RescueTime
Smokeball
| Feature | RescueTime | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $6.5/mo | From $39/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | knowledge-workers, remote-workers, freelancers, productivity-enthusiasts | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms |
| Founded | 2008 | 2007 |
| Automatic Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Focus Sessions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Distraction Blocking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Daily Highlights | ✓ | ✗ |
| Goals | ✓ | ✗ |
| Detailed Reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matter Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ RescueTime Pros
- Fully automatic - no manual input needed
- Detailed productivity scoring
- Focus session mode blocks distractions
- Long-term trend analysis
✗ RescueTime Cons
- No free tier anymore
- Cannot track offline/meeting time well
- Limited team features
✓ Smokeball Pros
- Automatic time recording
- Deep Microsoft Office integration
- Strong document automation
- Excellent for billing accuracy
✗ Smokeball Cons
- Windows-only desktop app
- Higher price point
- Learning curve for automation
The Verdict
RescueTime is built for knowledge workers and remote workers, with a focus on automatic-tracking and focus-sessions. Smokeball targets small law firms and mid size firms and leads with automatic-time-tracking and document-automation.
On pricing, RescueTime is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6.5/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $32.5/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Smokeball edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Smokeball has a slight overall edge — but if fully automatic - no manual input needed matters most to you, RescueTime may still be the right call.