Routine Timer vs Sundae
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Routine Timer
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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 β’ Build a routine from steps: an icon and a duration, nothing else to set up β’ One giant timer per step, readable from across the room β’ A haptic nudge on every transition, and a notification with sound when the screen is off β’ Pause, skip, go back or restart any step. No streaks, no guilt, no failure stats β’ Notifications keep the routine going while the phone is locked PERFECT FOR β’ Morning routine before school, bedtime routine after the bath β’ Homework blocks and focus sprints β’ Toddlers and preschoolers learning to get ready on their own β’ Kids with ADHD or autism who do better with a schedule they can see β’ 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.
Sundae
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Time you can't see is time you can't feel. Sundae turns it into something you can watch β an ice cream that melts, a candle that burns down, a train that rides home. Start a session, set your phone down, and just glance. MADE FOR TIME BLINDNESS β’ Every second is visible: the scene is consumed smoothly in real time, on screen and on your Lock Screen β’ Live Activity + Dynamic Island: the melting sundae stays with you even when the phone is face up on your desk β’ Start in three seconds: two taps, no setup, no account NO GUILT. EVER. β’ Step away anytime β your session just naps. Nothing withers, nothing breaks, nothing is lost β’ Streaks only celebrate. Miss a day and the app simply says nothing β’ Rest counts: Lounge Mode is an official do-nothing timer. A sun sets over the sea while you lie flat. Finishing a rest keeps your streak alive A FRIEND, NOT A COACH β’ Pebble the sea otter waits with you, naps with you, and floats in the dessert lake when you finish β’ Write one thing ("Reply to Sam's email") and the whole app becomes about just that β even on your Lock Screen β’ Finished time becomes a collection of little dioramas ONE THING A DAY β’ Tell Sundae what you're working toward, and roughly how you'd get there β’ Each day it puts a single step on your Lock Screen β tap it and you're focusing β’ Skip one and it rotates to the next. Nothing is ever overdue, nothing accumulates β’ Never a list, never a checkbox, never a nag TWELVE SCENES, THREE UNIVERSES β’ Dessert: Sundae, Popsicle, Hot Cocoa, Cotton Candy β’ Flame: Candle, Campfire, Sparkler, Firefly Jar β’ Journey: Night Train, Sailboat, Balloon, Snail SOUND THAT ACTUALLY HELPS β’ Real rain and ocean recordings, crackling fireplace, summer crickets, brown noise β’ Gentle music-box chime when you finish β never an alarm PAY ONCE. YOURS FOREVER. β’ Free: full timer, Pebble, and three scenes β’ Sundae Full ($9.99, one-time): every scene, Lounge Mode, the full collection β’ Never a subscription PRIVATE BY DESIGN β’ Works completely offline. No account, no ads, no tracking, no data collected β the app has no networking capability at all
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Sundae at every 4 days against Routine Timer's every 9 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Routine Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sundae sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Routine Timer ships an update every 9 days, Sundae every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Routine Timer | Sundae |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Every 4 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ihor Romanenko | ι£ εΎ |
In-app purchases
Routine Timer
- Unlock Forever$12.99
Sundae
- Sundae Full$9.99









