arbtt vs Kimai2
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
arbtt
Automatic rule-based time tracker for desktops
VS
Kimai2
Multi-user application for time-tracking with support for mobile
| Feature | arbtt | Kimai2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Time Tracking | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Haskell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 200 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 354 | ★ 4,871 |
| First released | 2009 | 2023 |
| Replaces | RescueTime, ManicTime | Hamster, RescueTime, Toggl Track |
Why pick each one
Choose arbtt if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in Haskell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Kimai2 if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is arbtt or Kimai2 better?
Kimai2 is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider arbtt if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are arbtt and Kimai2 free and open-source?
Yes. arbtt is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Kimai2 under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run arbtt and Kimai2 with Docker?
arbtt: check the project docs for container support. Kimai2: check the project docs for container support.