Need recommendation for a simple time-tracking app

TidBITS Talk
1

I rely on time-tracking software to track my work so I can bill clients accurately. At the moment I use TimeTrackerPro, which does exactly what I need, no more and no less. But it is now abandonware and runs extraordinarily slowly under Rosetta 2. I’ve looked at dozens of potential replacements in the App Store and on review sites suggested by Google and I can’t identify a simple basic time tracker.

This is what I need it to do:

  • Run entirely in the background with no action on my part – no start/stop timers (because I usually forget).
  • Track the frontmost window regardless of application (the option to exclude certain applications, such as Finder, would be handy).
  • Keep a running total of the time each frontmost window is active.
  • On being called from the Menu Bar, give me a list of all records selected by date range, listed by parent application, with every logged window beneath.
  • Allow me to create client folders, with one or more job folders within.
  • Drag and drop selected records onto the job folder.
  • Give the total time spent.
  • No subscription! A one-off purchase only.

That’s all. No invoicing, no currency, no reminders, no productivity analysis, no fancy graphics.

This question last came up here in 2020, but now it includes the the need to run natively on ARM.

Can anyone suggest an app that does just this? I would love for the author of TimeTrackerPro to update it but he has vanished from view.

2

I use Time Sink for this.

It’s good.

Ticks everything on your list!

3

Thanks, but the amount of setting up and interaction required intimidates me.

4

Hmm, I’m not sure I follow?

You simply run it.

After some time you create pools/folders (not required, but something you requested)

If I’m missing something let me know!

5

I’ve been using On the Job. I’m not sure if it ticks everything on your list, but I’ve been very happy with it.

6

I’ve been using Timing for this, from https://timingapp.com

Yes, it is subscription. Other than that it does exactly what you are asking for.

1 Like
7

Let me add Toggl to the list.

Robert

8

There is a comprehensive list of time and billing applications here:

http://www.macattorney.com/timebillacnt.html

It sounds like you want one of the new(wish) active time and billing apps, which you will find in section three on that page.

You might especially want to have a look at this application, which is quite popular:

OfficeTime (flat fee or subscription. Computer resident or cloud-based.)
https://officetime.net/dev/

1 Like
9

As a contractor I am paid by my billing code. Are there programs that I can adapt for that? I am not paid by time.

I am trying to build a simple database in FileMaker or TapForms, but have lost my programming skills as it does not seem to be as easy of a task as I thought it would be.