Timemator vs Tyme
We give Timemator a 2.8 GPA and Tyme a 3.0, out of 4.0. Tyme grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Timemator
Automatic time tracking for Mac with a one-time license
Tyme
Time tracking for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
How we grade them
| 2.8GPATimematorGood | 3.0GPATymeVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$39 once for the Mac app, to use forever on 2 computers. That's less than half a year of a typical time tracker. The iOS app is another $7.99, sold separately, which is a small sting but still cheap. | A$59.99 a user a year on the US App Store, well under what time trackers typically charge, and that covers Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch on up to 5 devices. Monthly is $6.99. Team plans start at $13.99 a month for 2 users. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. Both the Mac and iOS apps come with a 30-day free trial of all features, which is a decent stretch. After that you buy a license. | CNo free plan. You get a 14-day free trial that's fully functional, with no word on whether it needs a card. After the trial, or a canceled subscription, the app becomes read-only. |
| Features | BA timeline of your Mac activity to assign to projects, rules that start and pause the timer for you, a manual timer, tasks in folders, hourly rates that work out revenue, and reports with CSV export. The timeline and Auto-tracking are Mac only, and there are no team features. | ASeveral timers at once, with global shortcuts. Geofences that start the clock when you arrive at one of up to 20 work locations. Projects with hourly rates, budgets and due dates, plus expenses and mileage. Timesheets as PDF, CSV or JSON, and live budgets for teams. Invoices need a plugin, though. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's an app you install and use, and it syncs through iCloud. The Auto-tracking rules are yours to define, mind. | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's an app you install and use, and your own devices sync through iCloud. Teams sync through Tyme's team server. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, synced through iCloud. That's all Apple. There's no Windows, Android or web version and no integrations on record. Windows and Teams editions appear on the roadmap. | CMac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. A web login is labelled beta, and no Windows or Android app is listed. Inside Apple's world it connects well, with Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, a developer API with webhooks, Zapier and n8n. |
| Best for | pay-once automatic tracking on a Mac | freelancers and teams on Apple devices |
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: Timemator and Tyme. How we grade
Where they differ
- Timemator starts at $39 one-time for the Mac app; the iOS app is $7.99 one-time, sold separately. Tyme starts at $59.99 per user / year ($6.99 billed monthly), US App Store.
- Timemator can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Timemator | Tyme | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $39 one-time for the Mac app; the iOS app is $7.99 one-time, sold separately | $59.99 per user / year ($6.99 billed monthly), US App Store |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial with all features, on both the Mac and iOS apps | 14-day free trial, fully functional |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Catforce Studio | Unit Numberfive oHG |
| Price read from | timemator.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Timemator
- Freelancers on a Mac who forget to start timers
- People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
- Users who want tracked data kept on their own devices
Tyme
- Freelancers who work on a Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch
- Small teams that all use Apple devices
- German-speaking businesses that invoice with Lexware Office or sevdesk
Worth knowing
Timemator
- The Mac and iOS apps are sold separately, at $39 and $7.99.
- The Activity Timeline and Auto-tracking are marked Mac only; the iOS listing describes manual tracking of hours and tasks.
- There is no Windows, Android or web version, and no team features; Windows and Teams editions appear on the roadmap.
- A Mac license can be active on 2 computers at the same time.
Tyme
- Tyme runs on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only; a web login is labelled beta and no Windows or Android app is listed.
- There is no free plan: after the 14-day trial or a canceled subscription the app becomes read-only.
- The website shows prices in the visitor's local currency; the dollar figures here are in-app purchase prices from the US App Store.
- Invoices are not made in Tyme itself but through plugins for tools such as GrandTotal, Lexware Office and FreshBooks.
Key features
Timemator
- Activity Timeline
- On the Mac, Timemator captures what you do during the day so you can go back, review it, and assign the time to projects in a few clicks.
- Auto-tracking
- Rules you define let the Mac app start and pause the timer by itself, for example when a given app or project file is open. You keep manual control.
- Manual timer and sessions
- A start and pause timer works alongside Auto-tracking, and sessions can be added or edited by hand on daily and weekly timelines.
- Tasks, folders and hourly rates
- Tasks are grouped in folders by project, client or both. Setting an hourly rate on a task makes Timemator calculate revenue for the tracked time.
- Reports and export
- Charts compare tracked time by day or month, and sessions can be filtered by date or task. Reports can be exported for clients, and data exports as CSV.
- iCloud Sync and backups
- Tasks, folders, sessions and Auto-tracking rules sync across devices through iCloud. Automatic backups can go to a custom location such as Dropbox.
Tyme
- Timers and tracking modes
- Timers start and stop from any app with global shortcuts, and several can run at once. Entries are kept either with start and end times or as one duration per task and day.
- Location-based tracking
- Up to 20 work locations can be set as geofences. A timer starts when you arrive and stops when you leave, with a minimum stay and a reverse mode.
- Projects, budgets and costs
- Projects and tasks carry hourly rates, planned time, budgets, due dates and a billable flag. Expenses, fixed costs, flat rates and mileage are tracked alongside time.
- Timesheets and statistics
- Customizable PDF timesheets and CSV or JSON exports cover working hours and breaks. Statistics show hours per day, workload, overtime and non-billable time.
- Teams
- Team admins create users, assign projects and tasks to each member, plan budgets and rates, and see the team's booked hours and remaining budget live.
- Automation and API
- More than 20 Apple Shortcuts actions, AppleScript, a developer API with webhooks, Zapier and n8n automate Tyme. Plugins send hours to invoicing tools.
Plans
Timemator
Timemator for iOS$7.99
one-time in-app purchase (Full License)
The iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app. A free download with a 30-day trial; the Full License unlocks it for good.
Timemator for Mac$39
one-time payment
The Mac app with the Activity Timeline and Auto-tracking. Use forever, with activation on 2 computers.
Tyme
Monthly Plan (1 User)$6.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
One person on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, on up to 5 devices. Renews monthly and can be canceled at any time.
Monthly Plan (teams)From $13.99
per month for 2 users, US App Store in-app purchase
Team plans on the US App Store listing: $13.99 for 2 users, $19.99 for 3, $24.99 for 4 and $39.99 for 6, each per month.
Annual Plan (1 User)$59.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same single-user subscription paid once a year, which the website labels a 28% saving.
Ways to pay less
Timemator
- Lifetime license
One-time purchase instead of a subscription
Timemator for Mac is a one-time payment of $39 described as "use forever", and the iOS Full License is a one-time $7.99 in-app purchase.
- Education
Student discount
The homepage links to a student discount on Timemator, offered through Student App Centre. The discount amount is not stated on the vendor's site.
Tyme
- Annual discount
Save 28% with the annual plan
Tyme's pricing page labels the annual plan "Save 28%". On the US App Store the single-user plan is $59.99 a year against $6.99 a month.
