Should you build your own Toggl Track?
Track time quickly, edit entries, and report by project, client, and tag
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Toggl Track, track time quickly, edit entries, and report by project, client, and tag. The hard boundary is cross-platform apps, background tracking, integrations, team controls, and sync, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow.
ENOriginal research content in English. Original prompt preserved in English.
Build a personal replacement for Toggl Track in an empty repository.
Use Tauri 2, React, TypeScript, SQLite, and optional OS accessibility APIs; do not offer alternative stacks.
The core loop is: track time quickly, edit entries, report by project, client, and tag, 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?
Track time quickly, edit entries, report by project, client, and tag, 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 Toggl Track 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-platform apps, background tracking, integrations, team controls, and sync
xcross-device history
xteam timesheets and payroll
xbehavioral datasets
xblocking across every platform
Prefer something ready-made?
Super ProductivityA local task timer with tags, reports and exports; collaboration is not the point.Open source↗
solidtimeModern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.Open source↗
KimaiTimesheets, rates, reports and invoices are all there; approvals need its free plugin and the server still needs an adult.Open source↗View all 8 alternatives to Toggl Track →· Licença, instalação e limitações em cada alternativa.
How much does Toggl Track cost?
- Monthly billing
- $12/mo$12/mo · per person
- Per year
- $144/yr$144/yr
- Annual billing
- $108/yr25% cheaper than paying monthly
- On a Brazilian card, with 3.5% IOF
- R$62.71/moR$564/yr
Saved to My list. You will see a notice on this site when the price changes.
You complete the purchase on Toggl Track’s site. Vibe Radar does not handle payments.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| free | $0/user | $0/user | Up to 5 users; unlimited projects, clients, and time entries; 30 API requests/hour/user/organization; 1 connected Google or Outlook calendar account. |
| starter | $12/user≈ $12 | $9/user≈ $9 | Unlimited users; billable rates, project estimates, tasks, and reporting. |
| premium | $24/user≈ $24 | $16/user≈ $16 | Unlimited users; approvals, labor-cost tracking, audits, and advanced project controls. |
| enterprise | custom | - | Custom seats, security, support, and terms. |
Free tierUp to 5 users; unlimited projects, clients, and time entries; 30 API requests/hour/user/organization; 1 connected Google or Outlook calendar account.
Billing termsmonthly + annual; Premium annual is $14/user/month for year 1 then $18/user/month; Enterprise custom
Additional costsEvery workspace member needs a license; vacant licenses remain billed until manually removed; added seats are prorated; refunds are generally limited to billing-system errors.
verified 2026-10-20 · source ↗
Is it cheaper to build or buy Toggl Track?
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 Toggl Track?
Kinda. The core of Toggl Track is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: cross-platform apps, background tracking, integrations, team controls, and sync, cross-device history. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does Toggl Track cost?
Toggl Track costs about $12/mo (Starter, checked 10/20/2026), which is $108 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Toggl Track?
Honestly: cross-platform apps, background tracking, integrations, team controls, and sync; 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 Toggl Track?
Yes: Super Productivity (A local task timer with tags, reports and exports; collaboration is not the point.) solidtime (Modern multi-user timers, clients and billable rates in one Compose stack; the desktop apps are still beta.) Kimai (Timesheets, rates, reports and invoices are all there; approvals need its free plugin and the server still needs an adult.) All 8 curated free alternatives are at https://viberadar.si/toggl-track/alternatives. The prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.