Compare Web Activity Tracker and New Tab Notes: Which Extension is the Best?

	Web Activity Tracker	New Tab Notes
	Web Activity Time Tracker is an open-source extension that tracks time on websites, providing insights and customizable alerts to help manage online activities. Time Management Productivity	Transform your new tab into a distraction-free notepad with New Tab Notes. Offering rich text formatting, auto-sync, and customization, it's a handy tool for seamless note-taking. New Tab Note Taking
Key Features	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.	Rich Text Formatting: Use markdown and shortcuts for easy text styling. Auto-Sync: Notes are saved and synced across devices without an account. Customization: Adjust fonts, zoom, and toggle between dark/light themes. Export Options: Download notes as Markdown, HTML, or plain text.
Our Rating	9.2	8.6
Total users	37,399	1,232
Total ratings	814	16
Average rating	4.7 ⭐	4.7 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.8 789 ratings 30.0K+Users	4.4 15 ratings 1.0K+Users
Edge	4.6 25 ratings 7.4K+Users	5.0 1 ratings 232Users
Firefox	-	-
Safari	-	-
Features	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. 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. 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.	8.7 New Tab Notes offers a range of functions for quickly and effectively storing information and ideas in a structured manner. Headings are generally used to achieve a clear structure of the notes so that you can return to the notes you are looking for on the note sheet, which is always updated. The Markdown and shortcut support are particularly worth mentioning here, as they allow users to format the notes effectively and quickly. Anyone who already has experience with Notion, for example, will find it easy to use. However, new users may miss out on this function, as the markdowns are not described again in the extension itself and must be learned on the website. A small manual at the beginning should help new users to be able to use them as well. In addition to the headings, formats such as bullet lists, numbered lists, and codes can also be embedded. Other functions such as highlighting notes or integrating links can also be very helpful. For advanced users, a few functions may still be missing here, for example, to highlight them visually using different font colors. The automatic synchronization by the browser is used by the extension to synchronize data across devices. A big difference from other competitors is that the data is not stored on separate servers. Furthermore, the saved notes can be exported in various file formats so that they can be sorted and saved elsewhere later if necessary. Overall, the extension offers all the essential functions for general users to create structured notes. For advanced users, however, additional organizational tools could be beneficial.
Performance	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.	8.8 In our tests, New Tab Notes works reliably and without any significant noticeable reduction in browser performance. When opening a new tab, the extension loads quickly and smoothly. There may be short delays with large notes that need to be synchronized, but these are hardly noticeable. Overall, the performance should be sufficient for most basic users without any performance problems, although there could still be room for improvement for advanced users.
Design	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.	8.5 The design of New Tab Notes is clean and minimalistic. It creates a distraction-free environment where you can easily take structured notes without getting distracted. Since the design is specifically meant to be distraction-free, this is good. However, there could be a few more customization options, especially when it comes to the color design, including the notes. Overall, the design fulfills its purpose, but it does not win a beauty award.
Value for Money	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.	8.7 As a free extension, New Tab Notes offers excellent value for money. For the basic user, the range of functions should be sufficient, considering that it is a free tool. For advanced users, there are still a few functions missing that other providers already have. If these were also added free of charge, the price-performance ratio would be unbeatable.
Ease of Use	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.	8.5 New Tab Notes was easy to install in the test and the learning curve was very fast. Even Basic users should have no problems finding and using most of the functions straight away. However, one suggestion for improvement would be a small tutorial for new users on advanced features such as markdowns and shortcuts. Everyone who installs but doesn't see the website with instructions may not know about these features.
Security & Privacy	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.	8.2 New Tab Notes is an extension that stores all data exclusively via the browser. This approach is ideal for the user, as it eliminates the need for an account and reduces the risk of data breaches associated with other external cloud storage. This was apparent to us in our tests, but it is not clear whether the basic user is aware of this, as we were unable to find a privacy policy from the provider either in the store or on the website. This would be an important point of improvement to allow every user to read the extension's guidelines.
Conclusion	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.	With New Tab Notes, ideas, and information can be quickly and easily noted and saved directly in the browser without distractions. Text formatting features such as headings and the accompanying markdowns and shortcuts make it quick and easy to write them down in a structured way. The design is very user-friendly, but the extension could still benefit from additional export options and possibly more advanced functions. Overall, it is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a simple and effective solution to quickly save notes.
	Install Web Activity Tracker	Install New Tab Notes
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Web Activity Tracker and New Tab Notes, Web Activity Tracker came out on top, scoring 9.2. Web Activity Tracker is the most widely used, with over 37k users and 814+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews reflect our findings. 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 some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below. Can't decide on features? It's a close call: Web Activity Tracker and New Tab Notes. In the Features category, Web Activity Tracker has scored a very good 8.7. It offers a solid array of features, though there may be room for a few additional capabilities. Need top performance? Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.8. Design lovers, take note: Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5. Want to get the most for your money? Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.3. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7. If you hate complicated tools, Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Web Activity Tracker stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, New Tab Notes lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2. 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.