Time management is the ability to use the time you have on your hands effectively to perform any task - this is crucial for any individual or business. Technology has undoubtedly enabled us to connect, improve, perform, and optimize our resources beyond imagination. One of the best examples of this is time management apps. Read on to learn more about time management apps.
What is a Time Management App?
As the name suggests, time management apps enable control over time. These apps are systems that enable both individuals and businesses to keep track of time through a detailed view. Using a time management app is one of the most convenient ways to accomplish what most of us strive for on a daily basis - productivity.
From calendar reminders and to-do lists to meetings and shopping lists, it is very easy to get caught up and get overwhelmed with the number of chores that need to get done. Thanks to time management software, one can now monitor and keep track of all the chores and the time required to complete them — all in one place. Using such apps not only helps one accomplish goals faster but also saves time in the long run.
Benefits of a Time Management App
Time tracking is extremely crucial. However, it is quite unnatural as we humans do not possess the ability to recall everything we work on with natural precision. This is why individuals and organizations are letting go of the error-prone notepads and spreadsheets for purpose-built, sophisticated time-tracking apps. Now, before investing in a time management app, one must consider the benefits of such apps.
The following are the benefits of time-tracking apps:
1. Bill Accurately
Automatic time-tracking apps record and capture everything you do, developing a seamless record of all your work activities as you move between projects and clients. By eliminating the requirement to remember to set timers or tasks, they also eliminate the manual error and estimation of basic, memory-based methods.
2. Manage Projects
Time management apps can summarize all your project-related information to help you manage costs and improve estimations in real time.
3. Improve Productivity
Disclose how exactly one gets distracted from the websites that divert attention to what slows down an individual, these apps display it all. Such apps also help one address operational and personal inefficiencies.
4. Communicate Progress
Time management software also presents all the information collected in a report form. Such reports are perfect for sharing status updates with managers or providing customers with a detailed breakdown of where they spent their money.
5. Evaluate Client Value
Time management apps enable a quick review of profitability across all individual projects and clients, thus, allowing you to assess which clients are the most profitable. These apps help understand and evaluate all the additional costs within a budget. One can accordingly revise processes or expectations with specific clients.
With cloud connectivity, an intuitive UI, and mobile device accessibility, time management apps streamline the time-tracking process so that individuals and businesses can become more productive.
20 Best Time Management Apps
Time-tracking apps make it convenient and simple to manage time and tasks and enhance productivity goals for you or your employees. These apps are essential as time management is a crucial skill to learn. This blog features some of the best time management apps currently available in the market.
1. Timely
The Timely app is an automatic time management application that tracks how long projects take and helps one organize their workweek efficiently. All one needs to do is provide their workweek in advance to estimate how much time they need to set aside each day to complete their tasks. Timely is available for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, and as a browser application.
Why Timely?
- Records each thing you work on while using its Memory Tracker
- Offers a realistic picture of how much time projects take up to finish
- Holds an individual accountable for the quantity of time they set apart from work
- Makes time entries for the work that is recorded
- Creates reports for easy communication with others
Top Features
Its memory tracker records your time spent browsing websites, documents, emails, and video calls. This is of key importance. One of the most important aspects of time management is understanding how much time a task takes. With timely, you will always have this information available in a matter of clicks.
Pros
- Track your entire work day.
- Track projects, especially employee hours required in the completion of projects.
- Track team performance to identify where time is being saved and where it is falling through the cracks.
Cons
- The apps support is slow
2. Toggl Track
Developed for professionals, Toggl Track can be used by small businesses, freelancers, and corporate teams alike, thanks to its customized features. This app has the functionality to track time spent on tasks and run reports to see where individuals spend most of their time to help them be more efficient.
Why Toggl Track?
- Free account for up to 5 users
- Tracks time directly in tools being used with its integrations with various apps
- The support team responds within hours
Top Features
Individuals, as well as teams, can use Toggl Track. Teams benefit from Toggl Track through streamlining of work as it helps everyone productively track their time.
Pros
- Toggle Track is available for free for up to 5 users
- Great for businesses, both big and small.
- Excellent security features. Your data is always protected.
Cons
- Some of the advanced features are kept behind a paywall.
Pricing
Toggl Track can be used for free for up to 5 users. However, some of its more powerful features are available through the paid version of the app.
