RescueTime Alternatives: The 10 Best Time Tracking Apps Available
If you’re a RescueTime user, you have probably encountered some of its specific issues, like compatibility and flexibility. The very limited integration choice and the lack of customization of the activities make it difficult for users.
RescueTime is primarily focused on personal productivity and not project tracking, and you might need a time tracking solution that you can use to track projects and the team’s progress. Also, RescueTime relies only on automated time tracking, while you might also need other time tracking methods.
With that in mind, you’ll thoroughly list the best RescueTime alternatives. For each one, there will be advantages and cons of usage so that you see which is the greatest alternative to improve your time management.
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The 10 Top alternatives to RescueTime
1. Timeular
Timeular is the most versatile, secure, and smart time-tracking solution designed for teams powered by AI.
One of Timeular’s main benefits is that you can choose how you want to track time based on your preferences and needs, whereas RescueTime locks you into only one way of tracking.
Timeular has its fair share of positive reviews since Capterra ranked this software with a 4.6 overall, with an 80% chance of recommendation, being declared a great tool to keep track of time.
Apple has also ranked Timeular with the same 4.6 points, with special attention to the balance between ease of use and its powerful features and reports.
Kaitlin Snow Seamons, Executive Creative Director at Harmon Brothers
Top Timeular’s features
- Automatic time tracking: Timeular turns your calendar events and app usage into suggestions with AI, and your timesheet will be automatically filled at the end of the day.
- 100% Data security: Unlike RescueTime, Timeular stores your data on your computer, not in the cloud, and it is accessible only to you.
- Intuitive calendar view: Team members can easily add activities by dragging and dropping them on the calendar.
- Physical time tracking cube: By leveraging muscle memory, Timeular helps users build a habit of time tracking through a physical device.
- Leave tracking: Easily manage and track all types of employee time off in one place: paid time off, sick days, time off in lieu, and many more.
- Automated reports: This feature automatically fills timesheets for contributors, saving them time and effort.
- Productivity tracker: Measure and maximize your and your team’s performance with accurate data and actionable insights.
- AI time tracking software: Track time using AI time entry suggestions based on your calendar and past entries.
- It provides both Mac time tracking and Windows time tracking.
- Add notes and tags to time entries, and add more granularity to the time entries.
- Custom reminders to track time or take a break.
Time tracking with a physical device
Timeular is a time tracking solution widely known for its physical Timeular time tracker that connects to the app via Bluetooth. The Tracker works offline and can track up to 1000 activities with just 8 sides. Simply leave one or more sides of your Tracker empty. Every empty side will act like a joker side. It will open a pop-up and let you choose what you want to track.
Please note: You don’t need the Tracker to use Timeular software.
I am not one that finds joy in tracking my time. Thankfully, I can now simply flip the Timeular Tracker.
Melissa, Senior Analyst in Health
The most accurate and effortless time tracking solution for your productivity!
Read also: How a software house tracks time against estimations to improve accuracy.
Why Timeular is the best RescueTime alternative:
- Track time in your preferred ways- track time automatically, like RescueTime, or manually, with keyboard shortcuts, or with the Timeular Tracker.
- Timeular allows leave tracking, while RescueTime doesn’t.
- Super easy and intuitive interface: see what you’ve tracked at a glance.
- Productivity insights: check when you are the most productive or unproductive in your dashboard and what apps consume too much time.
- Mobile and desktop compatible: use this time tracking tool on your desktop and mobile to make your time tracking easier.
- Accurate reporting: thorough reporting that shares real-time data with insights that you need to make your decisions.
- Data privacy and GDPR compliance: Timeular stores your data on your computer, not in the cloud,
- Anti-surveillance: track time without feeling spied on, as managers are allowed to check tracked data only at midnight.
- Integration with tools: Integrate Timeular with your calendar and tools such as Trello, Asana, JIRA, and other 3,000 apps via Zapier.
- Budgets: Establish a time budget for each project that you’re involved in.
- Export and customize your data – you can export reports in CSV, XLSX, or PDF, and customize your report with multiple filters.
- Versatility: Timeular also works as a work hours tracker to record time spent on tasks, a timer app to apply to time blocks or the Pomodoro technique, and also as a time entry system to simplify payroll processes and management.
- Add notes and tags to get more granularity on your task and categorize activities even better.
- Track billable and non-billable hours with extra flexibility: the same activity can be tracked as billable or not simply by switching a toggle on.
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Effortless time tracking for individuals and teams | 30-day free trial but no free plans |
| Integration with 3,000 apps | |
| Track billable vs non-billable hours | |
| Physical Tracker to reinforce time tracking habit | |
| Automatic tracking | |
| Add notes and tags to time entries | |
| Accurate insights |
Read also: The guide about employee leave of absence
2. Toggl
This is a popular and one of the greatest time-tracking software that aims to take care of your team’s time and productivity through an intuitive dashboard.
Toggl is a valid RescueTime alternative because you can use it both for individual and team purposes. Toggl offers basic features such as time tracking, project tracking, and reporting. Also, Toggl offers more integrations than RescueTime.
