Open Source Time Tracking Software

If you care about privacy, hate subscription fees, or want full control over your data, open source time tracking software is a compelling choice. Unlike proprietary tools that lock your time data in someone else’s cloud, open source trackers let you inspect the code, host it on your own server, and customize it to fit your workflow.

Open source time tracking is no longer just a niche for Linux hobbyists or engineering teams. Projects such as solidtime on GitHub now position themselves directly for freelancers and agencies, while Kimai focuses on company-wide time reporting and analysis. That shift matters: the best tools now cover billing, clients, reporting, and developer workflows, not just a basic stopwatch.

How I Picked These Open Source Time Tracking Tools

Selection was not based on GitHub stars alone. Chosen projects are actively maintained, usable in 2026, and realistic for people who adopt time tracking open source tools: freelancers, developers, privacy-focused individuals, and small teams.

Consider five factors: whether the project is open source or only partly open, how hard it is to self-host, whether it supports manual or automatic tracking, how useful it is for billing or reporting, and whether the license creates practical limits for commercial teams. Also assess how much admin burden each tool adds after installation, because a self-hosted time tracking app is only attractive if you can keep it running without turning it into a side job.

In practice, I favored tools that make their fit clear. A developer-focused tracker should work naturally with IDEs and issue trackers. A team tool should have permissions, projects, and exports. A privacy-first personal tracker should not force cloud sync. I would disqualify any tool with unclear maintenance status, no obvious deployment path, or licensing confusion that makes business use risky.

What to Look for in Open Source Time Tracking Software

Before diving into individual tools, it helps to know what separates a good open source time tracker from a mediocre one. Here are the criteria we used to evaluate each option:

• Active development. An open source project is only as good as its community. Look for regular commits, recent releases, and responsive maintainers.
• Self-hosting options. The ability to deploy on your own server is a core benefit of going open source. Some tools also offer a managed cloud option for convenience.
• Core tracking features. At minimum, you need start/stop timers, manual time entry, project organization, and basic reporting.
• Privacy and data ownership. Your time data should stay under your control, whether that means local storage, your own database, or encrypted sync.
• Platform support. Cross-platform availability matters for consistent tracking throughout the day.
• Extras. Invoicing, team management, integrations, and API access can make or break a tool for professional use.

If you plan to self-host, add security maintenance to your checklist as well. That means updates, HTTPS, backups, and access control. For teams evaluating hosted or hybrid deployments, this short primer on SaaS pentesting via Affordable Pentesting is a useful reminder that deployment choice affects your security workload, not just your budget.

Best Self-Hosted and Developer-Friendly Picks

If you want the short version, most readers can narrow this list quickly.

Best fully self-hosted option for teams: Kimai. It has the most complete business feature set, mature permissions, billing support, and deployment documentation.

Best modern choice for freelancers and small agencies: Solidtime. It feels closer to a polished SaaS app and is easier to recommend to people moving from Toggl or Clockify.

Best for developers: Super Productivity if you want tasks, issue-tracker sync, and focus tools in one app. WakaTime with Hackatime makes more sense if you specifically want passive coding metrics from your editor.

Best privacy-first personal tracker: ActivityWatch. It automatically records app and website activity locally, which is ideal if you want to understand your day without managing timers.

Best lightweight self-hosted personal option: Traggo. Pick it if you value simplicity over polish and do not need invoices, mobile apps, or team controls.

A practical dividing line runs through this whole category: some tools are about billing and team accountability, others are about passive personal insight, and others are built around developer workflows. Once you choose that lane, the right open source time tracking tool becomes much easier to spot.

7 Best Open Source Time Tracking Tools

1. Kimai

Kimai is the strongest all-around self-hosted option in this category. It is mature, business-oriented, and designed for organizations that need time data for reporting, client billing, and internal accountability rather than just personal productivity.

What makes Kimai stand out is that it can realistically replace a commercial timesheet system for a small company. You get users, projects, role-based permissions, budgets, invoicing, a REST API, and plugins. In practical use, that makes it one of the few open source time tracker options I would comfortably recommend to an agency or operations-heavy team.

