Your calendar is full of meetings, your to-do list grows faster than you can keep up, and your notes are scattered across three different apps. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many people struggle to keep their work together, and that’s exactly what Routine aims to solve.
In this review I dive into what Routine exactly does, who it’s intended for, and whether it’s really worth trading in all your productivity tools for this all-in-one solution.
Routine: the company
Routine was developed by a team that became frustrated with constantly switching between different apps. Their mission is simple: put everything you need to organize your day in one place, without it becoming a clunky mess.
The tool combines your calendar, tasks, notes and contacts in one interface that you primarily control via the keyboard. This makes it particularly fast once you master the shortcuts. The company strongly focuses on an offline-first approach, which means you can just keep working without an internet connection.
Routine is available on virtually every platform: web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and even Linux. That’s quite unique for a relatively young productivity tool.
Who is Routine for?
Routine primarily targets people who work a lot with their keyboard and don’t want slow, mouse-driven interfaces. Think developers, product managers, consultants and other knowledge workers who want to have their day tightly organized.
Are you someone who likes to have everything in one place and doesn’t want to keep switching between your calendar app, to-do list and note-taking tool? Then Routine is interesting. The tool works best if you’re willing to learn to use the console function and keyboard shortcuts.
For teams there’s a Business plan, but Routine also works great for individual users. The free version is already quite complete, so you can test well whether it fits you without having to pay immediately.
Not suitable? If you actually prefer visual, colorful interfaces with lots of drag-and-drop functionality, then you might feel more at home with alternatives like Sunsama or Motion.
What can Routine do?
Routine is packed with features that help you structure your day. These are the most important ones:
- Unified Calendar – Sync your Google Calendar, Outlook and other calendars in one overview. You no longer need to switch between different apps to see what’s on your schedule.
- Console – This is Routine’s killer feature. With a simple shortcut you open a command bar where you can quickly add tasks, events and notes. You simply type what you want to capture and Routine understands what you mean through natural language processing.
- Tasks & To-do lists – Create tasks with deadlines, labels and priorities. You can create tasks directly from the console or organize them later in your inbox.
- Time Blocking – Drag tasks to your calendar to block time for them. This helps to not only plan what you need to do, but also when you’re going to do it.
- Notes & Meeting notes – Link notes to your calendar items so all your meeting notes are automatically in the right place. Handy for searching back and preserving context.
- Dashboard – A clear start screen where you can quickly see what’s on your schedule today and what you still need to finish.
- Keyboard shortcuts – You can do almost everything in Routine with the keyboard. Once you know the shortcuts, you work much faster than with a mouse.
- Integrations – Connect Routine to tools like Notion, Slack and Zapier to further automate your workflow.
- Contact management – Save contact details and link them to tasks and meetings, so you always know who something relates to.
- Offline-first – Just keep working without internet. As soon as you’re back online, everything syncs automatically.
The combination of these features makes Routine a fairly complete solution. Especially the speed with which you can capture things via the console is a major plus.
What does Routine cost?
Routine has a free plan that already offers surprisingly much. You get access to tasks, calendars, notes and even unlimited integrations. That’s quite generous for a free version.
However, you do miss some handy features like contextual capture, the menu bar widget, time tracking and extensive calendar views. Also, your history is limited in the free version.
The paid plans are:
- Professional – €10 per month with annual payment (€12 per month with monthly payment). This gives you access to all pro features for individual use.
- Business – €12 per month with annual payment (€15 per month with monthly payment). Intended for teams with additional collaboration features.
Compared to alternatives like Sunsama (which costs €20 per month), Routine is much more affordable. There’s no lifetime deal available, but the prices are fair for what you get.
A trial period is not explicitly mentioned, but with the free version you can extensively test the tool before deciding to upgrade.
What should you watch out for?
Routine is not perfect. There are a few things you need to consider before making the switch.
First, there’s a learning curve. The console and keyboard shortcuts are fantastic once you master them, but initially you might feel a bit lost. The interface doesn’t always explain well how things work, so you need to invest some time to discover everything.
