The Flexible Alternative to EARLY (Timeular)

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EARLY (Timeular) vs. timeBuzzer

Software

EARLY (previously Timeular or ZEI) is a time tracking software that combines software with a physical 8‑sided dice, letting users easily flip to track tasks and analyze work patterns.

Best for: Freelancers and professionals who want to improve their time management and personal productivity.

Feature highlights:

Physical 8-sided time tracking dice, Quicktrack via shortcut, time budgets, billable hours, goals

EARLY offers a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, supporting all popular platforms.

The desktop app is designed like a calendar and provides a simple timer feature. All time entries are displayed in a calendar view. You can switch between daily and weekly view. Time entries can be edited via drag and drop in the calendar or through input fields when clicking on the time entries.

The app also comes with further helpful features and options like setting up notifications and reminders, which also can be used as a Pomodoro timer.

Additionally, the app can log all computer activities like app and website usage, however it doesn’t offer an idle detection feature, which is especially helpful when users forget to stop a running timer.

The web app is basically a clone of the desktop app, however certain features like application tracking are only available on desktop.

For on the go, EARLY offers a mobile app for iOS and Android.

Like the desktop app, it provides users with a simple timer that allows them to easily start and stop timers, which is also compatible with the phyiscal tracker dice. Also the app allows to manage recorded time entries, add tasks and folders and also view reports.

Unlike the desktop app, the mobile app can’t track your time spent on apps and websites on your phone due to restrictions from the Apple App Store and Google Playstore.

timeBuzzer is a time tracking software that combines software with a physical buzzer, letting users effortlessly track time across cleints, projects and tasks for accurate clients billing.

Best for: Freelancers, agencies and small to medium-sized service businesses that want to track and bill their projects.

Feature highlights:

Effortless project time tracking, customizable layer system, clear reports, easy-to-use team & role management & member assignments

Same as EARLY, timeBuzzer also offers a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, supporting all popular platforms.

Similar as EARLY, it provides a simple timer and also allows users to easily record time. It also provides a physical hardware device that makes this process even more frictionless. Also it helps remind people to actually track time, which is a problem, many users of software-only time tracking solutions struggle with. Time entries are displayed in an intuitive horizontal timeline, giving users a clear overview of their day. It also allows to easily editing recorded time entries via drag and drop or quickly add new time entries via click and drag.

Similar as EARLY, the timeBuzzer desktop app offers notifications and reminders. While it doesn’t track applications, it offers an idle detection feature to help users easily adjust time entries if they forget to stop the timer.

For on the go, timeBuzzer also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android.

Similar to the desktop app, it provides a simple timer that lets users easily start and stop tracking time, as well as manage recorded time entries. The mobile app also allows to manage clients, projects and tasks as well as to create new ones on the go.

Generally the app is focused on the most essenstial time tracking features, with advanced reporting and management features intentionally kept in the web app to avoid disctractions and maintain focus. Its functionality matches that of the desktop app, ensuring a consistent and seamless user experience across both apps.

Hardware

EARLY offers an 8-sided physical cube as an optional add-on to its software, making time tracking quick, effortless and fun.

The cube connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to your computer or mobile app. Each side of the cube can be customized with stickers and markers to distinguish between different activities, and a dock is included for pause mode. Because the device operates wirelessly, it runs on a rechargeable battery that needs to be recharged regularly.

timeBuzzer offers a unique physical desktop buzzer as an optional add‑on to its software, designed to make time tracking quick, effortless and fun.

timeBuzzer purposely uses a wired USB‑C connection instead of Bluetooth. This plug‑and‑play design ensures a stable and reliable connection at all times, without the need for pairing or worrying about interruptions. The device combines seamless app interaction via touch with an LED that makes it easy to select and distinguish between clients, projects, or tasks. Because it is powered directly through the cable, it requires no battery or recharging and is always ready to use. Built as a professional tool, timeBuzzer is designed to save time and provide a consistent, effortless user experience.

Learn more about the desktop buzzer

Integrations

EARLY offers an open API and various integrations, including automation platforms, making it easy to connect with your existing tools.

timeBuzzer offers an open API and various integrations, including automation platforms, making it easy to connect with your existing tools.

Pricing

EARLY‘s software subscriptions cost up to €17.50 per user per month, with a 16% discount for annual billing. The optional hardware cube costs a one-time fee of €57.50 per device and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free. Volume discounts are available when purchasing multiple devices.

A 30-day free trial is available without requiring credit card details.

Cancellation: You can cancel your subscription at any time; it will remain active until the end of the billing cycle. After your subscription expires, you will no longer have access to the app or your data.

timeBuzzer‘s software subscriptions cost up to €10 per user per month, with a 20% discount for annual billing. The optional desktop buzzer costs a one-time fee of €59 per device and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. Volume discounts are available when purchasing multiple devices.

A free 15-day trial of all the paid software features iis available without requiring credit card details. If you order at least one desktop buzzer to test, your software trial is automatically extended to 30 days!

Cancellation: You can cancel your subscription at any time. It will remain active until the end of the billing cycle, after which you’ll smoothly transition to our free limited version. Your data remains securely stored and fully accessible again the moment you resubscribe.

Support

EARLY, based in Austria, EU, offers support in English and German via email and chat widget, with response times within a few hours.

A Help Center is available in English and German, offering detailed documentation, FAQs, and video tutorials for self-service.

Support levels vary by plan, with higher tiers receiving faster responses and enhanced assistance from dedicated success managers.

timeBuzzer, based in Germany, EU, offers support in English and German via email and scheduled calls within 24 hours, during business hours from Monday to Friday, 9 am–6 pm CET you usually can expect much faster response times.

A Help Center is available in English and German, offering detailed documentation, FAQs, and video tutorials for self-service.

All users receive equal, personalized assistance, and user feedback is actively incorporated into product development.

Conclusion

EARLY is a great choice if you’re looking for an engaging and tactile way to get started with time tracking. Especially for individuals who want to understand how much time they spend on a few tasks, EARLY provides a simple and motivating tool.

timeBuzzer, on the other hand, is designed to cover much broader needs. Thanks to its flexible structure with up to three layers, it adapts to complex setups such as tracking an unlimited number of clients, projects, and tasks. Together with its powerful reporting and collaborative team features, timeBuzzer combines flexibility, accuracy, and ease of use, making it an ideal solution for freelancers and growing teams.

Why choose timeBuzzer over EARLY (Timeular)?

“At Timeular (now EARLY), for example, I can only track the time I spend on my projects, but not the time I spend on customer orders. With timeBuzzer you have three layers (customer, project and activity), that makes the difference for me.”– Hauke M.

“I have been a Timeular (now EARLY) user for many years and have now switched to Timebuzzer because I like the concept of a glowing device that reminds me better to track time.” – Florian K.

“I used to use Timeular (now EARLY) for my time tracking, where the workflow with the cube no longer fits due to the number of projects I have.” – Christian S.

“Unfortunately, the cube failed very often or the battery has to be replaced.” – Klemens M.

I would like to say that your program is by far one of the best on the market – here clarity, efficiency and other factors are decisive. – Erik S.

Both Timeflip and Timeular (now EARLY) were dice-like devices, also with an LED light. Timeflip had too many sides, I would’ve mixed things up with that. The thing that stood out to me with timeBuzzer was the fact that it was a button, it had a continuous LED light while tracking and it had very easy handling (press button: interface opens, select project, start project, interface closes). Especially the visual cue of the continuous LED was fundamental for me.
– Alexandra D.

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