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Tokify vs Timing
Both are Mac time trackers, but they take very different approaches. Here’s an honest comparison.
| Feature | Tokify | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Paid |
| Tracking style | You log what you're doing | Automatic app/activity tracking |
| Your data | Local database on your Mac, exportable | Local database on your Mac |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Proprietary |
| Works offline | Yes, fully | Yes (local Mac app) |
| Account | Only for sync and teams | Not needed for core use |
Swipe the table to compare both apps.
What Timing is good at
Timing is a well-regarded macOS app whose signature feature is automatic tracking: it watches which apps and documents you use and builds a detailed timeline of your day without you having to press Start or remember to log anything. It also has powerful review and reporting tools, project rules, and integrations. If you want a comprehensive, hands-off record of how your Mac time is spent, Timing is purpose-built for exactly that and does it very well.
Where Tokify is different
Tokify is deliberately intentional rather than automatic. You tell it what you’re working on and press Start, so the record reflects the work as you think about it — not a raw log of every window you touched. For a lot of people, that intentional framing is the point: it doubles as a gentle nudge to stay on task.
Tokify is also free and open source under GPL-3.0, where Timing is a paid, proprietary app. Both run locally on your Mac and work offline. Tokify exports your history to CSV, JSON, or plain text whenever you like. Optional sync keeps shared activities end-to-end encrypted before they leave your Mac.
Which should you pick?
If you want automatic, passive tracking of everything on your Mac and don’t mind paying for it, Timing is a strong fit. If you prefer to consciously log what you’re doing, want a free and open-source tool, and want your time data to stay on your own Mac, Tokify is the calmer, more open option.
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/relegate-to/tokify/main/install.sh | shFree · Open source (GPL-3.0) · macOS 11+ · No account to start