The closest apps to Finch depend on which part of Finch you like. Habitica turns habits and to-dos into an RPG, with an avatar that levels up as you check things off. Forest grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone. Pokémon Sleep builds its creature collecting around your sleep. If what you really want is the calm little companion rather than the goal tracking, a gentle pet game like Chill Capy may suit you better.
What does Finch do? #
Finch, made by Finch Care Public Benefit Corporation, is a self-care app with a pet bird. Its tagline is “Take care of your pet by taking care of yourself.” You set small goals, like journaling, a breathing exercise or a mood check-in, and your bird grows and goes on adventures as you complete them. It’s free on iOS and Android, with an optional Finch Plus subscription, and it’s rated 9+ on the App Store.
So an app “like Finch” usually means one of two things: a habit or wellness tool with a game layer, or a soothing pet you look after. The list covers both.
Apps like Finch at a glance #
| App | What you look after | What it tracks | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitica | An RPG avatar | Habits, daily tasks and to-dos | Free to start |
| Forest | A virtual tree | Focus time away from your phone | Free, with optional Forest Plus |
| Pokémon Sleep | A Snorlax and visiting Pokémon | Your sleep | Free, with in-app purchases |
| Work Capy | A capybara in a hot spring | Focus sessions | Free, with optional one-time themes |
| Chill Capy | A capybara who can’t die | Nothing, it’s just a pet | Free, optional subscription and gem packs |
| Neko Atsume 2 | Visiting cats | Nothing | Free to play |
1. Habitica: habits as a role-playing game #
Habitica started as HabitRPG in January 2013 and took its current name in July 2015. It’s a task manager dressed as an RPG. You sort your life into Habits, Dailies and To-Dos, and completing them earns your avatar experience and gold for equipment. It runs on the web, iOS and Android, and it’s open source.
Good for: people who like stats, levels and a bit of structure. Not great for: anyone who wants gentleness. A list of Dailies can start to feel like work.
2. Forest: grow a tree by putting your phone down #
Seekrtech’s Forest turns focus into a small stake. You pick a timer and a tree, and the tree grows while you stay out of other apps. Open something else before the timer ends and it withers. Finished trees fill up your forest. Through a partnership with the nonprofit Trees for the Future, users can spend coins they earn on real tree planting, and more than two million real trees have been planted. Forest switched to a free download with an optional Forest Plus subscription in December 2025.
Good for: studying, deep work and cutting down on phone checking. Not great for: self-care tracking. It’s a focus timer, not a journal.
3. Pokémon Sleep: a creature collection built on rest #
You feed a Snorlax berries during the day, and your phone’s microphone and motion sensor track your sleep overnight. The kind of sleep you get decides which Pokémon gather in the morning. It launched in July 2023 and passed 30 million downloads by April 2026. It’s free with in-app purchases.
Good for: people who want a gentle nudge toward a steadier sleep routine. Not great for: anyone who doesn’t want their phone on the bed.
4. Work Capy: a focus timer with a capybara #
Work Capy is from the same developer as Chill Capy. It’s a focus timer with a capybara in a hot spring. Leave the app twice during a session and he climbs out, and the session is lost. A Gentle mode turns the stakes off completely. It’s silent by design, so your own music keeps playing, and it needs no account or network. The timer is free and never paywalled. Optional themes are one-time purchases.
Good for: Finch fans who want a pet tied to getting work done. Not great for: journaling or mood tracking, which it doesn’t do.
5. Chill Capy: the calm pet, without the to-do list #
Some people love Finch for the bird more than the goals. If that’s you, Chill Capy is a virtual pet about a capybara who lives in a hot spring. You feed him, bathe him, let him soak in the onsen and put him to sleep. A check-in takes a minute or two, and three short mini-games pay for hats and decorations.
It shares Finch’s refusal to punish you. He never dies, never leaves and never scolds you, and his stats stop dropping after 18 hours away. Reminders are off unless you turn them on. It doesn’t track habits, moods or journaling at all, so it’s a small daily ritual, not a wellness tool. There’s no account, and it works offline.
6. Neko Atsume 2: the least demanding of all #
Hit-Point’s 2024 cat-collecting sequel asks almost nothing of you. Put out food and toys, and cats come to visit. It’s a pleasant thing to open once a day and a good match for people who found even Finch’s goals a bit much.
Is Finch a mental health app? #
Finch describes itself as a self-care app, and it’s built around small habits like journaling and breathing exercises. None of the apps here is a treatment for anything, and none replaces a doctor, therapist or the people in your life. If you’re going through a hard time, talking to someone you trust or a professional is the right next step. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any time.
For a longer, honest look at what digital pets can and can’t do, read do virtual pets help with loneliness?. And if the pet side is what you’re after, our list of virtual pet games for adults has more picks that respect your time.
Frequently asked questions #
Is Finch free? #
Yes. Finch is free to download on iOS and Android, and Finch Plus is an optional subscription that adds extras.
What’s an app like Finch but for focus? #
Forest and Work Capy. Forest grows a virtual tree while you stay off your phone, and Work Capy’s capybara stays in his hot spring as long as you stay in the app.
What’s an app like Finch for habits? #
Habitica is the closest. It turns habits, daily tasks and to-dos into an RPG where your avatar levels up as you complete them.
Is there a Finch-style pet that doesn’t need daily goals? #
Yes. Chill Capy and Neko Atsume 2 are pets without goal tracking. Chill Capy gives you light daily care with a capybara who can never die, and Neko Atsume 2 just asks you to put out food for visiting cats.