DeskTime
Tana
| Feature | DeskTime | Tana |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $7/mo | Free / from $12/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | managers, remote-teams, freelancers, agencies | power-users, researchers, knowledge-workers, systems-thinkers |
| Founded | 2011 | 2020 |
| Automatic Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Productivity Calculation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screenshots | ✓ | ✗ |
| Url Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Absence Calendar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Supertags | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Commands | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live Queries | ✗ | ✓ |
| Views | ✗ | ✓ |
| Node Graph | ✗ | ✓ |
| Daily Notes | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ DeskTime Pros
- Automatic productivity tracking
- Good free plan for individuals
- Screenshot monitoring option
- Detailed reports
✗ DeskTime Cons
- Can feel invasive to employees
- Limited project management features
- Desktop app required
✓ Tana Pros
- Supertags create structured data effortlessly
- Powerful AI-powered search and commands
- Everything is queryable and linked
- Flexible views (table, board, calendar)
✗ Tana Cons
- Steep learning curve
- No mobile app yet
- Still in development (features changing)
The Verdict
DeskTime is built for managers and remote teams, with a focus on automatic-tracking and productivity-calculation. Tana targets power users and researchers and leads with supertags and ai-commands.
On pricing, DeskTime is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $7/mo compared to $12/mo for Tana. That $5/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.