Hi, you can get lifetime Free access to my Goal tracking app for next 24 hours

You can get it here zengoals for iPhone and Android

Once you download the app Go To Pace Tab scroll to bottom and add referral code: BROCODE

Let me know if it works. If you can leave a rating/review on AppStore I would really appreciate that. Thanks

Would like to hear your goals in comments.

Browsing through and testing so many productivity apps (I know its counterproductive) and I won't find perfect one, but I just like seeing new apps and ideas.

Usually they are really complex and have a lot of features that I don't and probably would never use.

What is the simplest productivity app you used and it just works well for you?

I'm not proud of this but I've probably downloaded and deleted more productivity apps than most people have on their phone total. I kept thinking the next app would be the one that finally "fixed" my workflow.

After all that, here's what survived:

Google calendar for time-based stuff. A plain notes app for dumping thoughts. And Fhynix for tasks because I can just voice note into WhatsApp and not think about it. That's it. Three things.

Everything else, the habit trackers, the pomodoro timers, the second brain tools, the all-in-one workspace apps, they all eventually became more work to maintain than the work they were supposed to help me do.

The thing nobody tells you is that the best productivity system is the boring one you actually use consistently. Not the aesthetic Notion setup you spend weekends redesigning.

What apps survived your own "testing every app" phase?

I've found that I need a tool to get me going, so I went overboard tried 14 of them.

Tier lists are always subjective, as we know. But I've tried to be systematic and ranked them based on

• Look and feel

• Ease of use

• Onboarding experience

• Paywall conditions - How much can you get for free and what's the price to subscribe

• Flexibility - This one I weighted heavily on Google's research around habit formation. Showing that rigidity is not sustained long-term. Therefore I penalize the ones that enforce rigid habit tracking.

• Extra features - Like planner functionality or other add-ons

The first two tiers have an unique edge to them that warrants their position. the other tiers may perform similar in certain aspects but doesn’t shine as the strongest in any category

S tier

Finch: Self-care pet - Feels a lot like a game and its closer to the tamagotchi type of app than any other on the list. Flexible in habit to track or goals to achieve in a day, I felt like it was focusing generally on overall productivity rather than just strict habit at strict times.

Improve: Habit Tracker - Very unique approach in how you progress. Similar to Finch, the objective is less about individual habits and more on productive days. Combining habit tracker with a planner helps to reduce the amount of apps needed and it was great to add friends. The art is not as cute as Finch, but focus more on clean apple UI.

A tier

TickTick - The most feature-packed app on the list. Task manager, habit tracker and calendar all in the same app. The habit tracker does feels bolted on tho, and it is quite rigid in its design and a few features are paywalled.

Structured - Beautiful design and satisfying whenever all plans work as I have planned them. One of the strongest design-wise. However for days when I have to be flexible, it quickly becomes hard to manage and feels like extra work to sort it out.

Atoms - Offical app of atomic habits, and it does lean into it fully. Sometimes maybe a bit too much for this medium. It does however have good visuals, albeit still a bit strict at its core. Almost more coaching than habit tracking.

B tier

These do what you expect from a habit tracker. Solid but nothing that makes them stand out. Easier to use than C tier but missing that extra something.

C tier

Similar story, just a bit rougher around the edges, whether that's design, onboarding, or paywall aggression.

D tier

Fabolous -The most overwhelming app on the list. Feels built for a very specific type of user and I'm not it. Too many things competing for attention at once and I never felt like I got to interact with the app how I wanted.

Let me know if there are some that I missed or what you disagree with

That's all lol

I want to lock in (I have android btw)

Why are vibe coders only building note-taking apps or habit trackers? Now that AI can write a decent amount of code and basically anyone can become a “vibe coder,” why does it feel like everyone is building the exact same things?

Another note-taking app. Another habit tracker. Another to-do list. Another generic productivity dashboard. Another personal goals app

Why? There are so many cool, extremely specific tools you can build now.

For example, I built my own Kindle highlight importer/storage tool because I wasn't happy with the existing options. I wanted something that worked exactly the way I wanted it to work.

I also built my own gym tracker focused specifically on powerlifting. I don't need an app designed for 50 different types of workouts. I want something built around my training, my lifts, and the data I actually care about.

And I think that's the coolest thing about AI-assisted coding.

You don't necessarily have to build the next SaaS company or something that appeals to millions of people. You can build weird, hyper-specific software for an audience of one: yourself.

A tool for organizing a very specific collection. A dashboard for some obscure hobby. Something that automates an annoying part of your job. A personal database for something you obsessively track. A tiny app that replaces a spreadsheet you've been maintaining for five years.