Kimai runs as a self-hosted web app and has documented Docker deployment options, which lowers the barrier to entry, but it is still a real server application. You need to think about upgrades, database backups, email configuration, and user management.

The AGPL-3.0 license matters here. Teams can use, modify, and self-host Kimai, but if they change the software and make that modified version available over a network, they must provide the corresponding source under the same license. For most buyers, that is not a problem. It mainly matters if your company plans to build a proprietary hosted service on top of Kimai.

Compared with Solidtime, Kimai is stronger for permissions, extensibility, and larger team structure. Solidtime feels cleaner and more modern, but Kimai is still the safer choice when invoicing depth, admin controls, and long-term self-hosted credibility matter more than interface polish.

Best for: Teams, agencies, and businesses that need invoicing, reporting, and serious self-hosted control.

License: AGPL-3.0

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2. Solidtime

Solidtime is the open source time tracking software I would show to someone who assumes open source tools must feel clunky. It presents itself as a modern open-source time tracking application for freelancers and agencies, and that positioning is accurate.

Its appeal is straightforward: the interface feels closer to a commercial SaaS app than most projects in this space, and the feature set is practical. You get project and client management, billable rates, invoice generation, imports from common trackers, desktop apps, and a self-hosted path.

For self hosted time tracking, Solidtime is easier to recommend than Kimai when the team is small and the workflow is simple. Docker deployment is available, but you still own backups, upgrades, and uptime if you self-host.

Where Solidtime falls short against Kimai is depth. It looks better, but Kimai is still stronger if you need richer permissions, a longer track record, or more complex operational structure.

Best for: Freelancers and small agencies that want a modern, self-hosted alternative to Toggl or Clockify.

License: AGPL-3.0

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3. ActivityWatch

ActivityWatch is the clearest example of a different philosophy: instead of asking you to remember timers, it automatically tracks how you spend time on your devices. According to the ActivityWatch project site, it records app and window activity locally and lets you review how your time was spent across apps, sites, games, videos, and more.

That automatic model solves one of the biggest real-world problems in time tracking: people forget to start and stop timers. If your goal is accurate personal awareness rather than formal billing, ActivityWatch is often more honest than manual entry.

It is best understood as a personal analytics tool, not a billing platform. There is no deep invoicing layer, no real team management, and no strong client-work workflow. Self-hosting is not really the main story here because the default model is local data on your own device.

For an individual who wants passive tracking with minimal administration, this is one of the best choices in the category. For a freelancer who needs invoices or a manager who needs approvals, it is the wrong tool.

Best for: Personal automatic tracking and privacy-first local use.

License: MPL-2.0

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4. Super Productivity

Super Productivity is less like a traditional timesheet app and more like a developer-friendly work console. It combines tasks, timers, focus tools, and issue-tracker integrations in a way that makes sense for people whose day is organized around tickets rather than clients.

This is one of the best examples of time tracking software for developers because the time log stays connected to actual work items. Integrations with Jira, GitLab, GitHub, and OpenProject make it much easier to track effort per task without maintaining a separate spreadsheet or stopwatch workflow.

Its MIT license is also unusually permissive in this category. A permissive license like the MIT license makes Super Productivity easier to adopt in organizations that are cautious about copyleft obligations.

The trade-off is that Super Productivity is not a strong billing platform. It works very well for personal productivity, engineering work, and local-first planning, but I would avoid it if you need formal team timesheets, client invoices, or manager approvals.

Best for: Developers and knowledge workers who want tasks, timers, and issue-tracker integrations in one privacy-friendly app.

License: MIT

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5. WakaTime

WakaTime is built for developers who want passive coding metrics without changing editors or habits. Its IDE plugins automatically track coding activity across many editors, then break that time down by project, language, and file.

This makes WakaTime excellent for understanding coding patterns, but readers should be careful about the open source label here. The plugins are open source, while the main dashboard is still a freemium hosted service. If you want a fully open setup, Hackatime is the more aligned route because it is compatible with the WakaTime ecosystem and can be self-hosted.

