ActivityWatch vs Timing

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

Timing

• Mac users who want time recorded without starting timers
• Freelancers who bill clients from a record of apps and documents used
• People who want tracked data kept on their own Mac by default

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.

Timing

• The tracker runs only on macOS; phones and other computers are limited to the web app.
• There is no free plan: a subscription is needed after the 30-day trial.
• Each seat covers a set number of personal Macs: 1 on Professional, 2 on Expert and 3 on Connect.
• Team features, the Web API, Zapier and MCP integration are limited to the Connect plan.

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.

Timing

Automatic tracking

Records the apps, documents and websites used on the Mac without timers. Private and incognito browser tabs are discarded, and an exclusion list keeps chosen items out.

Timeline and rules

An interactive timeline shows the day's activity and lets you add offline time. Option-dragging an activity onto a project creates a rule that assigns similar work from then on.

Calls, meetings and Screen Time

Tracks time spent on phone calls, meetings and calendar events, prompts you when a video or voice call ends, and can import mobile app usage from Screen Time.

AI summaries and MCP

AI summaries group related activities and highlight the main topics of a day. The Connect plan adds MCP integration so an AI agent can work with your time data.

Reports for billing

Timesheets export as PDF, XLSX, CSV or HTML, with rounding and billing status tracking. A GrandTotal integration passes tracked time to that invoicing app.

Web app and teams

A web app syncs with the Mac app and can be installed on a phone to start and stop timers. On Connect, teams share projects and admins review members' times.

ActivityWatch

• Free$0

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

Timing

• Professional$9

  per month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly)

  1 Mac for one person. Automatic tracking, timers, basic reports for clients and limited web app access.

• Expert$11

  per month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)

  2 Macs for one person. Adds filters, customizable reports and full web app access.

• Connect$16

  per user / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)

  3 Macs per user. Adds teams with shared projects, AI integration via MCP, the Web API, Zapier and two-way ClickUp, Linear and Clio sync.

ActivityWatch

No public discounts listed.

Timing

• Annual discount

  Save 18% or more with annual billing

  The pricing page labels annual billing "Save 18%": Professional is $9 a month billed annually against $11 monthly, and Expert is $11 against $14.

• Other savings

  Referral program: a free month each

  Subscribers get a personal referral link. When a new customer signs up through it, both receive an extra free month, up to six months of credit per calendar year.