Fortunately, I don’t have to track time now (it’s very convenient), but I did in the past when I worked for different clients/companies, and I used to do it. I often lose track of time when I am coding, and it would be hard to remember how much time I spent on a particular task or how much time I spent working each day. Even if I don’t need to track the exact tasks, I like to at least turn on the timer when I’m working on something, so I can see how much time I’ve spent on it, and just generate a report at the end of the month to know what to put on the invoice. I also like to track time to see how much time I spend on personal projects. Just out of curiosity.
I’ve used a lot of time tracking applications over the years and haven’t found the perfect one. Currently, I need a simple time tracking app where I can start/stop a timer, enter a task title and generate reports. Most tracking apps are too complex for me and I don’t need all the features they offer. Companies try to include as many features as possible to make the app more attractive, but for me it’s the opposite. It also makes no sense to pay a monthly subscription for a time tracking app or to use a cloud version. I don’t need that.
The time tracking app I use now was very high on my list of apps to try. I’ve been using it for a few days now, and I’m very happy with it.
It’s called Tim.
It’s a very simple time tracking application for macOS (native!). Apart from the basic features I need, it has a few more, but they are not intrusive. You can track time, group tasks, create tags, set an hourly rate, view charts, create and export reports. You can find more information on their website. Importantly, you don’t need an account. You can automatically back up your data wherever you want (privacy!).
It’s not a free application, but it’s not expensive, and it’s a one-time purchase. I think it’s definitely worth the price.