For developers, a key strength is low-friction capture. You install a plugin, write code, and get useful metrics.

What it does not do well is classic business time tracking. If you need invoices, broad non-coding work logs, team approvals, or admin-heavy reporting, WakaTime is not the right fit.

Best for: Developers who want passive IDE-based tracking and detailed coding metrics.

License: BSD (plugins); proprietary backend

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6. Traggo

Traggo is a lightweight, tag-based tracker for people who dislike rigid project trees. Its biggest advantage is simplicity: you can self-host it with a single binary or Docker, use tags for categorization, and avoid the heavier structure of business-focused systems.

That makes it appealing for personal self-hosted time tracking, especially on low-resource hardware.

The downside is that simplicity cuts both ways. Documentation is thinner, development momentum is weaker than the top projects, and the feature set is not competitive for teams. No serious invoicing, limited collaboration depth, and a small ecosystem mean you should treat it as a personal tool first.

I would pick Traggo only if the tag-based model is exactly what you want. Otherwise, Kimai, Solidtime, or ActivityWatch are easier recommendations depending on your use case.

Best for: Solo users who want a lightweight, self-hosted tracker and prefer tags over formal projects.

License: GPL-3.0

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7. OpenProject

OpenProject belongs on this list because the category has broadened beyond standalone timers. As covered in Chronoid’s own open source time tracking roundup, buyers now evaluate multiple active tools across billing, developer workflows, self-tracking, and project management. OpenProject represents the project-management-heavy end of that spectrum.

Its time tracking is tied to a much larger system that includes work packages, agile boards, Gantt charts, scheduling, and team planning. That makes it useful when time entries need to live inside a broader delivery workflow rather than in a dedicated tracker.

The trade-off is obvious: if you only need a timer, OpenProject is too much. Self-hosting it is also a bigger commitment than running a focused tracker.

Best for: Teams that need project management first and time tracking second.

License: GPL-3.0

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Open Source Time Tracking Software: Feature Comparison

Best for fully self-hosted teams: Kimai.

Best for developers: Super Productivity for task-linked work, or WakaTime/Hackatime for passive coding metrics.

Best for privacy-first personal tracking: ActivityWatch.

Best for a modern freelancer workflow: Solidtime.

Best if time tracking must live inside project management: OpenProject.

Open Source vs. Proprietary Time Tracking: Pros and Cons

Choosing between open source and proprietary time tracking software comes down to your priorities.

Advantages of open source

• Full data ownership. Your time data lives on your server or your device.
• Transparency. You can audit the code to verify that no data is being sent to third parties.
• Cost. Most open source trackers are free to use. You pay only for hosting if you self-host, or for optional managed plans.
• Customization. Modify the software to match your workflow, add integrations, or build custom reports.

Disadvantages of open source

• Setup complexity. Self-hosting requires server administration skills.
• Support. Community support can be inconsistent.
• Polish and UX. Many open source tools lag behind commercial products in design and user experience, though projects like Solidtime are closing that gap.
• Feature gaps. Advanced features and native integrations are more common in proprietary tools.

The middle ground: privacy-focused proprietary tools

Not every proprietary tool sends your data to the cloud. Chronoid, for example, shares the core philosophy of open source time tracking: your data stays 100% on your Mac, never uploaded to any server. It combines automatic time tracking, a built-in Pomodoro timer, and a website blocker in a native macOS app. If you want the privacy benefits of open source without the overhead of self-hosting, it is worth considering. You can download Chronoid here.

How to Choose the Right Open Source Time Tracker

The best choice depends less on raw features and more on what kind of time data you need.

Solo freelancer who needs invoices

Start with Kimai or Solidtime. Both are designed for billable work, clients, and reports. Solidtime is easier to recommend if you want a cleaner interface and a lighter learning curve. Kimai is better if you expect your setup to grow into multiple clients, staff, and approval workflows.

