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Daniel Brooks
Daniel Brooks writes about behaviour change, habits and motivation, and acts as the second reviewer on the apps Maya leads on. His job is to translate what the behavioural-science literature actually supports into plain advice you can use, and to push back when an app's marketing claims more than the evidence allows.
He is especially interested in why people stop using apps — the quiet drop-off after the first burst of motivation — and in what design choices (small steps, the right cue, a reward that still feels rewarding) help a habit survive. He is wary of any wellbeing app that leans on big, unsourced numbers or implies it can treat a condition it cannot.
On this site, Daniel reviews health-related claims for tone and accuracy before they go live, and writes much of our behaviour-and-habits coverage.
Areas of expertise
- Behaviour change
- Habit & productivity apps
- Motivation and adherence
- Evaluating wellbeing-app evidence claims
- Plain-language explainers
Knows about: behaviour change, habit apps, personal development apps, productivity
How Daniel evaluates apps
Daniel weighs each app's stated method against what the research genuinely supports, flags any claim that overreaches, and focuses his testing on whether an app helps a habit stick past the first few weeks.
Articles by Daniel
- Do Habit Apps Actually Work? What the Evidence Says (2026)
- AI Companion Apps, Explained (2026 Guide)
- Are Personal Development Apps Worth It? (2026)
- The Best Meditation Apps (2026)
- Best AI Mental Health Apps (2026)
- The Best Habit Tracker Apps, Tested and Compared (2026)
- How to Meditate for Beginners (2026 Guide)
- Does Mood Tracking Help? An Honest Look (2026)
- How to Build Better Habits That Actually Stick (2026)
- Are Mental Health Apps Safe and Private? (2026)
- How to Stop Procrastinating: A Practical Guide (2026)
- What Is CBT and How Self-Help Apps Use It (2026)
- Free vs Paid Wellness Apps: What You Really Get (2026)
- How to Choose an AI Companion App (2026 Guide)
Articles Daniel reviewed
- How to Choose a Personal Development App (2026 Guide)
- How to Cancel a Subscription App and Get a Refund (2026)
- How to Start Journaling for Self-Improvement (2026 Guide)
- The Best Mood Tracking Apps, Compared (2026)
- Best Journaling Apps (2026)
- How to Build a Self-Care Routine That Actually Sticks (2026)
- Gratitude Journaling: A Practical Guide (2026 Guide)
- How to Set Goals and Actually Keep Them (2026)
- Morning Routine Ideas for a Better Day (2026)
- How to Stick With a New App (2026)
Find Daniel on LinkedIn.
Daniel works to our published review methodology.