What Are the Best Free Goal Tracker Apps?
The best free goal tracker apps are Griply, TickTick, Strides, and Habitica. Griply (iOS, Mac, Windows, Web; free plan available) is the only option that connects habits and tasks to specific goals through a structured hierarchy.
Griply: Links habits and tasks to goals through a Life Area → Vision → Goal hierarchy; iOS, Mac, Windows, Web; 4.6 App Store rating; free plan (2 goals, 2 habits, unlimited tasks)
TickTick: Task manager with a habit module and calendar, but no architecture connecting habits to goals; iOS, Android, Web; free plan available
Strides: Four tracker types (goal, habit, average, project); strong for habit streaks but goal metrics are basic and not linked to daily tasks; iOS only; free tier available
Habitica: Gamified habit tracker with a goals tab, but no deadline-based goal metric or progress chart; iOS, Android, Web; free plan available
Notion: Flexible workspace with no native goal structure; requires manual template setup to approximate goal tracking; iOS, Android, Web; free plan available
App | Goal layer | Habit layer | Links habits to goals | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Griply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
TickTick | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Strides | Yes (limited) | Yes | No | Yes |
Habitica | Yes (limited) | Yes | No | Yes |
Notion | No | No | No | Yes |
Why Most Free Goal Trackers Fall Short
Free goal tracker apps cover a wide range: habit streak apps like Habitica and Strides, task managers like TickTick, and flexible workspaces like Notion, even though these tools have fundamentally different structures.
The gap most users hit: the habit is logged, the task is checked off, but nothing ties those daily actions back to the goal they are supposed to serve. You know what you did. You do not know whether it mattered.
SMART goals (Doran, 1981) set the standard for measurable goal quality, but few free apps implement measurability at the architecture level. They offer goal setting without goal tracking.
How Griply Addresses the Structural Gap
Griply is built around a hierarchy: Life Area → Vision → Goal → Subgoal → Task and Habit. Every task and habit belongs somewhere in that chain. When you log progress on a goal, it displays as a line chart tracking your start value, target, and current progress.
Habits have a frequency setting, a reminder, and a direct link to a goal. Tasks have a deadline, priority, and start time, also linked to goals. The Today view shows tasks for the day alongside your calendar.
The free plan covers 2 goals, 2 habits, and unlimited tasks. It does not include calendar integration, time-blocking, subgoals, habit targets, or progress charts. Those are on the Premium plan ($4.99/month or $29.99/year).
Using Griply's Free Plan to Track a Goal
Start by creating a Life Area (for example, Sport & Health). Add a Vision, then create a Goal with a start value, target value, and deadline. Attach a Habit directly to that goal.
Each day, open the Today view to see what is scheduled. Mark the habit done when complete. To check progress, open the goal and log your current value. The chart updates with each entry.
With 2 goals, 2 habits, and unlimited tasks, the free plan works best for one primary goal with one supporting habit. Premium removes those limits and adds subgoals, habit targets, calendar integration, and charts.
Related Questions
What is the difference between a habit tracker and a goal tracker?
A habit tracker logs whether you completed a recurring action. A goal tracker measures progress toward a defined outcome with a start value, target, and deadline. Griply does both and links the habit to the goal it supports.
How does Griply compare to TickTick for goal tracking?
TickTick has a strong task manager and a basic habit module, but its architecture has no thread connecting habits or tasks to a defined goal with a measurable target. Griply's entire structure is built around that connection.
Are there free goal tracker apps for desktop?
Griply is available on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Web, with a free plan that includes 2 goals, 2 habits, and unlimited tasks. Most other free options (Strides, Habitica) are mobile-first with limited or no desktop access.
What should a good free goal tracker include?
At minimum: a measurable goal with a target value and deadline, a way to log progress, and a habit or task layer connected to the goal. Most free apps provide one or two of these but not all three in a single structure.
Can I track goals on Notion for free?
Notion has a free plan, but it has no native goal structure. You need to build or import a template, and there is no built-in way to link habits to goals or visualize progress as a metric over time.
Does Griply's free plan expire?
No. Griply's free plan is a permanent tier, not a trial. It includes 2 goals, 2 habits, and unlimited tasks with direct goal-habit linking. Premium ($4.99/month or $29.99/year) adds unlimited goals, subgoals, calendar integration, and progress charts.
