compared to 3.8/5 overall), indicating the developers are actively addressing these issues. Performance score: 6.9/10.	8.8 The app runs smoothly most of the time. You can track habits without any delays or crashes. Marking habits as complete is fast and reliable. You can also check your progress and stats without waiting. The app works offline, so you can use it anywhere, even without internet. What works well: Fast Startup: Opens quickly and is ready to use Responsive: Taps and swipes work smoothly Efficient: Doesn't slow down even with lots of habits Stable: Core features work reliably Lightweight: Doesn't use much phone storage or battery Consistent: Performance stays good over time There are some issues though. Several users reported problems with home screen widgets - sometimes adding a widget makes the app stop opening. You have to remove the widget to fix it. Some people also said the app doesn't work properly on certain phones. This might be due to specific phone models or software versions. Overall, the main app works great, but the widget feature and device compatibility have some problems. We give performance an 8.8 - generally excellent for daily use, but with some technical issues.
Design	6.2 PaperSpan's design prioritizes function over form, which works well for the reading experience but falls short everywhere else. The article reader itself is excellent—clean typography, perfect spacing, and smart image handling make reading genuinely enjoyable. Reading Interface: Distraction-free design that puts your content front and center. Article Formatting: Excellent text sizing and spacing that's comfortable for extended reading sessions. Navigation: Simple menu structure that anyone can understand immediately. The problem is everything outside the reading experience. The overall interface looks and feels outdated compared to modern apps. Multiple users mentioned this in reviews, and we completely agree—PaperSpan desperately needs a visual refresh. The functionality is solid, but the dated appearance undermines the user experience. Design score: 6.2/10.	9.2 The app looks really good. It's clean, modern, and easy on the eyes. We especially liked how simple everything is - no clutter, just what you need. Users love the dashboard and how easy it is to find things. Everything is organized logically, so you don't waste time looking for features. It also works great on different screen sizes - looks good on both phones and tablets. Design highlights: Clean Layout: Everything is easy to see and understand Consistent Look: The design style stays the same throughout the app Nice Widgets: The home screen widgets look good and show useful info Cute Character: There's a sloth mascot that users really like Good Colors: Colors are used well to organize information People in the reviews keep saying things like "bright and beautiful," "looks great," and "the style is so consistent." Some users mentioned wanting more color options or themes, but honestly, the current design is so good that this feels like a minor request. While HabitKit might have the most elegant GitHub-style visualization, Habitive's design is more approachable and user-friendly. We give design a 9.2. It looks professional and makes you want to use the app every day.
Value for Money	8.1 This is where PaperSpan absolutely excels. The free version is genuinely useful—not a crippled demo designed to force you into paying. You get article saving, clean reading, offline access, and basic organization without any artificial restrictions. It's refreshingly honest in a world of manipulative freemium models. The premium subscription at €10.99 monthly unlocks audio playback, enhanced search, Kindle integration, and improved syncing. For heavy readers who use these features daily, it's reasonably priced. Casual users will find the free version more than sufficient for their needs. What impressed us most was user feedback describing PaperSpan as "the only read later app providing all the features for free." While not entirely accurate, it speaks to how generous the free tier feels. The pricing is fair and transparent—no hidden costs or misleading trials. Value for money score: 8.1/10.	10 You can use Habitive completely free without creating an account. You get access to features that other apps charge money for. To get all the benefits - unlimited habits, achievements, widgets, and progress tracking - you don't need to pay anything. It's all included in the free version. The pricing is amazing. It's perfect for students, working professionals, or anyone who wants to build better habits without spending money. No other app gives you this much for free. Why it's such good value: 100% Free: Most habit trackers limit free users or make you pay for good features No Ads: Clean experience without annoying advertisements All Features Included: No paywalls or restrictions No Data Selling: The app doesn't make money from your information High Quality: Despite being free, it looks and works like a premium app No Expiration: Features don't expire or require renewal Users keep saying things like "perfect and free," "nothing's behind a paywall," and "rare to find an app that doesn't force you to buy subscriptions." We give value for money a 10.0. Habitive sets the standard for free apps - you get premium quality without paying anything. While HabitKit offers beautiful design, it requires premium for unlimited habits, and HabitNow has comprehensive features but also uses a freemium model.
