TimoDesk vs Asana comes down to one question: do you need to see how work time is spent, or how a project is planned? TimoDesk is a time tracking and monitoring tool for remote teams, with tracked hours, activity levels, screenshots and a simple project board, for $1 per user per month. Asana is a project and work management platform for planning complex projects across many teams.
Remote and hybrid work is now normal for many companies. The right tool affects productivity, accountability and growth. In this guide you'll learn:
- What each tool does best, and where it falls short.
- A feature-by-feature comparison.
- How pricing works.
- Which tool fits which remote team, and when to use both.
What do remote teams need from their tools?
- Clear communication: Live updates, comments and a shared view across time zones.
- Time tracking and accountability: Accurate hours, especially for billable work and performance reviews.
- Task and project management: A clear way to organize work and follow progress.
- Performance reports: Data on how time was spent, not only which tasks were closed.
- Cross-platform support: Tools that work on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Without the right mix, teams waste time switching tools or lose sight of real work hours. TimoDesk and Asana cover different parts of this list.
What is TimoDesk?
TimoDesk is a time tracking and productivity tool built for remote teams. It runs from a lightweight desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Core focus: Time tracking and employee monitoring. A member starts the timer on a task. The app then runs quietly in the background and logs active time, activity levels, app and website usage and screenshots. Idle time is removed on its own.
Key features:
- Timer on each task, with idle time removal and offline tracking that syncs later.
- Activity levels and app and website usage.
- Screenshots every 3 to 60 minutes, switched on or off per member.
- Projects with a kanban board, list view and calendar view.
- Reports: time and activity, timelines, project timing, monthly timesheets and performer leaderboards.
- The Live Team Monitor browser extension, which shows who is online and today's summary.
Best for: remote teams, agencies that bill by the hour, staffing providers, startups and hybrid companies that need clear proof of work.
TimoDesk costs $1 per user per month, with every feature on one plan.
What is Asana?
Asana is a well-known work management platform. Teams use it to organize, track and run projects through tasks, workflows and goals.
Core focus: task and project management. Teams create tasks, set dependencies, build timelines, manage portfolios and automate workflows.
Key features:
- List, board, calendar and timeline views.
- Task dependencies, custom fields, forms, rules and milestones.
- Goals, portfolios and workload views on higher plans.
- Comments, mentions, status updates and dashboards.
- A large list of integrations and mobile apps.
Best for: project managers and cross-functional teams that run complex, multi-step projects. Asana is built around planning work, not measuring how work time is spent.
TimoDesk vs Asana: quick comparison table
| Aspect | TimoDesk | Asana |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Time tracking and employee monitoring | Task and project management |
| Core features | Timer, screenshots, activity levels, app usage | Timelines, dependencies, goals, automation |
| Time tracking | Desktop timer with idle time removal | Not its main focus |
| Monitoring | Activity levels, screenshots, apps and websites | Not built in |
| Project tools | Kanban, list and calendar views, subtasks, comments | Advanced: dependencies, timelines, portfolios |
| Pricing | $1 per user per month, every feature | Free and paid tiers (see Asana's pricing page) |
| Ideal users | Remote teams that need proof of work | Teams running complex projects |
TimoDesk is stronger for time accountability. Asana is stronger for structured project planning.
How do TimoDesk and Asana compare feature by feature?
Time tracking
TimoDesk is built for this. A member starts the timer on a task, and the desktop app records active time in the background. Idle time is removed, and offline time syncs when the app reconnects.
Asana is a planning tool first. Many teams that need detailed hours pair it with a separate time tracker.
Employee monitoring
TimoDesk includes activity levels, app and website usage, and screenshots. What people type is never recorded.
Asana has no built-in monitoring. You see task progress and comments, not how time was spent.
Task and project management
TimoDesk has projects with a kanban board, list and calendar views. Tasks have priority, start and due dates, estimates, labels, subtasks, assignees and comments with @mentions. It has no Gantt charts, dependencies or templates.
Asana goes much further, with dependencies, timelines, portfolios, workload views and automation rules.
Winner for complex projects: Asana.
Collaboration
TimoDesk keeps teamwork on the task: comments, @mentions, assignees and a board that updates live for everyone.
Asana adds status updates, shared dashboards and more ways to communicate across teams.
Reports
TimoDesk reports focus on productivity: activity levels, app usage, project time, timelines and leaderboards. Time and activity reports download as PDF or CSV, and monthly timesheets as PDF.
