Routine
Smokeball
| Feature | Routine | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | From $39/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | busy-professionals, executives, solopreneurs, productivity-enthusiasts | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms |
| Founded | 2020 | 2007 |
| Smart Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Unified Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Natural Language | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Sync | ✓ | ✗ |
| Focus Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Recurring Routines | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matter Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Routine Pros
- Unifies calendar + tasks + notes
- AI auto-schedules tasks into free time
- Beautiful minimal design
- Natural language task creation
✗ Routine Cons
- Newer product with fewer integrations
- Limited team features
- AI scheduling needs training period
✓ Smokeball Pros
- Automatic time recording
- Deep Microsoft Office integration
- Strong document automation
- Excellent for billing accuracy
✗ Smokeball Cons
- Windows-only desktop app
- Higher price point
- Learning curve for automation
The Verdict
Routine is built for busy professionals and executives, with a focus on smart-scheduling and unified-inbox. Smokeball targets small law firms and mid size firms and leads with automatic-time-tracking and document-automation.
On pricing, Routine is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $29/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Routine has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Smokeball requires a paid subscription from day one.
Bottom line: Smokeball has a slight overall edge — but if unifies calendar + tasks + notes matters most to you, Routine may still be the right call.