ActivityWatch alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave ActivityWatch: no team, billing or invoicing features, and limited multi-device sync. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces ActivityWatch, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. RescueTime currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Timing	Paid	No	macOS, Web	4 of 4	57.2
2	WakaTime	Free plan + paid	No	Web, Windows, macOS +1	4 of 4	55.3

1. TimingTop pick
Best for: Mac-based freelancers and consultants who want detailed, automatic time records
PaidmacOS, Web
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from ActivityWatch
Detailed automatic tracking for Mac with project rules and billing.
Pros
Captures apps, documents and websites automatically
Rules sort recurring activity into projects
Scripting, web API and Zapier for automation
Cons
Mac only
Subscription tiers are priced per number of Macs
Takes setup to get rules working well
Visit Timing Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Timing a good ActivityWatch alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Automatic tracking
Records time without timers
Checked Oct 25, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
Privacy
Tracked data kept private
Checked Oct 25, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
API
Scripting, Web API and Zapier
Checked Oct 25, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
Team features
On the Connect plan
Checked Oct 25, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. WakaTime
Best for: Developers who want automatic stats on coding time and AI usage across editors
Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
55.3
score / 100
Why switch from ActivityWatch
Automatic tracking specifically for coding time inside your editors.
Pros
Fully automatic through editor plugins
Breakdowns by project, language and branch
Tracks AI coding usage and model costs
Cons
Free plan keeps only one week of history
Only measures time in supported tools
Activity metrics can be misused by managers
Visit WakaTime Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.363
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is WakaTime a good ActivityWatch alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free plan
Yes, 1 week of history
Checked Oct 25, 2026wakatime.com(opens source in a new tab)
Basic price
$9/month
Checked Oct 25, 2026wakatime.com(opens source in a new tab)
Premium price
$12.83/month, billed $153.96 yearly
Checked Oct 25, 2026wakatime.com(opens source in a new tab)
AI tracking
AI usage and model costs
Checked Oct 25, 2026wakatime.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best ActivityWatch alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for most people

RescueTime

Polished commercial automatic tracker with focus sessions and goals.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

WakaTime

Automatic tracking specifically for coding time inside your editors.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for Mac

ManicTime

Automatic tracking with timesheets and an on-premises server option for teams.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for Windows

Memtime

Commercial automatic tracker that also keeps activity data offline.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for Linux

ManicTime

Automatic tracking with timesheets and an on-premises server option for teams.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for iPhone and Android

RescueTime

Polished commercial automatic tracker with focus sessions and goals.

Best ActivityWatch alternative for working in the browser

Timing

Detailed automatic tracking for Mac with project rules and billing.

ActivityWatch alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to ActivityWatch?

RescueTime ranks first right now. Polished commercial automatic tracker with focus sessions and goals. ManicTime and Memtime follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to ActivityWatch?

Yes. WakaTime (free plan + paid) has a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to ActivityWatch?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which ActivityWatch alternatives work on Linux?

ManicTime, Memtime and WakaTime run on Linux.

Why do people switch from ActivityWatch?

The complaints we hear most: no team, billing or invoicing features; limited multi-device sync; utilitarian dashboard.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces ActivityWatch, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.