Awaira
Try it free
Hair pulling tools

Best apps for trichotillomania in 2026: hair-pulling tools compared

Do you need a camera cue when your hand goes up, a wearable away from screens, a place to record patterns, or structured support? These seven tools serve different situations, with current prices and trial terms for each. We include other camera tools alongside Awaira so you can compare the closest alternatives.

The Awaira teamProduct comparison·11 min read

A transparent note. Awaira made this article and sells one of the tools below. We have included it, but have also named the settings where it is not the best fit. Product features, prices and availability change, so use the primary links before choosing. These are awareness and support tools—not diagnosis, treatment or a substitute for a qualified clinician.

The difference that matters: automatic awareness versus a manual log

For many people, hair pulling is partly automatic: a hand is already in the hair before there is a clear moment to open an app. A manual tracker can still be valuable—it can help surface triggers, time of day, location and feelings—but it relies on noticing the episode first. Automatic tools aim to create that first moment of awareness. Neither approach is a cure, and both work best when you know what you will do when you pause. If privacy is your main filter rather than feature comparison, see privacy-first alternatives to manual hair-pulling logs.

Quick comparison

  • Awaira: camera-based hand to face awareness on desktop and mobile, with a cue that does not require a manual episode log.
  • HabitAware Keen2: best automatic option away from a computer, if you are happy to wear and charge a dedicated bracelet.
  • Hands Off: a desktop webcam tool with an on-screen interruption for nail biting, skin picking and hair pulling.
  • TricTrak: a browser-based camera tool with adjustable zones and cues.
  • SkinAware: best for a detailed manual log, reflection, accountability and an in-app course.
  • TrichStop: best when you want a hair-pulling-specific self-monitoring tool alongside a more structured program.
  • Hair Pulling Tracker: BFRB: best for a simple Android-first manual log built around urges, episodes and competing responses.

1. Awaira: camera awareness across desktop and mobile

Best for: hair pulling that happens while working, studying, watching, browsing or gaming—especially when you realise it only after your hand is already near your face or scalp.

Awaira uses on-device awareness to recognise a hand moving toward the face and gives a gentle cue. The key advantage is that the cue happens automatically; you do not have to stop and enter every episode before you can learn from it. It is designed to notice the earlier movement, then make room for a planned response: lower your hands, use a fidget, change position, or take a short reset.

Where it works: Awaira is available for Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone and the web. Detection runs on each device rather than through a shared account. Android can keep noticing while another app is open; iPhone needs Awaira visible on screen. The iPhone purchase is separate from the licence for desktop, Android and web. Camera frames are processed on the device.

Price and trial: a 7-day free desktop trial, no account or card required. Paid plans are $4.99 per month, $19.99 per year, or $39.99 as a one-time lifetime purchase, observed on the pricing page at the time of writing.

Choose another tool if: your main pulling setting is somewhere a camera is unavailable or unwelcome, or you need an alert while an iPhone app is closed. A wearable may fit those moments better. Awaira notices a hand approaching the face or head, not whether a hair was pulled.

2. HabitAware Keen2: a wearable cue away from screens

Best for: people who want an automatic cue while away from a desk and are comfortable wearing a bracelet.

Keen2 is a wrist-worn system with a companion app. HabitAware says it is designed for above-the-neck hair pulling, skin picking and nail biting, and that it vibrates when it recognises a trained pre-behavior motion. The company also clearly notes that false alarms can happen and that the vibration is an awareness cue—not a force that moves your hand for you.[1]

The trade-off: it can work where a laptop or phone camera cannot, but it requires a separate device, charging and set-up. Its app supports iOS and Android; the bracelet can work away from the phone once it is trained.[2]

Price: the Keen2 bracelet is a one-time hardware purchase, observed at roughly $169 to $179 depending on promotions; it has sold out at times. The companion app is free to download, with habit-reversal training content available as an in-app upgrade. Check HabitAware's site directly, since bracelet price and stock change.

3. Hands Off: desktop webcam interruption

Best for: someone who wants a camera cue during desktop use and prefers an on-screen interruption. Hands Off describes a webcam app for nail biting, skin picking and hair pulling. It says detection runs locally and shows an alert when a hand moves toward the face.[3]

The trade-off: its published site focuses on desktop use and interruption. Compare its alert style and supported devices with Awaira’s gentler cue options and native mobile apps. The product page makes strong effectiveness claims; we have not independently verified those claims.

Price and trial: Mac and Windows, with a 3-day free trial, then €2.99 per month, observed on the pricing page at the time of writing.

4. TricTrak: camera cues in a browser

Best for: someone who wants adjustable camera zones without installing a desktop app. TricTrak describes a browser-based tool for devices with a camera. Its site says users can choose face and head zones, adjust timing, and receive visual or sound cues.[4]

The trade-off: browser camera access and background behavior can vary by device. Check how it runs in the setting where you need a cue. TricTrak’s site describes outcomes and clinical benefits that we have not independently verified.

Price and trial: the site offers a free demo, but does not publish a subscription price; check its current pricing before committing.

5. SkinAware: manual reflection and accountability

Best for: someone who wants to log urges or episodes, identify triggers, work through patterns over time and optionally involve a trusted person or community.

SkinAware is deliberately built around logging, rather than automatic detection. Its published features include quick urge entries, trigger and pattern insights, a journal, goals, accountability and a moderated community; it supports hair pulling as well as skin picking and nail biting.[5] It is available on iOS, Android and the web.[6]

The trade-off: its strength is the richer reflection that comes after you notice an urge or episode. If your pulling is highly automatic, it will not catch the movement for you; you need to make the entry. That makes it a good companion to an automatic cue, or a strong standalone choice when journaling and a structured practice matter most.