- Toggl Track Basic: Free
- Toggl Track Starter: 9$ per user per month
- Toggl Track Premium: 18$ per user per month
3. TSheets
The TSheets app by QuickBooks is an all-inclusive mobile timesheets app that tracks time on any device for teams of all sizes. Using the TSheets app, employees can log in and log out easily and quickly from a computer, mobile app, or time clock kiosk.
Why TSheets?
- Creates employee schedules by shifts or jobs
- Connects to the favorite payroll or accounting software
- Interactive, real-time reports
- Displays overtime alerts to be aware of weekly overtime limits
- GPS location tracking is available to keep tabs on where your employees are working
Top Features
Its real-time alerts and approval feature lets you closely monitor all matters related to employee time management. Some interesting features include the GPS tracking facility and mobile time tracker.
Pros
- Creates employee schedules by shifts or jobs
- Connects to your preferred payroll or accounting software like Xero, Gusto, Sage, Quickbooks, and ADP.
- Interactive, real-time reports that are easy to use and easier to understand.
- Displays overtime alerts to be aware of weekly overtime limits
- GPS location tracking is available to keep tabs on where your employees are working
Cons
- High pricing
- The mobile app has some bugs.
- GPS tracking doesn't automatically track arrival time. Employees must remember to log in to TSheets to log in their arrival time.
Pricing
- TSheets Basic: Free for 1 user
- Tsheets Premium: 8$ per month per user + 20$ base fee per month
- TSheets Elite: 10$ per user per month +40$ base fee per month
4. TMetric
The TMetric app provides reporting and time-tracking features that can be automated with browser extensions. One can create invoices and send them to clients. There is also the option for employee monitoring which is useful when one works with a remote team.
Why TMetric?
- Software available in both web and desktop versions
- Includes an API that can be integrated with the business management software
- Has an excellent user interface that comes along with the Chrome extension
- Has a built-in extension with Jira software (designed to help teams of all types manage work)
Top Features
The work schedule feature can help you set a working time for all employees. A time off feature lets you track when employees are available and when they are not. This will help you keep track of employee leaves when scheduling tasks. You can also take screenshots using TMetric.
Pros
- It can simply be integrated with any web-based tool
- The app's time estimation reports help the users keep better track of time
- Time tracking is simple and easy
Cons
- There may be too many bugs
- The desktop app loses connection often
Pricing
- TMetric Basic: Free
- TMetric Professional: 5$ per user per month
- TMetric Business: 7$ per user per month
5. TimeTree
TimeTree app is one of the best time management apps, with the ability to flawlessly share memos and calendars between users. TimeTree is ideal for busy families aiming to keep everyone’s schedules in one place. More than just a calendar, this app comes with the added functionality of memos that replaces the traditional pen-and-paper to-do list so that there is a dedicated place for managing one’s busy life.
Why TimeTree?
- It is a free app
- Works on multiple devices
- Perfect for blended families or split households
Top Features
TimeTree lets you flawlessly share memos between users. The app has an excellent calendar feature that lets you sync your calendar with another user. This makes planning outings and meetings very easy.
Pros
- The app is completely free to use.
- Lets you color-code upcoming events so you can easily differentiate them.
- Very simple and elegant design.
Cons
- It's a simple calendar app that is best used for personal time-keeping and event tracking. Not ideal for business settings.
Pricing
TimeTree is free to use on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows.
6. Trello
Trello enables one to easily view what all team members are doing at a glance, so you never miss a beat during an important project. If you are looking to manage tasks and projects at a glance easily, use Trello. This app, designed to be used as a collaboration tool, lets you view and assign tasks and projects across teams.
Why Trello?
- It has a free version that is packed with features
- Customizable
- Integrates with other tools, such as Dropbox and Google Drive
Top Features
Visual collaboration feature that provides visual tracking of progress and deadlines. Ideal for a team that works in a production line manner and wants to streamline efficiency.
Pros
- Works with every department of an organization, from HR to design.
- Promotes cross-team collaboration.
- Intuitive and easy to use
Cons
- Requires users to be online.
- 10 MB file upload limit.
Pricing
- Trello Basic: Free
- Trello Standard: 5$ per month
- Trello Premium:10$ per month
- Trello Enterprise: Contact Trello.
7. Calendar
With robust analytics resources, the Calendar app enables one to see how much time one spends in meetings so that one can structure (or also re-structure) their time to prioritize essential tasks.
Why Calendar?
