⏳ time tracking

Hubstaff costs $7/mo.
These cost $0.

8 free alternatives to Hubstaff, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

See the 8 picks ↓

Hubstaff vs Free Alternatives Matrix

Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $7/mo

Alternative	Type	License	Where It Runs	Stars	Head-to-Head
Super Productivity	open source	MIT	Local	★ 21k	Hubstaff vs Super Productivity →
solidtime	open source	AGPL-3.0	Local or hosted	★ 8.8k	Hubstaff vs solidtime →
Kimai	open source	AGPL-3.0	Local or hosted	★ 4.9k	Hubstaff vs Kimai →
TimeTagger	open source	GPL-3.0	Local or hosted	★ 1.8k	Hubstaff vs TimeTagger →
Traggo	open source	GPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 1.6k	Hubstaff vs Traggo →
Clockify Free	free	proprietary, free	Hosted	★ $0 forever	Hubstaff vs Clockify Free →
TimeCamp Free	free	proprietary, free	Hosted	★ $0 forever	Hubstaff vs TimeCamp Free →
Toggl Track Free	free	proprietary, free	Hosted	★ $0 forever	Hubstaff vs Toggl Track Free →

The picks

5 open source · 3 free to use · ranked by fit

01
Super Productivity
open sourceMITLocal
21kaug 2026
Projects, timesheets, reports and break reminders live in one local app; no manager surveillance dashboard attached.
The catch vs Hubstaff
Super Productivity is a single-user local productivity app rather than a manager-facing system for team approvals, payroll, schedules, and consolidated reporting.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebone-click install
install
Use the browser/PWA or install a packaged desktop or mobile build
your data
Tasks, projects, time records, and settings are local-first in browser or app storage; optional synchronization and backups use the user's chosen WebDAV or Dropbox account
checked
2026-08-10
Visit super-productivity.com ↗Source Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 6 other apps →
02
solidtime
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted
8.8kjul 2026
Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.
The catch vs Hubstaff
solidtime’s desktop clients remain less mature and its approvals, scheduling, payroll, and management reporting are much thinner than Hubstaff’s.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopwebself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Create a managed account or deploy the official Docker Compose self-hosting stack
setup
Self-hosting needs Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, environment and application keys, mail configuration, persistent storage, migrations, and a reverse proxy with TLS
your data
Users, organizations, projects, clients, and time entries live in PostgreSQL, with application state in persistent Docker volumes, on solidtime's service or the user's host
checked
2026-08-10
Visit solidtime.io ↗Source Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 2 other apps →
03
Kimai
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted
4.9kaug 2026
Timesheets, rates, reports and invoices are all there; approvals need its free plugin and the server still needs an adult.
The catch vs Hubstaff
Kimai is strong for timesheets and invoices but lacks Hubstaff’s polished native automatic tracker, mobile and GPS workflow, and integrated payroll operations.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Use Kimai Cloud or deploy the free edition on a server with Docker or the manual PHP/Composer installer
setup
Free use requires a maintained server, database, Docker or a supported PHP stack, plus backups and reverse-proxy/TLS configuration
your data
Timesheets, users, customers, projects, rates, and invoice data live in the Kimai database on Kimai Cloud or the user's server, with generated files and uploads on that host
checked
2026-08-10
Visit kimai.org ↗Source Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 2 other apps →
04
TimeTagger
open sourceGPL-3.0Local or hosted
1.8kmay 2026
A lean timeline, tags and PDF or CSV reports in one container; it is built for individuals, not payroll departments.
The catch vs Hubstaff
TimeTagger is designed mainly for individual time logging and lacks Hubstaff’s team approvals, payroll, scheduling, and administrative controls.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Use the paid hosted service or run the free Docker Compose image or Python package on your own server
setup
Free use requires Docker or Python hosting, persistent storage, hashed credentials, and HTTPS through a reverse proxy
your data
Time records and settings live in TimeTagger's database files on a persistent self-hosted volume or its hosted service; the browser keeps an offline cache that later synchronizes
checked
2026-08-10
Visit timetagger.app ↗Source Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 2 other apps →
05
Traggo
open sourceGPL-3.0Self-host
1.6kjul 2026
A tiny tag-based timer with useful dashboards in one container; invoices and mobile apps never arrive.
