RescueTime Software Review: Overview – Features – Pricing

Overview Presentation

RescueTime is a time management software that monitors computer use and relays information to the users how they have spend their time. It is a software-as-a-service that tracks time and digital activity on the background and sends data to the website for the users to see. People are spending more and more time on their computers and online. Boundaries between work and personal life disappear as people can shift from one activity to the other easily. This time management tool helps the users understand where their time and attention went at the end of a certain period.

Features, Benefits, Product Strengths

• Detailed Reports and Summaries – Whatever the user has spent time on, whether on websites or on applications, it will appear in the detailed reports. After a few hours of going about one’s normal work day, the user can then log on to the site to see a variety of graphs, charts and reports that detail how productive (or distracted) the user has been. This is shown through bar graphs, circular charts, numerical and line-by-line reports. It also provides a weekly summary of the activities and productivity score via email.
• Goal Setting and Productivity Scoring – RescueTime has features to allow users to set time targets or limits in using any application or on a particular website. This either ensures productivity or limits distractions or both. When said target or limit is reached, a pop-up screen message will alert the user. Every activity, such as email or meeting, belongs to a pre-defined category that has a productivity score. Users will know how productive they are by the amount of time they spend in a category. Users can also define custom categories and productivity scores.
• Notifications, Site Blocking, Offline Tracking and more – Since the time management software automatically tracks the time, it can notify the user in just about anything. There is also a feature where the user can list the activities that are most distracting to their work. With a “get focused ” option, it will block websites that distract the user from their work. There is also an option to track offline work or work away from the user’s desk. The software will ask the user what they have been doing and whether they want it recorded. This idle activity timer prevents inaccurate reporting. The software is compatible in the PC, Mac, Android and Linux platforms.

Pricing

RescueTime is available in two versions, Lite and Premium. The Lite version is free and is capable of tracking the user’s time in websites and applications. It also allows for setting goals and provides a weekly summary report by email. The Premium version also has the Lite features but additionally can track idle time, provide notifications upon reaching goals, block distracting websites, and show more detailed reports, among others. It is priced at $9 per month per user or $72 if billed annually.

Social Network Presence

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Google+
• LinkedIn

Target Market

RescueTime is for digital workers who spend most of their days with a computer. It is for freelancers, consultants, or any professional who wants to track their time, stay productive, or have at least a balanced work-life situation. With Groups, it can now work on teams.

Supported Languages

The software is in English.

Some of their Clients

Clients include authors, writers, CEOs, management, designers and other digital professionals.

Testimonials

Clay Johnson of Lifehacker states that RescueTime has helped him track what he is working on and kept a diligent count on what is happening in his computer.

Buster Benson of Twitter described the time management software like a biofeedback loop, confirming his productivity with real data.

Why RescueTime

RescueTime helps users gain perspective in how they spend their days, so they can reduce inefficiencies and boost productivity. It not only tracks time but also help users gain control by setting goals to spend valuable time on. With so many distractions competing for one’s attention, it is also useful in notifying users that they need to go back to what they are supposed to do.

Company Info

RescueTime is a privately held company with headquarters in Seattle, Washington and another office in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded in 2008 by Joe Hruska, who is the current CEO, and Tony Wright, who served as CEO from 2007 to 2010. The company received funding from Y Combinator during its startup period, and later received additional investment funding from True Ventures and other individual investors. After the first year, it has over 100,000 users with 5 percent growth per week and which 4 percent of the users are converting from the free to the premium account. The management and its board of investors remain committed and passionate about making its customers more productive than ever.

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