DeskTime vs ManicTime
We give DeskTime a 3.2 GPA and ManicTime a 3.4, out of 4.0. ManicTime grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
DeskTime
Automatic time tracking and productivity monitoring for teams
ManicTime
Automatic time tracker, in the cloud or on your own server
How we grade them
| 3.2GPADeskTimeVery good | 3.4GPAManicTimeVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $6.42 a user a month paid yearly, or $7 monthly, which is about the going rate for time trackers. Screenshots, integrations, the API and shift scheduling are on Premium at $9.17, though, so plenty of teams will pay that instead. | BCloud Standard is $7 a month billed yearly for one person, or $9 monthly, which is about the going rate. Teams pay $10 a user. Or buy a license once for $87. It comes with a year of upgrades, and that version keeps working after. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. You get a 14-day trial with no credit card, and after that it's a subscription or nothing. | BThere's a free version, but it's for Windows only and it's stripped down: no auto-tagging, no timesheets, no stopwatch, no advanced search. Every paid version has a 30-day free trial. |
| Features | AIt tracks hours, apps, sites and document titles with no timer, works out a productivity figure for each person, and can take screenshots. Add projects, shift scheduling, an absence calendar and an AI summary of each day. For a team, that's the whole job. | AIt records apps, websites and documents in the background, even with no internet, and rules tag the repeat stuff for you. Then there are optional screenshots, timesheets, reports and PDF invoices from approved timesheets. Cloud or your own server. That's the whole job. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Install the desktop app and it tracks by itself. No timers to press and no timesheets to fill in. | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Tracking is automatic once it's installed. The work comes after, when you tag the timeline to clients and projects, at least until your rules are set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWindows, Mac, Linux, web, iOS and Android, plus Jira, Asana, Trello, GitLab, Zapier and an API. One catch: the phone app is a companion to the desktop one, not a full tracker. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with a REST API and links to Jira, GitHub, Asana, Harvest, FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online. Do note the device caps on cloud plans: 3 a user on Standard and 5 on Ultimate. |
| Best for | team hours tracked without timesheets | automatic tracking kept on your own hardware |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: DeskTime and ManicTime. How we grade
Where they differ
- DeskTime starts at $6.42 per user / month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly). ManicTime starts at $7 per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly).
- ManicTime has a free plan. DeskTime does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only DeskTime lists a web app.
- ManicTime is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- ManicTime can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ManicTime also covers invoicing.
At a glance
| DeskTime | ManicTime | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $6.42 per user / month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly) | $7 per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Free version of ManicTime for Windows, usable in any setting. It lacks auto-tagging, timesheets, away-time tagging, the stopwatch and pomodoro timer, advanced search, tag plugins and ManicTime Server. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 30-day free trial on all paid versions |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Draugiem Group | ManicTime |
| Price read from | desktime.com | manictime.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
DeskTime
- Employers who want hours and productivity recorded automatically
- Hybrid teams that need to see who is working from the office or remotely
- Shift-based teams that need scheduling and an absence calendar
ManicTime
- People who want a record of the day without running timers
- Organizations that must keep tracking data on their own servers
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
DeskTime
- No free plan is listed; a subscription is needed after the 14-day trial.
- Screenshots, integrations and API access, and shift scheduling are listed under Premium rather than Pro.
- The mobile app is described as a companion to the desktop app rather than a full tracker.
- Enterprise is aimed at teams of 200 or more users and priced on request.
ManicTime
- The free version is for Windows only and leaves out auto-tagging, timesheets, advanced search and server sync.
- Cloud plans cap devices at 3 per user on Standard and 5 on Ultimate; cloud screenshots need Ultimate.
- A license covers one year of upgrades; newer versions need a renewal, and a cloud subscription stops working when it lapses.
- The Azure DevOps and Basecamp integrations are listed for the Windows client only.
Key features
DeskTime
- Automatic time tracking
- The desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux tracks working time without timers or manual timesheets. A web timer and offline time entries cover work away from the computer.
- URL, app and document tracking
- Managers see which sites and apps were used, along with document names, email subjects and app titles, and the data feeds a productivity calculation for each person.
