Time tracking tools, compared
Tools in this category answer three different questions, and most comparison lists mix them up. Some exist to bill a client, some exist so an employer can verify work, and some exist so you can understand your own week. Work out which question is yours first. That eliminates most of this list immediately.
Time Tracking Tools: side-by-side
These fall in three rough camps: Timesheets for billing, employee monitoring, and productivity. DoneThat focuses on the latter.
| Tool | Fully automated | Input data | Privacy‑first | Timesheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Remote work's missing piece Best for: Productivity-focused tracking without any work. | Yes | Screen-first for highest accuracy | Yes | CSV exports but not meant for billing |
Simple manual time tracking with strong reporting and integrations. Best for: Freelancers and teams needing straightforward timesheets. | Partial (calendar, rules) | Manual timer, apps, calendar, 100+ via extension | Timeline private to user | Yes |
Prompt-based tracker that periodically asks to track. Best for: Individuals looking for a minimalist tool to stay on track. | No — prompts you | Web API, Zapier, AppleScript | Yes, minimal capture | Dashboard, day/week/month |
Automatic time tracking with focus sessions and productivity reports. Best for: Individuals who want passive tracking and distraction reduction. | Yes | Apps, websites, focus sessions | Cloud-processed, category-level | Paid add-on tier |
Focus-first time tracking with productivity insights. Best for: Solo knowledge workers who want focus coaching and tracking. | Yes | Desktop apps, websites | Window metadata, cloud AI | Reports and exports, not billing |
Automatic focus and drift timeline with free on-device AI. Best for: Individuals who want to see focus versus drift for free, with AI on their own Mac. | Yes | Apps, sites, window titles, page clues, Google Calendar (Mac) | Local AI free; cloud or your own key optional | Project time, not billing |
Mac time tracker that sorts each hour into focus and distraction with on-device AI. Best for: Mac users who want focus tracking with on-device AI and an iPhone companion. | Yes | Apps, documents, screen text, iPhone entries | On-device AI by default on Apple Silicon; cloud optional | CSV export, not billing |
Process intelligence and task mining for capturing and optimizing repetitive work. Best for: Operations teams mapping workflows and identifying automation opportunities. | Yes | Desktop clicks and keystrokes across applications | Exclusions and redaction, but records keystrokes | No — process maps, not timesheets |
Billing-focused tracking both automated and manual. Best for: Teams needing accurate timesheets and clear reporting. | Yes | Apps, documents, calendar, physical tracker | Yes | Yes |
macOS‑native automatic tracking with clean interface. Best for: Mac users wanting looking for a minimalist automated tool. | Yes | Apps, calendar, iOS import, ClickUp, Linear, Clio | Yes, local-first | Yes |
Native Mac time tracker with local data, invoices, AI recaps and a local MCP server. Best for: Mac freelancers who want local-first tracking, invoices and a one-time price. | Yes | Apps, window titles, URLs, meetings, Apple Calendar | Yes, local database; bring your own AI | Yes, with invoices |
Rule-based automatic time tracking for Mac freelancers. Best for: Mac freelancers who bill by the hour and want a one-time purchase. | Yes, by rules (Mac only) | Apps and project files, plus a manual timer | Yes, on your devices with iCloud sync | Hourly rates and client reports |
Mac work journal built from screenshots read by on-device AI. Best for: Mac users who want a private daily work log with no cloud AI. | Yes, a screenshot every 30 seconds | Screenshots read by a local AI model | Yes, local AI; screenshots stay on the Mac | Daily CSV work logs on paid plans; no export on Free |
Calendar-native time tracking and timesheets. Best for: Professional services needing compliant narrative timesheets. | Yes | Email, documents, browsers, video calls, practice systems | Firm-controlled | Yes — billing-ready narratives |
AI timesheets for teams, drafted from screen activity and meetings. Best for: Teams that bill clients and want timesheets drafted from the work itself. | Yes, AI-drafted timesheets | Screenshots, apps, window titles, meetings | Screenshots analyzed in the cloud, raw images deleted by default | Yes, with review, release and payroll exports |
Automatic time tracking for individuals and teams. Best for: Hands-off auto-capture with clean timesheets for client work. | Yes | Apps, calendar, documents | Yes | Yes, AI-drafted |
Time tracking with activity metrics, GPS, and workforce tools. Best for: Field/remote teams needing activity metrics or location options. | Yes, with manual timers | Apps, URLs, GPS, screenshots, payroll | No — screenshots, activity levels, GPS | Yes, plus payroll |
Employee time tracking and productivity analytics. Best for: Companies needing workforce analytics and monitoring options. | Yes | Apps, websites, screenshots, workflow mapping | No — screenshots standard, recording an add-on | Yes, workforce analytics |
Employee time tracking with productivity and attendance reporting. Best for: Distributed teams needing detailed workforce analytics. | Yes, with manual timers | Apps, URLs, screenshots, screen recording | No — screenshots all tiers, recording on Premium or as add-on | Yes, plus payroll |
Workforce analytics and productivity insights for teams. Best for: Organizations optimizing team productivity and focus. | Yes | Apps, websites, schedules, location validation | Screenshots are an opt-in add-on | Attendance and adherence |
User activity monitoring, insider risk management and data loss prevention. Best for: Security and compliance teams that need DLP, insider-risk detection or session recordings. | Yes, from login | Screen, keystrokes, email, files, AI chats, 15+ channels | No: screen recording on every plan, keystrokes from UAM | Active and idle time |
Employee monitoring and workforce analytics: activity, screenshots, attendance, field staff tracking and DLP. Best for: Employers who want low-cost monitoring with screenshots, attendance and field staff tracking in one tool. | Yes, from login, plus task timers | Apps, URLs, screenshots, GPS, work calls, 80+ apps | No: screenshots, live screens, silent mode | Yes, approvals via add-on |
Automatic tracking with strong reporting; cloud or on-premise. Best for: Individuals and teams needing detailed usage and timesheets. | Yes | Apps, documents, multi-device, Android and iOS | Local or on-premise option; cloud screenshots on Ultimate | Yes |
Auto-tracking based on active app windows. Clean UI. Best for: People looking for a minimalist tool with integrations. | Yes | Apps, documents, calendar, project tools, calls on Premium | Yes — offline, never uploaded | Yes |
Time tracking with screenshots and activity logging. Best for: Teams that want simple proof-of-work screenshots. | Yes, after clock-in | Apps, websites, URLs, screenshots | No — screenshots on every tier | Yes |
Open-source automatic time tracking and activity analytics. Best for: Privacy-conscious users who prefer self-hosting. | Yes | Apps, websites, Android, custom watchers | Yes — local only, open source | Raw data, build your own |
Track time in spreadsheets; flexible but time‑intensive and error‑prone. Best for: One-off projects or very lightweight reporting. | -No | Manual | Yes | Manual |
No tool used; minimal overhead but no visibility into effort or focus. Best for: Roles where output is fully objective and time isn’t needed. | -N/A | N/A | -N/A | -No |
Free manual time tracker with timesheets, projects, and team reporting. Best for: Teams and nonprofits that need free timesheets and project-level reporting. | Partial (auto tracker) | Manual timer, auto tracker, calendar, extensions | Screenshots/GPS on Pro tier | Yes |
No rankings and no paid placements. Tools are grouped below by what each one is for. Claims about other products come from their public materials. Last verified .
