The TimeTagger Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about TimeTagger 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.
TimeTagger
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source time tracker built on tags and a timeline
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among time tracking apps, read from TimeTagger’s own pages.
Made by Almar Klein scientific computing · 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 TimeTagger’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TimeTagger’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
2.6
GPA, above 19 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade
TimeTagger is an open-source time tracker for individuals and freelancers, built by a one-person Dutch company. Records live on an interactive timeline and are organized with tags written into their descriptions rather than with projects. A report dialog turns any period into a PDF or CSV. It runs as a web app that can be installed on phones and desktops, either on the paid hosted service or on a server of your own.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about TimeTagger, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Host it yourself and the server, updates, authentication and backups are all yours.
- 1
Best for a €3-a-month solo tracker built on tags
It isn't in the App Store or Google Play and has no integrations, invoicing or team plan, so teams should look elsewhere.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $3.36 a month
As its pricing page puts it: €3 per month, billed annually (€4 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Self-hosted TimeTagger is free and open source (GPLv3). The hosted service at timetagger.app has no free tier: once the 14-day trial ends a subscription is needed to keep adding records.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Interactive timeline
Records sit on a timeline that scrolls and zooms from a day to longer ranges. A record is created by dragging on the timeline and edited by dragging its start, its end or the whole block.
- 6
Tags instead of projects
Any word in a description that starts with # becomes a tag. Tags exist only through the records that use them, can be renamed in bulk, and filter the overview into a breakdown.
- 7
PDF and CSV reports
The report button builds a table for the selected period and tags. It saves as a PDF for billing clients or as CSV with durations in decimal hours for a spreadsheet.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 19 of 42
That is against the other time tracking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
You could make this
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
TimeTagger at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €3 per month, billed annually (€4 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the hosted service, no card required; a longer trial on request
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Almar Klein scientific computing
- Category
- Time Tracking
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a €3-a-month solo tracker built on tags
TimeTagger is an open-source tracker for one person: drag on a timeline to make a record and sort things with #tags, with no projects to set up. Hosting it yourself is free; the hosted version is €3 a month with no free tier, and it goes read-only if you stop paying. It isn't in the App Store or Google Play and has no integrations, invoicing or team plan, so teams should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | The hosted basic plan is €3 a month billed annually, €4 monthly, VAT included, which is the cheaper quarter for this category. There's a Lifetime plan at €144 once for the same service, worth it if you expect to stay four years. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free only if you host it: the open-source app costs nothing on your own server and holds nothing back. The hosted service has no free tier at all, just a 14-day trial with no card, and after that it goes read-only until you subscribe. |
| Features | C | Records sit on a timeline you zoom and drag, any word starting with # becomes a tag, and the report button makes a PDF or CSV for any period, with targets and a Pomodoro mode. It does that fully, and it's a smaller job: no projects, no invoicing, no teams, nothing automatic. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but on the hosted service there's nothing to set up, not even projects: drag on the timeline, type a description, add a #tag. Host it yourself and the server, updates, authentication and backups are all yours. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A browser, and that's the lot. It installs as a web app on Android, iOS and desktop and keeps working offline, but it isn't in the App Store or Google Play, and no integrations are on record beyond its own web API and a command-line tool. |
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 TimeTagger is for
- Fits if you freelance and want a €3-a-month tracker with PDF or CSV reports for clients
- Works for developers who want to self-host their time data or script it through the web API
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need a team tracker, as it's aimed at individuals and team subscriptions are arranged by email
- Not for you if you want a native phone app, because on phones it's a web app installed from the browser
- Watch out: the hosted service has no free tier, and when a subscription lapses the app turns read-only, though data can be exported
- Tight if you self-host, since the server, updates, authentication and backups are all yours to run
- Too light for billing or project tracking, as it has no projects, invoicing or integrations, only #tags
Good to know
Good for
- Freelancers who want a low-cost tracker and PDF reports for clients
- People who prefer tagging entries to setting up projects
- Developers who want to self-host their time data or script it through an API
Worth knowing
- It is not in the App Store or Google Play; on phones it is installed as a web app from the browser.
- The hosted service has no free tier, and after a subscription lapses the app becomes read-only, though data can still be exported.
- Prices are set in euros; the vendor says buyers in most countries pay in their local currency.
- It is aimed at individuals: buying several subscriptions for a team is arranged by email.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$3.36
A month to start. There is a free plan too
TimeTagger has a free plan. Paid plans start at €3 per month, billed annually (€4 billed monthly).
Free only if you host it: the open-source app costs nothing on your own server and holds nothing back.
Self-hosted
Free
The open-source app (GPLv3) on your own server. You handle hosting, updates, authentication and backups yourself.
Basic plan
€3
per month, billed annually (€4 billed monthly), incl. VAT
The hosted service at timetagger.app: no server to manage, an account that syncs across devices, and daily data backups.
Lifetime plan
€144
one-time payment, incl. VAT
The same as the basic plan, paid once and used indefinitely.
