Do you find satisfaction in staying organized and gaining insights into how you’ve utilized your day? And, are you someone who likes to keep track of how productive your day is? If your answer is yes, then you need to read this article.
Recently, I came across an intuitive time-tracking tool designed especially for freelancers and individuals working on special projects, sites, and businesses. TimeTagger, as the name suggests, is an open-source project that has multiple features and can streamline your daily routine and work.
Well, it has certainly improved how I manage my time. And with this in-depth review, I will share honest feedback on how effective yet effortless time management can be.
So step into the world where productivity takes center stage and read till the end to know everything about this tool.
What is TimeTagger?
In this bustling world where time is not just money but also the essence of productivity, having a tool that helps you achieve your productivity needs every day while keeping you updated on how you can improve is nothing more than a golden egg for you.
As the name suggests, TimeTagger is an easy-to-use tool for freelancers and people to keep track of their time. It lets you track time with a live timeline, lets you tag things, and make reports. It is an open-source tool that can be self-hosted or used with a membership.
With multiple features, TimeTagger helps you transform various mundane tasks of tracking hours into engaging experiences.
Imagine a large canvas, a digital calendar that shows how your day goes, recording all the time you spend on projects and tasks. This isn’t your average time-tracking app; this is TimeTagger, which tells the story of your daily trip.
With that, let’s see some of its features.
What to expect in Time Tagger?
1. Intuitive Tracker
It is an intuitive tracker which is developed to give you quick insights into how you spend your time. It lets you use tags in the timeline to help you track how much time you have dedicated to which tag.
For example, if you are working with multiple clients, you can tag #client1 and #client2, and by the end of the day, you can see which client took how much time of your day. This helps in tracking the number of hours worked on different projects.
2. Powerful reporting
You can generate detailed overviews with just a click. For your convenience, you can use both CSV and PDF formats, fulfilling your reporting needs.
The PDF reports are usually a detailed presentation of data, making it an ideal choice if you are billing your customers.
You can easily share insights among your team members using the reports. The fact that you can also send data in CSV format makes the reporting system even more useful.
You can even make it into Excel for more analysis and further presentations.
3. Set the Targets
End of the day, this tool is not just a tracking device but also a productivity tool. You can easily set targets, track the progress of these small and long term goals, and stay focussed.
They use the Pomodoro method, which will help you stay focused and manage time properly.
Interesting Note – Francesco Cirillo came up with the Pomodoro Technique as a way to handle time in the late 1980s. It includes taking short breaks between work that last about 25 minutes each.
Every break is called a “pomodoro,” which comes from the Italian word for tomato. The method is meant to help people concentrate and get more done by making them feel like they need to act quickly and lessening the effect of interruptions.
4. Easy to carry
And just like that, you can use this tool on any device with a screen. And the size of the screen is also nothing to worry about.
You can even keep using the tool when you are offline, and the information will later be synced to the cloud automatically.
5. Protects you from online malware
When you visit their official website, you will notice that you are not asked to save cookies on this site. This simply means that the site does not track you or your online browsing activities. This means that your personal data and devices are completely safe from malware attacks and more.
6. Developer friendly tool
TimeTagger is different because it is an open-source solution that gives people more freedom, control, and community-driven innovation than any other solution.
TimeTagger is an open-source tool, which means that users can look at, change, and improve the source code as they see fit. They have a web API and CLI tool which tracks time for you.
Now, you might be wondering how you can get started with this tool. So let’s see that.
How to get started with Time Tagger?
You can get started with this tool by Signing up for an account. After you have explored all the plans, it’s time for you to take this baby out on a ride.
Login to the TimeTagger platform with your registered details, and you will get the dashboard where you can see the timeline, overview board, and a bunch of buttons.
To start recording time, you simply need to click on the “Record” button. This will open a popup box where you can type in the description, add tags, and select the time.
The description can have information about the task you are going to perform, which will later help you recall the things that were done. Once you are done, click on “Start” to begin recording time.
The interface is divided into two parts, with a timeline on the left and an overview on the right. The timeline gives you insights into how your time is spent. You can also select tags and see the time spent in the selected range for each tag.
The whole timeline can be easily navigated using your cursor. You can also overview your timeline on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and even yearly basis.
