Steve P Do you need help keeping up with your busy schedule? Time blocking is the game-changing strategy you need to master your calendar and boost productivity.
Whether you are a CEO, manager, team leader, or freelancer, effective time management is critical to staying on top of tasks and hitting deadlines. This is where a good time blocking app comes in handy.
Today, we will take a look at what makes a great time blocking app and then present you with the five best time blocking apps available on the market. These apps are certain to transform your calendar into a powerhouse of efficiency, thus helping you reclaim control and achieve more than ever before.
But before that, let’s take a look at what time blocking actually means.
What is Time Blocking?
Time blocking is a productivity technique that involves dividing your day into blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific activity or task. But how do you go about it?
A time-blocking app can help transform your daily schedule into a focused, goal-oriented schedule. These apps help eliminate distractions and boost efficiency.
They generally feature a time blocking clock and a daily planner with time blocking weekly checklist to help you stay on track. So, incorporate such an app to improve your daily and monthly planning and feel the difference for yourself.
How Did We Compare The Time Blocking Apps?
A great time blocking app should pack features that can address the common pain points of CEOs, managers, team leaders, and freelancers. Here are the various parameters on the basis of which we have compared the different time-blocking apps:
- Intuitive Interface: The best time blocking app should feature an easy-to-use interface, thus allowing users to quickly set up and manage their schedules effectively.
- Customizable Time Blocks: Users should be able to create and adjust time blocks to optimize productivity. You should always opt for apps with flexible daily and weekly planning options.
- Integration with Calendars: Seamless integration with existing calendars like Google Calendar or Outlook ensures all your tasks and appointments are in one place.
- Time Blocking Clock: A time blocking clock in-built within the app helps track how much time is spent on each task, thereby ensuring you stay on schedule.
- Daily Planner with Time Blocking Weekly Checklist: A planner with both daily and weekly views allows for comprehensive scheduling, making it easier to manage multiple responsibilities.
- Notifications and Reminders: The time blocking app should offer reminders to keep you on track throughout the day.
- User Reviews: Finally, the best app for time-blocking is one that consistently receives positive feedback from users, particularly those in freelance and leadership roles.
Best Time Blocking Apps: Overview
As you already know, time blocking is a boon for anyone looking to enhance productivity. Now, let’s take a quick look at some of the best time blocking apps that can help you stay organized and productive.
| App | Overview | Best for |
| Sunsama | It integrates tasks with calendar events, allowing for seamless time blocking. It is perfect for balancing work and personal goals. | CEOs, managers. |
| TickTick | Combines to-do lists with time blocking, making it easy to plan and execute daily tasks efficiently. It also supports Pomodoro Timer for focused work. | Team leaders, freelancers |
| Sorted^3 | Offers intuitive drag-and-drop scheduling and automatic time adjustments. Perfect for those who need flexibility in time management. | Busy Professionals |
| Skedpal | Employs AI to suggest the best times to schedule tasks, making it easier for business owners to optimize their daily routines and meet deadlines. | Business Owners |
| Toggl Track | Tracks time spent on tasks and integrates with calendar apps for effective time blocking. | Freelancers, Team Leaders |
Sunsama: Time Blocking App for Daily Planning
Sunsama is one of the best time-blocking apps for daily planning by virtue of its customizable task management features that boost productivity. Its intuitive scheduling and focus mode help users stay organized and maximize their efficiency throughout the day.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Integrated daily planning and task management | Expensive compared to other alternatives |
| Seamless integration with popular tools like Slack Google Calendar. | Steeper learning curve for beginners |
| Time blocking features with flexible scheduling | Limited offline functionality |
| Custom-tailored daily task lists and priorities. | Not a free time blocking app |
Features:
- Time Blocking: Allocate specific time slots for tasks to boost focus and productivity.
- Daily Planner with Time Blocking Weekly Checklist: Organize your day with intuitive drag-and-drop task management, along with a weekly overview, perfect for long-term planning.
- Customizable Layout: Adjust your workspace to fit your preferred planning style.
