Executive Summary
This report provides a comprehensive head-to-head comparison of actiTIME vs TimeCamp — two leading time tracking software solutions in 2026. Both tools target businesses seeking to track time, manage projects, and improve billing accuracy. However, they take fundamentally different approaches: actiTIME is built as a project accounting and profitability platform, while TimeCamp is positioned as an automation-first, attendance-oriented tracker. For a deeper breakdown of TimeCamp’s features and positioning, see our TimeCamp review.
Company & Product Overview
actiTIME
actiTIME is a cloud-based and self-hostable time tracking platform built for project-oriented teams. Its core philosophy is connecting time data to project budgets, billing rates, and profitability metrics — making it the tool of choice for professional services firms in legal, engineering, IT, and consulting.
Core strengths:
• Task-level project accounting with profit/loss reports
• Built-in invoicing, billing rates, and leave management
• Self-hosted perpetual license option for data sovereignty
• 30-day free trial; free plan for up to 3 users
TimeCamp
TimeCamp is a versatile cloud-based time tracker founded with a ‘mobile-first, automation-first’ philosophy. It serves freelancers, SMBs, and enterprises with a strong emphasis on automatic time tracking (keyword-based background tracking), activity/productivity monitoring, and a 70+ integration ecosystem. TimeCamp is part of the CAKE.com productivity suite alongside project management tool Plaky and communication tool Pumble.
Core strengths:
• Keyword-based automatic background time tracking
• Optional screenshots, GPS, and activity monitoring
• Unlimited users on the free plan
• 70+ direct integrations including Trello, Asana, Slack, GitHub, Jira
• 14-day free trial (no credit card required)
Pricing Comparison
actiTIME Pricing (2026)
actiTIME offers three primary tiers: a free plan, a cloud-hosted Online plan, and a self-hosted option with a one-time perpetual license fee.
| Plan | Price (Monthly Billing) | Price (Annual Billing) | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 3 users |
| Online | $7/user/month | $6/user/month | Unlimited |
| Self-Hosted | One-time ~$120/user | N/A (perpetual license) | Unlimited |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Notable pricing facts:
• Free plan: limited to 3 users but includes core time tracking, project setup, and basic reports.
• Online plan at $6/user/month (annual) covers invoicing, leave management, Kanban boards, and custom fields — making it one of the best value-per-feature ratios in the market.
• Self-hosted perpetual license at ~$120/user is a one-time fee. For a 50-person firm, software costs drop to $0 after month 20 compared to SaaS subscriptions.
• 30-day free trial is longer than most competitors in the market.
TimeCamp Pricing (2026)
TimeCamp uses a per-user/per-month subscription model with 4 main paid tiers plus a free plan. A 25% discount is available for annual billing.
| Plan | Price (Monthly Billing) | Price (Annual Billing) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Unlimited users, 1 integration, basic tracking |
| Starter | $5.49/user/month | $3.99/user/month | + Unlimited tasks, advanced reports, attendance |
| Premium | $9.99/user/month | $6.99/user/month | + Billable hours, invoicing, integrations |
| Ultimate | $13.99/user/month | $9.99/user/month | + Screenshots, payroll, SSO |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom onboarding, on-premise available (50+ users) |
Notable pricing facts:
• Free plan allows unlimited users and unlimited projects — a rare and highly competitive feature in the market.
• Billable time tracking is gated behind the Premium plan ($6.99/user/month annually), which can surprise budget-conscious teams starting on Starter.
• On-premise/self-hosted deployment is available only on the Ultimate plan (annual) for teams of 50+ users, making it less flexible than actiTIME’s standalone self-hosted option.
• 30% additional discount available for non-profits, universities, and schools.
For full pricing details, you can also check TimeCamp Pricing Overview (2026).