Developer who wants passive coding metrics

Choose WakaTime with Hackatime if your main goal is to capture coding activity from your editor without thinking about timers. This is the most natural time tracker open source path for engineers who live in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Vim, or similar tools.

Choose Super Productivity instead if your day is organized around tasks and issue trackers, and you want your time entries tied to Jira, GitHub, or GitLab work. WakaTime is better for code metrics; Super Productivity is better for structured daily execution.

Privacy-first local user

ActivityWatch is usually the right answer. It automatically tracks app and website usage locally, which means there is no server to maintain and no timer habit to build. The limitation is that it does not replace a billing tool.

Small team that needs permissions and reporting

Kimai is the safest recommendation because it was built with multi-user timesheet management in mind. It handles roles, projects, budgets, exports, and invoices in a way that feels team-ready. OpenProject also works if your team wants project planning and collaboration in the same system, but it is a much heavier deployment.

Company choosing a self-hosted deployment

Separate feature needs from operating capacity. Self-hosted sounds attractive until someone has to maintain the server, restore backups, rotate credentials, and keep the app patched. Kimai is realistic for a company that already runs internal apps or has basic DevOps support. Solidtime is realistic for smaller teams that want self-hosting without as much operational complexity.

Kimai vs Solidtime

Pick Kimai if you care more about depth, permissions, plugins, and long-term team structure. Pick Solidtime if you care more about interface quality, easier adoption, and a freelancer-friendly feel.

Manual vs automatic tracking

This is the other major fork in the road. Automatic tools are better when your main problem is forgetting to track. Manual tools are better when you need intentional, client-ready logs. That is why ActivityWatch works so well for passive personal analytics, while Kimai and Solidtime make more sense for invoices and formal reports.

• Need invoicing and team management? Start with Kimai or Solidtime.
• Want automatic personal tracking? ActivityWatch or Super Productivity.
• Developer looking for coding metrics? WakaTime plugins with Hackatime backend.
• Need project management + time tracking? OpenProject.
• Want something minimal and tag-based? Traggo.
• Want automatic tracking on Mac with zero setup? Chronoid runs natively on macOS with all data stored locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is open source time tracking software really free?

The software itself is free to download and use. However, if you self-host, you will pay for server infrastructure. Some projects like Kimai and Solidtime also offer paid managed hosting if you prefer not to handle server administration.

What if I want a free tool but do not want to self-host?

Hosted tools with generous free plans are the practical middle ground. Our guide to the best free time tracking software compares 11 free options like Clockify, Jibble, and TimeCamp by their real free-plan limits, so you can see what you get without running a server.

Can I use open source time trackers for client billing?

Yes. Kimai and Solidtime both include invoicing features that let you generate invoices directly from tracked time. You can set billable rates per project, client, or user and export professional invoices.

Are self-hosted time trackers secure?

Security depends on your server setup. Open source software benefits from community code review, but you are still responsible for keeping the software updated, configuring HTTPS, managing backups, and securing access. If security maintenance is a concern, consider a tool that stores data locally on your device rather than on a server.

What is the best open source time tracker for a small team?

Kimai is the strongest choice for small teams. It offers role-based permissions, handles multiple projects and clients, and includes built-in invoicing. Solidtime is a strong alternative if you prefer a more modern interface.

Can open source time tracking replace tools like Toggl or Clockify?

For most use cases, yes. Kimai and Solidtime offer comparable feature sets for project management, reporting, and team collaboration. The main trade-off is that you need to self-host or pay for managed hosting, and the mobile app ecosystem is less mature.

Conclusion

Open source time tracking software has matured significantly. Tools like Kimai and Solidtime rival commercial products in features, while ActivityWatch and Super Productivity offer privacy-first automatic tracking that many paid tools cannot match. The right choice depends on whether you need team features, automatic tracking, developer metrics, or full project management.

If the self-hosting requirement feels like too much overhead but you still want local, private time tracking on your Mac, try Chronoid for free. It tracks your time automatically, keeps everything on your device, and includes focus tools like a Pomodoro timer and website blocker built right in.

Cover photo by Hitesh Choudhary on Unsplash