Honest Review:

ATracker

• Ease of use
• Interface customizability
• Accessibility on multiple devices, including smartwatches
• Visually captivating reports
• Goal setting
• One-tap tracking

Find more on what users like about ATracker.

ATracker offers four plans — one free and three paid.

ATracker Free has all the basic functions such as time tracking, reporting, goal setting, and time spending history in calendar and list views, but comes with a lot of restrictions compared to the paid plans. And it also comes with ads, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The ATracker PRO, also known as Upgraded ATracker, is the software’s mid-level plan for iOS. It costs $4.99 for a one-time purchase and allows users to enjoy all the features of the Free Plan, plus unlimited tasks, data export, skin support, advanced settings, note-on-task entry, widget, Apple Watch support, multiple iOS device sync via Dropbox, and ad-free usage.

The Upgraded ATracker for Android costs significantly lower than the version for iOS at $2.99 for a one-time purchase. It has an almost identical set of features, except that it doesn’t have a widget which is a very crucial omission, does not operate on Android smartwatches, and does not support multiple Android device sync via Dropbox.

The ATracker Premium is the most feature-rich plan among the four and costs $2.99 per month for both iOS and Android. Users who want to purchase this plan must be using ATracker PRO for iOS or Upgraded Atracker for both iOS and Android. At this tier, users are finally able to use the app on desktop, plus they also get unlimited numeric and drop-down advanced tags, unlimited active goals, and the ability to sync ATracker data on iOS, Android, and web. Unfortunately, even at the Premium tier, ATracker users using Android devices still don’t get a widget, smartwatch support, or multiple device sync via Dropbox. 

1. Task Setting and One-Tap Time Tracking

Starting and stopping time tracking on tasks in ATracker is done with a single tap, and this straightforwardness of operation is one of its main attractions — it has none of the complicated clock-ins that require manual filling out of details such as task titles and categories, every time a timer is started or stopped. Users can simply open the app, and it will immediately take them to the Today tab where the tasks for the day are listed, select and tap a task to start tracking time for it, and tap again to stop. Alternatively, to switch tasks, users can simply tap another task while another one is ongoing, and this will immediately start the timer on the new task and stop the timer on the previous one.

But before users can get to this, of course, the Today tab on ATracker will come as a blank slate, and users must add tasks to time and the categories they are filed under. This can be done either by simply clicking the Create Task button near the bottom of the Today tab interface or by tapping the Task icon on the upper left corner to navigate to the Tasks page and pressing the plus button on the upper right corner of the page. Both options will result in a new page where the task could be named, described, given an icon and assigned a color, categorized, assigned a duration, synced to the calendar, and more. 

Creating categories in ATracker is just as easy. On the Tasks page, clicking the Categories icon that looks like a filing box on the upper left part of the interface will take users to the Categories page. They can then click the plus icon on the upper right side of the page and fill in the required details, just like on the task creation page. 

After creating tasks and assigning them to categories, they will appear in the Today tab and users can proceed to tap and time as previously discussed. Each time a task is tracked, it creates a task entry (a.k.a. time entry in other time tracking software) which then automatically populates the History tab.

Aside from using ATracker’s one-tap timer, task entries can be created manually by clicking the plus button on the top right corner of the Today or History tabs and indicating the start time and duration or end times of the task. Alternatively, a quicker way to add a task entry right on the Today tab is by swiping left on any task, tapping the plus button that appears, and adding the start time and duration or end time.

Task entries can be edited by navigating to the calendar, finding the date and the desired task entry, and modifying the entry details in the edit window that appears. They can also be deleted by tapping the Delete entry button at the bottom of the edit window.

Users on iOS mobiles and smartwatches can use a widget that allows them to track time without even unlocking their phones, but unfortunately, Atracker users on Android can’t enjoy the same functionality.

2. Reporting

The time captured by the ATracker is reflected in eye-catching reports that can be configured to show data for the current day, a selection of seven or thirty consecutive days, the current week or month, or any range of time the user so desires.

Atracker shows insights using pie charts and bar charts. The pie chart is useful for showing how much a certain activity is taking out of a user’s time for a selected period with easily understood visuals of “slices” representing categories or tasks. Tapping a slice reveals more information about the slice, such as the tasks contained within a category slice, or the specific amount of time spent on any specific activity.

The bar chart on the other hand is helpful in understanding trends captured by ATracker across time, such as how much time was spent on a certain activity across a certain period. It facilitates easy comparison between days to help identify patterns of time usage. Each column represents a day, and each colored segment represents specific categories or tasks done on that day. Tapping a column reveals specific details about the activities contained within it, such as titles, start and end times, and duration.

Both bar charts and pie charts can be filtered using tags and tasks for more specific reporting on certain activities. They can also be exported from ATracker and shared in a variety of ways, such as on social media, via email, Airdrop on iOS, CSV files for further processing with other software, or even as printed copies.

While really colorful and visually appealing, a downside to ATracker’s reporting is that the very limited functions pose a challenge for users who want more detailed analytics of their data or need their data presented in specific ways in-app. 

3. Goal Setting

ATracker’s nifty goal setting feature helps users achieve targets for time spending and build healthier habits over time. This helps users ensure that they are spending the right amount of time on the right activities to foster efficient time usage and maintain an optimal work-life balance. 

