Can I open-source Time Doctor?

KINDA · partial or early alternatives
price $8/moyou'd save $96/yrcategory ⏳ time trackingreplaced by 0 people

Kinda. Kimai and ActivityWatch cover the core of Time Doctor, but they're early or partial — expect gaps like workforce analytics, screenshots, payroll integrations, team controls, and support and cross-device history.

why people still pay

People still pay for Time Doctor 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.

what you lose

xworkforce analytics, screenshots, payroll integrations, team controls, and support

xcross-device history

xteam timesheets and payroll

xbehavioral datasets

xblocking across every platform

the open-source alternatives

These projects already replace it, free.

AActivityWatchAutomatic, privacy-first time tracker that logs app and browser usage locally.14kaug 2026open source↗KKimaiProfessional time tracking with invoicing, teams, and exports.4.0kaug 2026open source↗

What each one is, in full: ActivityWatch · Kimai

no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

share on X ↗"I just replaced Time Doctor ($8/mo) with open source"
the numbers

Time Doctor pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
basic$8/user$6.67/user3 months of data history; core time tracking and reports.
standard$14/user$11.67/user6 months of data history; expanded integrations and productivity features.
premium$20/user$16.70/user2 years of data history; advanced monitoring, reporting, and controls.
enterprisecustom—Custom history, security, onboarding, and support.

free tierno free tier

billingmonthly + annual; 14-day Premium trial; Enterprise custom

hidden costsSoftware Cost Insights is a separate $3/user/month add-on; other add-ons may be quote-based; taxes/Paddle charges can apply, and annual downgrades typically create account credit rather than a cash refund.

verified 2026-08-14 · source ↗

questions
Can I open-source Time Doctor?

Kinda. ActivityWatch covers the core of Time Doctor, but there are real gaps: workforce analytics, screenshots, payroll integrations, team controls, and support, cross-device history. Read the honest list above before committing.

How much does Time Doctor cost?

Time Doctor costs about $8/month (Basic, checked 2026-07-31), which is $96 per year.

What do I lose by replacing Time Doctor?

Honestly: workforce analytics, screenshots, payroll integrations, team controls, and support; cross-device history; team timesheets and payroll; behavioral datasets; blocking across every platform. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.

Is there an open-source alternative to Time Doctor?

Yes: ActivityWatch (Automatic, privacy-first time tracker that logs app and browser usage locally.) Kimai (Professional time tracking with invoicing, teams, and exports.)