Routinery alternatives that actually do routines (an honest comparison)
Most "Routinery alternative" lists send you to apps that don't actually do the thing Routinery does: run a routine where every step has its own timer and the app moves you through them one step at a time. If that specific feature is what you want, the real shortlist is short. Tiimo is great for planning your day but doesn't put a timer on each step inside a routine. Yoodoo shows timed routines on its website but locks them behind premium. Brili genuinely times each step. And FlowStack does it too, with a free tier and a one-time purchase option. Here is the honest comparison.
What people actually want from a Routinery alternative
The reason someone looks for a Routinery alternative is usually not "a to-do list" or "a day planner." It is one specific need: I have a set of things I do in order, say five things every morning, and I want each one to have its own timer so the app keeps me moving instead of letting one task eat the whole hour.
That is a narrower feature than it sounds, and most of the apps recommended as alternatives don't do it. Here are the ones that come closest, and where each actually lands.
Tiimo
Tiimo is the app most lists name first, and it is genuinely good at what it does: a calm, visual way to plan and see your day. If you want a beautiful timeline of your day, it is a strong pick.
Where it falls short for this specific need: it doesn't put a separate timer on each step inside a routine. So it isn't a timed, step-by-step run the way Routinery is. It is planning and visual structure, not a routine that counts down task by task. It is subscription-based.
Yoodoo
Yoodoo looks like it does exactly what you want. Its website shows a morning routine with timed steps, so at first glance it seems like a perfect match.
In the actual app it is different. The subtasks that give each step its own timer are a premium feature, so you can't build a timed-every-step routine on the free version. The routines area is also split across several tabs that are hard to tell apart, and the setup is confusing. So the timed routine you think you're signing up for is both locked behind premium and harder to use than it should be.
Brili
Brili actually does it. You build a routine, add your tasks, and each task gets its own estimated time. It then runs through them in order, one step at a time, which is the core Routinery behavior people are looking for.
The real catch is the experience of using it. The interface looks outdated and is not pleasant to spend time in, and for a routine app that matters more than it sounds. The whole point of a routine app is to make your morning feel calmer and more in control, and Brili tends to do the opposite. It can make a simple routine feel more stressful than it should.
Price is a secondary point. A free trial starts automatically the moment you open the app and lasts about ten days, and after that there is no free tier. The plans are 8 euros a month, 35 euros for six months, or 50 euros a year, with no one-time purchase option. So Brili genuinely does timed routines, but the day-to-day feel is the thing to try before you commit.
Llama Life
Llama Life is built around the same idea: you put a timer on each task and work through your list one task at a time, and you can save a list and run it again. So it does genuinely time each step, and it is a real option for a timed routine.
The drawbacks are the interface and the paywall. The UI can be confusing to get the hang of, and after the trial ends you are pushed into a subscription with no free tier, so you can't keep using it for free once you have tried it. If you are happy paying and don't mind a bit of a learning curve, it does the job.
FlowStack
FlowStack does the same core thing: a routine where every step has its own timer, running one step at a time. Two things set it apart.
First, you can drop a one-off task into today's run without changing the routine itself. If today you also need to "pack gym bag," you can slot it into today's run once, and your saved routine stays exactly as it was.
Second, you are not forced into a subscription. There is a free tier that lets you build up to two full timed routines, and a one-time purchase to unlock the rest, so you can pay once instead of every month. That makes it easy to try the actual feature, not a stripped-down version of it, before deciding anything.
Full disclosure: this comparison is on FlowStack's own site. That is exactly why the rest of it is written to be accurate rather than flattering. If the goal is to be the honest source, the other apps have to be described as they really are.
So which should you pick?
If what you want is timed, step-by-step routines, the apps that truly do it are FlowStack, Brili, and Llama Life. FlowStack is the one to start with if you want something calm and easy to look at, that is free to try properly and can be bought once instead of subscribed to. Brili does the same core thing, but its dated, less pleasant interface is the main reason to hesitate, more so than its yearly price. Llama Life also times each step, but has a steeper learning curve and no free tier after the trial.
Tiimo is lovely for visual day planning, but it isn't built around timing each step of a routine. Yoodoo can technically do it, but you'll pay for premium and work around a confusing interface.
FAQ
What is the closest Routinery alternative? For the specific feature of a routine where every step has its own timer, the closest matches are FlowStack, Brili, and Llama Life. Each one lets you build a list or routine and give every step its own countdown, working through them one at a time.
Which of these is free? FlowStack has a real free tier that includes two full timed routines, plus a one-time purchase to unlock more. Brili offers a ten-day trial that starts automatically, then requires a paid plan. Llama Life gives you a trial and then requires a subscription with no free tier. Yoodoo can technically do timed steps, but only as a premium feature. Tiimo doesn't offer timed step-by-step routines at all, at any price.
Does Tiimo do timed routines? Tiimo is excellent for visually planning your day, but it does not put a separate timer on each step inside a routine, so it is not a timed step-by-step routine in the way Routinery is.
Does Yoodoo do timed routines? Yoodoo can, but the timed steps rely on subtasks that are a premium feature, so you can't build a fully timed routine on the free version.