TimeScribe vs Timing
We give TimeScribe a 3.6 GPA and Timing a 3.0, out of 4.0. TimeScribe grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Timing
Automatic time tracking for Mac with no timers to start
Free trial · from $9/mo
How we grade them
| 3.6GPATimeScribeExcellent | 3.0GPATimingVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt's free, and there's no paid tier at all. The vendor's FAQ says there are no hidden costs, no subscriptions and no restrictions. Most time trackers charge by the month. | 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 | AEvery feature on macOS and Windows is free, with no account, no premium plan and no paywall. It's open source under the GPL-3.0 license too, so you can read the code. | 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 for one person's working hours, and it does that job fully. A one-click timer for work and breaks, a balance that shows overtime, projects with hourly rates, vacation and sick days, public holidays, and PDF, Excel or CSV export. App tracking is optional and off by default. | 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. It's an app you install and use, with no account to make. One click starts, pauses or stops the timer, and you can do it from the menu bar. | 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 | BMac and Windows, with custom keyboard shortcuts and deep links that Shortcuts, Alfred, Raycast or AutoHotkey can fire. No Linux, mobile or web version is listed. And your data lives on the one device, with no cloud. | 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 | free, private tracking of your own hours | 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: TimeScribe and Timing. How we grade
Where they differ
- TimeScribe is free. Timing starts at $9 per month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly).
- TimeScribe has a free plan. Timing does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TimeScribe lists a Windows app.
- Only Timing lists a web app.
- TimeScribe is open source, according to its own site.
- TimeScribe also covers menu bar app.
In commonmacOSLocal-firstTime trackingReports
At a glance
| TimeScribe | Timing | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $9 per month, billed annually ($11 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Completely free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. The vendor's FAQ says there are no hidden costs, no subscriptions and no restrictions. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | TimeScribe | Timing Software GmbH |
| Price read from | timescribe.app | timingapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
TimeScribe
- Individuals who have to record working hours, breaks and overtime
- Freelancers who want free tracking with exports for invoices
- People who do not want an account or their time data in the cloud
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
TimeScribe
- It is built for individual users; the vendor's FAQ recommends other tools for teams.
- All data is stored locally on the device, without a cloud or an account.
- There are apps for macOS and Windows only; no Linux, mobile or web version is listed.
- Help and feature requests go through GitHub issues and discussions.
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
TimeScribe
- Timer in the menu bar
- Work and break tracking starts, pauses and stops with one click, and the timer can be controlled from the menu bar, including switching between projects.
- Time balance and overtime
- Day and week views show work patterns and whether you are ahead of or behind your hours, so overtime and missed time are visible at a glance.
- Projects and hourly rates
- Time is tracked per project with descriptions, and an optional hourly rate produces billing calculations for client work.
- Absences and holidays
- Vacation and sick days are planned and recorded separately from work, and public holidays can be included in the overview.
- App activity and automatic start
- Optional app tracking, off by default, shows which apps were used and sorts work from distractions. The timer can start and pause by itself based on screen time and idle status.
- Exports, shortcuts and deep links
- Times export as PDF, Excel or CSV. Custom keyboard shortcuts and timescribe:// links let tools such as Shortcuts, Alfred, Raycast or AutoHotkey start and stop the timer.
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
TimeScribe
Free$0
Every feature on macOS and Windows, with no account, no premium plan and no paywall.
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
TimeScribe
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.