- Detailed analytics to understand how one spends their time
- Has a wide user base, from large teams to freelancersConnects all the calendars in one place
Top Features
Every feature that you can think of in a calendar app is probably available in Calendar. In effect, this app is the ideal modern calendar to assist you in your day-to-day life. Can embed the app in other software like Zapier and Zoom.
Pros
- Very simple design, and is easy to use.
- Available on multiple platforms.
- Great features for a simple calendar app.
Cons
- The design is simple, but it is too simple. The interface could use a little oomph.
Pricing
- Calendar Basic: Free
- Calendar Standard: 6$ per month
- Calendar Pro: 8$ per month
8. Harvest
Harvest is an expense and time tracking app that uses the power of time tracking to answer crucial questions, such as where is my time going? The app has robust time-tracking features and is installed with a smart interface that is easy and fast to operate.
Why Harvest?
- Tracks billable time and enables one to create invoices instantly to send to clients
- Easily updates time data on the weekly timesheet
- Ensures that teams have enough time to complete all the planned projects
Top Features
One of Harvest's best features is invoice creation. With the time-tracking feature of Harvest, creating an invoice is now easier than ever before.
Pros
- Can be integrated with other software.
- Can be used to manage teams as well as prepare schedules.
Cons
- Expensive
Pricing
- Harvest Basic: Free
- Harvest Solo: 12$ per month
- Harvest Team: 12$ per user.
9. Wunderlist
Wunderlist is an effective and simple app for managing an online to-do list. This time management software enables users to tick off all professional and personal tasks. Users can keep track of and complete their respective tasks, and also share their own goals and allocate tasks for their teams.
Why Wunderlist?
- Shares your lists and work done to collaborate on a project
- Adds notes to ensure all your ideas are stored
- Sets reminders and due dates
- Collaborates with team members and colleagues
- Includes anything from the web to Wunderlist
Top Features
One of Wunderlist's top features is the ability to share your goals and goal completion and allocate tasks to your team. The app can also set reminders, monitor due dates, and take notes.
Pros
- A free version that isn't bare-bones.
- Elegant and intuitive interface.
Cons
- The lack of some features that are commonly available in other apps makes Wunderlist slightly outdated.
Pricing
Wunderlist is free-to-use.
10. TimeCamp
TimeCamp is a unique project structure that creates transparent and complex management. TimeCamp also provides features, such as reporting, budgeting, and invoicing to help teams perform better and deliver work results on time and within budget.
Why TimeCamp?
- Lets you choose between two types of timesheet templates – daily and weekly
- Evaluates the time spent on projects with a broad range of reports
Top Features
TimeCamp neatly categorizes your activities into productive or otherwise. The paid version of the app even helps with micro-management through invoicing and team collaboration.
Pros
- Robust reporting system.
- Very well-represented timesheet
Cons
- The mobile version is buggy
- The interface can be more intuitive.
Pricing
- TimeCamp: Free
- TimeCamp Basic: 6.30$ per user per month
- TimeCamp Pro: 9$ per user per month.
11. Rize
With automatic tracking, Rize gives you a clear view of how you spend your day, including how many hours you work, your focus time, and the amount of time spent switching contexts. You can also see which websites are most distracting. Get valuable insights and build better habits with ease.
12. Notion
You can streamline your work with Notion. It combines multiple productivity apps into one platform and keeps your notes and work organized in a single place. Collaborate with your team, share documents, and create one centralized hub for all of your projects. It can replace your to-do lists, project management tools, note-taking apps, spreadsheets, etc. Save time and money while staying on top of your time management and organization.
13. Forest
Forest offers a fresh take on time management. Stay focused with this fun app that employs the Pomodoro technique, breaking work into manageable chunks with breaks in between. The concept is straightforward: focus, and watch your virtual tree grow. Slip up, and it dies. Create a virtual forest by growing multiple trees and using them as motivation to stay focused. Not only is this app entertaining, but it reinforces the importance of staying on task.
14. Spark
A survey by Adobe found that people spend an average of 3.1 hours on email at work. So, Spark basically simplifies your email management. It has distraction-free reading, notifications for important messages, snoozing options, quick replies using templates, and follow-up reminders. You can also send emails to your task manager.
