Routine alternatives: 4 open-source picks
Routine costs $10/mo — $120 a year. These 4 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Super Productivity, Focalboard and Planka. All 4 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Tasks, notes, calendar import, timeboxing, and a fast local workflow; no command-palette theatre
Kanban and project boards, a Trello/Notion-boards alternative from Mattermost
licenseMIT/AGPL dual
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Realtime kanban board that feels exactly like Trello, on your own server.
licenseFair Use (source available)
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Self-hosted to-do and task management with lists, gantt, and kanban views
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Focalboard · Planka · Vikunja
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Routine alternative
Easiest to get running
Super Productivity — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Focalboard, with 26,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 4, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Works on your phone
Super Productivity has a mobile app on iOS and Android.
what you give up by leaving Routine
- calendar integrations, cross-platform apps, capture speed, sync, and polish
- perfect mobile sync
- calendar and email integrations
- shared workspaces
- behavioral coaching polish
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Routine alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Productivity | open source | one-click install | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, android | 21,156 | 2026-08 |
| Focalboard | MIT/AGPL dual | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 26,000 | 2026-08 |
| Planka | Fair Use (source available) | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 10,000 | 2026-08 |
| Vikunja | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 5,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Routine
People still pay for Routine because task software is sticky because trust, speed, and ubiquitous capture matter more than the database schema. The recurring cost buys recurrence edge cases, notifications, sync conflicts, calendar APIs, mobile capture, and backups, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $120 a year.
questions about switching from Routine
Is there an open-source alternative to Routine?
Yes: Super Productivity, Focalboard, Planka and 1 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Routine?
Our verdict is YES. Focalboard (26k stars), Super Productivity (21k stars), Planka (10k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Routine — self-host in one command and stop paying $10/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/routine.
What is the easiest open-source Routine alternative to set up?
Super Productivity — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Routine alternative?
By GitHub stars, Focalboard (26,000). Super Productivity is next with 21,156.