Asana reports focus on project progress, goals and portfolios.
Ease of use
TimoDesk is simple: install the app, sign in, pick a task and start the timer. Asana is clean and visual, but its advanced features take longer to learn.
Integrations and platforms
TimoDesk has no integrations today, and it has no mobile app. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, with a web dashboard for reports. Asana has many integrations and works on web, desktop and mobile.
What are the pros and cons of each?
TimoDesk pros:
- One-click timer with idle time removal.
- Activity levels, app usage and screenshots.
- Low price, with every feature on one plan.
- Lightweight and works offline.
TimoDesk cons:
- Simpler project tools than a dedicated project management app.
- Desktop only for tracking, and no integrations yet.
Asana pros:
- Strong workflows, timelines, goals and automation.
- Rich collaboration features.
- Scales to large organizations.
Asana cons:
- Not built for activity monitoring or proof of work.
- Advanced features sit on higher plans.
Which tool is right for you?
Choose TimoDesk if:
- Accurate time tracking is your top priority.
- You manage remote or hybrid teams and need visibility.
- Billable hours or proof of work matter to your clients.
- You want simple pricing and quick setup.
Choose Asana if:
- You manage complex projects with dependencies and timelines.
- Automation, goals and portfolios are essential.
- Your team cares more about task planning than hour-by-hour tracking.
TimoDesk vs Asana for remote teams
Remote teams face time zone gaps, communication gaps and a need for accountability. Asana is great for structuring tasks and deadlines. But it does not show how people spend their work hours. A task can look done while the real effort behind it stays unclear.
TimoDesk fills that gap with tracked time, activity levels and screenshots. Staff can see their own reports, which encourages self-management and reduces the need for constant check-ins. See how TimoDesk works for remote teams.
How does pricing compare?
TimoDesk: $1 per user per month, with every feature included: tracking, screenshots, reports and project boards. You are billed after each month only for members who tracked time. There is a 15-day free trial with no card.
Asana: has a free plan and several paid tiers, with more advanced features on higher tiers. Prices change, so check Asana's own pricing page. Teams that need detailed time data often pay for a separate time tracker too.
Can you use TimoDesk and Asana together?
Yes. Some teams plan in Asana and track time in TimoDesk. The two tools are not connected, so use the same project names in both.
- Plan projects in Asana: timelines, dependencies and assignments.
- Track time in TimoDesk on matching projects and tasks.
- Review both: Asana for project status, TimoDesk for real hours and activity.
What mistakes should you avoid when choosing?
- Ignoring your core need, such as picking a planning tool when you need proof of hours.
- Paying for features or tools your team will not use.
- Forgetting the total cost as the team grows.
- Skipping the free trial. Always test with real work first.
A real-life example
Picture a 15-person remote marketing agency. Before any tools, manual timesheets led to wrong invoices, missed deadlines and low trust. Tasks were scattered across email and spreadsheets.
With Asana, projects got clear timelines and better teamwork. But time tracking stayed manual and incomplete.
With TimoDesk added, the agency saw its real billable hours, screenshots backed up client work, and reports showed trends. Leaders felt confident without micromanaging.
Where are remote work tools heading?
- More focus on privacy and openness about what is tracked.
- Fewer tools, with tracking and project work in one place.
- Reports that look at well-being, such as long workdays, not just output.
Final verdict: TimoDesk vs Asana
If your remote team needs time tracking, accountability and real productivity data, TimoDesk is the better fit and costs far less. If you need advanced project planning, Asana is the stronger tool. Many growing teams use Asana for planning and TimoDesk for tracking.
Conclusion
Pick the tool that matches your real need: visibility into time spent, or visibility into project flow. Test both with free trials before you decide. Ready to see where your team's time goes? Start your 15-day TimoDesk trial.
Frequently asked questions
Is TimoDesk an Asana alternative?
Partly. TimoDesk has projects with kanban, list and calendar views, but no dependencies or Gantt charts. It is best as a time tracking tool, with simple project boards built in.
Does TimoDesk integrate with Asana?
No. TimoDesk has no integrations today. Teams that use both keep matching project names in each tool.
Does TimoDesk track time automatically?
A member starts the timer on a task. After that it runs in the background and removes idle time on its own.
Which is cheaper for a remote team?
TimoDesk costs $1 per user per month with every feature. Asana has a free plan and paid tiers, so the cost depends on the plan you need.
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