Pricing:
| Plan | Price |
| 14-day Free Trial | $0 |
| Monthly Subscription | $20 per user per month |
| Annual Subscription | $16 per user per month |
Tick Tick: Time Blocking App for Scheduling Tasks
Tick Tick stands out as the best time-blocking app for scheduling tasks. Its top-notch time-blocking planner features a daily and monthly view, along with a time-block calendar, to organize tasks effectively. Its customizable reminders and task collaboration tools make it great for users aiming to boost their productivity and streamline workflows.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Versatile task management with time-blocking | Some advanced features like Calendar View and Timeline require a premium subscription. |
| Integrates with multiple platforms like Slack and Google Calendar. | New users might find the app overwhelming. |
| Customizable notifications and reminders. | Mobile app sometimes show sync issues. |
Features:
- Top-Notch Time Blocking: Schedule tasks with time blocks to maintain focus and boost productivity.
- Customizable Reminders: Set personalized notifications to keep track of meetings and deadlines.
- Task Collaboration: Share tasks and collaborate with team members for efficient project management.
Pricing:
| Plan | Price |
| Basic | Free |
| Premium | Annual plan for $35.99 |
Sorted^3: Time Blocking App for Apple Users
Sorted^3 can seamlessly integrate with Apple Calendar, Reminders, and iCloud, ensuring a unified scheduling experience. Its customizable time blocking, task management features, and Focus mode help CEOs, managers, team leaders, and freelancers enhance productivity and ensure seamless business operations. All these reasons advocate in favor of making Sorted^3 the best time blocking app for Apple users.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem. | Limited features on the free plan, |
| Customizable time blocking and scheduling | Steeper learning curve |
| Users can use tags to categorize and filter their tasks. | No Android version available |
Features:
- Time Blocking: Users can drag and drop tasks into specific time slots to plan their day and allocate their tasks.
- Task Prioritization: Sorted ^3’s algorithm helps users prioritize their tasks based on urgency and importance.
- Auto-Schedule: Helps users set attainable goals and figure out what they can realistically get done in a day.
- Built-in Calendar: Users can easily view their schedule for the day or week.
- Flexibility: Sorted^3 adjusts to changing schedules with features like Magic Select, Calendar Drawer, and Time Ruler.
Pricing:
| Plan | Price |
| Free | $0 |
| Pro Version | $14.99 for iOS and $24.99 for macOS |
| Bundles Plan for both iOS and macOS | $35.99 |
Skedpal: Time Blocking App for Automated Scheduling
Skedpal can be considered the best time-blocking app for automated scheduling. Its intelligent algorithm dynamically adjusts your schedule based on task priorities and deadlines. Its automated rescheduling and time management features help business owners efficiently handle complex schedules and maintain productivity.
Pros And Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Intelligent automated scheduling | Limited customization options for manual scheduling. |
| Dynamic rescheduling based on task priorities | The mobile app is glitchy |
| Helps optimize work-life balance | To use the mobile app, you have to first sign up on a desktop web browser and complete a guided tour. |
Features:
- Best App for Time Blocking: Skedpal’s automation and AI-driven features make it the go-to choice for anyone looking for the best time blocking app.
- Dynamic Time Block Calendar: Easily view and manage your tasks with a dynamic time block calendar that adapts to changes in your schedule.
- Completed Tasks on Calendar: Skedpal keeps completed tasks on your calendar for two weeks, and you can also sync them with Google Calendar.
- Time Blocking Clock: Visualize your schedule with a time-blocking clock, which will help you stay on track throughout the day.
- Time Blocking Planner Daily and Monthly: This tool offers comprehensive daily and monthly views, perfect for time management and strategic planning.
Pricing:
| Plan | Price |
| Monthly | $14.95 per user per month |
| Annual | $9.95 per user per month (billed annually) |
Toggl Track: Best Time Blocking App for Agencies and Client Work
Toggl Track’s powerful time-tracking and reporting features make it effortless to monitor project progress and billable hours, making it the best time-blocking app for agencies and client work. Its ability to manage multiple clients simultaneously and integrate with tools like Trello, Todoist, Asana, and more helps users stay organized and maximize productivity.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Accurate time tracking for client billing. | Limited advanced project management features. |
| Comprehensive reporting and analytics | No offline time tracking |
| Flexible time blocking options | Not a free time blocking app |
Features:
- Efficient Time Tracking: Effortlessly track billable hours for various clients and projects, thus ensuring accurate invoicing.
