Propel-Habit App

With Propel, every day counts. Complete missions to earn points. Build habits to earn up to 50 points. Claim rewards with your progress. It's simple: show up, earn points, keep moving forward!

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Propel - Habit App

Inspiration

I started 2026 with a resolution: become a better version of myself through small, consistent changes. But most habit apps felt too rigid and punishing—miss one day and lose your streak. This all-or-nothing approach doesn't reflect how real behavior change works.

I needed something that would gently nudge me to do better, not shame me for being human. I also wanted to earn "permission" for things that usually make me feel guilty—like eating pizza. Instead of setbacks, these could become intentional rewards for my progress.

So I built Propel.

What it does

Propel rewards progress, not perfection. The point system works like this:

$$\text{Total Points} = (\text{Missions} \times 1) + \sum \left(\frac{\text{days completed}}{\text{total days}} \times 50\right) - \text{Rewards Claimed}$$

Daily Missions earn 1 point each for quick wins. Habits earn up to 50 points based on completion percentage—complete 3 out of 10 days? You still earn 15 points. Every day counts.

Users spend points on Rewards they define—guilt-free indulgences they've actually earned. The Calendar tab handles future to-dos, clearing mental clutter.

How we built it

I built Propel entirely using Rork, and it was a truly amazing experience. As someone with no development background, I had to put on my product manager hat to think about what users would actually need.

My process:

  1. Listed core features I wanted to see in the app
  2. Interviewed family and friends to understand their notion of a good habit app
  3. Crafted strategic prompts for Rork that would deliver those features
  4. Iterated on design to create an easy-to-use interface

The goal was simplicity above all—an app that feels intuitive from day one.

Challenges we ran into

Learning curve - This was incredibly steep since I'm neither a developer nor a product designer. I spent significant time deciding on features and the look and feel. Every design choice required research into industry best practices.

Token limit constraints - Staying within Rork's token limit was my second biggest challenge. I had to be creative and extremely careful about my prompts, learning to communicate my vision concisely and effectively.

Balancing vision with reality - I had to constantly balance what I wanted with what was feasible, making tough decisions about which features to prioritize for the first version.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I am incredibly proud of Propel. It's my first-ever app, and I built it without any coding experience.

More importantly, it solves a real problem—my own. The app is easy to use, visually clean, and I genuinely see myself using it daily. That's the ultimate validation for any product: does the creator actually use it?

I'm also proud of the proportional points system. This single feature makes Propel fundamentally kinder than other habit apps—30% progress beats 0% every time.

What we learned

AI is a tool, not a replacement for thinking - While Rork is amazing, I couldn't rely entirely on its suggestions. I had to research industry best practices for design and app logic, then implement them strategically. AI amplifies good ideas; it doesn't replace the need for them.

Product thinking is essential - Building for users beyond yourself requires empathy and research. Interviewing family and friends revealed needs I hadn't considered.

We live in an incredible time - The democratization of app development means anyone with an idea can build it. You don't necessarily need to be a developer anymore. Tools like Rork are lowering barriers and enabling creators everywhere.

Constraints breed creativity - The token limit forced me to communicate more clearly and prioritize ruthlessly—skills that improved the final product.

What's next for Propel-Habit App

The immediate roadmap includes:

Social features - I'd love to enable users to tag partners and friends in tasks. For household chores, I want to share and divide tasks with my husband. This collaborative approach could make habit-building more accountable and fun.

But I'm committed to keeping the core simple. Propel is about small changes, big momentum—and that philosophy extends to how I'll grow the app itself.

Built with Rork | Inspired by imperfect progress

Built With

  • amplitude
  • android
  • apple-storekit-2
  • cloud-functions
  • cloud-messaging
  • context-api
  • expo-cli
  • expo-router
  • expo.io
  • firebase-authentication
  • firestore
  • google-play-billing
  • ios
  • javascript
  • mixpanel
  • nativebase
  • react-hooks
  • react-native
  • react-native-paper
  • revenuecat
  • sentry
  • ypescript
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