Comparison

Habit Tracker // init.Habits vs Control

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

Head to head
About

Habit Tracker // init.Habits

Track daily habits with a unique command-line interface. Offers multiple tracking modes, routine grouping, streak protection, and a focus timer. Customize themes and sync data with iCloud and Apple Health.

Highlights
  • Multiple tracking modes (checkbox, counter, number, health, time)
  • Routine grouping (morning, workout, evening)
  • Streak protection with shields
  • Focus timer with Pomodoro and Live Activity
  • 23+ themes and custom theme editor
  • iCloud and Apple Health sync
  • Widgets (checklist, heatmap, matrix)
Features
Read full description

a habit tracker for developers and minimalists, built for iPhone and styled like the command line you live in. // quiet. opinionated. monospaced. $ cat features.txt [*] five tracking modes — checkbox, counter, number, health, time [*] routines — group habits into morning, workout, evening, anything [*] streaks with shields — protect a 75 hard run, or any streak, from one bad day [*] a github-style contribution graph — your whole history, filling in pixel by pixel [*] smart reminders — per habit or one for a whole routine; useful pings, not ten-a-day spam [*] focus timer with pomodoro — Live Activity on the lock screen, Dynamic Island when running [*] Apple Watch app — check habits off on your wrist, run a timer, 25 complications for your watch face [*] Siri and Shortcuts — check off a habit or a whole routine by voice, start a timer, ask what is left today; 16 actions for your own automations [*] Spotlight — your habits and routines in iPhone search, by their own name or by the routine they belong to [*] in your browser too — the whole tracker at app.inithabits.com, nothing to install [*] cloud sync — iPhone, watch and browser updating each other in real time; sign in with Apple, Google or email [*] achievements, xp and levels — progress that adds up, without the noise [*] vacation mode — freeze your streaks while you are away, come back to them intact [*] 23 themes + a custom theme editor — tokyo night, dracula, catppuccin, and more [*] iCloud sync — your data, your iCloud, your control [*] Apple Health auto-sync — steps, sleep, water, mindful minutes, medication doses [*] nine widgets — checklist, heatmap, contribution grid, ring, quick icons, next up, week view, mood [*] backup and export — an iCloud backup, or a json file that is yours to keep [*] fifteen languages — english, dutch, german, spanish, french, italian, portuguese, russian, ukrainian, polish, turkish, czech, japanese, chinese, korean [*] local-first — works fully offline, no sign-up or account needed [*] privacy — passcode, biometric lock, app-switcher blur, lock-screen redaction [*] no ads, no AI, no dark patterns $ cat philosophy.txt // built solo over hundreds of testing hours. // no analytics that track who you are. // no algorithm trying to maximise your screen time. // shipping new features frequently. $ cat pro.txt // the core experience is free: 10 habits, 2 routines, three manual tracking modes, // eight built-in themes, the checklist widget, the watch app with three complications, // cloud sync across iPhone, watch and browser, and local storage. // pro raises limits and unlocks: timer + healthkit modes, all 23 themes, // custom theme editor, seven extra fonts, iCloud sync, the other eight widgets, // 22 more complications, passcode + biometric lock, Live Activity timer. // pro is monthly, annual (with 7-day trial), or lifetime — one-time, no expiration. > thank you for supporting a solo dev.

About

Control

Consolidate your daily trackers, planners, and reminders into a single, elegant app. Monitor habits, budgets, fitness, and more directly from your Home Screen, Lock Screen, or Live Activities. Enjoy a private experience with all data stored locally and synced via iCloud.

Highlights
  • 20+ customizable iOS widgets
  • Track habits, budget, fitness, and more
  • Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Live Activities support
  • Private data storage on device
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • No sign-ups or dark patterns
Features
Read full description

Your Home Screen, redesigned. Control is a library of 20+ beautifully crafted iOS widgets - every tracker, planner, and reminder you actually use, gathered in one app. Habits, budget, fitness, medication, birthdays, travel, and much more, all glanceable from your Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Live Activities. No more juggling ten single-purpose apps. No sign-ups, no dark patterns. - TRACK EVERYTHING - • Habits - daily routines, streaks, goals • Budget - spending, savings, monthly limits • Subscriptions - see exactly what's recurring and when • Portfolio - stocks and crypto, refreshed automatically • Debt - loans and credit cards, payoff progress • Currency - live exchange rates between any two currencies • Fitness - steps, workouts, calories burned via Apple Health • Calories - daily intake, weight goals • Period - cycle tracking with predictions • Medication - dose reminders for every prescription • Birthdays - pulled from Contacts, never forget another one • Books - what you're reading, with auto-fetched covers • Movies - your watchlist with poster art • Pets - feeding, walks, vet visits • Vehicle - mileage, services, fuel logs • Hotel & Travel - live check-out countdowns and trip dashboards • Past Trips - a souvenir of where you've been • Food Expiration - what's in your fridge and when it spoils • Game Tracker - leaderboards plus a multi-touch player picker • Speedometer - live drive sessions • Clipboard - quick-paste from history • To-do - checklists that sync across devices • Quit Tracker - sober days, money saved, life regained - PRIVATE BY DEFAULT - Everything is stored on your device and synced privately through your own iCloud account. No external servers. No tracking. No analytics SDKs. Your habits, finances, and reminders are yours. Control is built for people who want their Home Screen to do something useful. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Habit Tracker // init.Habits4 screens
Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Habit Tracker // init.Habits at 5.0 against Control's 4.5. Habit Tracker // init.Habits also leads on ratings volume (24 vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Control's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). 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. Habit Tracker // init.Habits sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Control sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Habit Tracker // init.Habits holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Habit Tracker // init.Habits has 24 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Habit Tracker // init.Habits ships an update every 3 days, Control weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Habit Tracker // init.Habits versus Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHabit Tracker // init.HabitsControl
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (24 ratings) — better4.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVladyslav GlogusAlex Patrick Palacean

Customer experience

Habit Tracker // init.Habits

All ratings24 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Control

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Habit Tracker // init.Habits

Subscriptions2
  • pro monthly$4.991 Month
  • pro annual7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • pro lifetime$49.99
1 purchases

Control

One-time1
  • Control Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Habit Tracker // init.Habits free?
Habit Tracker // init.Habits is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Control free?
Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Habit Tracker // init.Habits or Control?
Habit Tracker // init.Habits is rated higher. Habit Tracker // init.Habits averages 5.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Control averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Habit Tracker // init.Habits or Control have ads?
Neither Habit Tracker // init.Habits nor Control shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Habit Tracker // init.Habits or Control?
Habit Tracker // init.Habits ships an update every 3 days, and Control weekly. Most recently, Habit Tracker // init.Habits was updated on September 22, 2026 and Control on September 19, 2026.

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