DeskTime Software Review: Is It Really That Simple To Use?

Are you looking for a way to ensure your team stays focused? If you are an employer who runs a big or small organization, you want your employees to be productive. What they do with their time can make or break your business. There are many time management and time tracking tools available, but you want the best one for your team. DeskTime happens to be one of them. As part of my DeskTime software review, I will discuss how this software can help track your team’s time spent at work.

What is DeskTime?

DeskTime is an automatic time tracking software that keeps track of an employee’s productivity. There are three main areas DeskTime focuses on their software: 

  • Employee monitoring
  • Project management
  • Productivity analysis

The company started in 2011 under the direction of the Draugiem Group, a Latvia based IT company. The purpose of using DeskTime was to increase workplace transparency and make sure the employee’s time is spent wisely.

Today, there are more than 18,000 companies that use DeskTime to keep track of their employee’s time. As a great time tracking tool, DeskTime continues to work and help more companies make the most of their time. 

Since they launched 11 years ago, more than 81 million hours have been tracked, which is the equivalent of 9268 years. As stated on their website, DeskTime has followed every minute “since homo sapiens domesticated cats in around 8000 BC.” If you think about that, that’s a lot of time that nobody can ever imagine or think of today.

In this post, I will do a brief review of DeskTime and what it may have to offer you in keeping track of time at work. 

DeskTime: Time and Employee Management Software

Top features of DeskTime

DeskTime has multiple features to help users make the most out of using the time tracker. Some of the highlighted, most popular features include the following:

Automatic time tracking

With automatic time-tracking, DeskTime starts and stops working when you do. From the minute you start work to your final minute of the workday, it will keep track of all productive and non-productive activities you’re engaged in.

The best part about automatic time tracking is by eliminating manual data entry. Absent that extra work, DeskTime calculates productivity automatically for you.

DeskTime software: The time tracker automatically starts and stops when you do.

Screenshots

Every 5-30 minutes, DeskTime will take screenshots (regular or blurred) of what your employees are working on. This feature gives a detailed view of each user’s efficiency and monitoring of remote employees.

Any activity that appears unproductive will automatically be shot for a manager to monitor. Although it may sound creepy, it’s not meant for employers to micromanage their team.

As DeskTime mentions, it should be used for scanning purposes, not scrutinizing your team. If someone is having trouble staying focused, make sure to discuss the issue with them. More so, it’s good practice to notify your team that they’re monitored under this feature for time management purposes.

DeskTime software: The time tracker allows you to take clear and blurred screenshots.

URL & app tracking

This feature allows you to break down which websites, programs, and applications your employees use. From there, you can categorize which ones are productive or non-productive for completing work tasks. It’s an excellent way to see how your employees spend their day through the time tracker.

Offline time tracking

This feature allows you to collect data on time spent away from the computer. You can specify reasons for absence, along with marking tasks as productive, unproductive, or neutral. The feature gives you a better overview of your team’s workload, time management, and productivity.

DeskTime software: You can track how much time you spent in the apps you're in on DeskTime.

Pomodoro timer

Regarding the Pomodoro technique, the feature allows users to set timers for working. You can take a break every 52 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes. Every person is different when it comes to taking breaks, so it’s important to remind your team to take breaks. Doing this practice can help your team stay focused and avoid burnout.

DeskTime software: The time tracker includes a pomodoro timer to improve focus time.

Private time option

This option allows your employees to do non-related work for a brief time. Whether they need to make a personal phone call, the private time option is an excellent way not to track website or app usage during this period.

Work schedules

Creating a schedule through DeskTime is more efficient and reported to be six times faster than using basic spreadsheets. With this feature, you get a basic overview of shifts and likely to avoid overstaffing or understaffing.

Employee absence calendar

This calendar allows employees to plan their schedules while letting their team know when they’ll be off work. It’s good to avoid questions of employee whereabouts or absences, along with helping plan everyone’s workload.

DeskTime software: You have the option to look at your team's schedule through the app.

Mobile app

Additionally, you can use the mobile app to track time while on the go. With the app, you can enter details about your offline time and access performance reports at any time. Whether you’re at work or out of the office, you can check without using a computer or workstation.

What’s new with DeskTime?

