Hamster vs TimeTagger
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted time tracking options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Hamster
Desktop time tracker for individual productivity
VS
TimeTagger
Tag-based time tracker with an interactive timeline
| Feature | Hamster | TimeTagger |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Time Tracking | Time Tracking |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,127 | ★ 1,769 |
| First released | 2008 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Toggl, RescueTime | Toggl, Harvest |
Why pick each one
Choose Hamster if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
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 Hamster 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 Hamster and TimeTagger free and open-source?
Yes. Hamster is licensed under GPL-3.0 and TimeTagger under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hamster and TimeTagger with Docker?
Hamster: check the project docs for container support. TimeTagger: yes.