ActivityWatch vs Chronoid

ActivityWatch

• People who want automatic tracking with all data kept on their own device
• Linux users, alongside Windows, macOS and Android
• Developers who want to query their own activity data through an API
• Personal screen-time and quantified-self tracking at no cost

Chronoid

• Mac freelancers and consultants who bill by the hour
• People who want tracked data to stay on their own Mac
• Buyers who prefer a lifetime license to a subscription

ActivityWatch

• No iOS app is listed; platforms are Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
• The homepage describes syncing activity between devices as still being worked on.
• The stable macOS download (v0.13.2) is listed for Intel; Apple Silicon builds are in the v0.14 pre-release.
• Maintainers say they do not work on the project full-time, so development may slow at times.

Chronoid

• Chronoid runs only on macOS 14 or later; iPhone and iPad activity comes in through Screen Time import, not an app.
• There is no free plan: a license is needed after the 7-day trial.
• Each license covers one person on up to 3 Macs; team and company pricing is by contacting the vendor.
• Fees for hosted AI providers are separate from the license; the assistant can also run on local models.

ActivityWatch

Automatic window tracking

Tracks the active application and window title out of the box. A separate watcher notes when the keyboard and mouse are idle, without storing what the input was.

Categories

Activity is broken down into categories, which gives an overview of usage by type of work instead of a raw list of apps and window titles.

Browser extensions

Extensions for Chrome and Firefox track the active tab, adding website-level detail to the time recorded on the computer.

Editor watchers

Optional watchers for code editors track how much time goes into writing code, and other watchers can be added to track more.

Local data and API

Data stays on your own device and can be exported, deleted or backed up at any time. A documented REST API and Python client give access to buckets, events and queries.

Local web interface

The app runs from the system tray and its interface opens in the browser at localhost:5600, with activity and timeline views of the tracked data.

Chronoid

Automatic tracking

Runs in the background and captures foreground apps, window titles, browser URLs and documents, with idle detection so time away is not counted. No timers to start.

Smart rules and projects

Rules assign activity to client projects by app or keyword. Clients and projects are organized in a hierarchy, with time targets and scheduled tracking hours.

Invoices and reports

Projects carry hourly rates and a billable status. Unbilled hours load into an invoice editor with tax, currency and payment terms, and export as a PDF.

AI insights and MCP server

A chat answers questions about your hours, using local models through Ollama, LM Studio or Apple Intelligence, or a cloud provider. A local MCP server serves AI agents.

Pomodoro timer and website blocker

Focus sessions run on a Pomodoro timer and can be scheduled, and distracting websites can be blocked on demand while you work.

Meetings, calendar and Screen Time

Detects meetings and logs their time, reads Apple Calendar for titles and project suggestions, and imports iPhone and iPad sessions from Screen Time.

ActivityWatch

• Free$0

  Every feature on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, including the browser extensions and editor watchers.

Chronoid

• Annual$8

  per month, billed yearly at $96

  All features for one person on up to 3 Macs, with premium support and updates while subscribed.

• Monthly$15

  per month

  The same subscription billed month to month: all features for one person on up to 3 Macs. Cancel anytime.

• Lifetime$149

  one-time payment

  All features for one person on up to 3 Macs, with lifetime access and updates.

ActivityWatch

No public discounts listed.

Chronoid

• Annual discount

  $96 a year instead of $15 a month

  The pricing page shows the subscription at $8 a month billed yearly at $96, against $15 a month billed monthly, which would be $180 over a year.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime license for $149

  A single payment of $149 gives one person lifetime access and updates on up to 3 Macs.

• Education

  50% off education licenses

  The pricing page tells students to email Chronoid support for 50% off education licenses.

• Other savings

  50% off bulk lifetime licenses

  Orders of at least 5 lifetime licenses are listed at $75 per license instead of $149, from $375 for 5, arranged by contacting the vendor.