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Dayflow alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Dayflow: mac only for now; Windows is waitlisted, and accuracy depends on the AI model, and local models are less detailed. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Dayflow, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Rize currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Rize logoRizePaidNomacOS, Windows3 of 368.8
2Timing logoTimingPaidNomacOS, Web8 of 864.8
3ActivityWatch logoActivityWatchOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 461.8
4ManicTime logoManicTimePaidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +15 of 559.4
5RescueTime logoRescueTimePaidNoWindows, macOS, iOS +24 of 457.5
  1. Rize logo

    1. RizeTop pick

    Best for: Freelancers and small firms who want AI-drafted timesheets from automatic tracking

    PaidmacOS, Windows

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dayflow

    Polished AI time tracker with focus scoring and Windows support, if you don't need open source.

    Pros

    • Automatic tracking with AI categorisation
    • Focus and break coaching built in
    • Client and project billing on higher plans

    Cons

    • No free plan after the trial
    • Mac and Windows only
    • AI features depend on monthly credits
    Visit Rize Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Rize a good Dayflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $9.99/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rize.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    From $29.99 per seat
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rize.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS and Windows
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rize.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Timing logo

    2. Timing

    Best for: Mac-based freelancers and consultants who want detailed, automatic time records

    PaidmacOS, Web

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dayflow

    Mature automatic Mac time tracker built around projects and billable hours rather than a journal.

    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 ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Timing a good Dayflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Automatic tracking
    Records time without timers
    Checked Oct 29, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Privacy
    Tracked data kept private
    Checked Oct 29, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    Scripting, Web API and Zapier
    Checked Oct 29, 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)
    Starting price
    $108 a year (Professional)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Expert plan
    $132 a year
    Checked Nov 1, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Connect plan
    $192 a year
    Checked Nov 1, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    30 days, no card required
    Checked Nov 1, 2026timingapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. ActivityWatch logo

    3. ActivityWatch

    Best for: Privacy-minded individuals who want automatic tracking without sending data to a cloud

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, Browser extension

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dayflow

    Free open-source tracker that logs app and window usage locally on Windows, Mac and Linux, without screen recording.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • All data stays on your device
    • Extensible with custom watchers and queries

    Cons

    • No team, billing or invoicing features
    • Limited multi-device sync
    • Utilitarian dashboard
    Visit ActivityWatch Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ActivityWatch a good Dayflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026activitywatch.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
    Checked Oct 29, 2026activitywatch.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Data location
    Stays on your device
    Checked Oct 29, 2026activitywatch.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Supporter plans
    From $5/month (optional)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026activitywatch.net(opens source in a new tab)
  4. ManicTime logo

    4. ManicTime

    Best for: Teams that want automatic tracking but must keep time data on their own servers

    PaidWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dayflow

    Automatic desktop tracker with a detailed timeline and a self-hostable server for teams.

    Pros

    • Automatic tracking with data stored locally
    • On-premises server option for teams
    • REST API and direct database access

    Cons

    • Dense, technical interface
    • Tag-based workflow has a learning curve
    • No free plan beyond the trial
    Visit ManicTime Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ManicTime a good Dayflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free trial
    30 days
    Checked Nov 1, 2026manictime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Cloud or on-premise
    Checked Oct 29, 2026manictime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, Mac, Linux, server
    Checked Oct 29, 2026manictime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    REST API
    Checked Oct 29, 2026manictime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard plan
    $7 per user, cloud subscription (before tax)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026manictime.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. RescueTime logo

    5. RescueTime

    Best for: Individuals who want to see where their screen time goes and cut distractions

    PaidWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Dayflow

    Long-running automatic tracker with focus sessions and cross-platform apps, logging apps rather than screenshots.

    Pros

    • Fully automatic, no timers to remember
    • Focus sessions block distracting sites
    • Goals and weekly reports show trends

    Cons

    • Timesheets cost extra on Solo+
    • Category-based scores can misjudge your work
    • Background tracking raises privacy considerations
    Visit RescueTime Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is RescueTime a good Dayflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Solo price
    $7/month billed annually ($84/year)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rescuetime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Solo+ price
    $12/month billed annually ($144/year)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rescuetime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Team price
    $10 per user/month billed annually
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rescuetime.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Automatic tracking
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026rescuetime.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Dayflow alternative for…

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

Rize logo

Best Dayflow alternative for most people

Rize

Polished AI time tracker with focus scoring and Windows support, if you don't need open source.

ActivityWatch logo

Best Dayflow alternative for a free option

ActivityWatch

Free open-source tracker that logs app and window usage locally on Windows, Mac and Linux, without screen recording.

ActivityWatch logo

Best Dayflow alternative for open source

ActivityWatch

Free open-source tracker that logs app and window usage locally on Windows, Mac and Linux, without screen recording.

Timing logo

Best Dayflow alternative for Mac

Timing

Mature automatic Mac time tracker built around projects and billable hours rather than a journal.

ManicTime logo

Best Dayflow alternative for Windows

ManicTime

Automatic desktop tracker with a detailed timeline and a self-hostable server for teams.

ActivityWatch logo

Best Dayflow alternative for Linux

ActivityWatch

Free open-source tracker that logs app and window usage locally on Windows, Mac and Linux, without screen recording.

RescueTime logo

Best Dayflow alternative for iPhone and Android

RescueTime

Long-running automatic tracker with focus sessions and cross-platform apps, logging apps rather than screenshots.

Timing logo

Best Dayflow alternative for working in the browser

Timing

Mature automatic Mac time tracker built around projects and billable hours rather than a journal.

Dayflow alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Dayflow?

Rize ranks first right now. Polished AI time tracker with focus scoring and Windows support, if you don't need open source. Timing and ActivityWatch follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Dayflow?

Yes. ActivityWatch (open source) has a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Dayflow?

Yes: ActivityWatch.

Which Dayflow alternatives work on Linux?

ActivityWatch and ManicTime run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Dayflow?

The complaints we hear most: mac only for now; Windows is waitlisted; accuracy depends on the AI model, and local models are less detailed; continuous screen recording may not suit every workplace policy.

How is this list ranked?

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