Ease of Use	7.8 PaperSpan gets this right from the first minute. The app is genuinely intuitive—no complex setup, no overwhelming feature lists, just straightforward functionality that works exactly as you'd expect. Within minutes of downloading, you're saving and reading articles effortlessly. The basics are seamless. Save articles with one click from your browser, and the automatic categorization handles organization without any input from you. Reading controls are exactly where you'd expect them, and switching between text and web view is instant when needed. We did encounter some frustrating technical issues. Network connectivity problems during signup affect multiple users, and we experienced sync delays between devices. The text cutoff issue can be annoying mid-article. These problems don't break the app, but they create unnecessary friction in what should be a smooth experience. Ease of use score: 7.8/10.	9.5 This might be the easiest habit tracker we've ever used. The best part? You don't need an account or any setup - just install and start using it. Installation is simple on both Android and iOS. Once it's on your phone, creating your first habit takes about 10 seconds. The 3-click setup they advertise is real. Name your habit, pick an icon, and set your weekly goal. Done. You don't need any tutorials or help guides. The app is so intuitive that you'll figure everything out just by using it. At first, all the features might seem like a lot, but you'll get the hang of it quickly. The habit management is especially simple compared to other trackers we've tried. What makes it easy: Quick Setup: New habits in seconds Easy Navigation: Everything is just a tap or two away Clear Feedback: You always know what's happening Simple Goals: Setting weekly targets is straightforward No Learning Curve: New users can start right away Reviews keep saying things like "really easy to use," "intuitive," and "does exactly what it says." We give ease of use a 9.5. It's extremely user-friendly, though some of the more advanced features might take a minute to figure out.
Security & Privacy	6.8 Security and privacy aren't PaperSpan's strongest selling points, mainly because there's limited transparency about how your data is handled. The app stores your reading data on their servers for syncing across devices, which is standard practice but means your reading habits and saved articles aren't kept locally. What concerned us most was the lack of detailed privacy documentation. For an app that handles your reading preferences, article URLs, and potentially sensitive saved content, clearer communication about data protection would be reassuring. We didn't encounter obvious security problems during testing, but the transparency gap is noticeable. Most users probably won't find this problematic for everyday use, but privacy-conscious readers might want to dig deeper into the terms of service or consider alternatives with more transparent data practices. Security and privacy gets 6.8 out of 10.	9.0 For security and privacy, we give Habitive a 9.0 out of 10. The fact that you don't need an account is a big plus - it means the app isn't collecting your personal information. Even when you do use the app, it keeps your data private. Your habits, progress, and achievements stay on your phone by default. This means your information is much safer from hackers or data breaches. The app doesn't sell your data to other companies or use it for advertising. Everything stays private and is only used to make the app work. What we liked about privacy: No Data Collection: The app doesn't track what you do Local Storage: Your data stays on your phone No Tracking: No third-party analytics or tracking tools Minimal Permissions: Only asks for what it absolutely needs No Account Required: You can use it without giving any personal info There is one downside though. Since everything is stored locally, if you lose your phone or it breaks, you'll lose all your habit data. There's no backup in the cloud. For users who prioritize maximum privacy, Loop Habit Tracker offers similar offline-first privacy with additional backup options. We give security and privacy a 9.0. Habitive takes privacy seriously by keeping your data local and not collecting unnecessary information.
Conclusion	After using PaperSpan for a while, we'd actually recommend it to most people. Yeah, it looks a bit old and has some annoying bugs, but it does the main job really well. If you commute a lot or just want to actually read those articles you save instead of letting them pile up forever, this app helps. It's not fancy, but it works, and sometimes that's exactly what you need.	We've been using Habitive ourselves and really like it. It's a solid habit tracker that does what it promises without trying to sell you anything. The design is clean, it's easy to use, and the fact that it's completely free makes it even better. While there are some small issues with widgets and syncing, the core app works great. If you want a simple, effective way to build better habits without spending money, give Habitive a try. It's worth it. For users who need more advanced scheduling features, HabitNow offers comprehensive planning tools, while those seeking elegant design might prefer HabitKit with its beautiful GitHub-style visualization.
	Install PaperSpan	Install Habitive
Our Recommendation