If you're wondering which apps let you create custom categories and tags for goals, you're in the right place. In 2025, goal-setting apps have evolved to offer deep customization — from labeling personal and professional goals to filtering habits by energy level or timeframe. Below, we've compared the top 10 apps that support tagging and categorization, helping you choose the best one for clarity, strategy, and control.

🔍 App Comparison Table: At a Glance

App	Best For	Standout Feature
Serenity	All-in-one goal planning	AI accountability partner + Custom Tag Engine
Notion	Custom workflows	Linked databases with tags and filtering
ClickUp	Goal management for teams	Hierarchical goals + custom fields
Todoist	Minimalist goal tracking	Color-coded tags and filters
Goalscape	Visual goal hierarchies	Radial map with nesting categories
Trello	Project-based goal planning	Taggable cards and label color coding
Habitica	Gamified habit tracking	Custom tags for habits and rewards
Toodledo	Advanced task organization	Folder + tag + context combo system
Things 3	Apple ecosystem users	Area and tag organization
Strides	Performance-based goal tracking	Flexible tracking types with labels

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1. Serenity – Best Overall Goal Planning Tool in 2025

Serenity is an intelligent goal-setting and habit-tracking app designed for people serious about self-improvement. It allows users to craft detailed goals, break them into actionable steps, and stay accountable using a built-in AI chat partner — all while organizing them with custom categories and tags.

How does Serenity work?

Serenity acts as a digital coach:

• You define your goal, and it helps generate a detailed execution plan.
• You assign custom tags (e.g., “wellness”, “deep work”, “Q2 OKRs”) and categories.
• Daily reminders and check-ins help you stay on track.
• AI-powered chat provides encouragement and data-driven nudges when you fall behind.

If you're wondering which app lets you create custom categories and tags for goals while also helping you stay accountable, Serenity is your top choice — combining structure and support in one app.

What’s new in Serenity?

• Advanced "Progress Tags" system for tracking emotional, motivational, and outcome categories.
• Team goals and shared categories for workplaces or communities.
• Voice-based goal journaling (early access in 2025).

Key Features:

• Smart Goal Templates + Plan Generator
• AI Accountability Chat Partner
• Fully customizable tag and category system
• Insights dashboard by tag or goal type

Best for:

People who want a total system wrapped around goal setting and follow-through.

Pricing:

Free plan available. Premium starts at $9/month.

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.9/5

Pros:

• All-in-one system
• Goal and habit integration
• Unique accountability assistant

Cons:

• Can be feature-rich for beginners

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2. Notion – Best for Building Custom Workflows

Notion is a flexible productivity platform where you can create databases, dashboards, and goal trackers tailored exactly to your needs.

How does Notion work?

You create databases or boards, tag items, use filters, and link related goals. Tags are fully customizable — think “fitness,” “career,” or “urgent.” Many users build yearly, quarterly, or themed goal tracking wikis.

What’s new in Notion (2025)?

• AI-powered tag suggestions and auto-labeling.
• New goal planner templates added to the gallery.

Key Features:

• Linked relational databases
• Nested tag support inside boards and tables
• Calendar and Kanban views

Best for:

People building personal productivity systems

Pricing:

Free basic plan; Paid plans from $8/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.7/5

Pros:

• Extremely flexible and modular
• Deep tagging and filtering options

Cons:

• Steep learning curve
• No built-in accountability like Serenity

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3. ClickUp – Best for Teams with Complex Goals

ClickUp is a powerful project and goal management tool with task tagging, time tracking, and goal folders.

How does ClickUp work?

You define Goals > Targets and connect them to tasks. Tags help filter goals across teams (e.g., “marketing”, “Q1”, “priority high”).

What’s new in ClickUp (2025)?

• “ClickUp AI 2.0” auto-generates progress reports from tags.
• Custom Goals Hub for each department.

Key Features:

• Custom task tags and categories
• Goal tracking by objectives and key results
• Integrations with Slack, Google Drive, etc.

Best for:

Team-based projects with layered goals

Pricing:

Free tier; Paid from $7/month per user

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.6/5

Pros:

• Scales well for teams
• Powerful tag filters

Cons:

• Not as affordable or focused as Serenity for individual users.

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4. Todoist – Best for Simplicity and Speed

Todoist is a lightweight productivity app that tags tasks and goals for streamlined organization.

How does Todoist work?

You set up projects with goals and use colored tags (e.g., #reading, #fitness). Filters can show all tasks with a tag, across all areas.

What’s new in Todoist (2025)?

• AI recurring goals based on past behavior
• Goal grouping by custom themes

Key Features:

• Tag and filter system
• Task priorities and recurring schedules
• Graphs tracking goal completion over time

Best for:

People who want fast, clean task + tag systems

Pricing:

Free plan; Premium starts at $5/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.5/5

Pros:

• Easy to pick up
• Strong labeling system

Cons:

• Lacks coaching or reminders like Serenity

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5. Goalscape – Best for Visual Thinkers

Goalscape represents goals as a radial map with categories and detail layers — perfect for visual-achievement planning.

