Make Every Day Count: 11 Best Motivation Apps for Goal Setting and Personal Growth

Motivation and inspiration are the driving forces behind achieving our goals. However, our attention is constantly pulled in different directions in today’s fast-paced world by various distractions, especially social media. These distractions can make it challenging to focus on personal growth and stay on track with your goals.

Luckily, technology gives us a helping hand through mobile apps. They can support us by boosting motivation and inspiring us when we need it most. Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness, enhance your productivity, or find more meaning in your daily life, there’s an app to encourage you. 

This article explores some of the best apps for motivation and inspiration. We’ll highlight their features to help you find the perfect companion to help you achieve your dreams. Read on to discover the tools you need to stay motivated, inspired, and on track to success.  

Key points:

• Motivation and positivity apps can hold you accountable and help you achieve your goals. Whether you need to learn, get daily quotes, or reduce stress, these apps have something for you.

• For learning and positive habit formation, Headway is the top app for motivation. It offers easy-to-read book summaries with practical advice to improve your life.

• If you want a quote of the day app, try Motivate or Think Up. For free meditations and an inspirational quote widget, check out Insight Timer.

• To track habits and increase self-care, use Habitify or Fabulous. If you need help staying on task and reducing distractions, Forest is the one for you.

11 paid and free motivational apps

Whether trying to establish better habits, expand your mind, or practice mindful living, apps are an excellent tool to support your growth. You can achieve your goals and unlock your true potential with the right resources and mindset. So, let’s jump into the 11 best motivation apps to download today!

#1 Headway — the best app for motivation and reading

Headway is not just another learning app; it’s a motivation powerhouse to help you cultivate healthy habits, acquire new knowledge, and read more. Even if you’re short on time, Headway’s bite-sized book summaries make it easy to grow your skills and expertise. 

With a mix of 15-minute text or audio summaries, visual explainers, daily insights, challenges, and personalized features, there’s something for everyone. The app’s simple design, colorful illustrations, and story-like formats make learning a delight. Headway is free to use on both Android and iOS devices, with an option to upgrade to the paid version for additional features and in-app purchases. For example, while free users get access to one daily read, the premium subscription allows you to read as many book summaries as you like. What’s more, you can try reading challengings and create flashcards to help you remember new information!

Furthermore, our team picks the best free daily motivational quotes and insights to keep you focused on your goal. So, you’ll have inspiration at your fingertips, thanks to Headway widgets. It’s the perfect app for people who strive for growth and want to make learning part of their daily routine. Download the Headway app today to set your personalized targets and start your learning journey!

#2 Insight Timer — the best app for self-improvement

Insight Timer is the go-to free app for sleep, mindfulness, spiritual development, and mental health. It offers a vast library of audio tracks and courses focused on meditation, stress reduction, and wellness from leading teachers and speakers worldwide. You can even listen to the likes of Elizabeth Gilbert and Eckhart Tolle. 

Enjoy over 150,000 free tracks, including motivational talks, music, soundscapes, and meditations. Although a paid membership offers further customization and course access, most content is free. 

Finally, Insight Timer offers live events, challenges, and free daily motivational quote widgets if you’re seeking extra motivation. This is the ultimate app for self-improvement if you want to improve your mental and spiritual health.

#3 ThinkUp — the best affirmation app

Get inspired and start your day on the right foot with ThinkUp, one of the bestа apps for positive affirmations. This app provides daily affirmations from experts worldwide. Whether you’re looking for motivation to improve your love life, manage stress, build confidence, or conquer physical challenges, ThinkUp has got you covered. 

With this app, you can reinforce positive self-talk and transform negative thinking into a powerful tool for success. Plus, you can even record and add personalized affirmations to the mix. Start your day with the right mindset, and let ThinkUp help you achieve your goals.

#4 Fabulous — an app to build a self-care habit

Looking to replace bad habits with positive ones and achieve your goals? Look no further than Fabulous! This app is about making self-care and habit-building achievable by taking manageable steps. Each day, you’ll complete a task, such as drinking water when you wake up. As you master each habit, the app introduces another item to build a daily routine that improves your well-being. 

With this positivity app, you can define your goals, set realistic targets, and sustainably work towards them. So, if you’re making self-care a priority, Fabulous encourages you to make significant changes in the long run.

#5 Babble — motivating you to learn a language

Are you looking to learn a new language? Babbel has got you covered. This top-rated language learning app offers online courses in a variety of languages. You can try the first lesson for free, after which you’ll pay for a subscription to continue learning. The app’s developers claim that 92% of users improve their proficiency in just two months. That’s a great motivator to start your language-learning journey! 

Babbel is an excellent choice for anyone needing to boost their language skills quickly and efficiently. See if it works for you!

#6 Ten Percent Happier — an app to encourage mindful living 

Kickstart your motivation for the day with Ten Percent Happier. This app takes a practical approach to meditation, making it perfect for everyday use. You’ll be in good hands with renowned leaders in the field as your guides. Each teacher has a unique style, so you’ll find one that resonates with you. 

The free version of Ten Percent Happier offers access to an introductory meditation course and a weekly newsletter. However, the app truly shines when used as a member, with classes and various features for daily use. After a 14-day free trial, users can subscribe to the full range of content and get the most from their practice.

