Best Open Source Time Tracking Software for Small Business (2026): 6 Tools Compared

Time tracking matters when you bill by the hour or need to know what projects really cost. Open source time trackers are some of the most polished tools in this whole list, and several can turn tracked hours into invoices.

We write for small businesses, freelancers and growing teams, not large enterprises. Every tool below was checked on GitHub for license, archive status and recent activity, and prices are never quoted because they change. Our picks are based on each project's documentation and repository data, not on hands-on benchmarks, so always try a tool with sample data first. This is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice.

Top picks at a glance

• Kimai: Billable hours and invoices.
• solidtime: Modern time tracker for teams.
• Traggo: Tag-based personal tracking.

What to look for in time tracking software for a small business

• Billing rates. Check hourly rates per customer or person if you bill by the hour.
• Invoices and exports. Look for invoice templates or CSV export for your accounting system.
• Apps and timers. Browser, desktop or mobile timers make tracking realistic.
• Reports. Per project and per person reports show profitability.
• Project health and license. Choose a project that is not archived, has recent releases and a real open source license. Check the LICENSE file, not just the website.

Comparison table: best open source time tracking software

Stars and update dates are a snapshot from 16 October 2026 and change daily. They show activity, not quality.

The 6 best open source time tracking tools, reviewed

1. Kimai

Best for: Billable hours and invoices
License: AGPL-3.0 · Stack: PHP (Symfony) · GitHub: 5,077 stars, repo updated Oct 2026

A widely used open source time tracker. It records time per customer, project and activity and can create invoices from tracked time.

Source on GitHub · Official website

2. solidtime

Best for: Modern time tracker for teams
License: AGPL-3.0 · Stack: PHP (Laravel) · GitHub: 9,007 stars, repo updated Oct 2026

A newer open source time tracker with a modern interface and strong community interest. Good for agencies and freelancers.

Source on GitHub · Official website

3. Traggo

Best for: Tag-based personal tracking
License: GPL-3.0 · Stack: Go · GitHub: 1,640 stars, repo updated Sep 2026

A lightweight Go app that tracks time using tags instead of fixed projects. Great for individuals.

Source on GitHub · Official website

4. TimeTagger

Best for: Simple visual timeline
License: GPL-3.0 · Stack: Python · GitHub: 1,799 stars, repo updated Sep 2026

A minimal time tracker with a visual interface, easy to run and use for individuals and small teams.

Source on GitHub · Official website

5. Ever Gauzy

Best for: Time tracking inside a business platform
License: AGPL-3.0 · Stack: TypeScript · GitHub: 8,381 stars, repo updated Oct 2026

Ever Gauzy combines time tracking with CRM, HR and project features for remote teams.

Read our full guide to Ever Gauzy · Source on GitHub · Official website

6. ERPNext

Best for: Timesheets linked to projects
License: GPL-3.0 · Stack: Python (Frappe), MariaDB · GitHub: 40,232 stars, repo updated Oct 2026

ERPNext records timesheets against projects and tasks, useful if you bill project work through the same system.

Read our full guide to ERPNext · Source on GitHub · Official website

Open source vs paid time tracking software

Paid cloud products usually win on polish, mobile apps, automatic bank connections and support. Open source wins on running cost as you grow, data ownership and the freedom to customize. The real cost of open source is hosting, backups, updates and your own time, so count those honestly. Several of these projects also sell hosting or support if you would rather not run a server yourself.

How to choose the best time tracking software

• You bill clients by the hour: Kimai.
• You run an agency and want a modern UI: solidtime.
• You are one person who likes tags: Traggo.
• You want time inside a wider platform: Ever Gauzy or ERPNext.

Mistakes to avoid

Time tracking only works if people use it. Choose the tool your team finds least annoying, and be transparent about how the data is used. Check your local laws if you track employee activity.

Where to host it

All of these tools can be self-hosted. A small VPS or a web hosting plan from a provider such as Hostinger is enough to get started with most of them. Check each project's requirements first, and read our security and backup checklist before you add real data.

Related comparisons

• Best Open Source Invoicing Software for Small Business
• Best Open Source Payroll Software for Small Business
• Best Open Source Quotation & Estimates Software (2026)
• Best Open Source ERP Software for Small Business

All open source business software comparisons

• Accounting
• Bookkeeping
• Billing
• Invoicing
• Payroll
• Inventory Management
• Warehouse Management
• Expense Tracking
• Spend Management
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receivable
• Cash Flow Management
• Bank Reconciliation
• Purchase Order
• Vendor Management
• Point of Sale (POS)
• Time Tracking
• Quotation & Estimates
• Revenue Recognition
• Financial Reporting
• Asset Management
• Lead Management
• Sales Pipeline
• ERP

Also see our directory of 50 open source CRMs.