I’ve been experimenting with Stryv for the past week. Writing this review and just immersing myself in Stryv made me realise that the app is perhaps the easiest habit tracking app to learn to use in comparison with the other habit trackers that I’ve used before, but of course, Stryv doesn’t come without its flaws.
Stryv is a freemium habit tracking app that is available only as a web app that helps to improves one’s habit through a combination of community and habit tracking. It can track up to 2 habits for free and an unlimited number of habits in its premium version.
| Pros of Free Version of Stryv | Cons of Free Version of Stryv |
| – Simple interface – Combines habit tracking with community support – Available as a web app | – Only can track 2 habits – I have to create my own community – Easy to change habit history – No direct integration with phone |
Key Takeaway:
Stryv can be a good free habit tracking app for someone who wants a basic habit tracking tool and doesn’t have many habits to track.
While Stryv just allows too few habits to be tracked for free for me, it does compensate in other ways such as with its simple interface. Let me show you.
How Stryv Helped Me Build Good Habits
Simple interface
Perhaps the best thing about Stryv is that it didn’t take more than a few minutes for me to learn how to use the main function of the app – habit tracking. All it takes is 2 simple steps.
The first step is to tap on “Edit My Goals” on the homepage of the app.
On the “Edit My Goals” page. The second step is to create a new goal/edit an existing goal, give it a name and the number of times I want to accomplish it in a week. Tap on save and I’m done.
It also helps that there is a note on the page that guides me when I’m creating new habits to track.
Overall, the simple interface helps me to divert most of my focus to the good habits that I want to create in my life than thinking about how I’m going to use the app.
Combines habit tracking with community support
Stryv goes beyond just being a habit tracker because it allows you to enlist the help of my social circle.
While I found that there is not much that my friends and I can do for each other than to provide some moral support in terms of comments and virtual high fives, this feature is still a nice addition to have.
Available as a web app
Stryv is only available at the url stryv.app as a web app and is not available as a phone app on iOS and Android.
Because of its, dedication as a web app, there’s no shuffling between the web app and a phone app like some of the other habit tracking apps that I’ve tried.
This makes the overall experience faster as compared to other habit tracking apps that have a web app/phone app and helps me improve my habits indirectly in a small way.
What’s Not So Good About Stryv As A Free Habit Tracking App
Only can track 2 habits
Despite the various plus points that Stryv has going for it, the fact that it can only track 2 habits for free renders it almost impractical for me.
It may work for someone that is only thinking of tracking and improving up to 2 habits, but this will likely not be my go-to free habit tracking app for the long haul.
I have to create my own community
While I have full control over who I want to add as my circle of people supporting me in building good habits, being someone that is not too sociable, I might have to forgo this feature offered by the app.
Easy to change habit history
I think that having accurate information to reflect upon is important.
What I found while using the app is that I can easily change the completion of my habit goals by tapping on any of the day icons in the week.
Being so easy to change, there’s a good chance that I will misrecord information about my habit goals completion eventually resulting in inaccurate information being recorded.
No direct integration with phone
Because Styrv is only available as a web app, I cannot integrate it with my phone well. Setting up reminders for me to record my habit goals progress will be impossible.
Definitely, a disadvantage to consider if you want to use this app long term.
How Stryv Fared As A Free Habit Tracker
I measured how well Stryv did as a free habit tracking app based on 5 criteria that I think will be important to any habit tracking app:
- The number of habits the app can track for free (If the app can only track 1 habit, it is unlikely to be useful to me because I want to track more than 1 habit. The more habits that the app can track, the better it is for a user.)
- Data recording capabilities of the app (It is difficult for me to improve if I cannot see where I am succeeding and failing with my habits. The more useful habit data that can be collected over time, the better it is for a user.)
- Platforms the app is available on (If I am on iOS and Mac, it would be ideal if an app I frequently use is on both platforms. Therefore, the more platforms that an app is on, the better it is for a user.)
- The versatility of the app (If I can track whether or not I woke up on time today, a yes/no habit. And I can track how many bottles of water I drank today, a number habit, then I think a habit tracking app can be considered as versatile.)
- How well the app can help to improve habits (Even if the app scores well on all other aspects, I would be unlikely to continue using it if it is designed in a way that doesn’t really help me to improve my habits.)
| Criteria | Score |
| The number of habits Stryv can track for free: Stryv can track 2 habits for free. Scoring rubrics If the app can track 1-3 habits – 10 points If the app can track 4 or more habits – 20 points | 10 |
| Data recording capabilities: stickK can both automatically record habit history and allows for the recording of notes with each data point. Scoring rubrics If the app can view automatically recorded habit history – 10 points If the app allows manual recording of notes for each habit – 10 points If the app can view recorded habit history and record down notes for each habit – 20 points | 20 |
| Platforms Stryv is available on: Stryv is available on web app, this means that it can be available on many different platforms. Scoring rubrics If the app is available on 1-2 platforms – 10 points If the app is available on 3 or more platforms – 20 points | 20 |
| The versatility of Stryv: Stryv can only track simple yes/no habits. Scoring rubrics Does the app allow you to track all types of habits? If no – 10 points If yes – 20 points | 10 |
| How well does the app help improve habits (On the scale of 1 – 10): 5 – Stryv is only available as a web app, it is difficult to set up automatic reminders on my mobile devices. Further, because the free version can only track 2 habits, I cannot see how I will use it to improve my habits over the long term. Scoring rubrics Subjective and based on personal opinion. Take it with a pinch of salt, if the app seems good to you, try it out yourself and decide for yourself. If 1-5 – 0 points If 6-10 – 20 points | 0 |
| Total Score | 60 |