Within the last year, DeskTime has added new features to help with time tracking. They include the following:

  • Now available in Spanish

It was a work in the making, but now DeskTime is available in Spanish. So that helps those who speak Spanish (whether their primary language or a second language).

  • Web-based time tracking

There’s a manual web timer that can be used on any browser. It’s nice to have if you don’t want to download software on a desktop. So it’s a great alternative to using the app as well.

Who is DeskTime designed for?

DeskTime can be used by anyone looking to be more efficient with their time. But I would say it works the best for the following groups:

  • Teams

Small or large, DeskTime can help you track how your team spends their time. Inefficient use of time must be corrected. For a company to grow, it is essential to understand how much time is spent on productive and non-productive tasks.

  • Freelancers

DeskTime has neat features to help freelancers make the most out of their work. Some of things that can help out freelancers include:

  • Easy to track projects
  • Create custom reports (weekly, monthly)
  • Create invoices
  • Logging offline time

Pricing

DeskTime offers a couple of options to make the most out of their software. They offer a Lite (Free) account for one user only, which includes automatic time tracking, app tracking, and access to the mobile app. 

DeskTime provides a 14-day free trial for new users to test out their time tracker. If you sign up for an annual plan, you get a free trial during your first month. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with your project. 

The following options include:

  • Lite (free/one user)
  • Pro ($7 monthly/one user; $72 annually)
  • Premium ($9 monthly/one user; $96 annually)
  • Enterprise ($14 monthly/one user; $144 annually)
Lite (Free for one user)Pro ($7/month for one user
OR $84 annually)
Premium ($10/user/month)Enterprise ($20/user/month)
Prices Accurate As of April 2022

Along with that, DeskTime has a new function to help you make the most of your scheduling. It’s a new booking feature ($2/user/month) that you may find useful for hybrid work.

With booking, you can book office space, meeting rooms, parking space, and so on. If you’ve switched to a hybrid work model and love being flexible, then the book function may be something worth checking out.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Potential to boost productivity up to 30%
  • Save time by eliminating manual timesheets (more automated time tracking)
  • Integrates with platforms including Google Calendar, Outlook, Trello, Asana, Jira, Basecamp
  • Helps eliminate repetitive tasks and set priorities

 Cons

  • A time tracker can sound intrusive and be micromanaging if not used the right way
  • Some users have reported bugs and stability issues
  • Private time feature is not tracked to specific periods throughout the day
  • Some difficulties reassigning URLs to their proper productivity category

Is DeskTime worth it?

Rating: 4.8/5

DeskTime continues to be one of the leading time tracking software programs. It started as a small company, then expanded and began launching advanced features. 

Some of the features, such as the Pomodoro and private timers, have been beneficial for employees using their time efficiently. The fact that it has automatic time tracking (along with eliminating manual timesheets) makes it much easier for employers to track employee work hours.

DeskTime software: This post is an in-depth review on DeskTime, a well-known time tracker.

My takeaways

I’ve used the lite plan for DeskTime for some time now, and I’m getting a lot out of it. It’s basic and straightforward- I can easily see my stats and track my hours spent doing productive and non-productive tasks. 

I’ve made some adjustments in how I go about my day, and it’s worked out for the better. Not sure if I’ll go with one of the paid plans, but I might go in that direction.

Final Words

It may be worth your while to give DeskTime a shot. The idea is to make it easier for businesses to focus on the most important tasks. 

Try a 14-day free trial of a pro, premium, or enterprise account if you are interested. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you can sign up for an annual plan and get your first month free. That sounds like a great deal. Don’t wait any longer!

Your Turn: Is DeskTime the solution you need to track your time more effectively?

I would like to know what you think about DeskTime. Does the time tracker provide the best solution for improving your business?

Which feature of DeskTime do you like the most? Are there any features you dislike? After using it for some time, what could be improved?

Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.

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Eric is the owner and chief editor of notimekillers.com. 

He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. 

Eric is a firm believer in financial and time freedom, as he believes in financial independence and taking ownership of your time. 

“Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” 

In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. 

You can also connect with Eric via LinkedIn.

Self Photo 2019: Here's a picture at a building in downtown Chicago.

