A free, open-source, and privacy-focused automated time tracker that records your computer and browser activity locally.
ActivityWatch is an open-source automated time tracker that runs on your computer. It passively records what applications you use, which websites you visit, and when you are active or away, storing all data locally to provide insights into your digital habits while prioritizing your privacy.
Developers, knowledge workers, students, and anyone interested in quantified self or privacy-conscious productivity tracking who wants detailed, automated insights into their computer usage.
It offers a fully open-source, privacy-focused alternative to commercial time trackers, giving users complete ownership of their data, an extensible platform for custom tracking, and cross-platform support without relying on cloud services.
The best free and open-source automated time tracker. Cross-platform, extensible, privacy-focused.
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All activity data is stored locally on your machine, ensuring complete ownership and control without any cloud dependencies or third-party access, as emphasized in the 'Privacy-First' feature.
Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, providing consistent automated tracking across most desktop and mobile environments, as listed in the 'Cross-Platform' key feature.
Modular 'watchers' and a REST API with client libraries allow easy addition of new data sources, enabling custom tracking beyond default app and web monitoring, referenced in the 'Extensible Architecture' section.
Runs continuously in the background to record detailed activity like application usage, window titles, and AFK status without manual input, reducing user burden as described in 'Automated Tracking'.
Decentralized sync is still a work-in-progress, making it challenging to keep activity data consistent across devices without manual setup or reliance on external tools like Dropbox, as noted in the 'Decentralized Sync (WIP)' feature.
No iOS version is available, restricting comprehensive tracking for users in Apple's ecosystem, as shown in the feature comparison table where iOS support is marked with a cross.
While extensible, creating custom watchers or queries requires programming knowledge and familiarity with the REST API or client libraries, which may deter non-developers from leveraging its full potential.
ActivityWatch is an open-source alternative to the following products:
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