Should you build your own RescueTime?
Measure opt-in application time, classify it, and run focused sessions locally
The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For RescueTime, measure opt-in application time, classify it, and run focused sessions locally. The hard boundary is cross-device history, website blocking, goals, reports, and long-term behavioral dataset, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow.
ENOriginal research content in English. Original prompt preserved in English.
Build a personal replacement for RescueTime in an empty repository.
Use Tauri 2, React, TypeScript, SQLite, and optional OS accessibility APIs; do not offer alternative stacks.
The core loop is: measure opt-in application time, classify it, run focused sessions, review patterns locally, and export a transparent activity record.
Make the first run work locally with one documented command.
Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward.
Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials.
Create one-click start and stop, manual entries, idle detection, tags, projects, and notes.
Keep any application-name tracking opt-in and never record window contents or keystrokes.
Add Pomodoro-style focus sessions, break reminders, and an optional allowlist blocker.
Provide daily, weekly, project, and category reports with editable corrections.
Export CSV and JSON and make the underlying event log inspectable.
Add automatic local backups and a privacy screen explaining every collected field.
Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states.
Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs.
Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path.
Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps.
Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane.
Deliberately leave out employee surveillance.
Deliberately leave out payroll and billing automation.
Deliberately leave out cross-device blocking and behavioral coaching services.
Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used.The prompt opens pre-filled in your agent. Review it before running. · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
What would building your own look like?
Measure opt-in application time, classify it, run focused sessions, review patterns locally, and export a transparent activity record.
What you will need
- desktop OS
- notification permission
- optional accessibility permission for app-name tracking
- local SQLite
People still pay for RescueTime because the timer is simple, but people pay for frictionless capture and a history they trust enough to invoice or change habits from. The recurring cost buys idle detection, permissions, app metadata, privacy, notifications, sync, reports, integrations, and backups, not just the visible interface.
xcross-device history, website blocking, goals, reports, and long-term behavioral dataset
xcross-device history
xteam timesheets and payroll
xbehavioral datasets
xblocking across every platform
How much does RescueTime cost?
- Monthly billing
- $12/mo$12/mo
- Per year
- $144/yr$144/yr
- On a Brazilian card, with 3.5% IOF
- R$62.71/moR$753/yr
Saved to My list. You will see a notice on this site when the price changes.
You complete the purchase on RescueTime’s site. Vibe Radar does not handle payments.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| solo focus | - | $7/user≈ $7 | 1 user; focus sessions and productivity reports; no numeric activity-history cap published. |
| solo+ | - | $12/user≈ $12 | 1 user; expanded coaching and productivity features; no numeric usage cap published. |
| team focus | - | $10/user≈ $10 | Team reporting and focus tools; no public numeric seat minimum. |
| team+ | - | $16/user≈ $16 | Expanded team analytics and coaching; no public numeric seat minimum. |
Free tierno free tier
Billing termsmonthly + annual; exact monthly dollar amounts were not exposed; 14-day trial
Additional costsInvoice billing is generally limited to teams of 100+; prorated refunds are generally not offered.
verified 2026-08-14 · source ↗
Is it cheaper to build or buy RescueTime?
Adjust the numbers: hours to build, your hourly rate, running costs and the subscription price.
Over 24 months, subscribing is cheaper.
Starting hours estimated from the analysis (one sitting). Does not price what you give up (support, integrations, security).
Can I rebuild RescueTime?
Yes. A competent AI coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) can build a usable personal RescueTime replacement in one session with the prompt on this page. It runs on your own machine or server with no subscription.
How much does RescueTime cost?
RescueTime costs about $12/mo (Premium, checked 10/20/2026), which is $144 per year. That’s what you save by replacing it with one prompt.
What do I lose by replacing RescueTime?
Honestly: cross-device history, website blocking, goals, reports, and long-term behavioral dataset; cross-device history; team timesheets and payroll; behavioral datasets; blocking across every platform. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to RescueTime?
Yes: Kimai (Mature open-source time-tracking application with projects, reports, and exports.). Using prior art is also vibecoding; the prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.