Can I open-source TimeTac?
KINDA · partial or early alternativesKinda. Kimai and ActivityWatch cover the core of TimeTac, but they're early or partial — expect gaps like Legally defensible records: no tamper-evident log, no retention guarantees, nothing an inspector or works council will nod at and Native iOS and Android apps with GPS, offline clock-in and geofencing for people who are not at a desk.
Companies do not buy time tracking because timers are hard, they buy it because a missing time record is a fine and a disputed overtime claim is a lawsuit. The paid version comes with rule sets for breaks, overtime and absence accrual per country, exports that payroll accepts, apps that work on a phone in a van, and a vendor to point at when something is wrong. A self-hosted app you wrote yourself is fine for your own invoicing and a bad idea the moment an employee disagrees with it.
xLegally defensible records: no tamper-evident log, no retention guarantees, nothing an inspector or works council will nod at
xNative iOS and Android apps with GPS, offline clock-in and geofencing for people who are not at a desk
xHardware terminals and badge or fingerprint clock-in for shop floors
xPayroll, ERP and HR integrations plus the export formats your bookkeeper already imports without complaining
xSomeone else owning uptime, overtime rule edge cases and the shift and break math for each country
These projects already replace it, free.
AActivityWatchAutomatic, privacy-first time tracker that logs app and browser usage locally.open source↗KKimaiProfessional time tracking with invoicing, teams, and exports.open source↗What each one is, in full: ActivityWatch · Kimai
no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
Can I open-source TimeTac?
Kinda. ActivityWatch covers the core of TimeTac, but there are real gaps: Legally defensible records: no tamper-evident log, no retention guarantees, nothing an inspector or works council will nod at, Native iOS and Android apps with GPS, offline clock-in and geofencing for people who are not at a desk. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does TimeTac cost?
TimeTac costs about $7.2/month (Employee Time Tracking module, checked 2026-08-18), which is $86.4 per year.
What do I lose by replacing TimeTac?
Honestly: Legally defensible records: no tamper-evident log, no retention guarantees, nothing an inspector or works council will nod at; Native iOS and Android apps with GPS, offline clock-in and geofencing for people who are not at a desk; Hardware terminals and badge or fingerprint clock-in for shop floors; Payroll, ERP and HR integrations plus the export formats your bookkeeper already imports without complaining; Someone else owning uptime, overtime rule edge cases and the shift and break math for each country. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to TimeTac?
Yes: ActivityWatch (Automatic, privacy-first time tracker that logs app and browser usage locally.) Kimai (Professional time tracking with invoicing, teams, and exports.)