Routine vs TickTick: Choosing the Right Productivity Tool for You

What is Routine

Routine is a productivity tool that sets itself apart with its all-in-one approach, combining elements of task management, note-taking, and calendar integration into a single platform. Designed to cater to the needs of busy professionals and individuals seeking to streamline their organizational process, Routine offers a comprehensive solution for managing daily tasks, appointments, and notes. Its unique selling point is the integration of these features within an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easier for users to track their to-dos, schedule their days, and store important information in one place. This level of integration is particularly useful for those who prefer a unified system to manage various aspects of their work and personal life.

Key Features of Routine

• Timeline Agenda: Offers a detailed view of the day’s plan with timestamps, including meeting and event reminders, with options to time-block tasks.
• Week Calendar: Provides a 5-day, week, and month view for task planning, integrating seamlessly with Google Calendar.
• Console Capture: A desktop feature for capturing events, notes, and tasks outside the application, ideal for GTD enthusiasts.
• Centralized Workspace: Combines tasks, notes, and calendar in one space.
• Organization: Utilizes categories and tags for better event and task management.
• Daily Plan: Helps in crafting focused daily tasks and important events.

What is TickTick

TickTick emerges as a versatile and comprehensive productivity tool in the crowded task management space. Known for its multifaceted features, TickTick caters to a wide range of users, from busy professionals to students seeking a structured approach to their tasks. The app offers a robust set of functionalities including task management, reminders, habit tracking, and even a built-in Pomodoro timer, making it a multifunctional tool for personal and professional use.

Key Features of TickTick

• Voice-Enabled Task Entry: Use voice commands for adding tasks quickly.
• Direct Task Creation from Emails: Easily transform emails into actionable tasks.
• Automated Reminder Setup: Set reminders intelligently based on dates mentioned in tasks.
• Customizable Task Duration: Allocate specific lengths of time to each task.
• Diverse Reminder Options: Set up different types of reminders, including those based on your location.
• Repeating Task Functionality: Simplify the management of tasks that occur on a regular basis.

Routine vs TickTick: Features

Features	Routine	TickTick
Integrations	Syncs with multiple calendar services and task managers like Todoist and Google Tasks.	Slack, Zapier, Outlook, Alexa, IFTTT, Google Voice
Calendar	Google Calendar, Notion, Slack, Zapier, Siri, Gmail	Only in Premium Version
Platforms	macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Web	Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Web
Task Management	No	Task lists, filtering, sorting, and time tracking
Natural Language Processing	Offers task creation with date assignment via drag-and-drop	No
Time Blocking	Available	Available
Analytics	No	Limited
Meeting Scheduler	No	Yes
Time Zones	Yes	Yes
Reminders	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	Average	Average
1:1 User Onboarding	No	No
Pricing	$12 per month, annually.	$3 per month, paid annually

Routine vs TickTick: Pricing

Routine Pricing

(i) Free Version: Available for students and hobbyists, though with limited features.

(ii) Professional Plan: Priced at $12 per month.

(iii) Business Plan: Costs $15 per user per month.

(iv) Believer Plan: Priced at $10 monthly or $8 per month for an annual commitment, totaling around $96 annually

TickTick Pricing

TickTick offers a tiered pricing structure to cater to different user needs, including a free version with basic functionalities.

(i) Free Version: TickTick’s free version provides a few task management features suitable for individual users

(ii) Premium Plan: For features like detailed calendar views, smart reminders, and enhanced collaboration tools, TickTick offers a Premium plan. The cost of this plan is typically around $35.99 per user per annum.

Routine vs TickTick: Reviews

Routine Review

Routine stands out for its exceptional design, skillfully combining elements of daily planning, note-taking, and journaling into a user-friendly interface. The application’s free version is especially popular among students and individuals using it for personal or hobbyist projects, making it a preferred choice in these communities. Additionally, Routine’s smart planning and scheduling capabilities are highly valued by users who favor an automated, intelligent approach to organizing their tasks and appointments. However, a significant limitation of Routine, particularly in its free version, is the constrained number of integrations it offers. This restriction is frequently mentioned by users as a downside, as it may limit the app’s effectiveness in more integrated digital workflows.

TickTick Review

TickTick excels as a user-friendly task management app, offering comprehensive task organization and features like a Pomodoro timer. It’s praised for its ease of use and affordability, fitting various productivity needs. However, its interface may appear basic compared to others, and some users have expressed concerns about customer service. These factors might make TickTick less appealing for users seeking advanced features or prioritizing strong support, despite its general effectiveness in task management.

Which One Should You Pick

Consider Routine if

1. You Want a Balance Between Calendar and Task Management: Routine offers a mix of these features, but it might not be as comprehensive as some specialized apps in either category.
2. You Like Quick Task and Note Capturing: The app has convenient features for this, though it’s not a full-fledged note-taking application
   
3. You’re Looking for a Personal Planner: Routine is more suited to personal use and less technical users, but it might not meet all the needs of power users or large teams.

Consider TickTick if

1. You Need a Simple Task Management Tool: TickTick is good for straightforward task management, but may lack the depth required for more complex project management needs.
2. You Want Habit Tracking Features: While it offers habit tracking, some users may find this feature too basic compared to dedicated habit-tracking apps.
3. You’re Looking for a Budget-Friendly Option: TickTick is reasonably priced, but some users might find the interface and customer support less polished than more expensive alternatives.

Best Routine and TickTick Alternatives

1. Akiflow: Akiflow is a time management app offering time blocking, task scheduling, and integrations with various tools. It focuses on productivity and organization through a unified task and appointment interface.

• Akiflow Price: $19 per month, paid annually

2. Reclaim: Reclaim.ai is a smart calendar assistant that automates scheduling for work and personal life. It intelligently blocks time for tasks, meetings, and personal events, ensuring a balanced schedule. The app syncs with existing calendars making it ideal for professionals looking to optimize their time.

• Reclaim Price: $8 per month, paid annually

3. Motion: Motion uses AI to automatically plan your day, considering tasks, meetings, and personal time. Motion offers features like smart rescheduling and priority-based task management, aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing stress.

• Motion Price: $19 per month, annually.