Habitica turns your to-do list into a retro RPG, while Solo Era turns small real-world steps into missions you do alone. Choose Habitica if you want to gamify any task, from habits to chores. Choose Solo Era if the thing you want to practise is doing things on your own, such as eating out, going to a cinema or travelling.
Overview
| Solo Era | Habitica | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | App for practising things alone | Gamified task manager |
| Core unit | Mission with a difficulty level | Habit, daily or to-do |
| Game elements | XP, weekly streak | Gold, XP, pets, gear (retro RPG) |
| Feedback | Before-and-after nervousness ratings over months, photo journal | Rewards for completing tasks |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, web at habitica.com |
| Pricing | Free to download; subscription required to start missions | Listing calls it a free habit-building app; optional subscription: 1 month $4.99 or 12 months $47.99 (US App Store, checked 2026-10-21, source); prices vary by region |
| Best for | Building comfort with solo outings | Gamifying habits and everyday tasks |
What Habitica does
Habitica, from HabitRPG, Inc., describes itself on the App Store as a free habit-building and productivity app that uses retro RPG elements. You track habits, dailies and to-dos, and you earn gold and XP, collect pets and equip gear. It also runs on the web at habitica.com.
The idea is that real tasks become quests in a game, and completing them keeps your character progressing. You decide what goes on your list, which makes it flexible: workouts, bills, study, tidying. Check its current subscription terms in the app; we make no claim about its source code.
What Solo Era does
Solo Era is an iPhone app for practising doing things alone. Its core unit is the mission, shown as a mission ticket. The task stays front and centre, and you can turn the ticket over to see instructions and what the mission helps you practise.
- Library by category and level. Seven categories (food, movement, culture, travel, everyday, solitude and people) and five levels. Level 1 is the gentlest. Examples: "Build something with LEGO bricks." (solitude, level 1), "Shop for clothes on your own." (everyday, level 2) and "Eat dinner somewhere with tablecloths, alone." (food, level 3).
- Weekly mission and custom missions. A place to begin each week, plus missions you write yourself.
- Progress. Before-and-after ratings of how nervous you felt, plotted over months, with XP and a weekly streak.
- Journal. A photo and notes with each completed mission, or a free entry, shared only when you choose.
- Solo Pass. A personal pass that keeps the same code as your story grows.
It is free to download, and a subscription is required to start missions. Any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app. It is not therapy or medical care.
Key differences
Breadth versus focus
Habitica can hold anything you decide to put in it. Solo Era holds only one kind of thing: small, real-world solo outings from a library. If you need a place for all your tasks, Habitica is the general tool. If you need a push toward specific behaviours, Solo Era is the specific one.
Who writes the tasks
In Habitica you create your own tasks, so the quality of your system depends on you. In Solo Era the missions come from a library sorted by category and difficulty, with a weekly mission to begin, and you can add your own. That is helpful if you know you want to change something but do not know what step to take first.
Style of game
Habitica is openly a game, with pets and gear. Solo Era is a quieter system built on XP, a weekly streak and your own ratings. If you love collecting things, Habitica suits you. If a full RPG feels silly or heavy for something as personal as going to a restaurant alone, Solo Era's tone may feel more fitting.
Where the work happens
With Habitica, you tick off tasks in the app after doing them wherever they happen. With Solo Era the work is almost always out of the house, and the app's job is to pick a step, ask how nervous you feel, and record how it went.
Social features
Solo Era has no social network, matching or dating features. We do not compare Habitica's social features here, so check the app if that matters to you.
Which one should you pick
Choose Habitica if:
- you want one game that covers all your tasks
- you enjoy RPG mechanics
- you want web access in addition to a phone app
Choose Solo Era if:
- you avoid or delay things because you would be alone
- you want a library of small steps sorted by difficulty
- you like looking back at before-and-after ratings and a photo journal
You can run both, with Habitica handling the everyday list and Solo Era the weekly outing. Just check that the combined effort does not exceed the benefit.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
A quick test
Pick the app that sounds closest and give it one week. For Habitica, set up three habits. For Solo Era, take on one level 1 mission. Our 7-day challenge is a no-app way to try the same idea. After a week, ask which one made you want to open it again. If neither did, our habit tracker is a lower-effort starting point.
If you are shopping around, Habitica alternatives lists other options, and best habit apps ranks the wider field.
Last checked: 2026-10-21. Facts about other apps come from their official sites and App Store listings and can change, so confirm current details before you decide.
FAQ
Is Solo Era a Habitica alternative?
For gamified progress, partly. Both use XP-style progress, but Habitica manages any task and Solo Era focuses on missions for practising things alone.
Which is better for building habits?
For daily habits like exercise or study, Habitica is built for it. For habits like going out alone, Solo Era's missions are more specific.
Is Habitica free?
Its App Store listing calls it a free habit-building and productivity app. Its optional subscription is listed at 1 month $4.99 or 12 months $47.99 (US App Store, checked 2026-10-21, source). Solo Era is free to download and needs a subscription to start missions; any trial depends on offer and eligibility.
Are these apps therapy?
No. Neither replaces professional care. Solo Era is not therapy or medical care.
Does Solo Era have a web version?
No. Solo Era is an iPhone app only.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