15. Serene
Serene helps you overcome distractions, multitasking, and task incompletion, so you can get more done daily. It helps you set your objectives and tasks and schedule when to complete them. When beginning a task, it blocks all distracting websites, updates your status to unavailable, and eliminates other distractions too. It also features timers, music, and breaks.
16. Fathom.video
The Zoom app saw 485 million downloads in 2020 due to COVID-19. However, note-taking and focusing during meetings is still a task. Fathom is an incredibly useful tool for the efficient management of your meetings. It provides meeting transcripts with highlights after the session is done.
17. MyLifeOrganized
Time management requires to-do lists and a task management system. MyLifeOrganized helps you focus on your objectives by creating to-do lists with priority actions to track your progress.
18. 1Password
1Password is a crucial time management app that keeps all your passwords in one secure, encrypted database. It is protected by a single master password. Research shows that an average American resets five passwords per month. 1Password is a true lifesaver! It remarkably saves time by easily accessing your forgotten passwords. It enables using different passwords for different accounts to strengthen security.
19. Alarmy
The key to bossing your day is to rise up early and plan for the entire day. Alarmy essentially ensures you don't sleep extra or hit the snooze button. It offers challenges to complete before turning off the alarm. Some include memory games, math puzzles, taking photos, squats, and more. Completing the challenges gets you off bed and energizes your mind. In addition, you can personalize sounds and track feelings for enhanced insights.
20. Focus@Will
Focus@Will boosts productivity by blending in neuroscience and music. It claims it can increase attention span by up to a whopping 400%, making it one of the top time management apps around. It is perfect for those who struggle to focus during studying, work or reading. It also helps manage ADD.
Are Time Management Apps Useful?
The answer to this question is straight-up YES! Investing in time management tools leads to enhanced productivity levels, increased motivation, and excellent performance. These tools help in various ways, such as:
- Effectively manage workload by setting deadlines and following schedules.
- Boost productivity by setting clear goals and prioritizing tasks.
- Reduce stress by planning ahead and finishing tasks efficiently.
- Promote work-life balance and self-discipline.
- Offer more leisure time by setting boundaries between personal and professional life.
The above benefits make time management tools valuable for employees and business owners alike.
What is the Best Daily Planner App For You? How To Choose?
When selecting a digital planner, it is imperative to consider features that align with your daily schedule and make you more productive. To find out the right fit for you, consider major factors like the following:
- Distraction reduction
- Productivity boost
- User experience
- Compatibility with your device
- To-do list capabilities
- Integration with your desired apps
- Your budget
You can try out free versions of the best planners and select the one that best fits your requirements and does wonders for your productivity levels.
Criteria For Choosing Time Management Apps To Work Smarter
When selecting a time management app, you must focus on its user-friendliness, its compatibility with your devices, and its ability to boost your productivity levels by eliminating distractions.
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Conclusion
Whether for professional or personal use or both, a time management app will work for you and cater to your needs; make sure you are well aware of your requirements and expectations from such a time management app. However, you will understand which app can seamlessly integrate with your day-to-day habits only after some trial and error.
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FAQs
1. Which tool is used for scheduling?
Time management tools include calendars, note-taking software, time trackers, and specialized apps.
2. Which app would be best to schedule and share events with others?
Popular shared calendar apps include Asana, Outlook, Teamup, iCloud, Calendly, Google Calendar, and Thunderbird. Shared calendars aid team organization, encourage transparency, simplify task management, and enhance work-life balance.
3. What is the best app to schedule your day?
Opting for the perfect app to schedule your day can be challenging. To maximize your day, choose one that fits your needs and helps you strike a balance between your work and life. Consider Clockify, which offers features like time tracking, project/task tracking, and a unique Calendar View for daily/weekly insights.
4. How to find the best time management software for your needs?
When choosing the ideal time management software, you must evaluate the ease of use, integrations, user interface, and pricing. Look for simplicity, ease of learning, increased functionality, and affordability. It's important to consider free trials, if available, before setting your budget.
5. What are the best time management apps for Android?
Boost your productivity and organization on Android with many apps such as Plaky, Flow, Pumble, and Taskade. Evernote helps in note-taking, whereas TimeTree is for shared calendars. They help complete projects efficiently and minimize missed tasks.
6. What are the best time management apps for the iPhone?
There are numerous time management apps for the iPhone that help in enhancing your productivity. Apps like Focus@Will and Freedom eliminate distractions and improve focus. In addition, LastPass stores login credentials and tracks personal info securely.