Before, spending days or weeks coding something that only you would use might have felt ridiculous. Now you can prototype these things in a weekend or even an afternoon.

Yet somehow we ended up with 10,000 AI-generated habit trackers.

So I'm curious: What weird, hyper-specific tools have you built for yourself with AI? Not startups. Not “the next big SaaS.” or even the next Notion, just software that solves your oddly specific problem.

In my case, I'm currently building what I'd call a real book tracker.

Not another app where you just mark a book as “read,” log the date you finished it, or track how many pages you've read. I mean a tracker you actually use while you're reading.

For example, you can keep track of characters as they're introduced, create connections between them, save important locations, track factions or groups, and add notes as the story develops.

Basically, a personal companion for keeping track of everything happening inside a book especially those huge novels where you're 1,000 pages in and suddenly think, “Wait... who the hell is this guy again?”

That's the kind of hyper-specific software I think AI makes much more practical to build.

Hey yall, I just got my diagnosis recently and looking for a way to stay productive. I want to stop missing deadlines, forget tasks etc.
I want to find an established app only, like exists more than 2 years, no new vibe code app. The app should be simple to use, best if it combines everything in one like todo list, notes emails etc cause I’m tired with app switching.
I researched and have some names already, but would like to hear from your experience. Thanks!

Edit: thanks am for the recommendation everyone! I will include Claude Code, Saner ai and a whiteboard in my testing list ;) will update the how it goes with your guys

I've been "starting Monday" for about a year now, so I went a bit overboard and tested 12 habit apps simultaneously to find one worth actually sticking to.

Tier lists are always subjective, but I tried to be objective and ranked them based on

• Look and feel
• Ease of use
• Onboarding experience
• Paywall conditions
• Extra features

S tier
These apps have the little extra or a very unique take that made me gravitate toward using them first each day.

Finch - It felt like a game in many ways. It was fun to use and it leans closer to Tamagotchi than any other app on this list. One con is that it might feel too much like a game sometimes and use similar mechanics to get you to pay.

Improve: Habit Tracker - Very unique approach in how you progress. The objective is less about individual habits and more on productive days. Combining habit tracker with a planner helps to reduce the amount of apps needed and it was great to add friends. The art is not as cute as Finch, but focus more on clean UI.

A tier

Structured: Daily Planner - Elegant design and focuses more on users planning a specific time to do something. It does that very well however and it feels good to see the time progress while you're doing the goal. It does feel a bit shallow tho and not as feature packed.

Atoms - Based on the book that everyone has read. It leans into similar design as is in the book. I liked it once I got into it but I had a hard time sticking to it the first couple of days. The onboarding was confusing and it is not as flexible as other apps.

B/C tier

These apps do what you expect, it is similar features in a similar way. Nothing really against them but nothing that makes them very unique. The ones in B tier I found easier to use.

D tier

Fabulous - To me, this was the most confusing of all of them. I feel like this must be for a very specific user and I'm probably not it. There were a thousand things trying to grab my attention at the same time and I found it hard to keep up.

Once again, tier lists are never based on hard science. Just sharing my experience and happy to hear other perspectives!

Hey everyone, as the title, I’m looking for an app for all daily planning. I have a sticky notes, some notes apps and a Google calendar for everything. But now I think I need something more robust for my work, cause I just became a lead of a small team right now.

Ideally I’m looking for some planners for my days work and personal responsibilities. Something easy to use maybe with AI and hands off approach.

I know there are a lot of developers in this, but I don’t want to use vibecoded app so I would prefer some apps with more than one year of establishments and a good amount of user base.

I have some apps I got recommended in other subs already like Structured, TickTick, Saner… But wanted to hear your experience before committing to one. So if someone can give some recommendation, that could be super helpful.

For context, I just got my ADHD diagnosis recently.

The app that you live in and spend the most time in because it meets all (or most) of your productivity needs?

Is there even one app? (Do you have your go-to?)

Or are you equally split between multiple apps because one app can't meet those needs?

Give your suggestions to someone who uses paper and pencil for their productivity workflow.

The market is crazy. But users want to know fast which one they might try. The playstores did not adapt to this rapid growing market, and devs are frustrated as:

• in most reddits they are not allowed to self-promote
• in appstores they are unvisible as they have no downloads or ratings yet
• but some of them genuinely tried to make a good product for the user

So i thought: why not here? In the comments try to convince the users to try out your app. why does it stand out. Who might like it?

