Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ActivityWatch VS Clockwise

Compare ActivityWatch VS Clockwise and see what are their differences

ActivityWatch logo ActivityWatch

Log what you do on your computer. Simple (yet powerful), extensible, no third parties.

Clockwise logo Clockwise

Time & attendance tracking with QuickBooks integration
  • ActivityWatch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-03
  • Clockwise Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-07

ActivityWatch features and specs

  • Open Source
    ActivityWatch is an open-source project, which means its code is publicly available for review and contributions. This promotes transparency and security.
  • Cross-Platform
    ActivityWatch works on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile and accessible for users on different platforms.
  • Privacy-Focused
    Being an open-source project, ActivityWatch places a strong emphasis on user privacy, ensuring data is stored locally rather than in the cloud unless the user chooses otherwise.
  • Customizable
    The tool provides various frameworks and APIs for customization, allowing users to create custom trackers and reports to better fit their needs.
  • Detailed Analytics
    ActivityWatch provides comprehensive data and visualizations on how users spend their time on their devices, aiding in productivity analysis and improvement.

Possible disadvantages of ActivityWatch

  • Complex Setup
    For non-technical users, the initial setup and configuration may be complex and challenging compared to more polished, commercial solutions.
  • Resource Usage
    ActivityWatch can consume a notable amount of system resources, particularly on lower-end hardware, which might impact device performance.
  • Feature Limitations
    Compared to some commercial alternatives, ActivityWatch may lack certain advanced features like automated focus time recommendations or built-in integrations with other productivity tools.
  • UI/UX
    The user interface and user experience may not be as polished or intuitive as some of its proprietary competitors, potentially affecting user friendliness.
  • Maintenance
    Since itโ€™s an open-source project, ongoing maintenance and updates depend on community contributions, which might result in slower development cycles for new features and bug fixes.

Clockwise features and specs

  • Time Management
    Clockwise allows users to efficiently manage their schedules by automatically finding and organizing available time slots.
  • Integrations
    Clockwise integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Calendar, Slack, and Asana, making it easier to incorporate into existing workflows.
  • Focus Time Protection
    The tool helps create blocks of uninterrupted time to work on tasks requiring deep focus, aiding productivity.
  • Team Coordination
    Clockwise helps coordinate meetings and schedules across teams, reducing the likelihood of scheduling conflicts.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The platform features an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for users of varying technical skills.

Possible disadvantages of Clockwise

  • Privacy Concerns
    Users may be concerned about sharing their calendar information with a third-party service.
  • Service Reliability
    As with any third-party service, there is a risk of outages or disruptions that can impact productivity.
  • Cost
    Clockwise offers several features for free, but premium functionality requires a paid subscription, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.
  • Learning Curve
    Initial setup and learning how to fully utilize the features may take some time, especially for users who are not tech-savvy.
  • Dependency on Integrated Tools
    Clockwise's effectiveness can be limited if users do not frequently use the integrated tools such as Google Calendar, Slack, or Asana.

Analysis of ActivityWatch

Overall verdict

  • ActivityWatch is a good choice if you are looking for a privacy-respecting, customizable, and open-source solution for tracking your digital activities. Its detailed reports and ability to track various aspects of productivity make it a valuable tool for individuals interested in optimizing their time management.

Why this product is good

  • ActivityWatch is an open-source time-tracking tool that helps you understand how you spend your time across different activities and applications. It is designed to provide detailed insights and reports on your computer usage patterns, making it a good choice for productivity analysis. The tool is privacy-focused, as it stores data locally by default, ensuring that personal information is not shared without permission. Additionally, its extensible nature allows for customization and integration with other tools.

Recommended for

    ActivityWatch is recommended for remote workers, freelancers, productivity enthusiasts, and anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of their computer usage patterns without compromising on privacy. It is also suitable for developers and tech-savvy users who want to customize or extend its functionality.

Analysis of Clockwise

Overall verdict

  • Clockwise is a well-received tool for those seeking better time management and productivity. Users appreciate its AI-driven scheduling capabilities and integration with popular calendar apps.

