Your app works naturally and I love how it helps me tracking my focus time separately from planning what to do. Easily one of the best Pomodoro apps on Windows and Mac. It has become an integral part of my work routine. I love your app, it changed my life. How about a Pomodoro-like timer with a positive feedback loop? A game like experience where you score points, and where the difficulty level gradually increases. All that helping you to stay focused and work smarter, not harder.

There are numerous apps that use the Pomodoro technique, which breaks work sessions into 25 minutes of intense focus broken by five-minute breaks and one 10-minute break every hour. Toggl was also present when we covered the best Android apps for time-tracking, remember? Well, Toggl is a cross-platform app available as a Mobile app (iOS, Android), Desktop app (Win, Mac, Linux) and even as Browser Extensions for Chrome and Firefox. So, if you are looking for time tracker that works everywhere, Toggl is a good place to start.

In today’s fast paced digital world where our attention span is shorter than a Goldfish, everyone is looking for ‘hacks’ to achieve a monk like focus.

And why shouldn’t they.

After all, a higher focus means high productivity, more work, less error and most importantly, more money.

But tell me honestly:

How happy you’d be if I tell you there our specific apps out there designed to help people like you and me increase focus and become more productive.

These tools are called ‘Time Management Apps.’

A time management app is basically a tool that tracks all your digital activities and gives a comprehensive picture of which task, website or app is taking the most amount of your time.

Now, there are dozens of tools out there that calls itself the best in the business. But which one should you go with?

I’ve done the heavy lifting for you and analyzed the 5 most popular time management softwares and the results were quite interesting.

And I’m sure, by the time you’ll finish this article, you’ll have a clear picture in your mind regarding which tool you want to go with.

So, let’s get straight into it.

Best Time Management Apps

The main goal of this review was to find a complete time management tool that not only tracks time and is easy to use but also gives you detailed reports about how much time you’re spending on each task, and lets you block distracting websites too.

One that you can use individually as well as in your business.

According to my test results and first-hand experience, I’ve ranked these apps in best to worst order.

So let’s see which one won the race and which one came last.

1. FocusMe

FocusMe is the most complete time management app out there. It provides time tracking, website blocking, scheduling, and POMODORO support all in one package

At a cost of only a few dollars a month, it is also great value for money.

FocusMe Pros:

#1 Time Tracking with Detailed Report

FocusMe excels at core purpose of any productivity tool: tracking the total time spent on each website or app.

As soon as you log in to the app, it will automatically begin tracking how much time you’re spending on each website and app in your computer.

The reports break down by both websites and apps used, which gives you a clear picture.

#2 Website and App Blocking

FocusMe is one of the few tools that allows users to block distracting websites (social media, porn sites, news sites, games, etc.)

On top of this is the ability to block incoming emails on Gmail, while still being able to send them.

#3 POMODORO support

If you’ve done any reading about productivity, you’ve probably come across the POMODORO technique. The FocusMe app is one of a few tools that lets its users take full advantage of POMODORO via a customizable timer.

#4 Scheduling Tasks

With FocusMe you can schedule different tasks in your time management tool and track how much time is spent on each one. For extra efficiency, you can even decide the starting and ending time of each task.

#5 Lowest Price

At just $2.50/mo (billed $xx annually), you get access to all FocusMe’s premium features. Students can get 30% discount on all its plans, and if you like their Facebook or Twitter page, you can receive a 15% discount.

FocusMe Cons:

#1 Works with only a few devices

The only disadvantage of FocusMe is the lack of compatibility with many devices.

FocusMe only offers a free Android app, with quite limited features. No iPhone option is currently available. On desktop, it works with Mac and Windows devices, but not Linux.

FocusMe Plans

FocusMe doesn’t have any free plans to offer, but the premium plan is free for the first 15 days, with no credit card required.

Paid plans start from as low as $2.50/month (paid annually). Students can get a 30% discount. There is also a 15% discount for liking and following them on social media.

Businesses must contact the company for a custom price.

Do I recommend FocusMe?

Definitely! The low price point and reporting/tracking features make it one of the best time management software tools available.

2. RescueTime

RescueTime helps you track your time and gain a clear picture of how you spend your time online.
However, while RescueTime does an exceptional job in tracking time and sending reports, it lacks a few key features.

RescueTime Pros:

#1 Brilliant time tracking and reporting

Accurate time tracking is one of the most notable features of RescueTime. The dashboard refrsshes every five to fifteen minutes, to give you real-time reporting for time spent on your phone or computer.

#2 Set Goals

RescueTime lets you set goals (e.g. restrict social media to one hour day) that can help increase your productivity.

This feature helps users know how they’re progressing towards their desired productivity goal. And this is a unique feature that ai couldn’t find in any other time tracking tool I tested.

#3 Website Blocking

RescueTime is great if you tend to get distracted by social media or news sites while working. The ability to block sites this requires the Premium service, but can be well worth it.

#4 Fast customer support

When I had a question, the support team got back to me within 5 hours and gave a detailed explanation about their product’s feature.

RescueTime Cons

#1 Not so User-friendly interface (Android app)

The app interface shows a lot of things at once, such as total logged time, productivity pulse, a small timer icon in the bottom right corner, etc. This confusing as there are no clear instructions.

#2 No POMODORO support

Unlike FocusMe and Toggl, there is no POMODORO support in the RescueTime app.

#3 No scheduling

There also does not seem to be any option to schedule a task for a certain time period.

RescueTime Plans

RescueTime is one of the few time tracking tools with a free account option.

