9 Best Gamification Apps to Gamify Your Life

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Apr 18, 2023 last_updated min_read

Gamification is a popular buzzword floating around the internet nowadays. It promises you to make a game out of your everyday tasks. It also motivates you to learn and build new, life-changing habits. But where should you start, and what is gamification in general? We are here to help you understand and start gamifying your life right away!

What Is Gamification?

Gamification is the application of game-design elements and gaming techniques to non-gaming contexts. It applies gamification mechanics in various fields such as education, marketing, and health.

But what are gamification apps, you ask? A gamification app aims to make your life feel more like a game by applying various game mechanics and elements to the real world. Whether it’s about getting a healthy body or learning a new language, gamification apps can make things more compelling, enjoyable, and rewarding.

They usually work by rewarding you for completing certain tasks and goals that you had set. Adding game-like mechanics will give you achievements, in-game items, experience points, rewards, and other goodies once you build new habits. It’s just like in any game, except that the basis for these apps/games is the real world!

What Are The Benefits?

If the idea of gamification caught your attention and increased your interest, you may be wondering what are the benefits of it all and why you should try out some gamification apps. Let us delve a little deeper into it.

  • Motivation: gamification apps are the ultimate motivator! They use engaging game mechanics to get you excited about accomplishing your goals, helping you boost your motivation and giving you that extra sense of satisfaction when you reach a milestone.
  • Engagement: gamification apps can be a great way to inject excitement into your activities, keeping you enthralled for longer and helping you reach the finish line with your goals or tasks.
  • Improved learning outcomes: learning can be more enjoyable and effective when it's gamified! By introducing gaming elements, such as levels, rewards, and leaderboards to the learning process – you are actively engaged and motivated. This increases your enjoyment AND knowledge retention for better educational outcomes overall.
  • Productivity: as you progress, these helpful tools can provide rewards that motivate and inspire. Break down intimidating tasks into more manageable chunks so success is just around the corner – it's like playing a game where winning feels great every time!
  • Better health: gamification apps have revolutionized how we approach healthy behaviors like exercise and nutrition. With rewards and progress tracking, they provide an exciting incentive to move on to a healthier lifestyle!

Now that we have the benefits out of the way, let’s check out some of the hottest apps that use gamification mechanics. From productivity to language learning, there are apps available for everyone. This is great knowing that everyone’s goals are different and there can not be one single app for them all.

Habitica

Habitica is an app that combines gamification principles with productivity to help you achieve your goals fun and engagingly. With over 4 million registered users, it has enjoyed immense success since its launch in 2013. The app is designed to turn real-life goals and habits into a role-playing game where you can earn rewards, level up, and complete quests – all while developing positive habits.

gaming controller connected to a yellow book

In Habitica, you create your avatar, which represents your in-game character. You set daily goals, habits you want to adopt, and long-term projects you want to achieve. These goals can range from simple tasks like drinking enough water every day to more long-term goals like getting a degree.

You can earn experience points (XP) and gold coins for completing daily tasks, while bad habits or failed goals result in losing health points (HP). Habitica also features a social aspect where you can join groups and compete with friends to increase motivation and accountability.

In addition to these features, Habitica offers a marketplace where you can spend your gold coins on in-game rewards, such as unique avatar accessories, pets, and mounts.

Focus Plant

Focus Plant is a productivity app that has recently gained popularity due to its unique features targeted toward boosting the efficiency and focus of users. The app aims to engage you in productive activities by rewarding you with the opportunity to cultivate a virtual garden while increasing your focus and efficiency levels.

The app offers a variety of features that make it more appealing than other productivity apps. One such feature is the Pomodoro technique, a proven time management technique that helps you focus on a single task for a set amount of time. The technique involves working for 25 minutes straight, followed by a break of 5 minutes. Focus Plant integrates this technique, allowing you to set timers for your tasks and take breaks in between.

Duolingo

Additionally, the app tracks productivity levels and generates reports to analyze your progress. You can also set goals, prioritize tasks, and receive reminders to help you stay on task throughout the day, ensuring that the tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.

Duolingo is a language learning app that allows you to learn a new language at your own pace. It was launched in 2011 and has since become one of the most popular language-learning apps in the world, with over 300 million users worldwide.

The app offers courses in over 30 languages, including French, Spanish, German, and Chinese. The app's user-friendly interface, with interactive lessons designed to make language learning fun and engaging.

white game controller with various things branching out

One of the key features of Duolingo is its adaptive learning system. This system uses machine learning algorithms to create personalized learning plans based on your strengths and weaknesses.

As you progress through the lessons, the app tracks your progress and adjusts the difficulty level accordingly. Additionally, the app offers a variety of exercises, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening exercises, to help you learn the language in a well-rounded manner.

