Compare Tracking Time and Merlin AI: Which Extension is the Best?

	Tracking Time	Merlin AI
	Tracking Time is a tool for managing tasks and projects with ease. It offers strong integrations and reporting with few functions and many bugs, which lowers the rating. Time Management Productivity	Merlin AI is a browser extension and web app that unifies top AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral) for research, summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming, translation, and more—directly in yo AI ChatGPT
Key Features	Time Tracking: Easily track time spent on tasks with a simple interface. Project Management: Organize tasks and projects efficiently. Reporting: Generate detailed reports to analyze productivity. Integrations: Connect with popular tools like Google Calendar and Slack.	Unified AI Models: Access ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral, and more from one account—no need for separate logins. Research & Summarize: Summarize web pages, YouTube videos, PDFs, and documents instantly. Content Creation: Write emails, social media posts, blogs, and outreach messages with AI assistance. Projects: Build custom AI chatbots using your own files, links, or knowledge ba Crafts: Instantly generate code snippets, diagrams, and mindmaps Live Search: Get up-to-date answers by searching the web in real time. Multi-language Support: Translate content into 25+ languages. Keyboard Shortcuts: Quickly summon Merlin with Ctrl/Cmd+M anywhere in your browser.
Our Rating	7.6	8.4
Total users	32,223	1,000,000
Total ratings	156	8,802
Average rating	3.7 ⭐	4.8 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.4 146 ratings 30.0K+Users	4.8 8.8K+ ratings 1.0M+Users
Edge	4.0 2 ratings 1.8K+Users	-
Firefox	2.8 8 ratings 398Users	-
Safari	-	-
Features	5.5 Tracking Time offers numerous functions aimed at both individual users and teams. Projects can be created for which time tracking can then be started. Detailed reports can then be output. In our tests, all these functions also worked in the Tracking Time tool. However, the web extension considered here was disappointing. This only has the function of starting and stopping time recording. Even when beginning time tracking, the extension requires that the corresponding project has been created. It is impossible to spontaneously start time tracking for a new project; the new project must first be made on the external Tracking Time website, where the reports can also be found. The Tracking Time extension therefore has great potential to integrate many useful Tracking Time functions. However, the functions are currently very limited in comparison to competitors.	8.0 Merlin AI offers a variety of features including summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming and more. It supports multiple AI models such as GPT-4, Claude and Gemini and allows users to create custom AI chatbots and knowledge bases. The platform also integrates with the web and files in real time. However, some features, such as PDF summarization, are not as robust as those of specialized tools. It also lacks what we consider to be the important function of direct communication between AI and the current website. In addition, the function of direct communication between AI and the current website, which we consider important, is missing.
Performance	8.0 In general, Tracking Time works reliably, but in reviews some users have reported occasional slowdowns, especially when processing large data sets. Regular updates and optimizations could help improve performance consistency.	7.5 Merlin is generally fast and responsive, but it can slow down browsers, especially on older hardware. There are occasional bugs and crashes, though the team releases frequent updates and improvements.
Design	8.0 The design of Tracking Time is clean and modern and makes it easy to navigate. The dashboard on the website is well organized and you get an instant overview of your times. There are still improvements to be made in terms of customization options such as layouts.	9.1 The design has a modern look and feel, with handy keyboard shortcuts and sidebar integration that make navigation easier. That said, the user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new users, and there are inconsistencies between the extension, web, and mobile versions.
Value for Money	8.0 The web extension is free of charge. However, it should be noted that it offers only a few functions. Other competitors offer considerably more functions for their free extensions. If you only use the extension in addition to Tracking Time and consider all functions in the price-performance ratio, it is competitive. In particular, the free plan already offers sufficient features for most people. The paid plans offer advanced features and integrations with excellent value for money, making it a particularly worthwhile investment for teams looking to increase their productivity.	8.2 The free plan is generous for light users, offering a substantial daily quota and access to a wide range of basic features. The Pro plan is competitively priced, especially when compared to the cost of subscribing to multiple separate AI tools, and unlocks unlimited access to all models and advanced features. However, the absence of a free trial for premium features means users must commit before experiencing the full capabilities of Merlin AI. Additionally, some users report that the query system—where different models and features consume varying amounts of daily queries—can be confusing or feel restrictive, particularly for those trying to understand how far their usage will go on each plan.
Ease of Use	7.0 Although the tool is generally easy to use on the website, there are problems with the basic functions of the extension. In the test, we started a time recording on the website and stopped it later via the extension. When we wanted to start a new task, it took us a while to understand the principle that only tasks that had already been created could be restarted. This is not an intuitive function, which is why users might be annoyed right from the start. One positive point, however, is the tutorials and support documentation, which can help new users.	8.5 Getting started with Merlin AI is straightforward—installation is quick, and the onboarding process is simple enough for most users to begin using core features right away. However, the platform’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming at first, leading to a noticeable learning curve as users explore everything it offers. Some users have expressed confusion about how the daily query limits work, how different models are selected or switched, and which features are available on each plan. Occasional bugs and log-in issues can also disrupt the workflow, requiring users to troubleshoot or reach out to support. Overall, while Merlin AI is accessible, mastering its full capabilities may take some time and patience, especially for those new to AI tools.
Security & Privacy	9.0 Tracking Time uses basic security measures to protect user data. Encryption and regular updates ensure the integrity of the data. In our research, most of this could be read in the privacy policies, but a little more transparency in the handling of user data would still be an advantage, as this is stored online.	9.3 Merlin does not sell user data to third parties and only uses data for core functionality. The privacy policy is transparent, but some users remain concerned about the amount of data collected and the permissions required.
Conclusion	Tracking Time is a tool for anyone who wants to improve their time management. The design is very intuitive, but unfortunately, the extension has hardly any functions. The extension is useful for anyone who uses Tracking Time, but anyone looking for a good extension for time tracking will not find it here. However, the price-performance ratio of the functions of the entire tool is good.	Merlin AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can really boost the productivity of a wide range of users. The integration of multiple AI models and functions into a single extension is ideal for this p However, Merlin is not completely perfect. We encountered occasional bugs, inconsistencies in the user interface and some performance issues. Pricing can also be confusing, and some features are locked behind a paywall.. Overall, Merlin AI is a good choice for anyone looking for an all-in-one AI assistant for the browser - especially if you value having multiple AI models and tools in one place.
	Install Tracking Time	Install Merlin AI
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Tracking Time and Merlin AI, Merlin AI came out on top, scoring 8.4. Merlin AI is the most widely used, with over 1 million users and 9k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for Tracking Time reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, Merlin AI has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 8.4. 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? Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, Tracking Time lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.5. Need top performance? Tracking Time stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, Merlin AI lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Design lovers, take note: Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 9.1. On the other hand, Tracking Time lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Want to get the most for your money? Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 8.2. On the other hand, Tracking Time lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. If you hate complicated tools, Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, Tracking Time lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Merlin AI stands out with a rating of 9.3. On the other hand, Tracking Time lags behind in this area with a rating of 9. If you want a quick recommendation, Merlin AI is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.