The Chronoid Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Chronoid in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Chronoid
The Insider’s Guide
Automatic, local-first time tracking and invoicing for Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among time tracking apps, read from Chronoid’s own pages.
Made by Chronoid · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Chronoid’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Chronoid’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade
Chronoid is a Mac app for freelancers and consultants who bill by the hour. It records the apps, websites and documents in use without timers, assigns that activity to client projects through rules, and turns billable hours into reports and PDF invoices. Tracked data is stored on the Mac, and an AI assistant that can run on local models answers questions about it. A Pomodoro timer and website blocker are built in.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Chronoid, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for Mac freelancers who bill by the hour
Chronoid watches what you do on your Mac, files it under clients by rules you set, and turns billable hours into a PDF invoice, with the data kept on your Mac.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, billed yearly at $96 ($15 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial, no account or credit card required
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Automatic tracking
Runs in the background and captures foreground apps, window titles, browser URLs and documents, with idle detection so time away is not counted. No timers to start.
- 6
Smart rules and projects
Rules assign activity to client projects by app or keyword. Clients and projects are organized in a hierarchy, with time targets and scheduled tracking hours.
- 7
Invoices and reports
Projects carry hourly rates and a billable status. Unbilled hours load into an invoice editor with tax, currency and payment terms, and export as a PDF.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 0 of 42
That is against the other time tracking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Chronoid you could make: time tracking, invoicing and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Chronoid at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $8 per month, billed yearly at $96 ($15 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, no account or credit card required
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Chronoid
- Category
- Time Tracking
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for Mac freelancers who bill by the hour
Chronoid watches what you do on your Mac, files it under clients by rules you set, and turns billable hours into a PDF invoice, with the data kept on your Mac. It runs on macOS 14 or later only, iPhone time comes in as a Screen Time import, there's no free plan after the 7-day trial, month to month costs $15, and each license covers one person, with team pricing on request.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $8 a month billed yearly at $96 sits in the middle of the pack for time trackers, and $15 month to month is dearer than most. The Lifetime license is $149, still a mid-market price whichever way you pay. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan at all. The 7-day trial wants no account and no credit card, but a week is all you get before a license is due. |
| Features | B | It covers the lot for billing by the hour: automatic tracking of apps, window titles, URLs and documents with idle detection, rules that file it under client projects, hourly rates and a PDF invoice editor. Pomodoro, a site blocker and a local-model AI chat sit on top. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It does run in the background with no timers to start, but you write the rules, by app or keyword, that sort activity into projects, so there is setup between you and a report you can bill from. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | macOS 14 or later and nothing else. iPhone and iPad time only arrives as a Screen Time import, not an app. It does connect to ClickUp, monday.com, Linear and Apple Calendar. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Chronoid is for
- Fits if you're a freelancer or consultant on a Mac who bills by the hour
- Works for people who want tracked data kept on their own Mac
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you work on Windows or Linux, because it only runs on macOS 14 or later
- Not for you if you want a free plan, as a license is needed after the 7-day trial
- Pricey if you pay month to month, at $15 against $8 a month on the yearly plan
- Tight if you run a team, as each license is one person on up to 3 Macs and team pricing means contacting the vendor
- Watch out: hosted AI providers bill you separately from the license, unless you run the assistant on local models
Good to know
Good for
- Mac freelancers and consultants who bill by the hour
- People who want tracked data to stay on their own Mac
- Buyers who prefer a lifetime license to a subscription
Worth knowing
- Chronoid runs only on macOS 14 or later; iPhone and iPad activity comes in through Screen Time import, not an app.
- There is no free plan: a license is needed after the 7-day trial.
- Each license covers one person on up to 3 Macs; team and company pricing is by contacting the vendor.
- Fees for hosted AI providers are separate from the license; the assistant can also run on local models.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start
Chronoid is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $8 per month, billed yearly at $96 ($15 billed monthly).
Annual
$8
per month, billed yearly at $96
All features for one person on up to 3 Macs, with premium support and updates while subscribed.
Monthly
$15
per month
The same subscription billed month to month: all features for one person on up to 3 Macs. Cancel anytime.
Lifetime
$149
one-time payment
All features for one person on up to 3 Macs, with lifetime access and updates.
Trying it first
7-day free trial, no account or credit card required
Read from chronoid.app on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
$96 a year instead of $15 a month
The pricing page shows the subscription at $8 a month billed yearly at $96, against $15 a month billed monthly, which would be $180 over a year.
Stated on chronoid.appLifetime license
Lifetime license for $149
A single payment of $149 gives one person lifetime access and updates on up to 3 Macs.
Stated on chronoid.appEducation
50% off education licenses
The pricing page tells students to email Chronoid support for 50% off education licenses.
Stated on chronoid.appOther savings
50% off bulk lifetime licenses
Orders of at least 5 lifetime licenses are listed at $75 per license instead of $149, from $375 for 5, arranged by contacting the vendor.