- Project Management: Manage multiple clients and projects simultaneously, with clear visibility of time allocation and progress.
- Reporting and Analytics: Generate comprehensive reports on time usage, productivity, and project costs to optimize agency operations.
- Team Collaboration: Collaborate with team members on tasks, assign time blocks, and monitor project timelines effectively.
- Windows 11 Time Blocking App: Optimized for Windows 11, thus ensuring a user-friendly experience for Windows-based agencies.
Pricing:
| Plan | Pricing |
| Free | $0 |
| Starter | $9 per user per month |
| Premium | $18 per user per month |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing |
Bonus Point
Clockwise: Best Time Blocking Apps for Teams
Clockwise is known for its intelligent calendar optimization, which can automatically schedule meetings and focus time. This, in turn, reduces conflict and boosts productivity, making it the best time-blocking app for teams. Its ability to coordinate team availability and prioritize critical work helps CEOs, managers, team leaders, and freelancers manage their time effectively and improve team collaboration.
Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatic scheduling of meetings | Limited to Google Calendar users |
| Enhances team collaboration and productivity | Limited customization of scheduling rules |
| Reduces calendar conflicts across teams. | Not a free time blocking app |
Features:
- Focus Time: Clockwise creates time for intricate work by moving meetings to optimize time.
- Scheduling: Clockwise integrates with Google Calendar to automate meeting scheduling. It also allows users to send scheduling requests internally and externally.
- Travel Time: Clockwise blocks time around meetings to account for travel time to work, making it one of the most popular time-blocking apps.
- Autopilot: ClockWise’s automation engine optimizes meetings based on factors like time zones, work hours, lunch, and meeting time preferences.
- Time Blocking Planner Daily and Monthly: This planner offers detailed views for daily and monthly planning, ideal for managing team projects and deadlines.
Pricing:
| Plan | Pricing |
| Free | $0 |
| Teams | $6.75 |
| Business | $11.50 |
How to Choose the Best Time Blocking App?
Opting for the right time blocking app can take your productivity to an entirely different level. But with so many options available, picking one that fits your specific requirements becomes extremely important. Here’s how to pick out the right one:
- Identify Your Requirements: Determine what you need from the time blocking app. Are you handling client work, managing a team, or simply organizing your schedule? Your decision will primarily depend on your specific requirements.
- Consider Key Features: Look for essential features such as task scheduling, calendar integration, focus mode, and notifications. If you manage a team, features like team collaboration and availability tracking are a must.
- Ease of Use: Always opt for an app with a user-friendly interface so that you don’t waste time learning it. The easier it is to use, the more likely you are to stick with it.
- Compatibility: Make sure the app integrates with the tools and platforms you already use, such as Outlook, Google Calendar, or project management software.
- Pricing: It goes without saying that you must consider your budget. Some apps offer free versions with basic features, while others require a subscription for advanced features.
So, this was all about the five best time-blocking apps of 2024 and tips on choosing the best one per your requirements. However, if you are looking for a simple time-tracking app, ClockDiary would be your best bet any day of the week. Its automatic time-tracking features, timesheets, billable hours calculation, and comprehensive reporting make it one of the best time-tracking apps available. Integrate this software into your business ecosystem by getting in touch with us today.
FAQs:
Time blocking allows you to focus on extensive work without distractions from phone calls, chat messages, and meetings. It helps you improve your organization, strengthen your time management, and thereby improve your productivity. A good time blocking app can come in handy here.
Identify Your Tasks: Draw out what you need to do for the week.
Determine your Productivity: Figure out the time when you are most productive.
Group Meetings: Try to group meetings.
Schedule Blocks: Craft and schedule your work blocks.
Block Off Personal Time: Set aside time for your well-being.
Plan for Interruptions: Allow for extra work or uncalled-for interruptions.
Plan for Lost Time: Account for lost time in your schedule.
Make Necessary Adjustments: Review your day and adjust as needed.
Tick Tick offers features like customizable time blocks, calendar integration, and detailed reporting that help you efficiently manage your schedule. Its user-friendly interface and ability to track time across projects make it an ideal choice for boosting productivity. All these features make Tick Tick the best app for time blocking your day.
