Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Activity Tracking

ManicTime vs ActivityWatch

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score ManicTime #7 in Activity Tracking 8.5/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 3 features Visit ManicTime
ActivityWatch #8 in Activity Tracking 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit ActivityWatch

ManicTime leads on 0 checks, ActivityWatch on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreManicTime · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly ManicTime

ManicTime scores higher on our rubric for activity tracking: 8.5 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #8.

ManicTime is the better fit for individuals and teams needing flexible activity records. ActivityWatch is the better fit for privacy-conscious individuals tracking their own activity.

  • ManicTime fits best

    Individuals and teams needing flexible activity records

  • ActivityWatch fits best

    Privacy-conscious individuals tracking their own activity

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature ManicTime 8.5/10 Visit ↗ ActivityWatch 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 8.4
Ranking #7 in Activity Tracking #8 in Activity Tracking
Best for Individuals and teams needing flexible activity records Privacy-conscious individuals tracking their own activity
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $7/user/mo Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome extension
Support Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 12 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features ManicTime 0/3 · ActivityWatch 0/3
Activity reports Not checked yet Not checked yet
App & website tracking Not checked yet Not checked yet
Idle detection Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Screenshots Not checked yet Not checked yet
Activity history Not checked yet Not checked yet
Platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Automatically tracks apps, websites, documents, idle time, and timelines
  • Turns tracked time into timesheets, invoices, and work-time reports
  • Offers cloud or on-premises deployment and clients across major platforms
  • Tracks active apps, windows, browser activity, and idle time automatically
  • Stores activity locally and supports JSON export
  • Works across desktop, Android, and browser extensions
Cons
  • Standard limits use to 3 devices
  • Cloud screenshots are listed only with Ultimate
  • Documentation is the listed support channel
  • Its features are aimed more at individuals and small teams than larger organizations
  • Browser tracking requires extensions
  • Support is through community resources and documentation
Our verdict

ManicTime records application, website, document, idle-time, and other activity in the background, then lets people assign that time to projects, clients, and tasks. It is aimed at individual professionals, freelancers, teams, managers,…

Read the review →

ActivityWatch records application and window use, browser activity, and idle periods, then organizes that activity into timelines and categories. Its local-storage approach makes it a fit for individuals who want to review their own work…

Read the review →
  1. ManicTimeActivity Tracking 8.5Free plan · 30-day trial
  2. ActivityWatchActivity Tracking 8.4Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • ManicTime — where it wins

    • Automatically tracks apps, websites, documents, idle time, and timelines
    • Turns tracked time into timesheets, invoices, and work-time reports
    • Offers cloud or on-premises deployment and clients across major platforms

    Where it doesn't

    • Standard limits use to 3 devices
    • Cloud screenshots are listed only with Ultimate
    • Documentation is the listed support channel

  • ActivityWatch — where it wins

    • Tracks active apps, windows, browser activity, and idle time automatically
    • Stores activity locally and supports JSON export
    • Works across desktop, Android, and browser extensions

    Where it doesn't

    • Its features are aimed more at individuals and small teams than larger organizations
    • Browser tracking requires extensions
    • Support is through community resources and documentation

More comparisons

All activity tracking comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update