Kiritsu

Kiritsu is a free desktop app for learners who want to organize study materials, plan work, and schedule reviews in one place. It is a strong fit for private, structured study on a computer, but not for anyone who needs a mobile companion.

Overview

Kiritsu links a study library with task planning, focus sessions, spaced repetition, and analytics. The library accommodates books, courses, articles, videos, and custom materials, organized into nested sections and linked topics. That breadth can help learners keep resources and related ideas together; it is less suited to general-purpose routines or habits unrelated to study.

Users create workflow columns, move task cards through them, and collect cards into focus groups. This makes the planning system adaptable to different study processes, though it remains centered on desktop work rather than coordinating a routine across phone and computer.

Key features

Focus and review

Focus Space offers Pomodoro sessions, custom focus-and-break cycles, and a freeform stopwatch. That range works for both structured intervals and sessions where a fixed timer is not useful. Kiritsu also creates separate Study and Practice review tracks using relevant activity history, helping users plan both kinds of review rather than relying on a single repeating schedule.

Local workspace and data control

On first launch, Kiritsu creates a SQLite workspace in the operating system’s application-data directory. It says it makes no network requests for accounts, telemetry, advertising, or study synchronization; the stated exception is a user-controlled GitHub update check. Users can make restorable backups or export and import a portable JSON representation of their library, topics, workflow, activities, and related settings. These options support recovery and migration, but users remain responsible for keeping backups safe.

Analytics provide 7-day, 30-day, 90-day, and yearly views. Updates are checked only when users request them or enable automatic checks, and signed update artifacts are verified before installation. The support tracker is intended for reproducible problems; users are asked not to attach backups containing private study data.

Pricing

Kiritsu’s Free forever plan costs nothing, is billed Free forever, and requires no account. The desktop app is free to use, with no trial needed. That makes the full desktop workflow accessible without a subscription commitment; no paid tier is part of the offer.

Platforms

Kiritsu supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. Downloads include Windows 10 and 11, Linux x86-64, and macOS installers for Apple Silicon and Intel. The notable setup friction is on macOS: because the app is not notarized through a paid Apple Developer membership, macOS may require manual confirmation on first launch.

Its local workspace and lack of study synchronization make it a computer-based tool rather than a cross-device service. Learners who need to plan or review from a phone should choose a mobile-capable alternative instead.

Who it's for

Kiritsu suits learners who want a structured desktop library, movable study tasks, timed focus options, and activity-informed review tracks without creating an account. It is less appropriate for people who need mobile access, cloud synchronization, or a routine planner for everyday activities beyond study.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A single free desktop app combines a varied study library, workflow cards, focus timers, review tracks, and analytics.
• Pros: Local storage, restorable backups, and portable JSON import and export give users practical control over study data.
• Cons: Linux, Windows, and macOS are the supported platforms; mobile apps are not offered.
• Cons: macOS may require manual first-launch confirmation, adding a setup step for Mac users.
• Cons: No study synchronization is provided, so the local-first approach does not suit users seeking shared or cloud-based access.

Alternatives

For a mobile or web-based routine planner, Routime AI is free on Android, iOS, and web. Thruday also spans Android, iOS, and web, and its free plan focuses on visual daily planning, priority to-do lists, reminders, images and colors, and breathing exercises rather than Kiritsu’s study-library and review workflow.

Tiimo offers a free plan with selected planning tools on iOS and Android; its free plan excludes the web app. Awakee is an iOS and macOS option, though its free download limits the number of routines and habits.

My Morning Routine is available on Android and iOS, with up to four complete routines on its free plan. MyRoutine is another Android and iOS option, and also supports macOS. Routinely is for iOS and macOS users; its free plan allows up to two routines and five habits per routine. Routinery offers Android and iOS apps, with two routines and unlimited checklists on its free plan.

Browse Routine Planner Apps for more options in that category.

Verdict

Choose Kiritsu if you want a free, account-free desktop workspace that brings study organization, focus tools, review scheduling, and analytics together while keeping data local. Look elsewhere if you need mobile access or synchronized study data; those are the clearest limits on its otherwise broad study workflow.