# Forfeit

> Forfeit is an accountability app that takes your money if you don't complete your habits. You set a habit, pick a deadline, stake an amount (usually $10 to $100), and submit photo, timelapse, GPS or Apple Health evidence before the deadline. Miss it and we charge the card on file. Backed by Y Combinator.

## What Forfeit is

Forfeit is a habit-contract app for iOS, Android and macOS. The premise is simple: positive reinforcement (streaks, badges, gentle reminders) doesn't work for most people. Loss aversion does. So Forfeit lets you put real money on the line.

You write a habit ("Run 5km before 7am", "Read for 30 minutes by 10pm", "10,000 steps", "Be at the gym by 6am"), pick a verification method, set a deadline, and stake money. If you don't submit valid evidence by the deadline, Forfeit charges your card.

## How verification works

Six verification methods are supported:

- **Photo** - send a photo through the app. Camera-only, no camera roll uploads. AI compares to your description; ambiguous cases get a human reviewer.
- **Timelapse** - record yourself doing something time-bound (meditation, deep work, a workout). AI checks duration + motion + content.
- **Apple Health** - threshold-based on any HealthKit metric (steps, sleep, exercise minutes, mindful minutes). Forfeit reads the number directly. No screenshots.
- **Web Tracking** - install Forfeit's native macOS menu-bar app. Set limits on websites and apps. The app reports usage and auto-verifies against the limit.
- **Self-Verify** - for tasks a camera cannot capture ("Call Mum", "Read for 30 minutes"). You tap Approve or Deny on your honor.
- **GPS** - drop a pin on a map. Forfeit confirms you are within 100m by the deadline.

## How appeals work

If something genuinely came up - flat tyre, family emergency, illness - you can submit an appeal with context. A real human reviewer responds within 12 hours. You set the strictness in advance, from "Accept everything" through "Accept with photo proof" to "No appeals, ever". Once a goal is running, the rule is locked in - you cannot soften the appeal policy mid-week to wriggle out of a forfeit.

## Pricing

Forfeit is free to use. Revenue comes from the money you forfeit when you miss a habit. There is no subscription. Successful habits cost you nothing.

## Who's behind it

Forfeit Inc, Y Combinator-backed. Founder: Josh Mitchell.

## Useful URLs

- [Homepage](https://www.forfeit.app/)
- [Sign up](https://www.forfeit.app/signup)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.forfeit.app/privacy-policy)
- [Terms and Conditions](https://www.forfeit.app/terms-and-conditions)
- [Sitemap](https://www.forfeit.app/sitemap.xml)

## What Forfeit is not

- Not a coaching app. There's no human coach, no community, no streaks-based gamification.
- Not a meditation, fitness, or productivity tracker. It works on top of any habit or routine you define.
- Not a betting or gambling product. The money you forfeit is your own; there is no winning, only avoiding loss.