# Orbit vs RoutineFlow: Which ADHD Routine App? (2026) *Orbit vs RoutineFlow, compared honestly. Both run ADHD routines as timed steps; RoutineFlow adds Android, Orbit adds Lock Screen routines and streak freezes.* URL: https://orbit.groot-apps.com/compare/orbit-vs-routineflow/ By Aron de Groot · Published 10 September 2026 · 3-minute read In short RoutineFlow and Orbit are both built for ADHD and both turn a routine into a sequence of timed steps. RoutineFlow is the older, simpler option, available on iPhone and Android and on older iOS versions, with analytics on how long each task really takes over the past year. Orbit is iPhone-only on iOS 26, runs the routine on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, needs no account, and forgives missed days with earned streak freezes. Key facts - RoutineFlow is made by System Two GmbH; Orbit by one developer in the Netherlands. - RoutineFlow runs on iPhone (iOS 14 or later) and Android. Orbit is iPhone-only and requires iOS 26. - Both run routines as a sequence of timers and are designed for people with ADHD. - RoutineFlow shows analytics over the past 365 days; Orbit adapts step timers to how long steps really take you. - RoutineFlow had 2,438 US ratings averaging 4.7 on 10 September 2026; Orbit was released on 30 August 2026. ## Same idea, built years apart RoutineFlow and Orbit start from the same insight: with ADHD, the difficulty is rarely knowing what your routine is — it is getting from one step to the next without the morning evaporating. Both answer it the same way. You build a routine as a list of steps, give the steps durations, press start, and the app runs them as a sequence of timers. RoutineFlow has been doing this since 2022. It keeps things simple: predefined or custom steps with an emoji each, timed tasks in sequence, gentle notification reminders, and analytics that show how long each task has taken you over the past year — so you can plan with real numbers instead of hopeful ones. Orbit arrived in August 2026 and makes different bets: the routine lives on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island as a calm orb, there is no account, timers adapt themselves to how long steps really take, and streaks come with freezes. ## Side by side | | RoutineFlow | Orbit | |---|---|---| | Made by | System Two GmbH | Aron de Groot (Groot Apps), Netherlands | | Platforms | iPhone, Android | iPhone only | | Minimum iOS | 14 | 26 | | Designed for ADHD | Yes | Yes | | Runs routines as timed steps | Yes | Yes | | Step types | Timed tasks | Timed, counted or tick-off steps | | Timing insight | Analytics over the past 365 days | Timers adapt to your real durations | | Lock Screen and Dynamic Island | Not described in the listing | Yes, as a Live Activity | | Missed days | Not described in the listing | Streak freezes rescue a streak when you return | | Account | Not described in the listing | None | | US ratings (10 Sep 2026) | 4.7 from 2,438 | New — released 30 Aug 2026 | Platform facts are from each app's App Store and Google Play listings, checked on 10 September 2026. ## Where RoutineFlow is genuinely better Android. If you use Android, or might switch, RoutineFlow works and Orbit does not. Older iPhones. RoutineFlow supports iOS 14. Orbit needs iOS 26. A year of data. RoutineFlow's analytics show how long each task has really taken you across 365 days. If you like to see the numbers and adjust your plans yourself, that is a strong feature. Track record. Four years on the App Store and thousands of ratings, against Orbit's few weeks. ## Where Orbit is genuinely better The routine follows you. Once started, the current step and its countdown sit on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. In the shower or getting dressed, you glance at the phone instead of unlocking it and finding your place — which is where many routines break, as explained in ADHD transitions. Timers that fix themselves. Rather than showing you analytics to act on, Orbit can adapt a step's timer to what it really takes you, weighting recent days most. Less to think about, at the cost of less to look at. Forgiveness built in. You earn a streak freeze for every five days in a row; nothing has to happen on the day you miss, and when you come back Orbit offers to rescue the streak. No account. Everything stays on the iPhone, with optional private iCloud sync. ## Who should pick which - Android, or an older iPhone: RoutineFlow. - You want to study your timing data: RoutineFlow. - You want the routine on the Lock Screen while you move around: Orbit. - Broken streaks have ended apps for you before: Orbit. Both are free to download, so the honest advice is to run the same morning routine in each for three days and keep the one you opened without thinking about it. For a wider list, see the best Routinery alternatives, which covers most of the routine runners on iPhone. Orbit is a routine app, not a medical device, a diagnosis or a treatment. Nothing here is medical advice. If ADHD symptoms are affecting your daily life, talk to a qualified clinician. ## Frequently asked **What is the difference between Orbit and RoutineFlow?** Both run a routine as a sequence of timed steps for people with ADHD. RoutineFlow works on iPhone and Android and on older iOS versions, and shows a year of analytics on your routines. Orbit is iPhone-only on iOS 26, keeps the current step on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, needs no account, and uses earned streak freezes to forgive missed days. **Is RoutineFlow available on Android?** Yes. RoutineFlow has both an iPhone app and an Android app on Google Play. Orbit is only available for iPhone. **Which is better for an ADHD morning routine?** Both can run one well. Choose RoutineFlow if you need Android or want long-term timing analytics; choose Orbit if you want the routine visible on the Lock Screen while you move around, no account, and streaks that survive bad days. ## Sources and further reading - RoutineFlow on the App Store — Apple - RoutineFlow on Google Play — Google - RoutineFlow — official site — System Two GmbH - Orbit on the App Store — Apple ## Try Orbit for yourself Orbit is free to download with a free trial — three days on the weekly plan, a week on the yearly one — so the fastest way to compare is to run one real routine in it on an ordinary morning.