The ManicTime Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ManicTime 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.
ManicTime
The Insider’s Guide
Automatic time tracker, in the cloud or on your own server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among time tracking apps, read from ManicTime’s own pages.
Made by ManicTime · 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 ManicTime’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ManicTime’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
2.4
GPA, above 8 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade
ManicTime records the apps, websites and documents used on a computer and lays them out on a timeline, so time can be tagged to clients and projects after the fact. The tagged time feeds timesheets, reports and invoices. It is sold as a cloud subscription or as a one-time license that keeps data on your own hardware, with an optional self-hosted server, and a free version exists for Windows.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about ManicTime, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for automatic tracking kept on your own hardware
ManicTime records the apps, websites and documents you use and lays them on a timeline for you to tag afterwards, on the cloud or on your own hardware, or bought once for $87.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $7 per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 8 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 ManicTime you could make: time tracking, reports and invoicing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
ManicTime at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7 per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial on all paid versions
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- ManicTime, since 2007
- Category
- Time Tracking
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for automatic tracking kept on your own hardware
ManicTime records the apps, websites and documents you use and lays them on a timeline for you to tag afterwards, on the cloud or on your own hardware, or bought once for $87. The free version is Windows only and leaves out auto-tagging, timesheets and sync, the license carries one year of upgrades, cloud plans cap devices at 3 or 5, and there's no web app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Cloud Standard is $7 a month billed yearly for one person, $9 monthly, and teams pay $10 a user, all of which is middle of the road here. The $87 license looks like the way out, but it only carries a year of upgrades, so it isn't buying the future. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There is a free version, and it's Windows only and stripped down with it: no auto-tagging, no timesheets, no stopwatch, no advanced search, no server sync. You'll hit that wall quickly. Every paid version has a 30-day trial. |
| Features | B | It records apps, websites and documents in the background with no internet needed, and rules tag the repeat stuff for you. Then optional screenshots, away-time prompts, timesheets, reports and PDF invoices from approved timesheets, on the cloud or your own server. The job is covered. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Tracking looks after itself once installed, but the work comes after: you tag a timeline to clients and projects day by day until you've built rules that do it for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with a REST API and links to Jira, GitHub, Asana, Harvest, FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online. No web app is listed, and cloud plans cap devices at 3 a user on Standard and 5 on Ultimate. |
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 ManicTime is for
- Fits if you want a record of your day without running a timer
- Works for companies that must keep tracking data on their own servers
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free, because the free version is Windows only with no timesheets, auto-tagging or server sync
- Not for you if you expect a license to cover every future version, as it comes with one year of upgrades
- Pricey if you want screenshots stored in the cloud, which takes Ultimate at $9 a month, or $13 a user for teams
- Watch out: cloud plans cap devices at 3 a user on Standard and 5 on Ultimate, and stop working when they lapse
- Skip it if you want a web app, or the Azure DevOps and Basecamp links outside Windows, as neither is offered
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7
A month to start. There is a free plan too
ManicTime has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7 per month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly).
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.
The free plan
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.
Trying it first
30-day free trial on all paid versions
Read from manictime.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on manictime.comLifetime 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.
Stated on manictime.comEducation
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.
Stated on docs.manictime.comOther 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.
Stated on docs.manictime.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Automatic time tracker, in the cloud or on your own server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, works offline, one-time purchase, public API, time tracking, invoicing, reports.
It records apps, websites and documents in the background with no internet needed, and rules tag the repeat stuff for you.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Jira
- GitHub
- Asana
- Azure DevOps
- Basecamp
- Harvest
- FreshBooks
- QuickBooks Online
ManicTime is made by ManicTime, and has been around since 2007.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
8/42
Other time tracking apps it is graded above
ManicTime's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 8 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on features (B, above 22 of 42) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $7 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 19 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 9 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. ManicTime’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
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 11 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. ManicTime 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 ManicTime you could make: time tracking, reports and invoicing. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 24 of the 42 other time tracking apps grade higher. It costs $84 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking, reports and invoicing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Jira, GitHub and Asana among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. ManicTime’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
ActivityWatch, RescueTime, Timing, Memtime and DeskTime
The 5 tools ManicTime is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
ActivityWatch
Free
Free, open-source automatic time tracker that keeps data local.
- Only ManicTime lists an iOS app.
- Only ActivityWatch lists a browser extension.
- ManicTime is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
RescueTime
Free plan · from $7/mo
Automatic time tracking with distraction blocking and timesheets.
- Only ManicTime lists a Linux app.
- Only RescueTime lists a web app.
- Only RescueTime lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
Timing
Free trial · from $9/mo
Automatic time tracking for Mac with no timers to start.
- ManicTime has a free plan. Timing does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ManicTime lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Timing lists a web app.
- 2.0GPA
Memtime
Free trial · from $14/mo
Automatic desktop time tracker that keeps activity data offline.
- ManicTime has a free plan. Memtime does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ManicTime lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Memtime lists a web app.
- 2.6GPA
DeskTime
Free trial · from $6.42/mo
Automatic time tracking and productivity monitoring for teams.
- 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.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
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 ManicTime free?
ManicTime has a free plan. Free version of ManicTime for Windows, usable in any setting.
How much does ManicTime cost?
ManicTime lists 6 plans. Free version (Windows): $0.
What platforms does ManicTime work on?
ManicTime is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does ManicTime offer any discounts?
ManicTime publicly lists the following: Lower cloud price with yearly billing; One-time license from $87 per user; 80% off the license for students and retirees; 50% off early license renewal.
Is ManicTime open source?
ManicTime is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Can ManicTime be self-hosted?
Yes. ManicTime's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Does ManicTime work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Does ManicTime have an API?
Yes. ManicTime offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does ManicTime integrate with?
ManicTime's listing names Jira, GitHub, Asana, Azure DevOps, Basecamp, Harvest, FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online.
Does ManicTime have a student discount?
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.
Does ManicTime have a free trial?
Yes. 30-day free trial on all paid versions.
Who makes ManicTime?
ManicTime is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2007.
What are the alternatives to ManicTime?
The closest alternatives to ManicTime in our directory are ActivityWatch, RescueTime, Timing, Memtime and DeskTime.
How does ManicTime compare with other time tracking apps?
ManicTime's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 8 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 10.
Is ManicTime good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ManicTime C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 19 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of ManicTime?
The plain part of ManicTime you could make: time tracking, reports and invoicing.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ManicTime’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 ManicTime's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-25.
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 ManicTime. Prices change, so check manictime.com before you buy.
- manictime.com/pricing
- manictime.com/js/pricing.js
- manictime.com/pricing/license
- manictime.com/js/pricing-license.js
- manictime.com
- manictime.com/download
- manictime.com/features/automatic-time-tracking
- manictime.com/features/cloud-or-on-premise
- manictime.com/features/integrate-with-other-systems
- manictime.com/features/invoice-from-timesheet
- manictime.com/features/mcp-server-for-ai-time-tracking
- manictime.com/integrations
- docs.manictime.com/win-client/faq/license-types
- docs.manictime.com/win-client/faq/license-only-features
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
- ManicTime, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/manictime
- 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, "ManicTime: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/manictime
Know someone choosing between time tracking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/manictime/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded time tracking apps after ManicTime, 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 ManicTime’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. ManicTime is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ManicTime. Prices and plans change: check manictime.com before you buy.