Automatic capture, for understanding your own work
No timer to start. These reconstruct or record your activity so the question 'where did the week go' has an answer that does not depend on your memory.
DoneThat vs Rize
Focus-first time tracking with productivity insights.
Best for: Solo knowledge workers who want focus coaching and tracking.
DoneThat vs Timely
Automatic time tracking for individuals and teams.
Best for: Hands-off auto-capture with clean timesheets for client work.
DoneThat vs RescueTime
Automatic time tracking with focus sessions and productivity reports.
Best for: Individuals who want passive tracking and distraction reduction.
DoneThat vs Timing
macOS‑native automatic tracking with clean interface.
Best for: Mac users wanting looking for a minimalist automated tool.
DoneThat vs Memtime
Auto-tracking based on active app windows. Clean UI.
Best for: People looking for a minimalist tool with integrations.
DoneThat vs ManicTime
Automatic tracking with strong reporting; cloud or on-premise.
Best for: Individuals and teams needing detailed usage and timesheets.
DoneThat vs ActivityWatch
Open-source automatic time tracking and activity analytics.
Best for: Privacy-conscious users who prefer self-hosting.
Timer-first, for billing and timesheets
You start and stop, or confirm what a tracker suggests. The output is a defensible record of hours against a project or client.
DoneThat vs Toggl Track
Simple manual time tracking with strong reporting and integrations.
Best for: Freelancers and teams needing straightforward timesheets.
DoneThat vs Clockify
Free manual time tracker with timesheets, projects, and team reporting.
Best for: Teams and nonprofits that need free timesheets and project-level reporting.
DoneThat vs Early
Billing-focused tracking both automated and manual.
Best for: Teams needing accurate timesheets and clear reporting.
DoneThat vs Daily
Prompt-based tracker that periodically asks to track.
Best for: Individuals looking for a minimalist tool to stay on track.
DoneThat vs Laurel
Calendar-native time tracking and timesheets.
Best for: Professional services needing compliant narrative timesheets.
Employee monitoring and workforce analytics
Bought by employers to see work they cannot observe. Screenshots, activity percentages and app logs are the point rather than a side effect. Tracking can build trust on both sides, for the manager and for the person being tracked; the real question is how invasive it needs to be. Stored screenshots and per-minute activity scores fit hourly work and client contracts that require documentation, and are more than most teams need.
DoneThat vs Hubstaff
Time tracking with activity metrics, GPS, and workforce tools.
Best for: Field/remote teams needing activity metrics or location options.
DoneThat vs Time Doctor
Employee time tracking with productivity and attendance reporting.
Best for: Distributed teams needing detailed workforce analytics.
DoneThat vs ActivTrak
Workforce analytics and productivity insights for teams.
Best for: Organizations optimizing team productivity and focus.
DoneThat vs Insightful
Employee time tracking and productivity analytics.
Best for: Companies needing workforce analytics and monitoring options.
DoneThat vs Monitask
Time tracking with screenshots and activity logging.
Best for: Teams that want simple proof-of-work screenshots.
DoneThat vs Teramind
User activity monitoring, insider risk management and data loss prevention.
Best for: Security and compliance teams that need DLP, insider-risk detection or session recordings.
DoneThat vs Time Champ
Employee monitoring and workforce analytics: activity, screenshots, attendance, field staff tracking and DLP.
Best for: Employers who want low-cost monitoring with screenshots, attendance and field staff tracking in one tool.
Process discovery, not time tracking
Captures desktop work to document and automate a process across a team. Answers an organisational question, not a personal one.
DoneThat vs Mimica
Process intelligence and task mining for capturing and optimizing repetitive work.
Best for: Operations teams mapping workflows and identifying automation opportunities.
Doing it by hand, or not at all
Both are real options and both are correct for some people. Free, no capture, no vendor.
DoneThat vs Use Excel
Track time in spreadsheets; flexible but time‑intensive and error‑prone.
Best for: One-off projects or very lightweight reporting.
DoneThat vs No time tracking
No tool used; minimal overhead but no visibility into effort or focus.
Best for: Roles where output is fully objective and time isn’t needed.
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