Speaking of game elements, Duolingo allows you to compete with friends and other learners worldwide, making language learning a social, fun experience. You can also earn in-app currency, called lingots, by completing lessons, which can be used to purchase additional features such as a premium version of the app or bonus content.

Fitocracy

Fitocracy is a unique app that combines the world of fitness with gamification. It is designed to motivate you to exercise and reach your fitness goals. In a world where people are always looking for new and innovative ways to stay healthy, Fitocracy stands out as one of the most engaging and fun apps available.

The app is easy to use, and you can create personalized workout plans based on your fitness levels and goals. Fitocracy also offers a variety of workout routines to choose from, including weightlifting, cardio exercises, walking, and even yoga. You can track your progress and earn points for completing workouts, which can be redeemed for rewards like workout gear, supplements, and coaching sessions.

With its fun and engaging interface, the app makes exercise feel like a game, encouraging you to stay active and engaged in your fitness journeys. Fitocracy also has a strong community element, where users can connect with others who share their fitness goals, ask for advice or motivation, and share their progress.

Todoist

If you are someone who likes to stay organized and productive, then you might want to consider trying out the Todoist app. Todoist is a task management app that allows you to create to-do lists, schedule tasks, and set reminders in a simple and efficient way. The app can be accessed on your desktop computer and mobile devices, making it easy to access your tasks and lists wherever you are.

black silhouette of a head with colored cubes coming out of it

One of the standout features of Todoist is its ability to categorize and prioritize tasks. You can assign different labels to your tasks, such as "work," "personal," or "urgent," which helps you to see what tasks are most pressing and which can wait. Additionally, you can set due dates and recurring tasks, so you will never forget an important deadline again.

Todoist also has a "Karma" feature, which rewards you for completing tasks on time and consistently staying on top of your work while creating a gamification mechanic. This can be a great motivator to help you stay on track and achieve your goals.

Forest

The Forest app is a virtual productivity tool that helps you stay focused on your tasks by planting a digital tree that grows over a set period. The concept behind the app is simple yet effective. To keep the tree alive, you must refrain from using your phone during the set time frame.

If you successfully manage to avoid distractions and stay on task, you are rewarded with a fully-grown tree that you can add to your digital garden. However, if you fail and exit the app or use your phone, the tree withers and dies. You can also earn virtual coins that can be used to purchase new tree species for your garden, as well as donate to real-life tree-planting organizations. All of these perks make Forest one of the best gamification apps around.

Zombies, Run!

Zombies, Run! is a unique and innovative app that has taken the fitness industry by storm. Created by Six to Start, this app is designed to help make running fun and incredibly thrilling. The app works by creating an immersive experience where you are transported into a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies, and you must run and gather supplies to help rebuild your base.

One of the unique features of the Zombies, Run! app is its integration of storytelling into the running experience. The app has over 200 exciting missions, each with its storyline that unfolds as you run. The missions are designed to keep you engaged and motivated, providing a tangible goal to run towards while simultaneously immersing you in the zombie-filled world.

Additionally, the app has a built-in radio station that broadcasts news from the post-apocalyptic world, further adding to the immersive experience. With its combination of storytelling and fitness, Zombies, Run! has revolutionized the running experience and set a new standard for fitness apps everywhere.

Plant Nanny

The Plant Nanny app is a unique and innovative way for people to stay hydrated while also taking care of virtual plants. The app encourages you to track and log your daily water intake. You can also give a virtual plant a drink for every glass of water you drink, making it a very cute gamified app.

brown briefcase with a white gaming controller next to it

As you continue to hydrate yourself and your virtual plants, the plants will grow and flourish. This app is a fun and interactive way to remind you to stay hydrated and promotes healthy habits that can benefit your overall well-being.

One of the standout features of Plant Nanny is its integration with Apple Watch. You can easily track your water intake and give your virtual plants a drink with just a few taps on your wrist. Additionally, the app offers a variety of customization options for its virtual plants, including different species and types of pots. As you progress and your plants grow, you can unlock new levels and discover unique plants to add to your collection.

Honeygain

The best passive income app in the world has gamification mechanics too. Some time ago, the team introduced achievements to make earning passively more fun. These achievements include motivation to open the Lucky Pot daily to earn streaks and invite new users to get a badge.

These achievements, streaks, and badges can help you earn more credits and give you various cosmetics that you can use on your social media posts. Participating in contests based on this gamification system can increase your earnings and pave the way for quicker payouts. Thus, make sure to check out the official social media pages of Honeygain to find them.

All in all, gamification apps can make improving your life and achieving personal goals more fun and meaningful. Whether you’re learning a language or trying to build habits, the right gamification app can help you achieve your goals while enjoying the journey.

As noted, gamification mechanics had reached passive income apps too. Check out Honeygain and make your earnings not only rewarding but also competitive! Can't click the link? Use the special code "sweetmoney" to get $2 for free when you sign up with Honeygain!

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