- Screenshots
- Screenshots of employees' screens can be captured as proof of work. The pricing page lists them as a Premium feature.
- Project tracking
- Tracked time can be assigned to projects and tasks to follow the hours and progress of specific pieces of work.
- Shift scheduling and absences
- Plan and manage employee shifts in one place, and use the absence calendar to see who is sick, on vacation or out of office.
- Private time and AI summaries
- Employees can turn on private time for off-the-clock computer use. An AI summary describes each day's work activity in text.
ManicTime
- Automatic tracking
- Runs in the background and records apps, websites and documents on parallel timelines. Tracking needs no internet connection and syncs to the cloud or a server later.
- Tags and auto-tagging rules
- Recorded activity is assigned to clients, projects or tasks with tags. With a license or subscription, rules tag recurring activity automatically.
- Screenshots and away time
- Optional screenshots are anchored to the timeline as proof of work. When you return to the computer, ManicTime asks how to classify the time away.
- Timesheets, reports and invoices
- The same data produces timesheets, billable summaries, attendance, overtime and productivity reports. Invoices are generated from approved timesheets as PDFs.
- Cloud or self-hosted server
- ManicTime Cloud needs no server setup. ManicTime Server runs on your own infrastructure, including Docker and Azure, with direct SQL access to the database.
- Integrations, REST API and MCP
- Tasks come in from tools such as Jira, GitHub and Asana, and time can sync back. A REST API covers custom integrations, and an MCP server runs locally for AI tools.
Plans
DeskTime
Pro$6.42
per user / month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly)
For small teams and startups. Highlights include document title tracking, productivity calculations and calendar integrations.
Premium$9.17
per user / month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
For hybrid and growing teams. Highlights include screenshots, integrations and API access, and shift scheduling.
EnterpriseCustom
For organizations of 200 or more users. Everything in Premium plus custom API work on request, an account manager and employee training.
ManicTime
Free version (Windows)$0
ManicTime for Windows without the licensed features such as auto-tagging, timesheets, advanced search, tag plugins and ManicTime Server.
Cloud Standard, individuals$7
per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly)
One person on 3 devices. All ManicTime Pro features on Windows, plus the Mac, Linux, iOS and Android apps, cloud backup and multi-device reports.
Cloud Ultimate, individuals$9
per month, billed yearly ($11 billed monthly)
Everything in Standard, plus 2 more devices (5 in total) and screenshots stored in the cloud.
Cloud Standard, teams$10
per user / month, billed yearly ($12 billed monthly)
The Standard plan for teams, with 3 devices per user and multi-device reports on the cloud server.
Cloud Ultimate, teams$13
per user / month, billed yearly ($15 billed monthly)
The Ultimate plan for teams, with 5 devices per user and screenshots stored in the cloud.
License (ManicTime Pro)$87
one-time per user, with a year of upgrades
Local install or your own ManicTime Server. Team licenses cost $80 each from 2 users, falling in steps to $20 each at 1,000.
Ways to pay less
DeskTime
- Annual discount
Lower rate with annual billing
DeskTime lists Pro at $6.42 per user a month with annual payment against $7 monthly, and Premium at $9.17 against $10, which is about 8% less.
- By country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
On 9 October 2026 the pricing page showed Pro at ₹366.67 per user a month, billed annually, to a reader in India, or $4.58 in dollars. A copy of the page from 8 September lists Pro at $6.42.
ManicTime
- Annual discount
Lower cloud price with yearly billing
Billed yearly, Cloud Standard is $7 a month for individuals against $9 monthly, and $10 per user for teams against $12. Ultimate is $9 against $11, and $13 against $15.
- Lifetime license
One-time license from $87 per user
A license is a one-time payment with a year of support and upgrades. After that year the last version released within it keeps working indefinitely.
- Education
80% off the license for students and retirees
Students aged 27 or under and retirees get 80% off a license for non-commercial use, and faculty get 50% off, by emailing support with proof. Cloud plans have no discounts.
- Other savings
50% off early license renewal
The documentation says a license renewed before its year of upgrades is up gets a 50% discount on the renewal.
