gtimelog vs TimeTagger
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted time tracking options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
TimeTagger
Tag-based time tracker with an interactive timeline
| Feature | gtimelog | TimeTagger |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 55 · Fair | 71 · Good |
| Category | Time Tracking | Time Tracking |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 273 | ★ 1,789 |
| First released | 2008 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Toggl | Toggl, Harvest |
What are gtimelog and TimeTagger?
gtimelog
gtimelog is a small, minimalist time tracking application for GNOME. It records what you work on through simple text entries and produces daily and weekly reports.
- Text-based time logging
- Daily and weekly reports
- Minimalist GNOME app
- Plain-text data files
TimeTagger
TimeTagger is an open-source time tracking app with an interactive timeline interface. Records are organized with hashtags, making reporting fast and flexible.
- Interactive timeline view
- Hashtag-based organization
- Live reporting
- Works offline as a PWA
gtimelog vs TimeTagger: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for gtimelog versus GPL-3.0 for TimeTagger. Gtimelog is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for TimeTagger. Gtimelog is the more established project (first released 2008), while TimeTagger arrived in 2021. TimeTagger has the considerably larger community, at 1,789 GitHub stars versus 273. TimeTagger lists first-class Docker deployment; gtimelog does not.
Why pick each one
Choose gtimelog if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose TimeTagger if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is gtimelog or TimeTagger better?
Neither is universally better. TimeTagger has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are gtimelog and TimeTagger free and open-source?
Yes. gtimelog is licensed under GPL-2.0 and TimeTagger under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gtimelog and TimeTagger with Docker?
gtimelog: check the project docs for container support. TimeTagger: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, gtimelog or TimeTagger?
gtimelog has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for TimeTagger. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.