Best Time Management Apps: iOS, Android, and Desktop

It couldn’t be easier to track time across multiple devices and the web, whether you want to hit Start and Stop buttons throughout the day or manually fill in blocks of time. Your time can be divided into different projects and different tags can be added, allowing you to see which blocks of time are associated with which work or non-work activities.

Once you’ve generated some statistics, there are a number of useful reports you can use to find out how you spend your time. There is also a standard calendar view. The app makes many of its features available for free, but you can choose to pay ($5 per month and up) for more customization options and features, such as splitting times and adding breaks.

Timelines

Timelines can categorize your day for you.David Nield

Timelines It’s worth considering your time tracking solution as long as you’re using an iPhone or iPad – it’s not available for Android or desktop. If you’re looking to log your time using a mobile Apple device, you’ll find this a flexible, intuitive option that sticks to the basics in terms of features, but does it all well.

All you have to do is tap on it to get started Add a timeline button: Your “timelines” can be socializing, working, relaxing, studying, or whatever you want. Then you simply start and stop the timers as needed, and the app reports back to you as you go. You can also set goals for how much you want to log (like exercise) in a day, a week, or a month.

The app quickly creates a comprehensive picture of how you spend your time, without overwhelming you with different screens and features. You can get started with Timelines for free, with additional features available for $4 per month, such as multi-device syncing, long-term trend reporting, and unlimited time tracking categories.

A simple time tracker

Simple Time Tracker isn’t complicated, but it has a lot to offer.David Nield

After mentioning an exclusive app for iPhones and iPads, it’s only fair to mention an app that you can only get on Android. A simple time trackeras the name suggests, it tries to stay out of the way as much as possible when it comes to tracking where your time goes. You can start and stop time intervals with one click and everything is well set up in the app.

There’s a lot to dig here beyond the basics. Different activities (like reading or playing sports) can be divided into different categories (like work or fun) and customized with their own colors and icons. You can set yourself goals to meet certain time limits and get real-time reports on how the hours of the day have passed.

The app works really well in that it lets you choose how simple or detailed to track your time. If you want, you can actually look at individual days and times or follow a broader overview. Perhaps best of all, the app is completely open source and free to use, although I recommend donating to the developer if you find the app useful.