Pricing Head-to-Head: 30-Person Team
| Scenario | actiTIME | TimeCamp |
|---|---|---|
| Best free option | $0 (3 users only) | $0 (unlimited users) |
| Entry paid (annual) | $2,160/yr (Online) | $1,436/yr (Starter) |
| Full features (annual) | $2,160/yr (Online) | $2,516/yr (Premium) |
| Long-term self-hosted | $3,600 one-time (year 0) then $0 | Not available under 50 users |
Feature Comparison
The table below provides a full feature-by-feature breakdown of both platforms as of April 2026.
| Feature | actiTIME | TimeCamp |
|---|---|---|
| Time Entry Methods | Manual timesheet, timer, calendar view, mobile | Manual, auto background tracking, keyword-based, mobile |
| Kanban Board | ✓ (color-coded, full workflow) | ✗ |
| Custom Task Statuses | ✓ | ✗ |
| Task Priorities & Deadlines | ✓ | Limited |
| Custom Fields | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project Budgeting | ✓ (estimated vs. actual) | ✓ |
| Profit & L | ✓ | Limited |
| Native Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ (Premium+) |
| Leave / PTO Management | ✓ (with PTO blackout) | ✓ (paid plans) |
| Overtime Tracking | ✓ | Workaround only |
| Computer Activity Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Screenshots | ✗ | ✓ (optional) |
| GPS / Geofencing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Offline Time Tracking | ✓ (mobile app) | ✓ |
| Keyword Auto-Tracking | ✗ | ✓ (unique differentiator) |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Zapier, Chrome ext. | 70+ (Trello, Asana, Jira, Slack, GitHub, etc.) |
| Self-Hosting | ✓ (perpetual license, $120/user) | ✓ (Ultimate plan, 50+ users only) |
Time Tracking
Both tools support manual and timer-based time entry. The key differentiator is TimeCamp’s automatic background tracking: it silently monitors which applications and windows are open, then logs time to projects based on configurable keywords. This is ideal for knowledge workers who frequently forget to start or stop timers.
actiTIME’s tracking relies on a Chrome extension for automated capture, which is less comprehensive than TimeCamp’s native desktop app tracking. However, actiTIME’s timesheet UX (weekly calendar view, task-level breakdown) is more structured and suitable for project billing scenarios.
Project Management
actiTIME offers the deeper project management toolkit. Teams can create hierarchical projects with tasks, assign priorities, set deadlines, manage custom fields, and use a Kanban board with color-coded workflow stages (e.g., Draft → In Review → Awaiting Client Approval → Done). This functionality can replace basic project management tools like Trello or Asana for professional service teams.
TimeCamp offers a project tree structure with tags and subtasks, but lacks native Kanban boards, task priorities, or custom fields. For complex project workflows, TimeCamp relies on integrations with dedicated PM tools.
Billing, Invoicing & Profitability
Billing, Invoicing & Profitability
actiTIME’s billing capabilities are a core differentiator. Teams can set different billing rates and cost-of-work rates at the individual task level within a single project. For example, ‘Senior Consulting’ can be billed at $250/hr while ‘Administrative Drafting’ is billed at $75/hr — all within one project. This automatically generates Profit & Loss reports per project, giving real-time margin visibility.
TimeCamp supports billing rates per project or client and includes invoicing on its Premium plan. However, task-level billing rate differentiation and native P&L reports are not available, making it less suited for firms that need granular financial oversight.
Leave & Attendance Management
actiTIME includes a comprehensive leave management module with standard leave types (vacation, sick, family leave, time off) plus custom leave types. It supports leave policy configuration with accrual rules, balance limitations, and a PTO blackout feature that prevents employees from requesting time off during critical periods. Managers can approve or deny requests directly within the platform.
TimeCamp offers attendance tracking on paid plans, but its time-off management module is noted as incomplete by independent reviewers — some advertised features (such as overtime tracking) were confirmed unavailable as of early 2026, with workarounds required.
Employee Monitoring
TimeCamp offers optional features not available in actiTIME: configurable screenshots at set intervals, desktop activity tracking (which apps and websites were used), GPS location tracking via mobile app, and geofencing. These features are optional and admin-controlled. They are well-suited for companies with remote teams or field employees requiring accountability.
actiTIME takes an explicitly ‘non-surveillance’ approach with no screenshot, activity monitoring, or GPS features. This makes it more suitable for trust-based work cultures and industries where employee monitoring may raise privacy or legal concerns.
