What is Routine?
Routine is a daily planner that combines your calendar, task list, and notes into one single workspace.
It's a very light-weight daily planner, simply add your tasks and drag and drop them on the calendar.
Routine says its for busy professionals and modern teams, but we feel like a student or busy parent is a more appropriate audience based on the limited way many of the features work. Maybe someone who wants a free tool to drag tasks onto a calendar, loosely organize their day, or experiment with time blocking.
Unlike all the other daily planners on this list, they have a totally free tier. That said, the free tier does come with many limitations.
Our Experience with Routine
We evaluated Routine several times over the years. The last time we checked out Routine, we went in thinking it was was a lightweight daily planner. Fifteen minutes later, we were scared we'd just deleted their entire task database...😂 Search "Routine Review Gone Wrong" on YouTube and you'll see what we mean.
The problem we found with Routine is that it has too many features - task scheduling, label creation, and, of course, a calendar, but with so much happening, a lot of the features don't work fully like you'd want them to. The glaring problem is that their execution makes it hard to understand what it actually wants to be.
Each time we logged into Routine, we felt overwhelmed with features yet limited in terms of what we were able to do. We immediately knew we couldn't run our business on it so it wasn't a tool that stuck.
With that, if you absolutely are unwilling to pay for a daily planner, Routine is the only free option available.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has a free tier (rare in this category)
- Drag-and-drop task scheduling onto calendar
- Tasks can contain detailed notes
Cons
- Not a ton of integrations
- Not intuitive (basic actions require trial and error)
- Labels system adds complexity without clear payoff
- Feels unstable (easy access to database-level settings)
- Too basic for a primary business calendar
- Identity crisis: calendar vs. daily planner vs. knowledge management tool
Key Features
Task Scheduling
Routine allows you to create tasks and drag them directly onto your calendar. You can adjust time blocks and rearrange your day visually. The time-blocked task planning works, but it feels basic.
They even tried integrating natural language, but even that has its hang-ups. For example, when creating a task, typing "3 days" schedules it for December 3rd instead of three days from now. To get the result you're looking for, you have to type "in 3 days." A small detail that shows good intention, but poor execution.
Labels & Database Structure
Routine introduces a labels system that acts almost like a relational database. You can assign labels to tasks and events and view counts across categories.
In theory, this would allow for deeper organization, but in practice, it feels like an added mental load. You can see numbers, but you won't extract any valuable insight.
Notes Within Tasks
Again, we have some clarity issues. Routine has tasks that function as full notes, so you have the option to expand well beyond a simple checklist item. This leans into their "all-in-one" ambition, and looks like they were attempting to blend planning with knowledge management.
However, the separation between tasks and notes is confusing, and it's not always clear where things live or how they relate.
Pricing
- Free: Best for individuals & students looking to become more productive.
- Professional: $10/mo. Best for professionals who want AI notes and time tracking capabilities.
- Business: $15/mo per user. Best for teams who want workspaces and access control.
- Enterprise: Contact for more details. Best for large teams in need of extra security.
Fantastical
Routine
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