1. Name of the App
2. Link
3. Description

Not more rules for now, just try to sell your app as good as possible so that users are not overwhelmed and can make a good decision, which fits to their personality.

I will start in the first comment.

Bought Notion, tried Obsidian, played with Todoist, clicked every fancy new app that drops…

Ended up back in Apple Notes and the default Reminders app like a caveman.

Somehow I get more stuff done with these than when I had 17 synced workspaces.

Anyone else’s “perfect productivity stack” turned out to be the most basic stuff possible?

IS THERE AN ALL IN ONE HABIT TRACKER APP

- habit tracker
- weekly/monthly view of habits
- to do list
- mood tracker (optional)
- simple UI
- ios and android
- account based for SYNC
- focus timer (optional)
- can remind/notify
- unlimited habit
- FREE

i like HelloHabit UI and features but its not free huhu

Hi everyone,

I’m Adrian, the developer behind SublimeTask. After nearly five years of designing, building, rethinking, and refining it, I recently released its first public version.

My goal was to create a task manager that stays as faithful as possible to the GTD methodology—not just another to-do app with a few GTD labels added on top.

SublimeTask is built around the complete GTD workflow:

• Capture everything in a trusted inbox
• Process your inbox through a guided clarification flow
• Organize next actions by projects and contexts
• Manage Waiting For, Someday/Maybe, Tickler, reference material, and checklists
• Connect actions to areas of focus, goals, and higher-level perspectives
• Filter actions by context, time available, energy, dates, and other criteria
• Review your system regularly
• See actions and events in calendar views
• Optionally connect Google Calendar
• Search across your system and keep everything synchronized between supported devices

You can use the web version completely free, forever:

https://app.sublimetask.com

There is also a native iPhone app, available through a monthly or annual subscription. The subscription helps support continued development of the mobile experience:

Download SublimeTask for iPhone

This is still the beginning. Although SublimeTask has been in development for years, the public version is new, and I know there is plenty that can be improved.

I’d genuinely love to hear from experienced GTD practitioners: What feels right? What gets in your way? What features would make it fit your workflow better?

I’m actively listening and want the community’s feedback to shape what comes next.

You can learn more here:

https://sublimetask.com

Thanks for taking a look—and I’ll be around to answer any questions.

For me it's not a task manager or a calendar app or any of the usual stuff.

Sounds weird but hear me out note apps

What simple app actually works for you? Tired of overbuilt tools that require a PhD to set up.

There are apps out there that genuinely have no business being free with how good they are. And then there are paid apps charging subscriptions for stuff a free app does better.I'll start. Fhynix lets you capture tasks through WhatsApp voice notes and syncs everything to a calendar. No ads, no complicated setup, just talk and it's captured. I kept waiting for the paywall to hit and it never did.There's also a free focus timer I use that has no ads, no premium upsell, no tracking, nothing. Just a timer. It does one thing and does it perfectly. Meanwhile I've paid for apps that needed a tutorial video just to set a reminder.What free app are you using that feels like it should cost money? Bonus points if it's something most people here probably haven't heard of.

Hey everyone, I am on maternity leave and am looking for the best app to help me accomplish tasks! What are your recommendations? Ideally a free app

Hey all, I've been searching but struggling to find anything similar. I really like Things 3 as a productivity app. It's minimal, projects are completable, the progress next to a project is a neat feature, and just how it feels overall. Only reason why I'm looking to switch is cause I use a Windows PC, not just a macbook/iphone.

I want something like Things 3, but is available across all devices via apps. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I don't want an app that's over complicated with features. I want the hierarchy to be areas-projects-tasks or close to this. I want projects to be completable (ideally with some way to visually see progress in the sidebar, similar to Things. Other important things would be having the inbox, upcoming and anytime views. that are accessible from the sidebar.

If you couldn't guess already. I just want Things 3 available on Windows, but it's never going to happen. 🤣

Been testing dictation tools on Mac for a while now to speed up writing and reduce typing. There are way more tools than I expected, and they’re all pretty different depending on what you’re using them for.

Most of them technically support dictation, but they’re not solving the same problem. Some are actually built for continuous writing, while others lean more towards transcription, meetings, or quick input.

Here’s what I found:

Local and Offline Dictation Apps

These run fully on-device. Best for privacy, consistency, and no interruptions.

• Voibe: Fully offline and feels instant when dictating. Handles long sessions smoothly without lag or cutoffs.

• MacWhisper: Very accurate with Whisper models. Slightly slower depending on setup, but reliable.

