Hamster vs Wakapi
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
Wakapi
Self-hosted coding activity and time tracking server
| Feature | Hamster | Wakapi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Time Tracking | Time Tracking |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,127 | ★ 4,398 |
| First released | 2008 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Toggl, RescueTime | WakaTime, RescueTime |
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 Wakapi if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.4k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Hamster or Wakapi better?
Neither is universally better. Wakapi has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Hamster and Wakapi free and open-source?
Yes. Hamster is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Wakapi under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hamster and Wakapi with Docker?
Hamster: check the project docs for container support. Wakapi: yes.