Done! vs. Habitica: Two Very Different Ways to Build Habits

Habitica and Done! are habit apps with opposite philosophies. Habitica turns your routine into a role-playing game: you earn gold and experience for finishing tasks and lose health when you miss your Dailies, alone or with a party. Done! is a free, ad-free app that celebrates what you got done and doesn't punish what you didn't, with a mini version of every habit, a bad-day button, and a 2-minute timer to get started. If you're motivated by games, challenges, and group accountability, Habitica can be great. If pressure tends to make you quit, Done! was built for that case. Below is the honest comparison, with data checked on 10/15/2026.

What is Habitica?

Habitica is a productivity app and website that uses game mechanics. You create three kinds of tasks: Habits (things you want to do more or less often), Dailies (recurring tasks), and To Do's (one-off tasks). When you complete them, your character earns gold, experience, and items; you can form parties with friends, take on quests against bosses, join guilds, and enter challenges.

The punishing side is part of the design: according to the official Habitica wiki, missed Dailies cost you health points. If your health hits zero, your character "dies" and loses a level, all gold, and a piece of equipment. In party quests, one person's misses can hurt the whole team. There's a setting called "Rest in the Inn" (also called Pause Damage) that stops that damage when you need a break.

What is Done!?

Done! is a Brazilian habit and anti-procrastination app built for people with ADHD or who identify with that way of working. Main features:

• A mini version of each habit, for hard days.
• Bad day: one tap and the app asks only for the mini version, with no pressure that day.
• Work mode: starts with the ugliest task using a 2-minute timer and helps you wrap up the workday.
• Times of day for things you can't forget (medicine, vitamins, meals).
• Reminders only at the times you choose.
• Celebration when you finish something, and a quote of the day to share.
• Ready-made routines to import.

It's 100% free, with no in-app purchases and no ads.

How do they compare, side by side?

Habitica prices come from the app's official listing in the iPhone store, U.S. storefront, viewed 10/15/2026. They can change and vary by platform.

When is Habitica the better choice?

To be fair, Habitica does things Done! doesn't.

• You love games and feel motivated watching your character grow.
• You work well with group accountability. Knowing the team takes damage if you slip is the push you need.
• You want everything in one place: habits, recurring tasks, and a to-do list.
• You use a computer a lot and want browser access.
• You like customizing: outfits, pets, mounts.

Plenty of people use Habitica for years with great results. If that's you, it's a strong option, and it's free to play.

When does Done! make more sense?

• Punishment makes you quit. Losing health, watching your character die, or dragging down your party turns into guilt, and guilt turns into avoidance.
• You want less, not more. No inventory, shop, or quests: open, check, done.
• Your problem is starting. The 2-minute timer and "ugliest first" go straight at the stuck point at the beginning.
• Your days vary a lot. The mini version and the bad-day button keep a habit alive without pretending every day is the same.
• You need to remember times like medicine and meals.

On how streaks that "reset" affect motivation, see Habit Streaks: When They Help, When They Hurt.

Does gamification work for people with ADHD?

For some people, very well. The novelty and immediate reward of a game help with engagement. For others, the fun wears off after a few weeks, and the punishing part weighs more than the reward. There's no single answer. The best test is to use it for two weeks and watch: once the novelty has passed, do you keep opening the app without effort? We have a guide on what a habit app needs for this audience in Best Habit Tracker App for ADHD: What to Look For, and a list with more options in Best Habit Apps for ADHD: 7 Options Compared (2026).

If you suspect you have ADHD or take medication, talk to a health professional.

Frequently asked questions

Is Habitica free?

Yes. You can use the app for free; the subscription is optional and adds extras. On 10/15/2026, the iPhone store listing in the U.S. showed the subscription starting at $4.99 per month.

Does Habitica work for ADHD?

The app's store description mentions ADHD among the things people use it for, and the game feel and party can be motivating. It isn't designed specifically for ADHD, and the penalty for missed Dailies can feel heavy if you tend to be hard on yourself.

Can you use Habitica without being punished?

You can reduce it: "Rest in the Inn" pauses damage from Dailies, and you can set up your Dailies carefully. But losing health is part of how the game works.

Can I use Done! and Habitica together?

You can. Some people use Habitica for tasks and group challenges and Done! for small habits and for starting the workday. Try both and keep what you open without effort.

Try it without guilt

Pick a habit, define the mini version, and use it for 7 days. If on a bad day only the mini version is possible, it counts.