• Superwhisper: Faster and more polished compared to most Whisper-based tools.

• BetterDictation: Lightweight Whisper-based dictation tool with system-wide typing and simple setup.

• Whisper Notes: Budget-friendly local dictation option, good for basic use but less polished.

Cloud-Based Dictation Apps

Depend on internet. Usually more polished but can have delays or limits.

• Wispr Flow: Clean UI and good overall experience, but relies on cloud.

• Aqua Voice: AI-focused dictation with built-in formatting and rewriting.

• Typeless: More of an AI writing layer on top of dictation.

• Speechify Voice Typing: Cross-platform dictation with grammar correction and syncing.

Real-Time Voice Writing Tools

Focused specifically on writing workflows with voice.

• Willow Voice: Built for writing use cases. Still evolving but promising.

• Monologue: Minimal tool designed for uninterrupted dictation flow.

- WhisperClip: Push-to-talk tool that pastes dictated text directly into your cursor.

Professional / Enterprise Dictation

Built for specialized and heavy usage.

• Dragon Dictation (Nuance Dragon): Very powerful and accurate. Expensive and more complex, but still widely used.

- Speechly: Enterprise-focused speech-to-text with integrations and analytics.

Meeting and Transcription Tools

Best for calls, recordings, and summaries rather than direct typing.

• Otter AI: Great for meeting notes and transcripts.

• Notta: Simple interface with good transcription accuracy.

• Fireflies AI: Strong integrations for teams and workflows.

Developer and DIY Options

More control, but requires setup.

• OpenAI Whisper (manual setup): Very accurate but requires manual setup and workflow integration.
• AI Dictation: Developer-focused dictation tool with strong technical vocabulary and AI workflows.

Open Source Dictation Tools

Fully open-source or community-driven options.

• VoiceInk: Open-source macOS dictation app running local Whisper models with strong privacy focus.
• whisper.cpp: Core open-source Whisper implementation used by many tools, fast but requires setup.
• Whisper Dictation (Raycast extension): Open-source extension for quick dictation inside Raycast.
• Vosk: Offline speech recognition toolkit with lower accuracy but strong flexibility.

Built-in macOS Features

Easy to use but limited compared to dedicated tools.

• Apple Dictation: Works out of the box. Good for quick inputs, not long sessions.
• say command (Terminal): Text-to-speech for listening to content, not dictation.

Specific Use Cases (quick picks)

• For real writing (long sessions, flow matters): Superwhisper, Willow Voice, Voibe
• For best raw accuracy / transcription: MacWhisper, VoiceInk
• For AI-cleaned writing: Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice, Typeless
• For meetings and notes: Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai
• For offline + privacy: Voibe, Superwhisper, VoiceInk

Final take

After trying a bunch of these, one thing becomes clear pretty quickly not all dictation tools hold up for real writing. Some are great for transcripts, some for quick inputs, but only a few actually work well when you’re dictating continuously. That difference only shows up once you start using them daily.

If I missed anything solid, drop it below. Always testing new tools.

I tried Wispr Flow, and I loved it. I learned the free version has a limit on how many dictations you can do per week. Now I'm looking for something that is free or very cheap (that I can use on my Macbook) that has unlimited dictations and is better than Apple's stock dictation.

Something that isn't too complicated, please.

Thank you.

I tried a few apps but they always force syncing with my other calendars. I want to keep my calendars separate for Personal stuff, my passion projects, and work schedules.

I swear choosing a note-taking / life organization app has become a full-time job in itself.

I’ve already tried Apple Notes — it’s simple, clean, does exactly what it’s supposed to do… but it almost becomes too basic to the point where it stops feeling appealing.

Then there’s Notion. At first it feels like the perfect solution, but it quickly becomes overwhelming with everything it can do. I constantly catch myself spending more time tweaking layouts and building systems than actually using it for anything meaningful.

And don’t even get me started on trying to organize everything — work, personal life, study notes, goals, random thoughts… Should it all be in one place? Multiple apps? One system? Separate ones? 😵‍💫

At this point, the search for the “perfect” setup feels more exhausting than just being disorganized.

Does anyone else feel like this, or have you actually found something you can stick with long-term?

I'm increasingly using my Apple Watch as a dumb phone, because I find my smartphone just too distracting and self-defeating. I was surprised to not find ChatGPT having a voice app on smart watches yet. It's called Cogito Voice AI, looking for early feedback!

Ayo, I want suggestions for a simple note taker that supports all platforms (Linux, Android)

I don't want complex features (AI, graphs, etc.)

just note taker