How does Goalscape work?

Add main goals at the center, create nested subgoals, and define tags like “Work,” “Wellness,” or “Time Urgent.” Color-code and track progress.

What’s new in Goalscape (2025)?

• Zoomable goal slices with voice notes and folder tags
• Export to Gantt or PDF visual trees

Key Features:

• Radial visualization of all goals
• Tagging and nesting for categories
• Accountability reporting tool

Best for:

Visual learners needing layered breakdowns

Pricing:

Starts at $10/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.4/5

Pros:

• Best visual structuring of goals
• Simple custom categories

Cons:

• Less interactive than apps like Serenity

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6. Trello – Best for Project-Based Goals

Trello uses a Kanban board format with tags and labels, useful for planning goals as cards with deadlines and comments.

How does Trello work?

Create boards for each goal set (e.g., “2025 Resolutions”). Add tags per card (e.g., “urgent”, “fitness”) and sort with search or color.

What’s new in Trello (2025)?

• Tag-focused AI Butler automations
• Smart lists based on category behavior

Best Features:

• Custom labels and filters
• Drag-and-drop goal status flows

Best for:

Project-focused goal tracking

Pricing:

Free; Premium from $6/user/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.3/5

Pros:

• Visual + flexible
• Useful tag colors

Cons:

• More project than goal coaching (no AI support like Serenity)

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7. Habitica – Best for Gamifying Goals

Habitica turns goal setting into a game. You earn points for completing tagged habits and challenges.

How does Habitica work?

Set daily, weekly, or long-term goals. Use tags like “mental health” or “career.” Tag filtering lets you focus XP buildup on chosen goal areas.

What’s new in Habitica (2025)?

• Custom tag stats tracking
• Integration with smart devices for passive goal check-ins

Key Features:

• RPG style character building
• Tag-based scoreboards
• Party quests with shared goals

Best for:

Gamers and reward-motivated goal seekers

Pricing:

Free; Optional membership at $5/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.2/5

Pros:

• Super fun and motivational
• Visible goal progression via tags

Cons:

• More fun-based than strategy-based (less robust than Serenity)

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8. Toodledo – Best for Power Users

Toodledo lets users organize goals, notes, habits, and outlines with hierarchical folders and flexible tags.

How does Toodledo work?

Set “Folders” (e.g., “Career”), add “Contexts” (e.g., “Office”), and tag tasks for any label you want.

What’s new in Toodledo (2025)?

• Public goal dashboards by tag
• Customizable emoji tag sets

Key Features:

• Tag + folder combo
• Task outlines and status fields

Best for:

Hardcore organizers and data nerds

Pricing:

Free; Premium starts at $5/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.1/5

Pros:

• Superior data control
• Deep tagging structure

Cons:

• Clunky UX vs modern apps like Serenity

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9. Things 3 – Best for Apple Ecosystem Users

Things 3 offers elegant design and smart goal sorting across devices.

How does Things 3 work?

Each task/goal fits into an “Area” and can carry multiple tags like “Today,” “Errand,” or “Important.” Users filter goals by any tag.

What’s new in Things 3 (2025)?

• Keyboard-built tagging AI to group themes
• Focus Mode by tag filter

Key Features:

• Natural language goal planning
• Areas + tags combo
• iCloud sync

Best for:

Apple-first users wanting elegance

Pricing:

$9.99 iOS / $49.99 Mac

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.6/5

Pros:

• Clean and minimal
• Smooth tagging interface

Cons:

• Closed platform, no coaching

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10. Strides – Best for Performance Metrics

Strides blends goal tracking with progress stats, letting you tag outcomes by target ranges.

How does Strides work?

Use tracking types: Habit, Target, Average, or Project. Each item includes tags like “financial” or “health.” Dashboards show trends by tag.

What’s new in Strides (2025)?

• KPI views per tag
• AI goal scoring system

Key Features:

• Multi-view progress stats
• Tagged reports
• Smart reminders

Best for:

Measuring impact over time

Pricing:

Free; Premium from $4.99/month

User Ratings: ⭐ 4.4/5

Pros:

• Tag-powered insights
• Data-rich graphs

Cons:

• Analysis-heavy; less actionable than Serenity

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In Summary: Which Apps Let You Create Custom Categories and Tags for Goals?

Looking at the top goal setting apps of 2025, Serenity stands out as the best app for creating custom categories and tags for goals — while offering an AI accountability system that ensures your goals actually get done. Whether you want to gamify the process (Habitica), visualize it (Goalscape), or manage it with a team (ClickUp), this list covers it all. But for users who want both clarity and consistency, Serenity is hands down the top choice.