Best ActivityWatch Alternatives: For Time tracking in 2025
If you’ve ever wondered where your time goes, you’ve probably come across ActivityWatch. It’s a fantastic open-source tool that helps people track how much time they spend on apps, websites, and specific projects. But what if ActivityWatch isn’t quite right for you, or you simply want to explore other options? In 2025, there’s a whole world of user-friendly, feature-packed, and privacy-conscious ActivityWatch alternatives out there!
Each of these alternatives brings a unique set of tools and advantages—some are sleek with polished interfaces, others emphasize strict privacy or team collaboration. Whether you’re a freelancer, a student, or leading a team, this list will help you discover the best fit for tracking your productivity.
Top 10+ ActivityWatch Alternatives and Best for Time Tracking in 2025
1. RescueTime
RescueTime is one of the most popular time tracking tools around. It works quietly in the background, providing a deep dive into your daily habits and productivity patterns.
- Automatic tracking of app and website usage
- Detailed reports and visual charts
- Focus sessions with built-in distraction blocking
- Goal setting and real-time alerts
2. ManicTime
ManicTime prides itself on being fully automatic and privacy-centric. It works offline, keeps your data on your machine, and helps you manage how you spend your computer hours.
- Offline time tracking
- Data stays on your device
- Tagging for specific tasks and projects
- Powerful timeline and reporting features
3. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is well-loved for its super simple interface and versatility. It’s perfect for freelancers and small teams needing quick time tracking on the go.
- Cross-platform availability (web, desktop, mobile)
- One-click time tracking
- Project and client organization
- Easy-to-understand reports and export options
4. Clockify
Clockify shines as a completely free time tracker for teams. It tracks time via timer or manual entries and boasts robust reporting for productivity analysis.
- Unlimited users and projects for free
- Manual and automatic time tracking
- Integration with other tools (like Trello and Asana)
- Powerful dashboard and export options
5. TimeCamp
TimeCamp is a powerful tool for both individuals and growing businesses. It tracks time by project, measures productivity, and helps automate timesheets.
- Automatic and manual time tracking
- Productivity analysis by app or website
- Invoicing and budgeting tools
- Integrations with hundreds of apps
6. WakaTime
If you’re a developer, WakaTime is a dream come true. It tracks coding time across multiple IDEs automatically and delivers detailed stats.
- Automatic coding time tracking in text editors
- Language, project, and category reporting
- Personal productivity dashboards
- Plugin support for dozens of IDEs
7. Timely
Timely is all about automating your work diary using smart AI. It auto-captures everything you do and organizes it into a flawless timeline.
- AI-powered automatic time tracking
- Real-time project budgeting
- Memory timeline with work breakdown
- Team and privacy controls
8. Hours
Hours offers a clean and straightforward way to log your time. With its simple controls, you can switch tasks and manage your daily work effortlessly.
- Easy-to-use interface with timeline view
- Smart reminders to keep tracking
- Detailed reporting
- Supports both teams and individuals
9. Qbserve
Qbserve is designed exclusively for Mac users who want 100% local, private tracking. It automatically categorizes activities and shows where your time goes.
- Automatic Mac activity tracking
- Powerful productivity reports
- Privacy-focused (data stays offline)
- No monthly fees
10. Kimai
Kimai is a free and open-source time tracker with a web-based approach. It suits freelancers, agencies, and companies looking for customization.
- Web-based, cross-platform access
- Open-source and self-hostable
- Project, activity, and user management
- Customizable reporting and plugins
11. Harvest
Harvest helps teams keep track of hours spent on projects, plus it makes invoicing a breeze. Its interface is friendly and straightforward, making it ideal for business use.
- Simple time and expense tracking
- Powerful reporting dashboards
- Invoicing and integrations with popular apps
- Mobile and browser extension support
12. DeskTime
DeskTime is focused on improving work habits with automatic time tracking and productivity analysis. It identifies time-wasters and enhances team transparency.
- Automatic time tracking and categorization
- Productivity calculation and charts
- Absence calendar and team management
- Third-party integrations
Conclusion
Choosing the right time tracking tool depends on your habits, privacy preferences, and workflow needs. ActivityWatch is an excellent free choice, but its alternatives in 2025 offer a range of extra features from invoicing to AI-enabled tracking, making life more organized for students, freelancers, and businesses alike. Whether you need something simple and offline or a full team-based solution, there’s an ActivityWatch alternative on this list that can boost your productivity.
FAQs: ActivityWatch Alternatives and Best for Time Tracking
1. Are these ActivityWatch alternatives suitable for teams as well as individuals?
Yes, many of them like Clockify, Harvest, DeskTime, and TimeCamp are designed for both solo users and teams of any size.
2. Do these alternatives work on different operating systems?
Most of the time tracking tools listed here offer support for Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms. However, Qbserve is specific to Mac, and some options may require self-hosting for broad access.
3. Which ActivityWatch alternative is best for privacy?
Tools like ManicTime and Qbserve focus on offline tracking and keep your data on your device, making them great choices for users who care about privacy.
4. Are there free ActivityWatch alternatives?
Yes! Clockify, Kimai, and ManicTime (with a free version) offer robust free plans