#7 Forest — a motivation app to keep you on task

Do you need help staying focused and avoiding distractions? Combat procrastination with Forest, the app that grows a digital forest while you stay on task. Set a timer and watch your digital tree grow while blocking access to other distracting apps. It is perfect for use during work, study, or downtime.

Forest also partners with a real-tree-planting organization, so you can help the environment while increasing your productivity. Moreover, with premium access, you’ll get more tree options, sound choices, and the ability to customize your blocked apps list. Give Forest a try, and watch your productivity flourish!

#8 I Am — daily quotes app for personal growth

Do you want an app to build self-esteem, rewire your brain, and change negative thinking on a daily basis? I Am might be what you need. Many users praise this as the best daily affirmations app for self-empowerment, as it reminds you to affirm your dreams verbally. You can choose daily intentions and set reminders to receive affirmations throughout the day. Alternatively, use the daily quote feature to inspire your journaling session or center yourself in times of need.

The app also has IOS widgets, quote categories, and the option to personalize the background. I Am is an excellent tool for anyone wanting to boost their self-confidence with positive reminders and get a daily dose of motivation.

#9 PepTalk — daily motivational readings app 

PepTalk delivers daily motivation directly to your pocket, offering an extensive collection of daily quotes and motivational videos from iconic figures worldwide. PepTalk offers a wealth of resources, including over 5,000 audio, videos, and quotes to inspire. The app also includes in-app purchases for additional features, allowing you to personalize your experience. 

From a quick pick-me-up to a more immersive experience, PepTalk has everything you need to stay focused and motivated. So, if you want a quote of the day app, give PepTalk a go!

#10 Motivate — an app for daily inspirational messages

Motivate is a popular app for daily motivational speeches to help inspire you. This daily quotes app has other features like music, speeches, videos, curate playlists, and more. The app’s curators hand-pick the day’s specials to ensure you receive high-quality content daily. These include a video, speech, and quotes to stay motivated. However, it’s worth noting certain features, like speeches and videos, are exclusive to premium users.

#11 Habitify — an app for simple habit building

Habitify is an effective habit tracker to help build and maintain positive practices. With its intuitive interface, you can easily track your progress, set targets, and adjust the frequency of your habits. The timely notifications serve as gentle reminders to keep you aligned with your goals, ensuring consistency and accountability. Habitify takes a data-driven approach to goal setting and habit building, making it simple to use and achieve your goals more effectively. If you’re looking for an app for self-improvement, look no further than Habitify.

What are the benefits of downloading motivational apps?

Motivation apps are a great tool and companion on your wellness journey. One of the best features is the ability to hold us accountable and keep us on track. With features like progress tracking, habit formation, and goal setting, these apps help us stay focused even when our enthusiasm wanes. 

Daily reminders, peer support, and progress monitoring create a system of accountability. Thus, motivation apps help us stay committed and make meaningful progress over time. So if you need help to stay accountable and on track toward success, explore the apps available to help you achieve your goals and unlock your true potential.

Here are some more reasons you should download motivation apps:

• Learn more: You can access a wealth of information with apps like Headway. You’ll learn about personal development, productivity, and more, all in one place. Whether you’re looking to learn new skills, stay up-to-date with the latest trends, or find guidance, motivation apps provide the knowledge you need to succeed.

• Encourage positive thinking: With features like daily affirmations, motivational quotes, and guided meditations, these apps help us cultivate a growth mindset and a sense of optimism. 

• Build positive habits: By offering personalized suggestions and reminders, apps for positivity can replace negative habits. For example, switch mindless scrolling on your phone for a healthier alternative, like reading for 10 minutes on the Headway app. Alternatively, listen to a meditation on Insight Timer. Over time, these small changes can significantly improve our well-being.

• Reduce stress: Many motivation apps offer stress-reducing features like guided meditations, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. These motivation apps help us stay calm and centered, even amid a busy or demanding day, by providing tools to manage stress and anxiety.

• Accessible and on the go: Motivation apps are highly accessible and convenient. They make it easy to stay on track no matter where you are. With text, audio, and video content options, you can choose the best format for your learning style. Moreover, you can use mobile apps on the go to access motivation whenever needed. Whether commuting to work, taking a break at home, or traveling on the road, inspiration is in your pocket.

Find the best motivation apps to expand your mind

Motivation apps have revolutionized how we approach personal growth, productivity, and well-being. These apps enable us to stay on track by providing personalized guidance, support, and accountability. Whether you want to develop a positive mindset, learn something new, or enjoy more downtime, there’s an app to help you.

If you’re looking to establish positive habits, learn new skills, or research an exciting topic, Headway is the best app for motivation to read more. With helpful reminders, fun visuals, and bite-sized content, you’ll look forward to spending 10 minutes on the Headway app. Moreover, its simple design, colorful illustrations, and story-like formats make it a pleasure to use. So, whether you prefer to read or listen, download the Headway app to enjoy learning on the go.

Kickstart your motivation for the day with daily quotes, meditations, and reading recommendations. See how tiny changes can make a big difference in your life with the help of apps.