The free plan
Self-hosted TimeTagger is free and open source (GPLv3). The hosted service at timetagger.app has no free tier: once the 14-day trial ends a subscription is needed to keep adding records.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of the hosted service, no card required; a longer trial on request
Read from timetagger.app on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Lifetime plan for €144
The pricing section offers a Lifetime plan at €144, paid once, with the same service as the basic subscription.
Stated on timetagger.appAnnual discount
€1 a month less with annual billing
The basic plan is €3 a month when billed annually, the default. Monthly billing costs €1 more a month, which the vendor attributes to transaction costs.
Stated on timetagger.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: Web
Open-source time tracker built on tags and a timeline. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, works offline, public API, Pomodoro timer, time tracking, reports.
It does that fully, and it's a smaller job: no projects, no invoicing, no teams, nothing automatic.
- Interactive timeline
- Records sit on a timeline that scrolls and zooms from a day to longer ranges. A record is created by dragging on the timeline and edited by dragging its start, its end or the whole block.
- Tags instead of projects
- Any word in a description that starts with # becomes a tag. Tags exist only through the records that use them, can be renamed in bulk, and filter the overview into a breakdown.
- PDF and CSV reports
- The report button builds a table for the selected period and tags. It saves as a PDF for billing clients or as CSV with durations in decimal hours for a spreadsheet.
- Targets and Pomodoro
- Targets can be set and progress followed against them, and a built-in Pomodoro mode structures work into focused sessions.
- Installable and usable offline
- TimeTagger is a progressive web app: it installs from the browser on Android, iOS and desktop, keeps working without a connection and syncs changes when back online.
- Web API and command line
- A documented web API and a separate CLI tool let records be read and timers started from scripts or a terminal. The source is on GitHub and can be run locally or self-hosted.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
TimeTagger is made by Almar Klein scientific computing.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/42
Other time tracking apps it is graded above
TimeTagger's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 19 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 29 of 42) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $3.36 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 4 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 43 time tracking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. TimeTagger’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 26 of 42
- BFree plan and trialAbove 29 of 42
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 42
- BEase of useAbove 23 of 42
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 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. TimeTagger 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.
You could make this
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
What TimeTagger does at its core is time tracking, Pomodoro timer and reports, and that is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well. You would give up one thing, listed below, and little else. It costs $40.34 a year. An AI app builder starts at about $19 a month on our listings, and you only need it while you build. TimeTagger is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Time tracking, Pomodoro timer and reports: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. TimeTagger’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
Kimai, solidtime, Toggl, ActivityWatch and Clockify
The 5 tools TimeTagger is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Kimai
Free plan · from €2.99/mo
Open-source time tracking with invoicing, self-hosted or cloud.
- TimeTagger also covers Pomodoro timer.
- Kimai also covers invoicing.
- 2.6GPA
solidtime
Free plan · from €8/mo
Open-source time tracker for freelancers and teams.
- Only solidtime lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only solidtime lists a browser extension.
- TimeTagger also covers Pomodoro timer.
- 3.0GPA
Toggl
Free plan · from $9/mo
Team time tracker with billing reports and capacity planning.
- Only Toggl lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Toggl lists a browser extension.
- TimeTagger is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
ActivityWatch
Free
Free, open-source automatic time tracker that keeps data local.
- Only TimeTagger lists a web app.
- Only ActivityWatch lists Windows, macOS, Linux and Android apps.
- Only ActivityWatch lists a browser extension.
- 3.2GPA
Clockify
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Team time tracker and timesheets with a free plan for 5 users.
- Only Clockify lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Clockify lists a browser extension.
- TimeTagger is open source and 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
15
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 TimeTagger free?
TimeTagger has a free plan. Self-hosted TimeTagger is free and open source (GPLv3).
How much does TimeTagger cost?
TimeTagger lists 3 plans. Self-hosted: Free.
What platforms does TimeTagger work on?
TimeTagger is available on Web.
Does TimeTagger offer any discounts?
TimeTagger publicly lists the following: Lifetime plan for €144; €1 a month less with annual billing.
Does TimeTagger have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. TimeTagger is listed for Web.
Does TimeTagger have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. TimeTagger is listed for Web.
Is TimeTagger open source?
Yes. TimeTagger is open source, according to its own site.
Does TimeTagger 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 TimeTagger have an API?
Yes. TimeTagger offers a public API, according to its own site.
Does TimeTagger have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of the hosted service, no card required; a longer trial on request.
Who makes TimeTagger?
TimeTagger is made by Almar Klein scientific computing.
What are the alternatives to TimeTagger?
The closest alternatives to TimeTagger in our directory are Kimai, solidtime, Toggl, ActivityWatch and Clockify.
How does TimeTagger compare with other time tracking apps?
TimeTagger's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 19 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is TimeTagger good value for money?
ToolGPA grades TimeTagger B for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $3.36 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 4 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of TimeTagger?
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TimeTagger’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 TimeTagger's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-09.
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 Almar Klein scientific computing. Prices change, so check timetagger.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
- TimeTagger, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/timetagger
- 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, "TimeTagger: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/timetagger
Know someone choosing between time tracking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/timetagger/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded time tracking apps after TimeTagger, 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 TimeTagger’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. TimeTagger is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Almar Klein scientific computing. Prices and plans change: check timetagger.app before you buy.