Compare SetupVPN and Web Activity Tracker: Which Extension is the Best?

SetupVPN offers a free VPN service with limited features. While it provides basic privacy protection, it has significant limitations and frequently ads.
Web Activity Time Tracker is an open-source extension that tracks time on websites, providing insights and customizable alerts to help manage online activities.
Key Features
  • Free Version: Access to five different countries.
  • Ease of Use: Simple interface suitable for beginners.
  • Basic Privacy: Provides basic privacy protection.
  • Activity Monitoring: Tracks time spent on different websites.
  • Detailed Reports: Provides insights into daily, weekly, and monthly activity.
  • Limit and Block Distracting Websites: Set daily time limits for specific websites
  • Custom Alerts: Set alerts for excessive time on specific sites.
  • Pomodoro Mode: Use the Pomodoro technique for focus work
  • Export: Export your Data to CSV.
Our Rating
6.3
9.2
Total users
1,738,957
37,399
Total ratings
53,375
814
Average rating
4.4 ⭐
4.7 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.7
1.47
47.3K+ ratings
1.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.66
789 ratings
30.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.0
4.19
981 ratings
664.8K+Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.6
4.41
25 ratings
7.4K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.4
3.15
5.1K+ ratings
74.1K+Users
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Safari
-
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Features
7.0

SetupVPN offers basic VPN functions with limited free access. With free access, you have the choice of 5 countries to log in to for 30 minutes at a time. When using the premium version, these limitations do not apply, but here too there is a lack of advanced security features like those offered by competitors.

8.7

The tool offers the option of independently tracking your time on different websites. Compared to its competitors, it stands out because it has thought about which functions are important for effective tracking.

featured

This can be seen, for example, in the function that automatically stops tracking if there is no activity on the website within a certain period. This avoids the problem faced by competitors: if several tabs are open, they all continue to be tracked simultaneously.

settings

The reports are also very clearly presented, but there is still some room for improvement in the evaluation, for example by classifying the websites directly into categories such as social media or similar, so that they can be evaluated later.

Performance
4.5

SetupVPN offers basic performance for occasional use. The free version has limited server locations, but the premium version offers better speed and reliability.
Our tests included establishing a VPN connection to London and then using online services to try to localize the location. It turned out that in some cases the actual location was still localized and not London. From our point of view, a continuous secure connection is therefore not guaranteed.

9.7

The tool works reliably, there were no crashes or errors during testing. It tracks and reports data efficiently without you noticing any performance issues during use. A few users wrote in reviews that there were inaccuracies in the tracked time, which we could not reproduce in the test.

Design
7.0

The design of SetupVPN is simple and intuitive. However, the layout in the free version is very dubious and annoying due to the excessive number of advertisements.

9.0

The Design is clear and intuitive. Some design changes such as the dark mode can also be adjusted in the settings. In our opinion, the dashboard is the only area where there is still room for improvement in terms of presenting the evaluations.

Dashboard
Value for Money
6.0

In this category, the extension performs completely differently if you are looking for a free or premium extension.
The costs for the premium version are reasonable compared to the competition. However, it should be noted that many other providers have even more functions that can be used at the same time. Here you only get the VPN service.
With the free version, you have the option of selecting 5 different countries. Due to the presence of a lot of advertising and performance problems with the VPN, there are much better alternatives for free users.

9.3

As a free tool, it offers good value for money for users looking for basic tracking features at no cost. In comparison with competitors, many functions are already offered, but other competitors still have useful functions, particularly in the evaluation of data, and there is still room for improvement here.

Ease of Use
8.0

Setting up the extension is straightforward. A connection can be established immediately after installation and you can even test whether the connection works. Nobody should have any problems here.

9.0

Setting up the Web Activity Time Tracker is simple and does not require a great deal of technical skill. The tool is designed to be very user-friendly, including the setup with short instructions. The only thing that is a little confusing is that not all evaluations can be displayed in the dashboard via the icon. Only the evaluation for the current day is displayed here.

Security & Privacy
5.0

SetupVPN offers only basic privacy protection, with limited security features. However, the many advertisements in the free version raise concerns about data collection. Many who use a VPN want to use it precisely so that their data is not stored. From our point of view, a VPN service with such many advertisements is very dubious.

9.7

Web Activity Time Tracker performs almost perfectly here, as it does not collect or transmit any data. This data is only stored on the local computer. The entire code can be read open source on GitHub.
However, it is also pointed out in the very short privacy policy that this can change; a somewhat more detailed policy would be desirable in this case, in which it is also specified which data is stored locally and where.

Conclusion

SetupVPN is a good choice for users who are only rarely looking for a simple, free VPN service. While it offers privacy features, it has strong drawbacks, such as dubious frequent advertising and limited free access. For those who need more robust privacy and security features, the premium version might be worth considering, but there should be better alternatives. Overall, we agree with the current reviews from other users that there are much better alternatives.

Web Activity Time Tracker is a perfect choice for anyone who wants to know how much time is spent on which websites. The user-friendly design and comprehensive reports make it an easy tool to increase productivity. The customizability of various features also stood out. Overall, it offers good added value, especially when you consider that it's free.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between SetupVPN and Web Activity Tracker, Web Activity Tracker came out on top, scoring 9.2.

SetupVPN is the most widely used, with over 2 million users and 53k+ reviews, but Web Activity Tracker outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Web Activity Tracker reflect our findings, while we rate SetupVPN lower than users do.

Notably, Web Activity Tracker has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.71, which supports its strong performance in our review.

There are big differences between these extensions, so it's important to look at the details below to find the best fit for your needs.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Need top performance? Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 4.5.
  • Design lovers, take note: Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.3. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • If you hate complicated tools, Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.

If you want a quick recommendation, Web Activity Tracker is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.