Price: free to download with in-app purchases, observed at $7.99 per month or $39.99 per year on its US listing at the time of writing.

6. TrichStop: self-monitoring and structured support

Best for: someone looking for a hair-pulling-specific program, not only a streak counter or a generic habit app.

TrichStop’s self-monitoring app was made to help people record pulling behavior and identify patterns. Its published material describes a mobile log for iOS and Android, intended to make tracking easier when paper records do not fit real life.[7] The wider TrichStop service also offers interactive sessions and in-app tools.[8]

The trade-off: this is still self-monitoring: you record what happened rather than having a device recognise the first motion. It may be the better route if the appeal is a pulling-specific programme and structured learning, rather than a passive awareness alert.

Price: the self-monitoring app itself is a free companion tool for TrichStop clients; the published site does not list a separate app price. TrichStop's own coaching program is billed separately; check its site for current program rates.

7. Hair Pulling Tracker: BFRB, an Android manual log

Best for: Android users who want a focused place to record urges and episodes, see summaries and keep competing-response ideas close by.

Hair Pulling Tracker: BFRB describes itself as a self-monitoring tool for hair pulling, skin picking and nail biting. Its Google Play listing includes urge and episode logging, weekly summaries, a stimulus-control planner and a competing-response library.[9]

The trade-off: it is a manual, Android-only tracker—not an automatic detector. Check the current store listing and data-safety information before downloading, particularly if you plan to keep sensitive health notes in the app.

Price: free, with no account required, observed on the developer's listing at the time of writing.

Which one should you choose?

If you do not notice the pulling until it has started

Consider an automatic cue. Awaira, Hands Off and TricTrak all describe camera-based prompts during device use, with different platforms and cue styles. Awaira has native desktop and mobile apps, but its iPhone camera works only while Awaira is open. Keen2 is a wearable option for moments away from a camera.

If you already notice it, but want to understand the pattern

Choose a manual tracker if the record itself is what you need. SkinAware focuses on reflection and accountability; TrichStop centres on hair pulling and a structured programme; Hair Pulling Tracker: BFRB offers an Android log.

If hair pulling is causing marked distress, hair loss, avoidance or injury

An app can support awareness and practice, but it should not have to carry the whole job. Look for a clinician experienced with body-focused repetitive behaviors and discuss a plan that fits your situation. Our guide to habit reversal training explains one commonly used behavioral approach in plain language.

Common questions

What is the best app for trichotillomania?

There is no single best app, since the right tool depends on whether pulling is automatic or already noticed, whether you want a camera cue, a wearable, or a manual log, and which device you use. This comparison breaks that down by situation rather than ranking one tool above the rest.

Are there free trials for hair-pulling apps?

Most of the camera-based tools in this comparison offer a short free trial, typically a few days, before a paid subscription or one-time price applies. Several manual trackers are free to download with optional paid upgrades. Check each product's current page, since trial length and pricing change.

Do these apps diagnose trichotillomania?

No. None of the tools in this comparison, including Awaira, diagnose trichotillomania or any other condition. They support awareness, logging or structured practice. A diagnosis requires a qualified clinician.

The honest bottom line

Awaira is one camera-based option for automatic awareness across desktop and mobile. It gives a cue when the hand goes up, without asking for a manual entry first. Hands Off and TricTrak also offer automatic camera cues, so compare the devices and alert style that fit your routine.

A wearable can be useful outside camera time; a tracker can help with reflection; and structured clinical support may be the right priority. Choose the tool that fits the moment you want to notice.

Product sources

  1. HabitAware. “Is HabitAware right for me? Common questions when considering Keen2.” Accessed 20 September 2026. HabitAware.
  2. HabitAware. “FAQ.” Accessed 20 September 2026. HabitAware.
  3. Hands Off. Product page, accessed 27 September 2026. Hands Off.
  4. TricTrak. Product page and FAQ, accessed 27 September 2026. TricTrak.
  5. SkinAware. “Break free from picking, pulling, and biting.” Accessed 20 September 2026. SkinAware.
  6. SkinAware. “Habit Reversal Training for Hair Pulling: Step-by-Step.” Accessed 20 September 2026. SkinAware.
  7. TrichStop. “TrichStop launches self-monitoring app.” Accessed 20 September 2026. TrichStop.
  8. TrichStop. “FAQ.” Accessed 20 September 2026. TrichStop.
  9. Coddykit. “Hair Pulling Tracker: BFRB.” Google Play listing, accessed 20 September 2026. Google Play.

How this comparison was made

We reviewed first-party product pages, help pages and store listings on 27 September 2026, and rechecked prices and trial terms on 27 October 2026. We compared camera cues, wearable cueing, manual tracking and structured support. We did not independently test the other products or verify vendor outcome claims. Prices and trial terms are observations at the time of writing, not guaranteed current offers; confirm them on each product's own page. Awaira has a commercial interest in this comparison; its platform limits and separate iPhone purchase are stated plainly.

This is general information, not medical advice. See our editorial and medical-review policy for our standards, and visit the TLC Foundation for BFRBs for education and provider resources.

Last reviewed 27 October 2026.

Notice the hand before the habit takes over

Awaira gives a gentle, automatic cue when your hand moves toward your face—without asking you to manually log the moment first.

See the hair pulling awareness appAvailable across devices · Private, on-device awareness