WakaTime Alternative: Free & Open Source Coding Time Tracker
Looking for a WakaTime alternative? Hackatime is a free, open source coding time tracker that gives you all the features you need, without the paywall. Built by Hack Club, it's designed for developers who want powerful analytics without monthly fees.
Why look for a WakaTime alternative?
WakaTime pioneered automatic coding time tracking, and it's a great product - in fact, we even use the same editor extensions! At the same time though, its free tier is pretty limited. You get basic stats, but advanced features like detailed project breakdowns and longer data retention require a paid subscription starting at $9/month ($14/month for dashboard history longer than two weeks). For students, hobbyists, and open source contributors, that adds up.
That's where Hackatime comes in. It's built from the ground up to be completely free - no freemium model, no premium tiers, no feature gates.
So, how does Hackatime stack up?
| Feature | Hackatime | WakaTime Free | WakaTime Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Free | $9/month |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Editor Support | 70+ editors | 70+ editors | 70+ editors |
| Data Retention | Unlimited | 14 days | Unlimited |
| Project Stats | Full access | Limited | Full access |
| Language Breakdown | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leaderboards | ✓ (Community) | ✓ (Community) | ✓ |
| Self-Hosting | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Team Features | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ Full | Limited | ✓ Full |
Honest trade-offs
We believe in transparency. Here's what you should know before switching:
No team dashboards
WakaTime Pro offers team analytics. Hackatime is focused on individual developers. If you need team insights, WakaTime might be better suited.
Community-focused
Hackatime is built for the Hack Club community. While anyone can use it, some features (like leaderboards) are community-centric.
Newer platform
WakaTime has been around since 2013 and has a mature ecosystem. Hackatime launched in 2024 and is actively developed.
No email summaries
WakaTime sends weekly email reports. Hackatime doesn't currently offer email digests, but this is a feature we're actively working on.
Why Hackatime might be right for you
If you're a student, open source contributor, or developer who wants powerful coding analytics without paying a subscription, Hackatime might be a good fit:
- 100% free, forever - every feature, no exceptions
- Works with all WakaTime plugins - just change your API endpoint
- Open source - audit the code, contribute, or self-host
- Privacy-first - only metadata tracked, never your code
- Community leaderboards - see how you stack up against peers
Getting started
Switching from WakaTime takes less than 5 minutes. Since Hackatime uses
the same plugin ecosystem, you just update your ~/.wakatime.cfg file:
[settings]
api_url = https://hackatime.hackclub.com/api/hackatime/v1
api_key = YOUR_API_KEY_HEREOr use our automated setup page that handles everything for you (sign in first!)
Ready to switch?
Join thousands of developers who track their coding time for free. No credit card required.
Start tracking for freeTakes 2 minutes to set up.