The overview board shows the total time dedicated to one work or task. Here, you can see the different tags that you’ve assigned for each project. These are some examples of tags that can be used in TimeTagger:
- Project names (e.g., #projectA, #clientX)
- Task categories (e.g., #meeting, #development)
- Context or location (e.g., #office, #homeoffice)
- Priority levels (e.g., #highpriority, #lowpriority)
These tags are a simple way to keep track of time records. They can also be used in the TimeTagger app to sort records and make reports.
I use tags like #client1 and #client2, so by the end of the month, I can just pull out the reports and send them over to my clients for billing hours.
This makes my work easy and effortless. At the same time I can keep track of my progress on various reports without having to manually write anything down.
How to use this application on mobile?
TimeTagger is a tool that works with any device with a screen. And you can even use your mobile to track your timeline. You just have to simply open your mobile web browser and open the app.
If it does not work in your mobile browser, you will need to install the Chrome or Firefox app. You can also install TimeTagger as an application on your Android and even on iOS.
The link to get a mobile application is – https://timetagger.app/app. Just go to this link and choose “Add to home screen.” To see this option, you can either see it as a prompt on the upper side of your browser or find the option in the menu bar.
This will make your work even easier as you do not have to think much about carrying your laptop with you all the time.
Now, let’s see the pricing structure of TimeTagger.
TimeTagger Pricing Plans
1. Self hosted
This option allows you to host TimeTagger yourself. It is open source (GPLv3) and can be accessed on GitHub. It is free of cost, so experience firsthand what it feels like to track all your activity using Timetagger.
2. Basic plan
Providing worry-free service, data backups, and support, this package costs €3 per month and is available to customers. By default, it is invoiced annually, and the monthly billing option costs an additional €1 to cover the costs of the transaction.
3. Lifetime plan
The features that are included in this plan are identical to those that are included in the basic plan. It is a one-time payment that grants you access to the service for an indefinite period of time. For this plan, you have to pay €144 for a lifetime.
You can also take advantage of the 14 days free trial. You do not need to provide a credit card in order to participate in this 14-day trial.
You can pay with a credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or iDEAL. And the prices of the plans shown are in Euros, but you’ll pay in your own local currency. For more information on how to get various accounts for the entire team, you can contact TimeTagger support staff.
The price structure is meant to provide flexibility and control, with alternatives for both self-hosted and paid service, in order to meet the requirements of both individuals and teams. I myself started with the free plan as I just wanted to experience the TimeTagger.
But eventually, I took their lifetime deal, and trust me, I have no regrets at all. Timetagger has saved me so much time, and I can multitask on different projects at the same time without worrying about anything.
Now, let me explain to you how this time tagger has benefited me in my life.
Benefits of using Time Tagger
Some of the ways in which TimeTagger has really benefited me are –
1. Increased productivity
It helps you stay focused and can increase your productivity. By tracking your timeline, you can identify how much time you are spending on important things and how you can enhance and manage your time. This brings us to the next point.
2. Better time management
Finding out how long it typically takes you to do different jobs will help you better manage your time and set priorities for your work. This makes your work go faster and helps you handle your work better.
3. Accurate billing
As a freelancer, it helps me bill my clients. It gives me detailed reports in the form of PDF or CSV, which assist in easy billing.
4. No burnout
If you are wondering if this might lead you to be overproductive and burnout, their Pomodoro method actually helps you stay focused while not losing your mind. It gives you small breaks or intervals for taking a breather when you are too involved in something.
5. Cross-platform compatibility
You can easily keep track of time with TimeTagger on any device, like a computer, tablet, or phone. You can use it without an internet connection, and your info will be synced automatically.
Customer support
Their customer support staff is super friendly and can be reached easily. You can email your concern to support@timetagger.app. Within 24-48 hours, you will hear from them with the resolution.
Apart from this, you can also take advantage of video tutorials that are present on their site. They have full, detailed videos starting from basics to navigation, reporting, setting targets, using presets, and more.
They also have detailed articles on various topics, which are easy to follow and can be used as a self-help guide for anyone new here.
They also have a very extensive FAQ section regarding everything from bugs, features, supporting devices, browsers that you can use, application usage, subscription, and billing.
Final words
Overall, TimeTagger is a simple yet efficient time-tracking platform that can help you make the best of your time.
This open-source time tracker with an interactive timeline, tags, and easy reporting is an excellent way to be productive and improve your workflow.
Use the integrated Pomodoro technique and set targets to achieve your goals in a well-organized manner.
Still not sure about TimeTagger? Then just try their 14-day free trial and see how it works out for you. Get started today!