Compare TimeOWare and Screencastify: Which Extension is the Best?

	TimeOWare	Screencastify
	TimeOWare helps you track and manage your online time easily. With its simple design and easy website blocking, TimeOWare is a valuable tool for enhancing digital well-being. Time Management Productivity	Screencastify is a popular Chrome extension for screen recording. It offers a range of features but has shifted many basic functionalities behind a paywall, affecting its overall value. Productivity
Key Features	Time Tracking: Easily see how much time you spend on each website. Daily Usage Stats: Get a clear overview of your daily online activity. Website Blocking: Block distracting sites with a simple click. Privacy-Focused: No data is transmitted; everything stays on your device. Open Source: Check out the code on GitHub for transparency.	Record Desktop, Browser Tab, and Webcam: Capture any part of your screen. Edit Video: Trim, merge, and add text directly from your browser. Share Easily: Export as MP4, GIF, or MP3, and share via Google Drive or Classroom. Interactive Questions: Add questions to videos to engage viewers. Annotations: Draw on your screen in real-time to highlight key points. Captions: Add captions in multiple languages to make videos accessible.
Our Rating	8.5	7.8
Total users	216	6,000,000
Total ratings	3	11,733
Average rating	5.0 ⭐	4.0 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	5.0 3 ratings 216Users	4.0 11.7K+ ratings 6.0M+Users
Edge	-	-
Firefox	-	-
Safari	-	-
Features	7.0 TimeOWare offers basic functions for checking the time spent on websites. These include time recording on websites, where the percentage of total time taken up by each website is displayed directly in real-time in a statistic. Another feature is the blocking of websites. Websites can easily be blocked manually if you think that you no longer want to use this website. Here we would like to see the manual blocking of websites. However, it lacks advanced features such as detailed analytics or customizable alerts that some users may find useful. Nevertheless, the core features are well implemented and serve the main purpose of improving digital well-being.	8.8 Screencastify offers a robust set of features, including screen and webcam recording, video editing and interactive questions. Leaving aside the fact that many features are only available for a fee, it's fair to say that it offers a lot of features. While recording, you can easily add spotlights and draw on the screen. The drawing tools offer a nice range of options, so you should have everything you need: The subsequent editor also offers many functions where you can cut the video to your needs. Here is what the basic editor looks like: It recently also added an AI feature that automatically adds captions, transcripts, titles, and descriptions. Furthermore, Screencastify offers another video editor when clicking "Edit Video" in the top right corner. This will open up another editor where you can do some more video editing. Here is how it looks like: In our opinion, this editor isn’t necessary if you already have your own video editing software, but it could be useful for some people. We’re not entirely sure if this is just an older version of the original editor. However, we did discover that you can export videos to MP4 for free, thanks to an "Export" button that lets you do so without any limitations. We’re not certain if this is intentional, but at least it works for us.
Performance	9.0 TimeOWare works reliably, with no noticeable slowdowns or performance issues during use. The extension runs in the background and provides real-time updates on time spent without affecting browser speed.	7.5 The speed has deteriorated considerably with the latest updates. This is probably because more and more functions, such as the AI function, are being added. The tool has become slower, and creating links or accessing older videos takes longer than before. Many users have also complained about the performance in the reviews.
Design	7.5 The design of TimeOWare is clear and intuitive, making it easy to find your way around immediately. All available functions can be used directly. The minimalist interface ensures that users are clearly shown which websites may pose problems for their digital well-being. In our tests, however, we found that there could be a little more customization options to adapt the displays to our own needs.	9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.
Value for Money	9.0 As a completely free tool, TimeOWare offers excellent value for money as it provides essential time management features at no cost whatsoever. The open-source nature of the extension also adds value as it allows users to review and modify the code if desired. The only reason it doesn't get full marks is that some features offered by competitors are not yet available.	5.0 As already mentioned, we are somewhat shocked by the limitations of the free version. Especially if you have used the app in the past and can export videos for free. In addition, even with the starter package for $7, you are limited to 10 exports. We find that many other providers offer much more for the money.
Ease of Use	8.5 TimeOWare is easy to use, with little set-up time. Once installed, it starts tracking time immediately. Likewise, the limited settings are self-explanatory and should be easy for anyone to understand. In our tests, we noticed that if several tabs are opened next to each other, they are also added up in the extension at the same time. The total number of hours is therefore higher than the actual number in the browser. This can be somewhat confusing for new users.	8.5 Screencastify is easy to use, with a minimal learning curve. Even beginners can quickly get the hang of it. However, we find that recent updates have introduced some complexities that are not absolutely necessary for a screen recorder.
Security & Privacy	10 TimeOWare is characterized by security and privacy, as it does not transmit any user data to the outside world and all information is only stored offline on the user's device. This privacy-focused approach is a key benefit for users who are concerned about data security. Users can also check the code used on GitHub themselves if they have any concerns.	8.0 Unfortunately, an account is required, which in our opinion is not necessary for Screen recorder. However, Screencastify's privacy policy is very comprehensive and complies with standard data protection practices, including compliance with the GDPR and PCI-DSS certification for payment data. Screencastify takes reasonable security measures but, like all online services, cannot guarantee absolute protection.
Conclusion	TimeOWare is a great choice for anyone who wants to manage their online time more effectively and realize how much time is spent on websites. Its simple design and privacy-focused approach make it, in our opinion, a standout option in the time management space. We felt in testing that a little more customization and even more features could further improve the extension. Overall, however, we think TimeOWare is already a valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their digital well-being.	Screencastify was a fantastic tool in the past, and we used to use it daily. Unfortunately, recent updates have made it less user-friendly by hiding key features behind a paywall. For people who need a wide range of features, the tool is still an option. For others who just want to make a recording every now and then to export a video, Screencastify is unfortunately no longer an option.
	Install TimeOWare	Install Screencastify
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between TimeOWare and Screencastify, TimeOWare came out on top, scoring 8.5. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but TimeOWare outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Screencastify reflect our findings, while we rate TimeOWare lower than users do. Notably, TimeOWare has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 5.00, which is even higher than our rating of 8.5. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below. Looking for the richest feature set? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, TimeOWare lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. Need top performance? TimeOWare stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Design lovers, take note: Screencastify stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, TimeOWare lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Want to get the most for your money? TimeOWare stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 5. Ease of use? It's a tie: TimeOWare and Screencastify. In the Ease of Use category, TimeOWare has scored a very good 8.5. It is user-friendly, though there may be a small learning curve for some users. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, TimeOWare stands out with a rating of 10. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. If you want a quick recommendation, TimeOWare is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.