8 thoughts on “DeskTime Software Review: Is It Really That Simple To Use?”

  1. The DeskTime software looks like a very functional tool for those that want to track and manage time. With so many more people working remotely, I am sure many employers feel the need to monitor the efficiency of their employees. 

    And it can also be used by freelancers that need to keep track of the time they spend on projects. 

    I like the fact that the Pomodoro technique to manage time is also included in the software, a technique that I have been using. DeskTime seems like the perfect solution for teams and companies to track time spent on projects.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      Now that remote work is more common, a time tracking tool sure does come in handy. A time tracker such as DeskTime is another great solution for businesses to use.

      It’s great DeskTime makes their tool very friendly for freelancers to use. There are a lot of things freelancers need to do to keep track of their expenses and projects they’re working on.

      As you mentioned earlier, the Pomodoro technique is a neat feature with DeskTime. That was something that stood out for me when I tested this time tracker. So we agree on that component for this tool.

      Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts- they’re very much appreciated.

      Reply
  2. Wow! It is amazing that technology continues to leave me speechless. DeskTime is a very reasonable tool to monitor employees. 

    I do not know how I would feel being monitored all day by my boss; however, sometimes you need to be real and employers goal is to make maximum profit. This tool is definitely in their best interest.

    Reply
    • Hi Diana,

      DeskTime is a convenient, simple tool for businesses to use for time tracking. If it’s to maximize productivity and utilize time better, then it fulfills their primary purposes of the tool.

      I understand what you mean by being monitored by your manager. For me, I’m not a fan of micro-managing myself. 

      So it can feel intrusive sometimes, but I don’t firmly believe that’s the case for DeskTime. If it’s to track time and productivity, maybe that’s the case.

      Sure, it can be for making profits; however, I think that’s one of the factors to making an easily, accessible time tracker.

      Thank you very much for sharing your insights- they’re greatly appreciated.

      Reply
  3. This is snitch software I would say, I don’t think any employee will be happy to be monitored this way. I personally would not find this comfortable, especially with the screenshotting part. 

    Well, this is a very informative review for companies or anyone looking for snitch software. I don’t think I can use it on anyone because every individual deserves some privacy even at work place.

    Reply
    • Hi Bethel,

      “Snitch” is a neat term for things we find intrusive in our lives. I don’t disagree when it comes to being checked in a time tracker, such as DeskTime.

      Although DeskTime can be helpful for some companies looking to enhance productivity, it can feel intrusive at times. No one likes to be monitored while at work, so that certainly is a downside.

      Privacy should be considered when it comes to the workplace. Whether in the office or remotely, it’s something to consider when implementing certain types of software.

      I do appreciate you giving an honest opinion. Not all companies want to use time trackers for your concerns. 

      But some places will do it for making business more efficient- I think that’s the reality of improving business practices no matter what.

      Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts- they’re very much appreciated.

      Reply
  4. Hi Eric, 

    This is definitely interesting software! It seems like it would be great for people who want to use their time more efficiently. I think it would be really interesting to try the free version and see how productive I am throughout the day. It can be difficult to use time well if you work remotely, for yourself, or just at your computer all day. 

    In terms of managing employees, I’m not sure I would be brave enough to use it. I would be concerned that this software would seem intrusive.

    On the other hand,  I see how it could help manage your team if you have people work for you. I’d be interested to hear how employees feel being monitored, and on the other side of things, if there are testimonials of this program boosting productivity 30% for employers. 

    Thanks for this article! Very informative!

    Beth

    Reply
    • Hi Beth,

      This time tracking software can work well for any type of business. It’s very useful for employers to check out, and for their teams to make the most out of.

      I understand your concerns about it being intrusive. That’s a downside of using a time tracker such as DeskTime.

      But as I mentioned in a previous comment, a primary reason is for businesses to be more efficient. Especially when it comes to time, they need to know which activities their team members are doing while working.

      Your thoughts are worth looking into. I don’t have any feedback from how employees feel; however, there are testimonials from what employers think about DeskTime.

      If you like to read them, check out their website for a list of testimonials. They’re good to look over in getting other peoples thoughts on the software.

      Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts- I great appreciate what you had to say about DeskTime.

      Reply

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