Comparison

Habitual vs Instead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Habitual

This app helps you master your health and happiness by tracking habits and cultivating new ones through a psychology-backed course. It offers daily content, journaling, and rewards to support lasting behavior change.

Highlights
  • Habit tracking (sleep, weight, mood)
  • Psychology-backed behavior change course
  • Daily content for 16 weeks
  • In-app journal
  • Unlockable rewards and Habit Coins
  • Direct customer care chat
Features
Read full description

With the Habitual app, you can master your health, happiness, and future, and have a great chance at reaching better health. Armed with the Habitual app, you will track your habits and learn how to cultivate new, healthy ones with a psychology-backed behaviour change course. TRACK YOUR HABITS Track your sleep, weight, and mood, to visualise your daily progress and refocus your brain power on new, healthy intentions. CHAT TO US Speak to our Customer Care team at any time directly in the app for advice, questions, or just a friendly chat. CULTIVATE NEW HABITS Access new content every day for 16 weeks to reflect, reset, and refresh your behaviours to create new habits that last. JOURNAL Document your journey of lasting change via the in-app journal as you live a healthier, happier life. UNLOCK REWARDS Complete your daily tracking and exercises to unlock rewards and earn Habit Coins for access to exclusive content, resources, and that all-important daily dose of fun. ABOUT HABITUAL Another health app eh? We know, they’re everywhere. So, what makes us different? WE’RE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU: We only take small patient cohorts to ensure you get all the support you need. PLANS CUSTOMISED JUST FOR YOU: Everyone experiences life differently, which is why we help you form healthy habits that suit you and yours. WE’RE LED BY SCIENCE: Everything we do is based on the latest scientific research underlying weight loss, behaviour change, and nutrition. WE’RE FLEXIBLE: Got a big event coming? Need to take a day off? That’s fine by us! Learning to get back on track is far more productive than feeling guilty. WE BELIEVE IN YOU: You are the only person who knows everything about your body and health. Knowledge is power and we believe that you are ready to lead yourself to a healthier future. WE’RE HUMAN: We’re not here to promote a fad diet or have unrealistic expectations. We understand that life happens and we’re here to help you enjoy it for as long as possible. For app support, drop us a line at support@tryhabitual.com. DISCLAIMER Our programmes are based on the latest scientific research into disease reversal and weight loss, however, we are not a medical service. Your GP will remain your primary care provider while you’re on the Habitual programme, and we encourage you to see your GP before starting the programme and for medical advice throughout its duration.

About

Instead

Features
Read full description

Instead helps you replace bad habits with good ones. When you skip a bad habit like smoking, record what you did instead and track your progress. Features: • Track time filled and money redirected • Filter by day, week, month, year, or all time • Simple, distraction-free interface • All data stored locally How it works: 1. Set your target bad habit (e.g., Smoking) 2. When you skip it, tap "Instead, I..." 3. Record what you did instead 4. Watch your progress grow

Screenshots

Habitual3 screens
Instead1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Habitual at every 5 weeks against Instead's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Habitual ships an update every 5 weeks, Instead every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Habitual versus Instead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHabitualInstead
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB38 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperHabitual Health ltdTakayuki Nakamura

In-app purchases

None

Habitual

No in-app purchases

None

Instead

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Habitual free?
Habitual is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Habitual or Instead have ads?
Neither Habitual nor Instead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Habitual or Instead?
Habitual ships an update every 5 weeks, and Instead every 6 months. Most recently, Habitual was updated on October 3, 2026 and Instead on October 5, 2026.

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