The short answer
Daily Pact
Our pick★ 5.0 on the App StoreIf you'd rather be quiet with people you know.
Daily Pact keeps it simple: one habit, one tap a day, a small private group of friends who see you show up, and PactPause for agreed breaks. iPhone and Android. 14 days free, then $0.99 a month.
If that doesn't fit you
- You want strangers, in an app: Habit Huddle.
- You want a little pressure: Squad's credits.
- You want completely free: HabitShare.
- You want live company: Focusmate.
Quick comparison
| App | Strangers | Friends | Phone app | Free tier | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Daily PactOur pickFriend groups, one-tap check-ins | $0.99/mo after trial | iOS · Android | ||||
| Habit HuddleHuddles with friends or the public | Free / paid plan | Web · iOS · Android | ||||
| SquadSmall accountability squads | Free / credits | iOS · Android | ||||
| HabitShareIndividual habits, shared view | Free | iOS · Android | ||||
| Focusmate1-on-1 video coworking | Free / $8/mo | Web | ||||
| CohortyMatched habit cohorts | Free | Web |
Prices are US storefront, checked 21 October 2026.
How we chose
We build Daily Pact, so read our pick with that in mind. Every app here was judged on the same questions: who notices when you skip, how fast the check-in is, what happens after a missed day, and what it really costs. We say plainly where another app does something we don't. The full policy is on our About page.
1. Daily Pact
Our pickQuiet accountability with people you know
Daily Pact shares Cohorty's belief that accountability doesn't have to be loud. The difference is who's in the group. Instead of strangers, you invite one friend or a small circle, set one daily or weekly habit, and check in with one tap. The leaderboard and notifications show who has shown up, friends can nudge and cheer, and PactPause lets you request a break the group votes to approve, so a missed day isn't the end. It's a native app on iPhone and Android. If you don't have anyone to invite, Cohorty is the better fit.
New accounts get 14 days free · No credit card
Pros
- Rated 5.0 on the App Store
- People who know you, quietly
- One tap a day to check in
- Group-approved breaks with PactPause
- Native iPhone and Android apps
Cons
- Doesn't match you with strangers
- Needs at least one friend
- No free tier after the 14-day trial
2. Habit Huddle
Public huddles, or your own
Habit Huddle is the closest Cohorty alternative if you want strangers and an app. You browse and join public huddles, or start an exclusive one for friends. Each member sets a Floor and a Ceiling for their habit, checks in daily, and adds a link to the huddle's Checkin Chain. Streak freezes are earned every 30 days, there's a 14-day vacation mode and monthly seasons with leaderboards. Busier than Cohorty: there's a community feed with replies and applause. Free to start, with some features on a paid plan.
Pros
- Public huddles to join
- Streak freezes and vacation mode
- Web, iPhone, Android and Discord
Cons
- Louder than Cohorty: a feed and replies
- Some features paid
- More to set up
3. Squad
Small groups, light stakes
Squad also puts you in small groups, kept to about 15 people, but adds a bit of skin in the game. Public squads cost credits to join, and each missed check-in costs one, which you can earn back with a good check-in score. Squads with your own friends are free and use no credits. Challenges run 10 to 30 days. Credits start at 12 for $9.99, and Squad Pro is $8.99 a month or $74.99 a year.
Pros
- Small groups like a cohort
- Free private squads with friends
- Stakes keep public squads active
Cons
- Credits cost money
- Less quiet than Cohorty
- Pro is $74.99/yr
5. Focusmate
Strangers, but live
If the part of Cohorty you like is doing it alongside strangers, Focusmate does that live. You book a 25, 50 or 75-minute session, get matched with another member, say what you'll work on and do it on camera together. It's for tasks and work sessions rather than daily habits, but it pairs well with one. The free plan is 3 sessions a week; Plus is $8 a month billed yearly or $12 monthly.
Pros
- Matched with a stranger instantly
- 3 free sessions a week
- Works for almost any task
Cons
- Camera on
- Sessions, not habits
- Booking each session
6. Cohorty
For reference: the app you're comparing
Cohorty calls itself quiet accountability. You create your own habit challenge, pick a category and frequency, and Cohorty places you with people building the same kind of habit, with no picking groups and no follow lists. You log progress daily, pin peers you want nearby, and support is a simple applause instead of likes and comments. You can use a nickname and keep challenges private or public. Its manifesto is built around showing up for 66 days. Cohorty says it is currently free while it builds, with premium tools coming.
Pros
- Free right now
- No chat, no pressure
- No friends needed
Cons
- Runs on the web
- Light-touch: easy to drift
- Premium plans still to come
What Cohorty does well
Cohorty understands something most social habit apps miss: for a lot of people, a group chat is another obligation. Its answer is quiet presence. You're placed with people moving in the same direction, nobody expects you to post, and applause replaces comments. Its 66-day framing is honest too: habits take a while, and missing a day isn't failure. And you don't need to recruit anyone, which removes the biggest reason people never start.
People look for Cohorty alternatives when they want a native phone app, when they'd rather do it with people they know, or when quiet support isn't quite enough to keep them going.
Pick a Cohorty alternative by what you need
| You want | Best alternative | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| The same quiet feel, with friends | Daily Pact | HabitShare |
| Strangers, in a phone app | Habit Huddle | Squad |
| A bit more pressure | Squad (credits) | Daily Pact (leaderboard) |
| Completely free | HabitShare | keep Cohorty |
| Live company for a task | Focusmate | none of the others |
Who should pick what
You have no one to ask and like the quiet: stay on Cohorty.
You have one friend who'd say yes: Daily Pact. A friend who knows you tends to notice a missed day sooner than a cohort of strangers, and the check-in is still just one tap. Our guide to finding an accountabilibuddy helps you work out who to ask.
You want strangers but a real app: Habit Huddle or Squad.
You want free and private: HabitShare, or see our list of free habit tracker apps with friends.
You work better live: Focusmate. Our Focusmate alternatives page covers group sessions and no-camera options.
For the wider field, our roundup of the best accountability apps compares eleven, including coaching services. Running a challenge for a class or team instead? One person can cover everyone with a Daily Pact Group plan.
Strangers or friends: which keeps you going?
Both can work, for different reasons. Strangers are low-stakes: no awkwardness if you drop out, and no one to recruit. Friends are higher-stakes: they notice, they ask, and you don't want to let them down. Research on friends is encouraging. In Wing and Jeffery (1999), people who joined a weight-loss program with friends were more likely to finish it (95% versus 76%) and to maintain their weight loss at 10 months (66% versus 24%) than those who joined alone.
If you're not sure, try both: a Cohorty challenge on your own, and one small habit with one friend. Whichever you're still doing on day 30 is your answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cohorty?
Cohorty is a habit app built around quiet accountability. You create a habit challenge and it places you with people building the same kind of habit. You log daily, support is a simple applause rather than comments, and no chat is required.
Is Cohorty free?
Cohorty says it is currently free while it builds and refines the experience, with premium tools planned for later.
Is there a Cohorty app for iPhone or Android?
Cohorty runs on the web at cohorty.app; we couldn't find it on the App Store. Habit Huddle, Squad, HabitShare and Daily Pact all have native iPhone and Android apps.
What is the best Cohorty alternative for friends?
Daily Pact, if you want one-tap check-ins, a leaderboard and group-approved breaks with people you know. HabitShare if you want something free and simple where each friend sees only the habits you choose.
Related guides
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5.0 from 12 App Store ratingsAvailable on iPhone & Android · 14 days free for new accounts