Stated on chronoid.app
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Automatic, local-first time tracking and invoicing for Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, one-time purchase, AI features, site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer, time tracking, invoicing.
Pomodoro, a site blocker and a local-model AI chat sit on top.
- Automatic tracking
- Runs in the background and captures foreground apps, window titles, browser URLs and documents, with idle detection so time away is not counted. No timers to start.
- Smart rules and projects
- Rules assign activity to client projects by app or keyword. Clients and projects are organized in a hierarchy, with time targets and scheduled tracking hours.
- Invoices and reports
- Projects carry hourly rates and a billable status. Unbilled hours load into an invoice editor with tax, currency and payment terms, and export as a PDF.
- AI insights and MCP server
- A chat answers questions about your hours, using local models through Ollama, LM Studio or Apple Intelligence, or a cloud provider. A local MCP server serves AI agents.
- Pomodoro timer and website blocker
- Focus sessions run on a Pomodoro timer and can be scheduled, and distracting websites can be blocked on demand while you work.
- Meetings, calendar and Screen Time
- Detects meetings and logs their time, reads Apple Calendar for titles and project suggestions, and imports iPhone and iPad sessions from Screen Time.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- ClickUp
- monday.com
- Linear
- Apple Calendar
Chronoid is made by Chronoid.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/42
Other time tracking apps it is graded above
Chronoid's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on features (B, above 22 of 42) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 21 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 21 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 43 time tracking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Chronoid’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 42
- CFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 42
- BFeaturesAbove 22 of 42
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 42
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 42
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 39 time tracking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Chronoid is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Chronoid you could make: time tracking, invoicing and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 39 of the 42 other time tracking apps grade higher. It costs $96 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking, invoicing and Pomodoro timer: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Blocking that reaches every browser and app and is hard to switch off.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Chronoid’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Timing, Rize, Timemator, ActivityWatch and RescueTime
The 5 tools Chronoid is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Timing
Free trial · from $9/mo
Automatic time tracking for Mac with no timers to start.
- Only Timing lists a web app.
- Chronoid can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Chronoid also covers site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer and invoicing.
- 2.2GPA
Rize
Free trial · from $9.99/mo
Automatic time tracker with focus tools and AI reports.
- Only Rize lists a Windows app.
- Only Rize lists a browser extension.
- Chronoid can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Timemator
Free trial · from $39 one-time
Automatic time tracking for Mac with a one-time license.
- Only Timemator lists an iOS app.
- Chronoid also covers site & app blocker, Pomodoro timer and invoicing.
- Timemator also covers reports.
- 3.0GPA
ActivityWatch
Free
Free, open-source automatic time tracker that keeps data local.
- ActivityWatch has a free plan. Chronoid does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ActivityWatch lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only ActivityWatch lists a browser extension.
- 2.8GPA
RescueTime
Free plan · from $7/mo
Automatic time tracking with distraction blocking and timesheets.
- RescueTime has a free plan. Chronoid does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only RescueTime lists a web app.
- Only RescueTime lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Chronoid free?
No, Chronoid is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial, no account or credit card required.
How much does Chronoid cost?
Chronoid lists 3 plans. Annual: $8 per month, billed yearly at $96.
What platforms does Chronoid work on?
Chronoid is available on macOS.
Does Chronoid offer any discounts?
Chronoid publicly lists the following: $96 a year instead of $15 a month; Lifetime license for $149; 50% off education licenses; 50% off bulk lifetime licenses.
Does Chronoid have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Chronoid is listed for macOS.
Does Chronoid have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Chronoid is listed for macOS.
Is Chronoid open source?
Chronoid is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Chronoid integrate with?
Chronoid's listing names ClickUp, monday.com, Linear and Apple Calendar.
Does Chronoid have a student discount?
50% off education licenses. The pricing page tells students to email Chronoid support for 50% off education licenses.
Who makes Chronoid?
Chronoid is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Chronoid?
The closest alternatives to Chronoid in our directory are Timing, Rize, Timemator, ActivityWatch and RescueTime.
How does Chronoid compare with other time tracking apps?
Chronoid's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 3.
Is Chronoid good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Chronoid C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 21 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Chronoid?
The plain part of Chronoid you could make: time tracking, invoicing and Pomodoro timer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Chronoid’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Chronoid's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-17.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Chronoid. Prices change, so check chronoid.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Chronoid, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/chronoid
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Chronoid: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/chronoid
Know someone choosing between time tracking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/chronoid/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded time tracking apps after Chronoid, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Time Tracking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 43 time tracking apps we grade, compared
- Jibble Insider's GuideFree time clock and attendance tracker with GPS and face recognition3.4 GPA
- Clockify Insider's GuideTeam time tracker and timesheets with a free plan for 5 users3.2 GPA
- TimeCamp Insider's GuideTime tracking with attendance, billing and a free plan for any team3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Chronoid’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Chronoid is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Chronoid. Prices and plans change: check chronoid.app before you buy.