Comparison

RoutineGuide vs Routine Timer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RoutineGuide

Features
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Follow your routine, one step at a time. RoutineGuide turns everyday routines into a sequence you can follow. Plan a morning start, an evening wind-down or any other part of your day, then focus on the step in front of you. BUILD A ROUTINE THAT FITS Create a routine and add the steps you want to follow in order. Give a step a timer when it needs one, run one routine inside another, and adjust as your day changes. KEEP YOUR LIBRARY SIMPLE Routines and steps live side by side in one Library. A step can belong to a routine or stand on its own, so you don't have to turn everything into a routine. PLAN YOUR DAY Today shows the routines scheduled for the day, with a week picker to look ahead. Reminders, widgets and Live Activities keep the next step close. FOLLOW ALONG AND REFLECT Move through your routine one step at a time, then look back at your activity, streaks and progress. FIND IDEAS AND OPTIONAL SUPPORT Browse Discover for routine ideas. If you'd like company, connect with friends and cheer each other on. Social features are optional, and every routine can be kept private. ON ALL YOUR DEVICES Your routines sync through iCloud across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. FREE TO DOWNLOAD, OPTIONAL PRO RoutineGuide is free to download. Optional Pro subscriptions and a lifetime purchase are available in the app; the app shows what is included and the current price. Privacy policy: https://routine-guide.vercel.app/privacy Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Routine Timer

Features
Read full description

Big friendly timers. One step at a time. No pressure. Routine Timer is a visual timer for kids and grown-ups who get stuck between steps. Morning, homework, cleanup, bedtime: any routine becomes a sequence of visual steps, each with its own full-screen timer. A big color ring shrinks as the minutes pass, and a gentle tap says it is time to move on. MADE FOR REAL LIFE • Build a routine from steps: an icon and a duration, nothing else to set up • One giant timer per step, readable from across the room • A haptic nudge on every transition, and a notification with sound when the screen is off • Pause, skip, go back or restart any step. No streaks, no guilt, no failure stats • Notifications keep the routine going while the phone is locked PERFECT FOR • Morning routine before school, bedtime routine after the bath • Homework blocks and focus sprints • Toddlers and preschoolers learning to get ready on their own • Kids with ADHD or autism who do better with a schedule they can see • Cleanup bursts, chores and screen-time limits WHY IT WORKS A child cannot feel ten minutes, but can see a color ring getting smaller. Steps take the arguing out of transitions: the timer says it is time, not the parent. Grown-ups use it the same way for their own mornings and work sprints. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything stays on your iPhone. No account, no cloud, no analytics, no ads. Works offline. SIMPLE PRICING Your first routine is free, full featured, forever: every step, sounds and notifications. One purchase unlocks unlimited routines. No subscription, nothing recurring. If you already unlocked the app, nothing changes for you.

Screenshots

RoutineGuide4 screens
Routine Timer2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Routine Timer at every 9 days against RoutineGuide's every 2 months. Routine Timer also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). RoutineGuide's advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. RoutineGuide sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Routine Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RoutineGuide ships an update every 2 months, Routine Timer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
RoutineGuide versus Routine Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRoutineGuideRoutine Timer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJostein Dyrsethihor Romanenko

In-app purchases

3 purchases

RoutineGuide

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$3.991 Month
  • Annual Pro$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$59.99
1 purchases

Routine Timer

One-time1
  • Unlock Forever$12.99

Questions

Is RoutineGuide free?
RoutineGuide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Routine Timer free?
Routine Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do RoutineGuide or Routine Timer have ads?
Neither RoutineGuide nor Routine Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RoutineGuide or Routine Timer?
RoutineGuide ships an update every 2 months, and Routine Timer every 9 days. Most recently, RoutineGuide was updated on October 30, 2026 and Routine Timer on October 25, 2026.

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