Tim vs Timing
We give Tim and Timing the same GPA: 3.0 out of 4.0. Tim grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Timing grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Tim
Menu bar time tracker for Mac with reports and invoicing
Timing
Automatic time tracking for Mac with no timers to start
How we grade them
| 3.0GPATimVery good | 3.0GPATimingVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $12.99 a year or $24.99 once on the US Mac App Store. Most time trackers ask more than that every few months. Skip the monthly option, though: $4.99 a month comes to $59.88 over a year. | BProfessional is $9 a month billed annually, or $11 monthly, for one person on 1 Mac. That's about typical, if a touch high for a tracker that runs on one kind of computer. Expert is $11 for 2 Macs, and teams, the Web API and Zapier need Connect at $16 a user. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe free version has most features, but it stops at 3 tasks and 6 tags. It also shows upgrade prompts and ads for the maker's other apps, and there are no automatic backups or data import. | CNo free plan. There's a 30-day free trial with no credit card, which is a fair run at it. After that you need a subscription. |
| Features | AIt's a small tool for one person on one Mac, and it does that job fully. A menu bar timer with idle detection, tasks in groups or tags, charts of hours and revenue, and PDF invoices worked out from hourly rates, tax and payment terms. Exports go to CSV, JSON, PDF or iCal. | AAutomatic tracking of apps, documents and websites, a timeline, rules that file recurring work for you, call and meeting tracking, and AI summaries of the day. Timesheets export as PDF, XLSX, CSV or HTML, with rounding and billing status. That's automatic tracking with real depth. Invoices go through GrandTotal. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. No account and no internet connection needed. The running time shows in the menu bar, and keyboard shortcuts control it. | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. There's nothing to start or stop: it records, you review. Option-drag an activity onto a project and similar work gets assigned from then on. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and the current version needs macOS 15 or later. It does get on well with Mac automation: AppleScript, Shortcuts, Spotlight, Raycast and Hammerspoon. But that's one operating system. | BA Mac app, plus a web app you can install on a phone to start and stop timers. The tracker itself runs only on macOS. ClickUp, Linear and Clio sync, Zapier and the Web API are all limited to the Connect plan. |
| Best for | a menu bar timer on one Mac | automatic time tracking on a Mac |
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: Tim and Timing. How we grade
Where they differ
- Tim starts at $12.99 per year, or $24.99 one-time (Pro, US Mac App Store). Timing starts at $9 per month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly).
- Tim has a free plan. Timing does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Timing lists a web app.
- Tim can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Tim also covers invoicing and menu bar app.
At a glance
| Tim | Timing | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $12.99 per year, or $24.99 one-time (Pro, US Mac App Store) | $9 per month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Free version with most features, limited to 3 tasks and 6 tags. It has no automatic backups or data import and shows upgrade prompts and ads for the maker's other apps. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Neat Software Co. | Timing Software GmbH |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | timingapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Tim
- Mac users who want a timer that lives in the menu bar
- Freelancers who invoice clients from their tracked hours
- People who want time data kept on their own Mac with no account
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
Worth knowing
Tim
- Tim is for Mac only, and the Mac App Store listing says the current version requires macOS 15 or later.
- The free version stops at 3 tasks and 6 tags and shows upgrade prompts.
- Data stays on the device it was recorded on; moving it to another Mac means importing a backup, which needs Pro.
- The website does not state the price of the direct-download Pro version; the listed prices are from the US Mac App Store.
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.
Key features
Tim
- Menu bar timer
- The running time shows in the menu bar and the timer is controlled with keyboard shortcuts. Idle detection asks what to do with the time when you return.
- Tasks, groups and tags
- Tasks and their time records can be created and edited freely, grouped or tagged, and archived when they should stay on file but out of the main list and menu bar.
- Charts and filters
- Charts give a visual breakdown of hours, averages and revenue, and any view can be filtered by date range, by tag or by both.
- Invoicing
- Invoices are created from tracked time. Tim calculates totals from hourly rates, applies tax and payment terms, and exports a PDF to send to the client.
- Exports and backups
- Data exports to CSV, JSON, PDF or iCal, and a full export doubles as a backup. Pro adds automatic backups at a set interval and importing data on another Mac.
- Automation
- AppleScript, Shortcuts actions, Spotlight, deep links and x-callback-url can start and stop the timer and create tasks or records. A command-line export is possible through osascript.
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.
Plans
Tim
Free$0
Most of Tim's features with up to 3 tasks and 6 tags, without automatic backups or data import.
Pro: Monthly$4.99
per month, US Mac App Store in-app purchase
Unlimited tasks and tags, automatic backups, importing and transferring data, and no ads or upgrade prompts.
Pro: Yearly$12.99
per year, US Mac App Store in-app purchase
The same Pro features paid once a year.
Pro: Lifetime$24.99
one-time, US Mac App Store in-app purchase
Pro as a single purchase. Pro is also sold as a direct download from the website, where the price appears at checkout.
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.
Ways to pay less
Tim
- Lifetime license
Pro: Lifetime one-time purchase
The US Mac App Store lists Pro: Lifetime at $24.99, a one-time alternative to the monthly and yearly subscriptions.
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs far less than monthly
The US Mac App Store lists Pro at $12.99 a year against $4.99 a month. Twelve monthly payments come to $59.88, so the yearly plan costs about 78% less.
- Education
Student discount through Student App Centre
Tim's help page says students can get a discount code from Student App Centre, which verifies student status. The amount is not stated.
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.