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Billing and invoicing | Complex to understand |
| Integration with apps | Limited features in the free plan |
| Easy to setup | Integration issues |
| Limited reporting features | |
| No automatic tracking |
Read also: Clockify vs Toggl
3. Clockify
Although Clockify is most effective when utilized in team settings, it has encountered criticism due to its alleged disregard for employee privacy rights. The way the software manages user data has sparked concerns among both users and privacy advocates, creating a contentious and controversial topic surrounding the platform.
Read also: The best replacement app for Harvest
The more advanced paid plans in Clockify allow you to register paid time off and vacation requests, including GPS tracking, expense tracking, progress alerts, and invoicing.
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Free version | Intrude employees’ privacy |
| Integration with apps | Manual time tracking |
| Time off tracking | No personalized notification |
| GPS | Limited integrations |
| Clunky mobile app |
- Recommended read: Clockify alternatives
4. Timely
A reliable alternative to HoursTracker, Timely offers automatic time tracking, and that’s why it’s considered a valid alternative to RescueTIme
Timely’s most unique feature is the Memory Tracker, which allows users to switch between tasks, apps, and meetings while it quietly operates in the background, eliminating the need for manual entry.
The Memory Tracker automatically records employees’ activities across different apps and devices and then creates comprehensive timelines, and provides detailed insights into time allocation.
Read also: 5 Timely Alternatives
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Privacy | Accuracy |
| Memory tracker | Limited features |
| Hard to use | |
| Only online | |
| Limited support |
5. QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time is a reliable RescueTime alternative for those looking for a basic time tracking, invoice and employee scheduling tool. Those features allow the creation of employee work schedules, tracking and managing employee time for payroll purposes, and invoice clients based on billable hours. It also features GPS time tracking to manage mobile teams.
Read also: best employee time tracking apps
Real-time reports provide live-time monitoring of employees currently on the job while including overtime alerts to help you avoid exceeding your budgeted hours.
Despite some limitations, the mobile app enables users to track time while on the go.
TIP: Read our blog and discover the best QuickBooks time tracking integration.
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Integration with apps | GPS tracking may lead to privacy concerns |
| GPS tracking | The mobile app is limited |
| Easy invoicing | Limited features |
| Only online | |
| Subscription cost |
6. ManicTime
Like RescueTime, ManicTime automatically records your activities and gives you a full report on the time spent on each task or project. ManicTime is suitable for both teams and individuals and is a valid alternative to RescureTime if you’re looking for a very basic time tracking app with reporting capabilities.
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Informative reports | Steep learning curve |
| Free trial | Lack of mobile app |
| Automated time tracking | Limites search function |
| Not intuitive interface | |
| Buggy app |
Read also: Find the best tool for small businesses to increase productivity and revenue.
7. Everhour
The tool is a basic time tracking app for teams that facilitates billing and invoicing, and that’s why you might prefer it to RescueTime. Everhour offers a budget feature that helps you monitor the progress of each project.
What stands out in Everhour is the large integration stack, but users lament the steep learning curve.
Read also: best time tracking and billing software for consultants
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Billing features | Clunky mobile app |
| Integration with apps | Limited support |
| Invocing | Pricing |
| Detail reports | Short trial period |
| Steep learning curve |
8. DeskTime
A reliable alternative to TimeDoctor, DeskTime is a real-time automatic time tracking software, a reasonable alternative to RescueTime because of its key feature of automatic time tracking. In DeskTime, user access productivity reports and project tracking. Also, the tool offers attendance management. You can use DeskTiem both as an individual or with your team.
Some users lament the steep learning curve and some compatibility issues with OS.
Read also: Alternatives to DeskTime
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Automatic time tracking | Privacy concerns |
| Reports | Steep learning curve |
| Integration issues | |
| Expensive |
9. Harvest
Harvest is a valid RescueTime option if you need to track billable hours, manage projects and create professional invoices.
Nevertheless, Harvest does not offer automatic time tracking.
Harvest’s key features are easy time entry and tracking, project and task management, and flexible invoicing options.
The tool stands out for its large integration stack.
Read also:
| Key advantages | Cons of usage |
|---|---|
| Billing features | Manual time tracking |
| Integration with apps | Reporting is not that robust |
| Easy set up | More expensive than other tools |
10. ClickTime
ClickTime offers a basic and straightforward time-tracking experience.
Its reporting and project budgeting features allow for better insights into project performance. However, some users might miss having advanced invoicing capabilities within the platform.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Project management features | Invoicing capabilities |
| Custom integrations | User interface |
| Reporting | Pricing |
| Steep learning curve |
Conclusion
In conclusion, RescueTime is a popular time tracking tool, but it has some specific issues related to compatibility, flexibility, and limited integration choices. Users seeking alternatives can explore a range of options with various features and advantages, and we’ve provided a digestible summary of 10 of the best alternatives to RescueTime.
Among those tools, Timeular stands out as the best alternative to RescueTime because of its user-friendly and accurate interface, the multiple time tracking methods (including automatic time tracking), and the physical device. Moreover, RescueTime is solely focused on individual productivity, while Timeular goes beyond that, offering features for teams.
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