Why this product is good

  • Clockwise (clockwisetx.com) is considered a good platform due to its user-friendly interface, customizable scheduling features, and efficient time management solutions. It helps teams optimize their calendars, reduce wasted meeting time, and collaborate more effectively.

Recommended for

    Clockwise is recommended for teams and individuals who need to streamline their scheduling, enhance productivity, and spend less time coordinating meetings. It's particularly beneficial for remote teams and companies that rely heavily on efficient calendar management.

ActivityWatch videos

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Clockwise videos

Clockwise Review: Features & Walkthrough

More videos:

  • Review - Siskel & Ebert - Clockwise (1986)
  • Review - Clockwise Review 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ActivityWatch and Clockwise)
Time Tracking
38 38%
62% 62
Invoicing
33 33%
67% 67
Time Management
21 21%
79% 79
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare ActivityWatch and Clockwise

ActivityWatch Reviews

49 Best Timesheet Alternatives - Features, pros & cons, pricing | Remote Tools
ActivityWatch tracks how you spend time on your devices. It can help you keep track of time spent on different projects, kick bad screen habits, or just understand how you spend your time.

Clockwise Reviews

49 Best Timesheet Alternatives - Features, pros & cons, pricing | Remote Tools
Use Clockwise for Slack to get the power of the Clockwise calendar assistant, delivered right where you work.
Alternative products to New Google Calendar
ClockwiseMaking your calendar work for you.ProductivityCalendar and Sche...Clockwise is an intelligent calendar assistant that frees up your time so you can work on what matters. We use AI to create uninterrupted blocks of time, enhance Slack, take the stress out of complex scheduling, resolve double bookings, and so much more.1,597get it10 Alternatives to Clockwise

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ActivityWatch seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 59 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ActivityWatch mentions (59)

  • RewindOS โ€“ Searchable screen history for Linux local
    Hi HN. RewindOS captures your screen every few seconds, OCRs it, and makes everything you've ever seen instantly searchable โ€” all 100% local. No cloud, no account, no telemetry. MIT-licensed, and built specifically for Linux/Wayland. I started out using [ActivityWatch](https://activitywatch.net/), which is great at what it does โ€” but it tracks how much time you spend in each app, not what you actually... - Source: Hacker News / 27 days ago
  • EFF Launches Age Verification Hub as Resource Against Misguided Laws
    Ah okay. I think this would probably be pretty tricky, security-wise, no? One of my first thoughts that might help would be writing a simple tool that parses history from your browsers to categorize it. Other than that, there are things like https://activitywatch.net/ (which seems to have a desktop and Android version). - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Recall for Linux
    It's an actual useful feature, it's just the tracking by microsoft that makes it meh. I also track my activities with ActivityWatch (Open Source, https://activitywatch.net/) to remember missing time entries for billing clients. It's all local, so perfectly fine. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Show HN: Timelinize โ€“ Privately organize your own data from everywhere, locally
    Https://activitywatch.net/ gets you part of the way there. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Everyone knows all the apps on your phone
    > How hard would it be for an app to monitor all of your web traffic based on the title alone? Although not terribly accurate (because of the high variability of page titles), tools like ManicTime and ActivityWatch use windows titles to track your browser history if you don't install the browser plugin. https://www.manictime.com/ https://activitywatch.net/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

Clockwise mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Clockwise yet. Tracking of Clockwise recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ActivityWatch and Clockwise, you can also consider the following products

RescueTime - Time management software that shows you how you spend your time & provides tools to help you be more productive.

Harvest - Simple time tracking, fast online invoicing, and powerful reporting software. Simplify employee timesheets and billing. Get started for free.

Toggl - Toggl is an online time tracking tool. It features 1-click time tracking and helps you see where your time goes. Free and paid versions are available.

ManicTime - Track your computer usage and use collected data to accurately tag time.

Rize - Rize is a time tracker that makes you more productive.

TimeCamp - Simple and robust time tracking app to help you stay on the same page with your team while working from home.