Pros & Cons
actiTIME — Pros & Cons
Pros
- Deep project accounting: task-level billing rates, cost of work vs. billing rates, P&L per project
- Native leave management with PTO blackout feature
- Self-hosted perpetual license — best long-term ROI for data-sensitive organizations
- Longer free trial (30 days) vs. industry average
- Kanban boards, custom fields, and task workflows eliminate need for separate PM tools
Cons
- Free plan limited to 3 users — TimeCamp’s unlimited free plan is far more generous
- Automatic tracking only via Chrome extension — no native desktop background tracking
- No GPS, geofencing, or employee activity monitoring
- Fewer direct integrations
TimeCamp — Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unique keyword-based automatic background time tracking — industry-leading feature
- Unlimited users on the free plan
- 70+ direct integrations across PM, accounting, and communication tools
- Optional GPS, geofencing, and screenshot monitoring for accountability
- Offline time tracking with auto-sync
Cons
- Billable time tracking gated behind Premium plan ($6.99/user/month annually) — not available on Starter
- No native Kanban boards or task priority/dependency management
- Self-hosted option restricted to 50+ user Ultimate plan — not available for smaller teams
- Mobile app lacks admin-level reporting; mobile management experience is limited
- Some advertised features (overtime tracking, time-off management) were confirmed incomplete as of early 2026
- No native P&L reports by project
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Category | actiTIME | TimeCamp | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes – up to 3 users | Yes – unlimited users, 1 integration | TimeCamp |
| Starting Price (annual) | $6.00/user/month | $3.99/user/month (Starter) | TimeCamp |
| Self-Hosted Option | Yes – $120/user one-time | Yes – 50+ users, Ultimate plan only | actiTIME |
| Automatic Time Tracking | Via Chrome extension | Native background tracking | TimeCamp |
| Project Management | Full: Kanban, priorities, custom fields | Basic task hierarchy | actiTIME |
| Invoicing | Native, one-click | Available (Premium+) | Tie |
| Leave & PTO Management | Built-in with PTO blackout | Available (paid plans) | actiTIME |
| Billing Rates | Task-level, cost vs. billing rates | Per project/client | actiTIME |
| Profit/Loss Reports | Yes | Limited | actiTIME |
| Integrations | QuickBooks, Zapier, API | 70+ (Trello, Asana, Jira, Slack, etc.) | TimeCamp |
| Mobile App | iOS & Android, offline mode | iOS & Android, limited admin | actiTIME |
| GPS / Geofencing | No | Yes (mobile) | TimeCamp |
| Screenshots / Activity | No | Yes (optional) | TimeCamp |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 14 days | actiTIME |
| Customer Support | Email + knowledge base | Live chat 24/7 (paid plans) | TimeCamp |
Who Should Use What?
Choose actiTIME if you…
- Run a professional services firm (legal, IT, consulting, engineering) where project profitability is business-critical
- Need task-level billing rates and built-in invoicing under one roof
- Want native leave and PTO management without third-party integrations
- Prioritize data ownership and want a self-hosted option
- Need Kanban project management alongside time tracking
- Want the best long-term ROI for a stable team (self-hosted perpetual license pays back in ~20 months)
Choose TimeCamp if you…
- Have a large team on a zero budget (unlimited users on the free plan)
- Need automatic background time tracking without manual timer discipline
- Have field or deskless employees who need GPS and geofencing
- Require a wide integration ecosystem with existing SaaS tools (Trello, Jira, Slack, GitHub, etc.)
- Want optional employee monitoring (screenshots, activity tracking) for remote accountability
- Are a freelancer or solo user who wants automatic tracking with keyword-based smart logging
Verdict
Both actiTIME and TimeCamp are mature, well-rated time tracking platforms that serve distinct audiences effectively. Neither is universally ‘better’ — the right choice depends on your team’s specific needs.
For project-based businesses where time is a financial asset — legal, engineering, IT consulting, or agencies that invoice clients based on hours — actiTIME is the stronger choice. Its task-level billing architecture, native invoicing, leave management, and Kanban project management create a self-contained system that can consolidate multiple tools into one. The self-hosted perpetual license is a rare and compelling option for organizations that need data sovereignty or want to eliminate recurring SaaS costs.
For teams whose primary goal is effortless time capture — freelancers, remote squads, or companies with deskless workers — TimeCamp has a clear edge. Its keyword-based automatic tracking, unlimited free tier, GPS features, and 70+ integrations make it the most frictionless option for time logging at scale.
