Apps like Finch: 9 gentle self-care apps to try
Finch is lovely, and it’s the app most people compare everything to. But maybe you want a different pet, something completely free, or a simpler way to track your mood. Here are nine apps that share Finch’s gentle spirit, and how each one is different.
Updated October 20, 2026 · By the Otti team. We make Otti, so it’s first on this list; we’ve tried to be fair to everyone else. Prices are US App Store prices and change often.
Quick picks
- A pet to care for: Otti, Focus Friend
- Completely free: How We Feel
- Mood tracking and stats: Daylio, DailyBean
- Game-style motivation: Habitica
- Emotions as creatures: Voidpet Garden, Foxtale
- Drinking more water: Plant Nanny
1. Otti
Self-care pet (our app)
Hatch one of six 3D otters and care for it tamagotchi-style while you take tiny self-care steps. It grows up on a journey down the river, with an evening story on days you show up.
- Like Finch
- Tiny daily steps help a cute creature grow, with a mood check-in, a breathing exercise and friends.
- Different
- You actually look after your otter (feeding, naps, baths, play), it never gets sick or dies, friends’ otters hold paws, and its pebbles can’t be bought. It’s new and in beta, so it does less than Finch for now.
Price: Free during the beta. Pricing will be announced before launch.
2. Focus Friend
Focus timer with a pet
By Hank Green. While your focus timer runs, your Bean knits socks, which you spend on decorating its home.
- Like Finch
- A very cute pet you look after by doing something good for yourself (focusing), with lots of decorating.
- Different
- It’s a focus timer, not a self-care app: no goals, mood tracking or journaling. The Bean gets very sad if you stop the timer early. No friends features.
Price: Focus Friend Pro is $3.99/month, $19.99/year or $39.99 lifetime (US App Store).
3. Voidpet Garden
Mental-health journal with pets
Your emotions live as collectible creatures, and journaling grows a garden that attracts them. Includes CBT- and DBT-style exercises, affirmations and a Hope Box.
- Like Finch
- Cute creatures plus real mental-health tools in one app.
- Different
- More of a journal and collecting game; it sells gem packs and its App Store age rating notes loot boxes. We couldn’t find official details on what happens if you miss days.
Price: A “Giga” subscription ($3.99–$69.99 depending on plan) and gem packs (US App Store).
4. Habitica
Gamified habit tracker
An RPG-style to-do and habit app: completing real tasks earns XP, gold and gear for a pixel avatar, and you can hatch pets and go on quests with a party.
- Like Finch
- Pets, rewards and friends to keep you going, and the whole app is usable for free.
- Different
- It’s built on pressure: missed Dailies cost health, and at zero you lose a level, your gold and a piece of gear (you can pause damage). Great if that motivates you; not if it stresses you.
Price: Free. Optional subscription from $4.99/month or $47.99/year; gems sold separately.
5. Plant Nanny
Water tracker with a plant pet
Every glass of water you log waters a cute plant and grows your greenhouse.
- Like Finch
- A little living thing that thrives when you look after yourself.
- Different
- It focuses on one habit: drinking water. It shows ads, sells currency packs, and much of the content sits behind a subscription. Reviewers say plants wilt but recover rather than die.
Price: Free with ads. Subscription $3.99–$7.99/month or $69.99/year (US App Store).
6. Daylio
Mood tracker and micro-journal
Tap a mood and a few activities, no typing needed, then see charts of your patterns over weeks, months and years.
- Like Finch
- A quick daily check-in that helps you notice what affects your mood.
- Different
- No pet. It’s a private, no-account mood log with excellent stats. Many people use it for years.
Price: Free version, plus Premium (7-day trial) and a lifetime option.
7. How We Feel
Emotion check-in journal
From a nonprofit whose science team is led by Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence: check in, find the precise word for what you feel, spot patterns and learn strategies to regulate emotions.
- Like Finch
- Gentle, low-pressure check-ins, and you can share with friends.
- Different
- No pet or game. It’s completely free, with no ads or in-app purchases. Its terms require users to be at least 18.
Price: Free (funded by donations).
8. DailyBean
Cute mood diary
Pick a mood “bean”, tap icons for your day, add a photo and a short note, and watch your month fill up with beans.
- Like Finch
- Very cute, quick, and designed so missing a day feels normal.
- Different
- No pet to care for. The free version has ads, and themes cost Clovers (its in-app currency).
Price: Free with ads. Premium Pass from $3.99/month or from $19.99/year.
9. Foxtale
Mood journal with a fox pet (new)
From the makers of Bearable, launched in December 2025: your emotions become glowing orbs that your fox collects to restore its world.
- Like Finch
- A self-care pet built around checking in with your feelings.
- Different
- Still new, so there’s less to compare yet. We’ll add a full comparison once it’s been around a little longer.
Price: We haven’t verified its pricing yet.
What about Kinder World?
Kinder World, the cozy plant game where short wellbeing activities help houseplants grow, was a popular Finch alternative. Its studio announced in October 2025 that development and support have ended. It’s still in the app stores and existing players keep their progress, but it won’t get new levels or fixes, so we haven’t included it above.
How to choose
- Think about what keeps you coming back. A pet, a story, charts, or friends? Pick the app built around that.
- Check what happens when you miss a day. If streaks or penalties stress you out, choose an app that’s gentle about breaks.
- Look at the free version first. Most of these apps are usable for free; only pay if you’re sure you love it.
- Fewer is better. One app you open every day beats three you feel guilty about.
Facts come from each app’s own store listing, website and help pages, checked on October 20, 2026. See our full comparisons for sources. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@ottiapp.com. All names are trademarks of their owners; Otti isn’t affiliated with any of these apps.
Questions people ask
What is the best app like Finch?
It depends on what you love about Finch. For another pet you care for, try Otti or Focus Friend. For mood tracking, Daylio or How We Feel. For game-style motivation, Habitica. The best one is the one you look forward to opening.
Is there a free app like Finch?
Finch’s own core features are free. Fully free alternatives include How We Feel (no purchases at all) and Habitica (usable for free, with optional extras). Otti is free during its beta.
Are there apps like Finch for adults?
Yes. None of these apps are made just for children. Daylio, How We Feel and Habitica are aimed at grown-ups (How We Feel requires users to be 18 or over), and Otti is designed for teens and adults.
Are there apps like Finch for ADHD?
Many people with ADHD say tiny, flexible steps help on hard days. Reviewers often mention Focus Friend for focus and Habitica for routines. Otti keeps steps very small and never takes progress away. None of these apps are a treatment for ADHD.
Is Finch free?
Finch’s core self-care features are free. Finch Plus costs $69.99 a year or $9.99 a month in the US (checked October 2026).