ActivityWatch is a free, MPL-2.0 licensed automatic time tracker for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android that logs the active app, window title and idle time, with browser extensions and editor plugins for more detail.
Free / open sourceSelf-hosted
Open Source Employee Monitoring Software Alternatives
When open source monitoring is the wrong choice: teams without server skills, employers wanting a managed dashboard, or buyers whose real need is timesheets, attendance or a full HR system.
Updated Sep 25, 2026
Open source monitoring appeals on price and data control, but the software is only free if someone in-house can deploy, secure and update it. Many searches in this category are really about time tracking or attendance rather than activity monitoring. Getting that distinction right usually narrows the options quickly.
Alternative categories and vendors
A hosted time tracker is the safer choice for teams with no technical staff. Kimai offers both paths, a self-hosted AGPL version and a managed cloud with automatic updates, so a company can start with whichever fits its resources. EmpMonitor and TimeTrex are also listed as cloud products with free trials, which removes the server question entirely.
Where the need is broader HR rather than tracking, OrangeHRM and Sentrifugo provide open source HR records with attendance, and ERPNext HR or Odoo Community fold HR into larger self-hosted business software. ActivityWatch is the opposite case: a personal, local-first tracker designed for individuals, which makes it a poor fit for an employer that wants central oversight.
Browse the current field
Kimai is a free, open-source time tracking tool built for teams that want a more structured way to track time, activity, attendance, or workforce visibility in self-hosted or open environments.
Free / open sourceSelf-hosted
TimeTrex is time and attendance software with a free self-hosted community edition and paid cloud or on-site editions.
Free / open sourceCloudFree trial
OrangeHRM is open-source HR software with a free Starter edition you can self-host and a paid Advanced edition with extra modules.
Free / open sourceCloudFree trial
Sentrifugo is a free, GPL-3.0 open-source HRMS that you download and host yourself, covering employee records, leave, attendance, appraisals and recruitment.
Free / open sourceSelf-hosted
Research open source employee monitoring software further
Frequently asked questions
Is open source monitoring cheaper than a paid tool?
The license is free, but hosting, updates, security and support fall on the buyer. For small teams without an administrator, a commercial plan can cost less once staff time is counted.