Goal setting on Atracker works by having users enter specific goals by navigating to the Today tab, tapping the Admin button, selecting Goals, tapping the Add button, and selecting the task or tag they wish to create goals for. They can then enter the specific details for the goal in the resulting form, such as if it is a daily or weekly goal, its duration, occurrence, and start and end dates. Alternatively, users can also set goals on the task or tag creation forms by tapping the goal section and filling out the specifications. For both options, users can also choose to be notified if their goals are met for better monitoring. 

Using ATracker’s goal setting feature allows users to be very specific with how much time they want to spend on specific activities, and allows them to see their progress on their goals with dedicated analytics. Percentage charts visualize the amount of time spent on specific tasks and display at a glance if users need to spend more time on their targets, or if they have been met or exceeded. Daily goal reports give visibility to progress made throughout the day, and monthly goal reports show values and percentages tracked within the period complete with comparisons of the goals for each day, which helps identify trends in behavior — a literal record of how users’ habits are changing across time.

If there’s one thing I would like to add to this feature, it would be more proactive notifications that show users that they’ve met or are exceeding their goals even in the middle of a task to enforce better habit-building practices. For example, when reaching the target goal allotted for daily gaming or TV time, I’d love it if ATracker could tell me that I’ve used up my allotted time for those activities so I can return to more productive work.

4. History Tab and Calendar View

The History tab on ATracker gives visibility into the past tasks entries in a list view. It displays a record of the activities of the previous day, week, month, or a chosen period that is helpful in reminding users of their historical time usage, providing a detailed look at where they spent their time. 

The list view shows task entries in a list format that can be either compact to allow more tasks to be displayed onscreen, or complete with tags, notes, start and end times, and duration for more insight. It can also be configured to display entries in ascending or descending order, or according to search criteria. 

The calendar view on the other hand can be used not only to show historic tasks tracked with ATracker, but also to sync with the user’s calendar to reflect calendar entries to and from ATracker for comparison of planned events against actual time spent. 

Users can also conveniently edit their task entries on both views by tapping the tasks, opening its edit page, and manipulating start and end times and durations as required. In addition, the calendar view allows users to edit start and end times in a breeze by just dragging the tops and bottoms of each task entry to the desired location.

5. Accessibility and Customization

ATracker can be used on iOS and Android systems, as well as on web browsers on desktop. This gives users the flexibility to track their time using their preferred device wherever, whenever. 

Aside from flexible accessibility, ATracker also offers users the awesome experience of being able to customize their tasks using hundreds of icons and colors to truly reflect their essence, and the interface itself with various backgrounds to capture users’ unique personalities. 

The diversity of icons and colors makes tasks easier to identify and presents a highly visual way of organizing users’ days, while the style and appearance customizability of the interface give a sense of ownership and make the app truly belong to its users. 

(As of December 2023)

• Play Store: 4.1/5
• App Store: 4.7/5 
• CredibleMind: 4.4/5 
• Softonic: 9/10 
• JustUseApp: 4.7/5 

ATracker is a very straightforward time tracking solution that is focused on capturing time usage and little else. On one hand, it feels great to find a tracker that tries to be everything (and fails at it) and just presents an honest and easy way to track users’ time throughout the day, and I love that it has such a minimal setup and learning curve. But on the other, I think they’ve stripped it down too much to the point of shaving off even the important stuff.

The reporting options are a meager pair of bar charts and pie charts. While they can be filtered to provide decent enough presentations of data according to users’ specifications, they lack the powerful and insightful analytic structures of other time trackers that I’ve reviewed and learned to love. Aside from sharing the charts and graphs via social media and email, little else can be done with them in-app, unless users opt to send them to third-party apps for further processing. I think that’s quite unintuitive.

I’m also questioning how ATracker can be useful on a business level, as it doesn’t have guardrails against time theft. The one-tap timer cannot verify if users actually worked in the time they say they have. Aside from that, it lacks in-app collaborative features that allow it to be used in the context of a team. 

But my greatest gripe against ATracker is that for an app this light and uncomplicated, the interface can feel quite unintuitive at times, and could use a little more polish. That, and the fact that the app for Android is weak and severely limited compared to the iOS version because of its lack of a widget and the capability to sync multiple devices via Dropbox. 

The crashes, glitches, bugs, and syncing difficulties present a threat to the accuracy of ATracker’s time tracking abilities, to the extent that sometimes, tracked data is even lost. That’s something I do not want to ever experience in an app that I would entrust my day to. The slow loading times do not help in improving user’s experiences either.

But looking on the brighter side, what truly improves user experience is the customizability that ATracker offers, which allows users to personalize their tasks using hundreds of stickers and colors, and the interface itself can be enhanced with various backgrounds and styles to fully reflect the unique personalities and tastes of users.

In a nutshell, ATracker is best suited for personal use, helps in building great time usage habits, and facilitates a better work-life balance. But beyond that, I have very serious doubts. So listen, if you want to try out something to whip your time-spending habits into shape in an uncomplicated way, ATracker may just be the answer. But if you’re looking for something more powerful, you better start looking somewhere else.