The catch vs Hubstaff
Traggo has no native mobile apps, invoices, approvals, payroll workflow, or scheduling comparable to Hubstaff.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Run the official Docker container or standalone server binary and mount a persistent data directory
setup
Requires a server or Docker, persistent storage, an immediate change from the default administrator password, and a reverse proxy with TLS for public access
your data
Users, tags, targets, dashboards, and time spans live in a SQLite database in the server's persistent data directory
checked
2026-08-10
Visit traggo.net ↗Source Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 2 other apps →
06
Clockify Free
freeproprietary, freeHosted
Five users get timers and a private auto-tracker; reports stop at 31-day windows and CSV export is paid.
The catch vs Hubstaff
Clockify Free lacks Hubstaff’s timesheet approvals, scheduling, payroll workflow, unrestricted report history, and included export controls.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebextensionthey host it
install
Create a hosted workspace and use the web, desktop, mobile, or browser-extension clients
your data
Time entries, projects, clients, and workspace records live in Clockify's cloud; desktop auto-tracker observations are collected locally before selected items are turned into time entries
checked
2026-08-10
Visit clockify.me ↗Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 6 other apps →
07
TimeCamp Free
freeproprietary, freeHosted
Unlimited people and projects get timers, auto-tracking and a personal activity timeline; app analytics and approvals are paid.
The catch vs Hubstaff
TimeCamp Free tracks time well but withholds approvals, richer invoicing, payroll workflow, and management analytics that Hubstaff provides.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebextensionthey host it
install
Create a hosted account and use the browser, desktop, mobile, or extension clients
setup
Basic timers need no special setup; automatic activity tracking requires installing the desktop agent and granting it activity-monitoring permissions
engines
TimeCamp's proprietary AI Time Tracking Agent and AI time-entry suggestions; the underlying model provider is not disclosed on the checked official pages
your data
Time entries, projects, users, reports, and optional app/website activity records live in TimeCamp's cloud and synchronize from web, desktop, and mobile clients
checked
2026-08-10
Visit timecamp.com ↗Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 2 other apps →
08
Toggl Track Free
freeproprietary, freeHosted
Five users get fast timers, projects, tags and reports; approvals and paid-time controls cost extra.
The catch vs Hubstaff
Toggl Track Free omits approvals, billable-rate controls, project tasks, and management permissions that Hubstaff teams commonly need.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebextensionthey host it
install
Create a hosted workspace and use the web, desktop, mobile, or browser-extension clients
your data
Time entries, projects, clients, tags, and team records live in Toggl's cloud and synchronize from online or offline clients; reports can be exported
checked
2026-08-10
Visit toggl.com ↗Compare vs Hubstaff →also replaces 5 other apps →

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers · Hubstaff open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Hubstaff?+

The top free alternative to Hubstaff is Super Productivity (open source, MIT). Projects, timesheets, reports and break reminders live in one local app; no manager surveillance dashboard attached. Other popular Hubstaff replacements include solidtime, Kimai, TimeTagger.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Hubstaff?+

Yes. Of the 8 free alternatives to Hubstaff, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: solidtime (AGPL-3.0), Kimai (AGPL-3.0), TimeTagger (GPL-3.0), Traggo (GPL-3.0).

How much does switching from Hubstaff to a free alternative save?+

Hubstaff starts at $7/month per seat ($84/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Super Productivity saves $420 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Hubstaff clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Hubstaff is NOT REALLY (use a free alternative, save the tokens). A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Hubstaff, track opt-in work time without screenshots, keystrokes, or hidden monitoring. The hard boundary is workforce tracking, payroll, gps, scheduling, reports, and compliance operations, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow.

What is the catch when switching from Hubstaff to Super Productivity?+

Super Productivity is a single-user local productivity app rather than a manager-facing system for team approvals, payroll, schedules, and consolidated reporting.