The RescueTime Lite plan comes with zero cost and limited features. RescueTime premium plan starts from $9/month or $72 when paid annually.

Do I recommend RescueTime?

As a free app, it enables you to track your time and also shows you how much time you’re spending on each website . If you need to block websites, then you can consider the premium plan. However, all things considered, it isn’t as great a deal as FocusMe.

3. Toggl

Toggl is by far the easiest time tracking and productivity app. It offers a clean, easy-to-navigate user interface. It is great for solo freelancers or someone with a small team.

It has many features like POMODORO and scheduling, but there are also a few features missing.

Toggl Pros

#1 Easy-to-use interface

Toggl has a very clean home page with lots of white space. It clearly shows you how you can get started tracking your activities. It also does not require a download and can be used directly through a web browser on their website.

#2 Easy Scheduling

Scheduling a task in Toggl is just a matter of few clicks, which is a great for a time-saving app. You can also schedule a particular task for a specific time day or time.

#3 Great for Freelancers

Toggl is great for freelancers and for a small team. You can track client and add their name, project and other details in your dashboard. This is great for billing and remote workers.

#4 Project Tracking

Toggl makes it easy to track different projects. By selecting the “Projects” option or going to “Reports” it makes it easy to know how much time has been spent.

#5 POMODORO support

The POMODORO technique is supported by Toggl and is available even if you’re using the basic free plan.

Toggl Cons

#1 No website blocking

Unfortunately, the ability to block websites is not supported by Toggl, which can lead to distraction and a drop in productivity.

#2 Slow Customer Support

Toggl does seem to have slow customer support, with their team taking days to respond.

#3 No website or app tracking report

Despite an exceptional job tracking projects Toggl doesn’t show you which websites you’ve visited or apps you used.

Toggl Plans

Toggl offers 4 different plans to its users. The basic plan is free with some decent functionality. The premium plans start from $9/month (billed annually) with a 30 day free trial.

Do I recommend Toggl?

For freelancers and teams looking for a free tool that can track client work and shows you how much time each project Toggl is a great tool.

4. Time Doctor

For freelancers or business owners who hire freelancers, Time Doctor is a fairly popular time tracking tool.

Despite being well known, Time Doctor’s user interface lacks many key features that limit it’s functionality.

Time Doctor Pros

#1 Time tracking for individuals and teams

While it takes a few minutes to figure out, once you get started Time Doctor does a decent job in this section. Of course, you have to download either their phone or computer app.

It’s also fairly easy to add team members to work on a group project. A simple email can invite them to the group to start tracking.

#2 Compatible with most of the devices

Time Doctor is compatible with almost all operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux and also provides Android, iOS, and Chrome apps.

#3 Exceptional customer support

When it comes to customer support, Time Doctor is the best in class. They answer questions within one hour and provide accurate help.

Time Doctor Cons

#1 Messy Dashboard

When it comes to usability, Time Doctor is the most difficult to use app. Lack of white space and clear instructions make the dashboard cluttered.This means it takes more time to use, which sort of defeats the purpose of a time-saving app.

#2 No website blocking

Time Doctor currently has no way to block distracting websites or apps using this software.

#3 No POMODORO support

There is no function in Time Doctor that enables using the POMODORO technique.

#4 Can’t schedule task

Time Doctor does not allow tasks to be scheduled, you can only create projects and track time.

Time Doctor Plans

Time Doctor offers only a single plan: $9.99/mo per user with a 14 days free trial. There is no credit card to trial it, so it may be worth testing.

Do I recommend Time Doctor?

Time Doctor is the most complicated app and considering the high price and limited features, it’s not very appealing.

However, for a business owner needing to track employees on a particular project tit may prove useful.

5. Timely

Best Mac Pomodoro App

Timely is an AI powered time tracking app that incorporates planning tools It has a great interface, yet lacks some key features like website blocking, POMODORO, etc.

Timely Pros

#1 Clean user interface

Timely features a clean interface that makes it clear how to get started with this app.

#2 Add team member

Timely is great for group projects and to see how much time other members are spending on the project.

#3 Compatible with all popular devices

Timely app works smoothly on Mac and Windows computers and on Android or iPhone.

#4 Task Scheduling

Timely also works as a planner, by allowing you to schedule activities ahead daily, weekly and even monthly.

Timely Cons

#1 No website blocking

There does not seem to be the ability to block websites or apps inside the Timely app.

#2 No POMODORO support

For POMODORO fans there is unfortunately no support here.

#3 Slow customer support

While Timely is great to use tool, their live chat took over 36 hours to receive an answer.

Timely app plans

Timely does not offer free plans, but offers three different paid plans: Solo, Essential, and Company, which start from $7/month.

Do I recommend Timely app?

If you’re a freelancer who wants to track different projects as well as add multiple users it can be useful.

But it also lacks necessary features like website blocking, POMODORO support, detailed reporting, etc.

Conclusion

In today’s digital world where our attention span is less than a Goldfish and everyone is crazy about being ‘productive’, a time management tool is a must in your arsenal.

Free Pomodoro App

And if you’re looking for a tool that offers you all the required features in the lowest possible amount, go with FocusMe. It’s the best tool out there at the moment.

However, if you don’t want to spend a single penny but still want to track your time and stay productive, RescueTime or Toggl could be the best choice for you.

And finally, if you’re a freelancer who just wants to track your total time spent on each project, you can go with Time Doctor or Timely.

So that’s all from us. Now go out there and make the most out of every second of your day. I’m looking forward to read your blog post about ‘productivity hacks’ on BuzzFeed. 😜