One months ago I started building an [IOS App ](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/banit-quit-bad-habits/id6756940378)designed to help people break bad habits like caffeine, gambling, smoking, or other compulsive behaviors by betting against them and friends.

One thing I kept noticing while researching habit apps is that most of them rely on streaks and personal motivation. The moment someone slips, the streak resets and people often give up completely.

So I experimented with something different. I added a **competitive leaderboard** where users can track their progress against others who are trying to break habits too. The idea is not to shame people, but to add accountability and a bit of friendly pressure.

Recently I decided to push the experiment further.

For the current leaderboard cycle, the top 3 users who maintain their habits the longest will receive real cash rewards:

• **#1 → $300**  
• **#2 → $200**  
• **#3 → $100**

The goal is to see whether real-world incentives combined with social accountability can improve consistency and long-term behavior change.

It’s still an early experiment, but it’s already been interesting to watch how people interact with the leaderboard and motivate each other.

Curious what other builders think about this approach ? Do you think adding real incentives can actually help people stick to habits, or does it risk turning self-improvement into just another game?

Would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions !

I added real money rewards to my habit Ai App leaderboard ($300 / $200 / $100)