The short answer
Daily Pact
Our pick★ 5.0 on the App StoreIf the Referee was the part that worked.
Daily Pact keeps the person and drops the contract: you and a friend commit to one daily habit, check in with one tap, and see each other show up on a leaderboard. PactPause for agreed breaks. iPhone and Android. 14 days free, then $0.99 a month.
If that doesn't fit you
- You want stakes with proof: Forfeit.
- Your goals are numbers: Beeminder.
- You want a professional referee: GoalsWon.
- You want a contract without money: Habit Huddle.
Quick comparison
| App | Stakes | A person checks | Auto proof | Free to start | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Daily PactOur pickFriend groups, one-tap check-ins | $0.99/mo after trial | iOS · Android | ||||
| ForfeitHabit contracts with proof | Free + stakes | iOS · Android · Mac | ||||
| BeeminderData goals with pledges | Free + pledges | Web · iOS · Android | ||||
| GoalsWonHuman accountability coach | $90/mo | iOS · Android · Web | ||||
| Habit HuddleHuddles with friends or the public | Free / paid plan | Web · iOS · Android | ||||
| stickKCommitment contracts | Free | Web · iOS · Android |
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 pickThe referee, without the contract
The most useful part of stickK is the Referee: a person who knows whether you did it. Daily Pact turns that person into a partner. You and a friend (or a small group) commit to one daily or weekly habit, everyone checks in with one tap, and the leaderboard and notifications mean everyone sees who showed up. Friends nudge and cheer instead of judging. There's no money at stake. PactPause lets you request a break the group votes to approve, so a sick week doesn't break the streak.
New accounts get 14 days free · No credit card
Pros
- Rated 5.0 on the App Store
- Accountability that goes both ways
- Daily check-ins in one tap
- Group-approved breaks with PactPause
- iPhone and Android
Cons
- No money stakes or anti-charity
- Check-ins are on trust
- No free tier after the 14-day trial
2. Forfeit
stickK with proof built in
Forfeit is the modern take on a commitment contract. You set a task, a deadline and a stake, then prove it: a photo checked by AI, a timelapse checked by a human, GPS, Apple Health, Strava, Screen Time, or a friend who verifies. Miss it and you're charged, or a message goes to your accountability buddy. Appeals are reviewed by a person. Free to download; Premium is $59.99 a year and Pro $99.99 a year on the App Store. Rated 4.8 from 366 ratings.
Pros
- Much harder to cheat than self-reporting
- Friend verification like a referee
- Human-reviewed appeals
Cons
- Paid plans for more features
- Money lost when you fail
- Can feel stressful
3. Beeminder
Pledges that grow, data that syncs
Beeminder suits stickK users whose goals are numbers. You track anything countable, by hand or automatically through Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin, Strava, Duolingo, Todoist and many other integrations, and Beeminder charges you if you cross your bright red line. Core use is free. The standard pledge schedule climbs $0, $5, $10, $30, $90, $270, so each failure makes the next one cost more. Premium plans start at $8 a month.
Pros
- Free unless you derail
- Automatic tracking from many apps
- Escalating pledges
Cons
- Only countable goals
- No referee or supporters
- A learning curve
4. GoalsWon
A professional referee
If the referee was the part of stickK that worked and your friend got tired of it, GoalsWon pays someone to do it properly. A trained human coach reads your daily check-in and replies every day of the week, with a monthly video call. It's $90 a month (7-day free trial) or $720 a year (14-day free trial) on its website. No money is forfeited; you're paying for attention instead.
Pros
- A real coach, every day
- Feedback, not just a verdict
- Free trial on both plans
Cons
- $720 a year or more
- No stakes
- 1-on-1 only
5. Habit Huddle
Contracts with no deposit
Habit Huddle offers accountability contracts with no money deposits, inside a group. Each member sets a Floor (the minimum that counts) and a Ceiling, checks in daily with notes or photos, and adds to the huddle's Checkin Chain. Streak freezes are earned every 30 days and there's a 14-day vacation mode. Huddles can be private for friends or public. Free to start, with some features on a paid plan.
Pros
- Contracts without money
- Supporters built in: the whole huddle
- Generous free tier
Cons
- No financial penalty
- More features to learn
- Some features paid
6. stickK
For reference: the original commitment contract
stickK was created by behavioral economists at Yale. You write a Commitment Contract with a goal and a timeline, invite a Referee to verify your reports, and optionally add stakes. If you fail, the money goes to a friend, a charity from a list of 20+ US nonprofits, or an anti-charity you oppose. Supporters cheer you on, and Communities group goal-setters by topic. It's free to download on iPhone and Google Play. The App Store rating is 2.6 from 26 ratings.
Pros
- Free, stakes optional
- The anti-charity idea
- Referee and Supporters
Cons
- Low App Store rating
- Self-reported
- Built for contracts more than daily habits
What stickK does well
stickK made commitment contracts mainstream. It is free to download, stakes are optional, and the anti-charity is still one of the cleverest motivational tricks around: if you fail, your money goes to a cause you can't stand. The Referee is just as important. A friend who has the final word on your report is far harder to fool than an app.
People look for stickK alternatives for three reasons: they want proof instead of self-reporting, they want something built around daily habits, or the stakes started to feel like the only thing keeping them going.
Pick a stickK alternative by what you liked
| What you liked about stickK | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The stakes | Forfeit or Beeminder | Stakes plus proof or synced data |
| The Referee | Daily Pact | Friends see every check-in, every day |
| Supporters cheering | Habit Huddle | A whole huddle sees you show up |
| Someone serious holding you to it | GoalsWon | A paid coach who replies daily |
| The anti-charity | keep stickK | Nobody else here does it |
Who should pick what
Big one-off goal, like finishing a thesis by June: stickK is still a good tool. A contract with a deadline and a referee fits that shape.
Daily habits: Daily Pact or Habit Huddle. A contract is built for a single deadline; a daily habit needs a daily check-in and someone who notices the same day.
You want the stakes, but honest: Forfeit. Proof means you can't quietly report a success you didn't have. Our Forfeit app alternatives page compares the other money-based apps.
You want a professional: GoalsWon. See GoalsWon alternatives if the price is a stretch.
Do you need money on the line?
Not always. stickK itself pairs money with people: the Referee and Supporters are social accountability, and stakes are optional. If you already have someone who will notice, start there and add money only if it's not enough.
The evidence for doing it with people is solid. In Wing and Jeffery (1999), participants who joined a weight-loss program with friends were more likely to complete it (95% versus 76%) and to maintain their weight loss at 10 months (66% versus 24%) than those who joined alone. Our guide to finding an accountabilibuddy covers how to pick a partner, our list of free habit tracker apps with friends shows the no-cost options, and the full roundup of accountability apps compares eleven of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stickK free?
stickK is free to download on iPhone and Google Play, and stakes are optional. If you add stakes and fail, the money goes to a friend, a charity or an anti-charity, depending on what you chose.
What is the best alternative to stickK?
For stakes with proof, Forfeit. For number goals with synced data, Beeminder. For daily habits with a friend instead of a contract, Daily Pact. For a paid coach, GoalsWon.
Is there a stickK app?
Yes. stickK: Goals & Accountability is on the iPhone App Store and Google Play, as well as on stickk.com. The App Store version has a 2.6 rating from 26 ratings.
What is an anti-charity?
An organization you strongly oppose. On stickK, choosing one as the destination for your stake means failing would fund a cause you dislike, which many people find more motivating than simply losing money.
Related guides
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5.0 from 12 App Store ratingsAvailable on iPhone & Android · 14 days free for new accounts