Most people who download a water tracker stop using it within a couple of weeks. The app wasn't wrong, logging just started to feel like homework. So the best water tracker for you is the one you'll still open next month, and that depends on what keeps you going: numbers, reminders, a game, or other people.
We make Hydration Hero, so we'll be upfront about where it fits and where something else might suit you better.
What keeps you going?
Four kinds of motivation, and the options in this guide that lean on each one.
Numbers
A record of what you drank. Apple Health keeps one for free, and drink weighting makes the numbers honest.
Reminders
Nudges that fit your day. WaterMinder is known for straightforward tracking and reminders, and Hydration Hero reminds you at intervals you choose.
A game
Something that reacts. Hydration Hero's avatar, Waterllama's collectible characters, or Plant Nanny's virtual plant.
Other people
Someone who knows you're trying. Hydration Hero has challenges with friends.
What to look for
- A goal that's actually yours. "Eight glasses" isn't a real target. A good app works out a goal from your body and your day. See how much water you really need.
- Honest drink tracking. Coffee, tea, milk and alcohol don't hydrate you the same as water. Some apps count every drink as water; better ones weight them. More in does coffee count as water?
- Reminders you won't mute. Nudges at times that fit your day, not every twenty minutes.
- Apple Health. Handy if you want water in one place with the rest of your health data, or a goal that responds to exercise.
- Motivation. Streaks, characters, challenges with friends. This is the part that decides whether you keep going.
- Logging speed. Widgets and quick-add buttons matter more than you'd think.
The options
1. Hydration Hero: for people who need the habit to be fun
Hydration Hero is built around motivation. You design a full-body avatar that reacts to every drink: cheering for water, jittery after coffee, wobbly after wine. Behind the fun, the tracking is careful. Drinks are weighted for their real hydration effect, so alcohol works against your goal rather than counting towards it.
- Personalised goal from your details, with optional Health Power Up: the goal rises with today's steps, active calories and workouts from Apple Health.
- Optional weather adjustment that adds water on hot or humid days.
- Reminders at intervals you choose, streaks, badges, and challenges with friends.
- Custom drinks, plus home-screen and lock-screen widgets.
- Rated 5.0 on the App Store, free to download with optional in-app purchases.
You don't even have to install it to try it: on iPhone you can try the App Clip, a small version that opens instantly.
Best for: anyone who has abandoned a water app before, and people who like a bit of friendly competition.
2. WaterMinder: the long-standing classic
WaterMinder has been around for years and is known for straightforward tracking, reminders and Apple Watch support. A good pick if you want a clean, familiar tracker without a game layer.
3. Waterllama: cute characters and challenges
Waterllama uses collectible animal characters and themed challenges to keep things light. If a character-driven app appeals, it's worth comparing with Hydration Hero's customisable avatar. Our Hydration Hero vs Waterllama comparison goes through both side by side.
4. Plant Nanny: grow a plant by drinking
Plant Nanny ties your drinking to caring for a virtual plant. It suits people motivated by nurturing something rather than by stats or competition.
5. Apple Health on its own
You can log water manually in the Health app under Nutrition, and other apps can write to it. It's free and already on your phone, but it's a record rather than a coach, with no personalised water goal or reminders of its own.
At a glance
Five options compared
| App | Known for | Try without installing |
|---|---|---|
| Hydration Hero | Reacting avatar, drink weighting, goals that adapt to activity and heat, friend challenges | Yes, App Clip |
| WaterMinder | Simple, established tracking and Apple Watch support | Check listing |
| Waterllama | Collectible characters and challenges | Check listing |
| Plant Nanny | Growing a virtual plant | Check listing |
| Apple Health | A built-in record of water logged by you or other apps | Built in |
Apps change their features and pricing often. Check each app's current App Store listing before you decide.
How to choose
- You've quit water apps before: pick for motivation first. That's what Hydration Hero is built for.
- You want your goal to follow your workouts or the weather: look for Apple Health and weather-based goals.
- You drink a lot of coffee, tea or alcohol: choose an app that weights drinks rather than counting everything as water.
- You only want a record: the Health app is enough.
Which sounds like you?
Tap the line that fits you best. Each answer uses the same reasoning as the rest of this guide.
Find your kind of tracker
Pick one above to see where we'd start.
If you've quit water apps before Hydration Hero
Pick for motivation first. Hydration Hero's avatar reacts to every drink, and streaks, badges and challenges with friends keep it going. You can try the App Clip without installing anything.
If you want your goal to follow your workouts or the weather Hydration Hero
Look for Apple Health and weather-based goals. Hydration Hero's optional Health Power Up raises your goal with today's steps, active calories and workouts, and its weather adjustment adds water on hot or humid days.
If you drink a lot of coffee, tea or alcohol Hydration Hero
Choose an app that weights drinks rather than counting everything as water. Hydration Hero weights drinks for their real hydration effect, so alcohol works against your goal rather than counting towards it.
If you want a clean tracker without a game WaterMinder
WaterMinder has been around for years and is known for straightforward tracking, reminders and Apple Watch support. Our Hydration Hero vs WaterMinder comparison goes deeper.
If you like looking after something Plant Nanny
Plant Nanny ties your drinking to caring for a virtual plant. It suits people motivated by nurturing something rather than by stats or competition.
If you love a cute character Waterllama or Hydration Hero
Waterllama uses collectible animal characters and themed challenges. Hydration Hero has a customisable avatar you design yourself. See Hydration Hero vs Waterllama for both side by side.
If you only want a record Apple Health
The Health app is enough. It's free and already on your phone, though it won't set a personalised water goal or send reminders on its own.
Weighing up the two most similar apps? Read Hydration Hero vs WaterMinder. Logging from your wrist? See water reminder apps for Apple Watch, or set up reminders with our drink water reminder app guide. Whatever you choose, pair it with a few habits from our guide on how to drink more water.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best water tracker app for iPhone?
It depends on what keeps you motivated. Hydration Hero suits people who have abandoned water apps before: an avatar reacts to every drink, drinks are weighted for their real hydration effect, goals can adapt to exercise and hot weather, and you can challenge friends. WaterMinder is a long-standing, straightforward tracker, and Apple Health works as a free record.
Is there a free water reminder app?
Yes. Hydration Hero is free to download with optional in-app purchases, and includes reminders at intervals you choose. On iPhone you can also try it instantly as an App Clip without installing the full app.
Can a water tracker app adjust my goal for exercise?
Some can. Hydration Hero's optional Health Power Up reads today's steps, active calories and workouts from Apple Health and raises your water goal to match, and its weather feature adds water on hot or humid days.
Does Apple Health have a water tracker?
Apple Health can store water intake, which you can log manually under Nutrition or have other apps write for you. It doesn't set a personalised water goal or send reminders on its own, which is what dedicated water tracker apps add.
Read next
- Hydration Hero vs WaterMinderThe two most similar apps, side by side
- Water reminder apps for Apple WatchLogging from your wrist
- Does coffee count as water?Why drink weighting matters
- How to drink more water12 habits that make it automatic
Last updated 10 November 2026. This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a heart, kidney or liver condition, or have been told to limit fluids, follow your doctor's advice on how much to drink.