I’ve tried dozens of timer apps over the years, and most suffer from the same problem - they require too many clicks and taps to do something that should be instantaneous. When you just need to set a quick 15-minute timer for focused work, pulling up an app and navigating through interfaces breaks your flow before you’ve even started.
DragTime takes a refreshingly physical approach to time management. Instead of clicking through menus, you simply drag from the menu bar icon. The length of your drag determines the duration - drag a little for a short timer, drag more for longer durations. It sounds almost too simple, but in practice, this gesture-based interaction feels remarkably natural. Your brain quickly learns to associate the drag distance with time, turning timer creation into muscle memory rather than a deliberate task.
The app goes beyond basic timers with modifier keys that change the behavior. A regular drag creates a timer, Option key plus drag creates a reminder, and Control key plus drag creates a calendar event. Once you internalize these combinations, you can capture time-based tasks faster than you could type them into most productivity apps. The system supports running up to 10 simultaneous timers, each with independent pause, resume, and stop controls.
What impressed me during testing on my Mac Mini M4 is the automation layer. Each timer can trigger actions when it completes - launching specific apps, opening URLs, or running Apple Shortcuts. For recurring workflows where certain tasks always follow specific time blocks, this automation eliminates the manual transition between activities. The app also includes DragTime Air, a floating desktop window that serves as an alternative to the menu bar placement, reducing the eye travel distance when you’re deep in focused work.
The on-device AI learning deserves mention, though it requires macOS 15.6 or newer to function. The app observes your drag patterns and timer habits, then offers suggestions for durations you frequently use. Critically, this learning happens entirely on your Mac with no data leaving your device. In an era where AI typically means cloud processing and data collection, having genuinely private habit learning feels like a significant win for those of us who prioritize data sovereignty.
DragTime integrates with both Reminders and Calendar, allowing those modifier key drags to create actual system entries rather than just app-specific notifications. The app includes 27 notification sounds and supports customization of alert behaviors. Time history tracking with analytics and graphs lets you review how you’ve been allocating focused time, though I found myself checking this feature less frequently than the core timer functionality.
The app costs $5.99 on the Mac App Store and requires macOS 14.6 or newer. The latest version (1.0.1 as of December 2024) is quite new, which means the developer is actively iterating. Some users might prefer free alternatives like the built-in Clock app or Pomodoro One, but those lack the gesture-based speed and automation capabilities that make DragTime distinct.
The learning curve is minimal - you’ll grasp the basic drag mechanic within minutes, though mastering the modifier key combinations for reminders and calendar events takes a bit longer. For anyone who creates frequent timers throughout their workday, particularly remote workers managing focused blocks across different projects, the time saved by eliminating menu navigation adds up quickly. The gesture feels satisfying in a way that tapping icons doesn’t, and that tactile feedback reinforces the habit of actually using timers rather than just intending to.
