Quick answer
Finch is still the biggest self-care pet app. If you want an alternative: Koi for a calm habit tracker with a pond, Amaru for a pet with no subscription, Quabble for guided mental-health exercises, Voidpet Garden for collectible mood creatures, and Mipkin for a cozy pet with no streaks to repair and everything it needs free.
Comparison
| App | The pet | Phones | What's free | If you miss a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finch | A bird that goes on adventures | iPhone, iPad, Android | Core free; optional Finch Plus subscription | Streak breaks; repair with Rainbow Stones or a free repair saver; Pause Mode for planned breaks |
| Koi | A pond of koi you raise from eggs | iPhone, Android | Free to start; optional Koi Gold (subscription or lifetime) | Nothing lost; the day counter pauses; streaks optional |
| Amaru | A small fantasy creature | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android | Self-care features free, no ads, no subscription; optional one-time unlock and packs | No penalty listed; Amaru can wake up anxious |
| Quabble | A duck in a small park | iPhone, iPad, Android | Free to start; optional Quabble Club subscription | Not described on its store pages |
| Voidpet Garden | Collectible creatures tied to emotions | iPhone, Android | Free; optional Voidpet Giga subscription | Not described on its store pages |
| Mipkin | One of ten Mipkins finds you; it lives in a room (a Nook) that fills as you go | iPhone, Android | Everything your Mipkin needs is free; no ads; optional Mipkin Plus adds extras | Nothing runs down; no streak to save; growth counts wanders, not days in a row |
Where Mipkin fits — and where it doesn't
Pick Mipkin if:
- You want to come back after a week or a month without guilt. Nothing runs down while you're away and there's nothing to buy back.
- You want the pet care to stay free. Warmth, the in-app currency, is only earned, never sold.
- You care where your data lives. No account is needed for the core app, and your Mipkin, check-ins and journal stay on your phone by default.
- You like a cozy, decorate-the-room loop: one small kind thing a day earns Warmth, and your Mipkin wanders and brings keepsakes home.
How Mipkin compares on the things people leave Finch over (all from the sources below):
- Missed days: Finch's streak breaks if you don't open the app; you repair it with Rainbow Stones or a free Streak Repair Saver. Mipkin has no streak to break or repair.
- What's free: every growth stage, check-ins, quests, adventures, keepsakes, both journals, breathing, grounding, the worry box and the shop are in the free app, with no ads. Plus only adds extras (more rooms, themes, reflections, more Mipkins).
- Currency: Mipkin's Warmth can't be bought with money. Everything your Mipkin needs is free.
- Data: Mipkin works without an account, and your journal stays on your phone.
Pick something else if:
- You want a full habit tracker with custom habits and stats. Koi or a dedicated tracker does more of that.
- You want guided mental-health exercises with a large library. Quabble is built around that.
- You want a big community and friends' pets. Finch has by far the largest community (over 750,000 US App Store ratings).
- You want no subscription at all. Amaru sells one-time unlocks instead.
- You want AI conversation. Mipkin's everyday lines are written by people; AI only appears in two optional Plus features (Reflections, and "Talking freely" for adults 18+ in the US and UK).
FAQ
What's the best app like Finch?
It depends what you liked about Finch. For a calm habit tracker, Koi. For no subscription, Amaru. For guided exercises, Quabble. For a pet with no streaks and free care, Mipkin.
Is Mipkin free?
Yes. The free app includes your Mipkin, every growth stage, check-ins, quests, adventures, keepsakes, both journals, breathing, grounding, the worry box and the shop. Optional Mipkin Plus adds more rooms, themes, reflections and room for more Mipkins. There are no ads, free or Plus.
What happens in Mipkin if I miss a day?
Nothing bad. A quiet day costs nothing, your longest run is kept, and growth counts wanders taken, not days in a row. Your Mipkin is glad to see you whether you were gone an afternoon or a month.
Does Mipkin have streaks like Finch?
There's no streak to save or repair. Milestones and growth are based on what you've done, not on consecutive days.
Does Mipkin use AI?
Only in two optional parts of Plus, and only once you turn them on. Everything else your Mipkin says is written in advance by people.
Where is my data stored?
On your phone by default. No account is needed for your Mipkin, journal or Nook. Optional backup never includes journal text.
Is Mipkin on Android?
Yes. Mipkin is on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android.
Sources
- Finch, App Store
- Koi, App Store
- 6 Self-Care Pet Apps in 2026 (Koi blog)
- Amaru, App Store
- Amaru, Google Play
- Quabble, App Store
- Voidpet Garden, App Store
- Little and Often, Apps like Finch
- Mipkin
Meet your Mipkin
Download Mipkin for iPhone or Android, or explore the app on our home page.
For questions about the app, visit support. Mipkin is not medical care or a crisis service; read our safety page for details.