Timeular alternatives: 8 free & open-source picks
Curated, verified, and actually free. No trials, no crippled tiers. Star counts and last-activity dates checked by hand, not scraped and forgotten.
A local project timer with reminders, reports and no plastic eight-sided desk ornament required.
licenseMIT
runson your machine
installInstall the Windows/macOS/Linux/Android app, use the web app, or add the PWA
dataTasks, notes and work logs are local-first and export as JSON; optional sync writes a JSON payload to the user's WebDAV, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or filesystem backend
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs TimeularIts timer and reminders live inside a personal task manager, not a full timesheet service with Timeular's physical Tracker, team reporting and billing-oriented administration.
facts verified 2026-08-11
Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, or self-host with the official Docker Compose examples and PostgreSQL
dataSelf-hosted organizations, projects, clients, tasks and time entries live in PostgreSQL; deployment settings and secrets live in environment files on the host
the catch vs TimeularIt supplies modern web timesheets and billing, but its desktop apps remain immature and it has no Timeular physical Tracker or polished automatic-activity workflow.
setupSelf-hosting requires Docker, PostgreSQL, application-key generation, database migrations, SMTP and a TLS reverse proxy
facts verified 2026-08-11
A lean timeline, tags and PDF or CSV reports in one container; it is built for individuals, not payroll departments.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installRun locally with pip, or deploy the official Docker Compose image on a server
dataTime records, tags and user data live in a SQLite database on the local machine or self-hosted server
the catch vs TimeularIt is an elegant individual timeline, but lacks Timeular's physical control, native desktop capture, reminders ecosystem and team administration.
setupRemote or multi-user use requires Docker or Python hosting plus bcrypt credentials or a trusted authentication reverse proxy
facts verified 2026-08-11
A tiny tag-based timer with useful dashboards in one container; invoices and mobile apps never arrive.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installRun the official Docker image/Compose file, or download a Linux server binary
dataUsers, tags, dashboards and time spans live in a SQLite database in the mounted /opt/traggo/data directory
the catch vs TimeularIt is a tiny tag-based web timer with no native apps, automatic activity evidence, reminders ecosystem or Timeular physical Tracker.
setupYou must host the web server, persist its data volume, change the default administrator password and add TLS/reverse-proxying for internet access
facts verified 2026-08-11
Five users get timers, projects and PDF reports one month at a time; CSV, billable rates and approvals are paid.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup; install the Windows/macOS/Linux desktop app for automatic activity tracking
dataSaved time entries, projects and reports live in Clockify's cloud; raw auto-tracker app and website activity stays in a local desktop database and is uploaded only when converted into a time entry
the catch vs TimeularIt lacks Timeular's physical Tracker workflow and its more focused combination of reminders, automatic evidence and personal time-management coaching.
setupAn account is required, and automatic tracking needs the desktop app plus operating-system activity permissions
facts verified 2026-08-11
A clean five-person timer with unlimited projects, clients and basic reports; approvals, rates and invoices are paid.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup in the web app; optional mobile app or installable PWA
dataTimesheets, projects, clients and account data live in My Hours' Microsoft Azure-hosted database in Amsterdam, Netherlands
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs TimeularIt is a straightforward cloud timesheet and reporting tool, but it has no Timeular hardware control or passive app evidence for reconstructing forgotten work.
facts verified 2026-08-11
Unlimited people and projects get timers, auto-tracking and basic reports; app analytics, billable controls and approvals are paid.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup; install the Windows/macOS/Linux desktop agent for automatic computer activity
dataTime entries, projects, reports and synced activity data live on TimeCamp's service-provider infrastructure, by default in an AWS data center in the United States
the catch vs TimeularIts free tier can track time automatically, but useful app analytics, billable controls and approvals are gated, and it offers no Timeular physical Tracker.
setupAn account is required, and automatic app/site tracking needs the desktop agent plus operating-system permissions
facts verified 2026-08-11
Five users get fast timers, projects, tags and reports; approvals and paid-time controls cost extra.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup; optionally install the Windows/macOS desktop app, browser extension or mobile app
dataTime entries, projects and reports sync to the Toggl Track cloud account; the private desktop Timeline activity remains on that device unless the user turns it into a time entry
the catch vs TimeularIt has excellent timers but no Timeular physical Tracker and a weaker passive app-to-project reconstruction workflow.
setupAn account is required, and passive app/site history needs the desktop app and operating-system permissions
facts verified 2026-08-11
last updated 2026-08-11 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Productivity | MIT | one-click install | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, android | 21,156 | 2026-08 |
| solidtime | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, macos, windows, linux, self-hosted | 8,846 | 2026-07 |
| TimeTagger | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 1,768 | 2026-05 |
| Traggo | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 1,615 | 2026-07 |
| Clockify Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, android, browser-extension | — | — |
| My Hours Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, ios, android, browser-extension | — | — |
| TimeCamp Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, android, browser-extension | — | — |
| Toggl Track Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, macos, windows, ios, android, browser-extension | — | — |
People still pay for Timeular because the timer is simple, but people pay for frictionless capture and a history they trust enough to invoice or change habits from. The recurring cost buys idle detection, permissions, app metadata, privacy, notifications, sync, reports, integrations, and backups, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $108 a year.
Is there a free alternative to Timeular?
Yes: Super Productivity, solidtime, TimeTagger and 5 more. Every tool on this page is either open source or genuinely free to use long-term: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Should I just build my own Timeular?
Our verdict is PARCIAL. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Timeular, track time with projects and reminders using software-only controls. The hard boundary is physical tracker option, mobile apps, calendar integration, team features, and sync, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow. If you'd rather build, the exact one-shot prompt is free at puedovibecodearlo.app/timeular.