The calendar view can feel cluttered. Tasks appear in different places and it’s not always clear where you need to look for something specifically. If you’re used to a clean, visual planning tool, this might take some getting used to.
The tasks section is functional but basic. You miss advanced display options like kanban boards or different filters that you do have in dedicated task managers. For simple to-do lists it’s fine, but power users of tools like Todoist or Things might miss some features.
Routine is still in active development. This means regular updates are coming, but also that some functions aren’t fully developed yet. You’ll notice some rough edges here and there.
Finally, the tool is really built for keyboard-first use. If you prefer working with your mouse and like drag-and-drop interfaces, you probably won’t feel completely at home in Routine.
Routine reviews
I’ve looked at and read a number of Routine reviews and there are some I’d like to share with you.
1. ToolFinder
ToolFinder takes you on an extensive tour through Routine, a daily planner that wants to combine your calendar, tasks and notes in one place. The reviewer is clearly impressed with certain features, but also sees room for improvement. Routine is still in an early stage with a free version and a Believer plan of $1 per month that gives access to advanced functions.
The reviewer particularly emphasizes the console function as a real game changer for quickly capturing tasks, events and notes. You can easily sync items from your Google Calendar and organize everything in a clear system. The ability to integrate with Notion is also positively received. However, according to the reviewer, the calendar view feels somewhat cluttered, with tasks appearing scattered across different places. The tasks section is functional but would benefit from more display options.
Pros
- Minimalist and clean design that works pleasantly
- Console function is a killer feature for quickly capturing items
- Good integration with Google Calendar, Outlook and Notion
- Handy inbox function to organize items later
Cons
- Calendar view feels cluttered and confusing in daily use
- Task area lacks additional view options for better organization
- Some features are not well explained in the interface
Routine alternatives
Doesn’t Routine quite fit what you’re looking for? These are the best alternatives:
- Sunsama – Choose Sunsama if you like a structured daily planning ritual. This tool focuses more on mindfulness and has a guided daily shutdown routine. More expensive than Routine (€20 per month), but nicer if you want to consciously work on work-life balance.
- Akiflow – Similar to Routine but stronger at merging tasks from different tools. If you work with Jira, Asana, Slack and ten other apps, then Akiflow efficiently brings everything together in one command bar. Ideal for people who need many external integrations.
- Motion – Want AI to automatically plan your day and shift tasks when something comes up? Then Motion is interesting. Where Routine gives you manual control, Motion takes many decisions out of your hands. Handy if you struggle with prioritizing, but less suitable if you like to stay in control yourself.
Each of these tools has its own strengths. It depends on your working style which one fits best.
Frequently asked questions
Is Routine free?
Yes, Routine has a free forever plan for individual users, students and hobbyists. You get access to tasks, calendars, notes and unlimited integrations. However, you miss advanced features like contextual capture, time tracking and extensive calendar views.
Does Routine work offline?
Yes, Routine is built offline-first. You can simply continue working without an internet connection and everything syncs automatically as soon as you’re back online. This makes it reliable for people who are often on the go.
Is Routine available on Android?
Yes, the Android app is available and you can download it. Routine runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux and via the web app. This makes it one of the few productivity tools that really works everywhere.
Conclusion
Routine is a solid choice if you’re looking for a fast, keyboard-driven way to manage your calendar, tasks and notes. The console function is really a standout feature and once you get used to the shortcuts, you work much more efficiently than in traditional tools.
The free version is generous enough to properly test if it fits your needs. For €10 per month you get access to all pro features, which is a fair price compared to alternatives.
However, Routine isn’t for everyone. The learning curve, the sometimes cluttered calendar view, and the lack of advanced task management features can be off-putting. If you like visual interfaces and extensive customization, also check out Sunsama or Motion.
But are you someone who wants to work quickly, loves keyboard shortcuts, and wants everything in one place? Then Routine is definitely worth trying. Download the free version and see if it clicks.
