Smoking is one of the worst habits you can have: it's bad for you and it's bad for those close to you. Not long ago - 99 days, but who's counting? - my wife and I decided to quit smoking. We were both long term smokers and we were both at our "nth" try of quitting smoking. This time we managed not to relapse after just a few days or so, and one of the reasons for that is the fact that we both used several motivational apps on our smartphones. Besides my Android smartphone I also use a Nokia Lumia 930 with Windows 10 Mobile on it. When we stopped smoking, I searched for, downloaded, installed and used a whole bunch of apps that promised to help us quit. Although the options you have on Windows 10 Mobile and Windows Phone are fewer than what you get on Android, we managed to find some very good apps which we want to share with you:

1. KickSmoking

KickSmoking is one of the best apps I've seen for quitting smoking. And that's a comparison in which I'm considering all the Android apps I've used too. KickSmoking uses a simple and minimalist design to show you how much time has passed since you quit smoking, how many cigarettes you did not smoke and how much money you have saved. These are all things with a strong motivational value, but if they're not enough, KickSmoking also includes a list of milestones to success and achievements you should be proud of. I'm not going to say "if you want to quit smoking" - instead, I'll say "when you decide to quit smoking", use KickSmoking on your smartphone with Windows 10 Mobile or Windows Phone. It will lend you a helpful hand when you need it.

Download: KickSmoking

2. My QuitBuddy

My QuitBuddy is a stop smoking app developed by the Australian Government, and some of its settings clearly show that. For instance, when you set the app, you will find that the only currency you can use is the Australian dollar. Luckily, the details related to Australia are few and don't meaningfully affect the information and benefits you get from the app itself. I liked this app and I continue keeping it on my Windows 10 Mobile smartphone mainly because it lets me set goals I want to achieve and it lets me program so called "danger times", which are moments in the future when I know I might crave a cigarette. When that happens, the app shows a reminder and helps you overcome the craving. The app also provides you with all the usual tracking systems like the time that has passed since you quit or the money you saved.

Download: My QuitBuddy

3. Give Up Smoking!

Give Up Smoking! i s another good app for Windows 10 Mobile and Windows Phone that can help you get over that last cigarette. Give Up Smoking! k eeps track of how much time has passed since you quit smoking, the money you saved and the number of cigarettes you didn't smoke since. There's also a list of achievements and health improvements that will surely make you feel better. If you want access to detailed statistics and some extra achievements, you will have to pay a one time fee, which is incredibly small, if you consider how much money you're already saving by simply not smoking.

Download: Give Up Smoking!

4. Stop smoking helper

Stop smoking helper wants to help you quit smoking not just by tracking your progress since you smoked your last cigarette. It also wants to help you in the last days before that. You know, those days when you're trying to smoke less but you don't know how. Stop smoking helper gives you a button to tap each time you smoke a cigarette and monitors how you gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. Stop smoking helper also provides you with a list of achievements which you can unlock, it keeps track of the money you save by not smoking, and it also monitors the impact that not smoking has on your health.

Download: Stop smoking helper

Conclusion

Although quitting smoking is maybe one of the hardest things a smoker could do, it's definitely worth it. Just a few days after you quit, you'll start reaping the benefits. However, the addiction nicotine gives you is so strong that you might not see all the good things happening to your body when you quit smoking. That's why any help you can get when you decide to quit smoking is welcome. If you have a Windows 10 Mobile or a Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone, these four smoking cessation apps that we listed might prove quite helpful. Try them and, if you want to share your experience with us, don't hesitate to use the comments form below.