Hubstaff alternatives: 6 open-source picks
Hubstaff costs $7/mo — $84 a year. These 6 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Super Productivity, solidtime and Kimai. All 6 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Projects, timesheets, reports and break reminders live in one local app; no manager surveillance dashboard attached.
licenseMIT
runson your machine
installUse the browser/PWA or install a packaged desktop or mobile build
dataTasks, projects, time records, and settings are local-first in browser or app storage; optional synchronization and backups use the user's chosen WebDAV or Dropbox account
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs HubstaffSuper Productivity is a single-user local productivity app rather than a manager-facing system for team approvals, payroll, schedules, and consolidated reporting.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installCreate a managed account or deploy the official Docker Compose self-hosting stack
dataUsers, organizations, projects, clients, and time entries live in PostgreSQL, with application state in persistent Docker volumes, on solidtime's service or the user's host
the catch vs Hubstaffsolidtime’s desktop clients remain less mature and its approvals, scheduling, payroll, and management reporting are much thinner than Hubstaff’s.
setupSelf-hosting needs Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, environment and application keys, mail configuration, persistent storage, migrations, and a reverse proxy with TLS
facts verified 2026-08-10
Timesheets, rates, reports and invoices are all there; approvals need its free plugin and the server still needs an adult.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse Kimai Cloud or deploy the free edition on a server with Docker or the manual PHP/Composer installer
dataTimesheets, users, customers, projects, rates, and invoice data live in the Kimai database on Kimai Cloud or the user's server, with generated files and uploads on that host
the catch vs HubstaffKimai is strong for timesheets and invoices but lacks Hubstaff’s polished native automatic tracker, mobile and GPS workflow, and integrated payroll operations.
setupFree use requires a maintained server, database, Docker or a supported PHP stack, plus backups and reverse-proxy/TLS configuration
facts verified 2026-08-10
A lean timeline, tags and PDF or CSV reports in one container; it is built for individuals, not payroll departments.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the paid hosted service or run the free Docker Compose image or Python package on your own server
dataTime records and settings live in TimeTagger's database files on a persistent self-hosted volume or its hosted service; the browser keeps an offline cache that later synchronizes
the catch vs HubstaffTimeTagger is designed mainly for individual time logging and lacks Hubstaff’s team approvals, payroll, scheduling, and administrative controls.
setupFree use requires Docker or Python hosting, persistent storage, hashed credentials, and HTTPS through a reverse proxy
facts verified 2026-08-10
A tiny tag-based timer with useful dashboards in one container; invoices and mobile apps never arrive.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installRun the official Docker container or standalone server binary and mount a persistent data directory
dataUsers, tags, targets, dashboards, and time spans live in a SQLite database in the server's persistent data directory
the catch vs HubstaffTraggo has no native mobile apps, invoices, approvals, payroll workflow, or scheduling comparable to Hubstaff.
setupRequires a server or Docker, persistent storage, an immediate change from the default administrator password, and a reverse proxy with TLS for public access
facts verified 2026-08-10
Automatic, privacy-first time tracker that logs app and browser usage locally.
licenseMPL-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Kimai · ActivityWatch
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Hubstaff alternative
Easiest to get running
Super Productivity — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Super Productivity, with 21,156 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 6, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Runs on your own machine, no server
Super Productivity — nothing to host, your data stays on your disk.
Works on your phone
Super Productivity has a mobile app on iOS and Android.
Needs real ops to self-host
Kimai is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving Hubstaff
- workforce tracking, payroll, GPS, scheduling, reports, and compliance operations
- cross-device history
- team timesheets and payroll
- behavioral datasets
- blocking across every platform
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Hubstaff alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Productivity | MIT | one-click install | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, android | 21,156 | 2026-08 |
| solidtime | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, macos, windows, linux, self-hosted | 8,846 | 2026-07 |
| Kimai | AGPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 4,900 | 2026-08 |
| TimeTagger | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 1,768 | 2026-05 |
| Traggo | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 1,615 | 2026-07 |
| ActivityWatch | MPL-2.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 14,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Hubstaff
People still pay for Hubstaff because the timer is simple, but people pay for frictionless capture and a history they trust enough to invoice or change habits from. The recurring cost buys idle detection, permissions, app metadata, privacy, notifications, sync, reports, integrations, and backups, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $84 a year.
questions about switching from Hubstaff
Is there an open-source alternative to Hubstaff?
Yes: Super Productivity, solidtime, Kimai and 3 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Hubstaff?
Our verdict is YES. Super Productivity (21k stars), ActivityWatch (14k stars), solidtime (9k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Hubstaff — self-host in one command and stop paying $7/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/hubstaff.
What is the easiest open-source Hubstaff alternative to set up?
Super Productivity — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Hubstaff alternative?
By GitHub stars, Super Productivity (21,156). ActivityWatch is next with 14,000.
