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Kimai pricing: free open-source core and what the commercial plan costs

Kimai's pricing starts from a simple fact: the core software is free and open source. You self-host it on your own infrastructure, which is why cost is concentrated in deployment and maintenance rather than a subscription line item. There is also a commercial Standard plan referenced, but its exact pricing and packaging are not published — and the pack flags that pricing requires validation.

This pricing breakdown covers what the free open-source core gives you, what the commercial plan leaves unanswered, and where the real costs of self-hosting live. The analysis is grounded strictly in the PeopleOpsClub data pack and Kimai's stated free, open-source, self-hosted model. If you are comparing Kimai against managed SaaS time trackers, the comparison section frames the trade between control and convenience.

Written by Maya PatelFact-checked by ChandrasmitaReviewed Jun 11, 2026Last updated Jun 11, 2026

Use this Kimai pricing page to understand what buyers actually pay, what changes the cost, and what to verify before procurement.

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No free trial listed; the open-source software is freely available to deploy. No commitment required.

Kimai pricing overview: a free open-source core with a self-hosted deployment

Kimai structures around a free, open-source core with a self-hosted deployment model. The core time-tracking software carries no license fee — you download it and run it on infrastructure you control. That is the headline of Kimai's pricing and the main reason teams evaluate it against subscription-priced hosted tools.

The cost that does not appear on a price page is the cost of running it yourself: infrastructure, setup time, updates, and ongoing maintenance. For teams that already operate their own infrastructure, that overhead is marginal. For teams without that capacity, it is a real line item to weigh.

Beyond the free core, a commercial Standard plan is referenced for Kimai. The pack does not include its pricing or packaging detail and explicitly notes that pricing requires validation. Treat any cost beyond the free open-source software as a vendor conversation rather than a published rate.

The pack also notes that implementation depth varies by plan. That matters for total cost of ownership: the setup and support experience is not uniform, so confirm what implementation looks like for whichever path you choose before assuming the effort or cost involved.

Open Source: Free (Self-hosted, open-source time tracking with workflow coverage, workflow and approval support, and operational reporting)
Standard: Contact vendor (Commercial plan; exact pricing and packaging not published — validate with the vendor)

Pricing source: official pricing page, verified 2026-06-16.

How to evaluate Kimai pricing before you talk to sales

Kimai pricing should be evaluated in the context of team size, operating complexity, and the commercial metric that makes cost rise over time.

Buyers should use this page to understand more than the headline price. The real decision usually depends on implementation scope, support level, add-on exposure, and whether the pricing model still makes sense once the team grows.

  • Clarify whether cost scales by employee count, recruiter seats, payroll runs, locations, or another metric.
  • Confirm what implementation, premium support, compliance, or service add-ons do to total spend.
  • Model pricing against the actual team size and operating complexity expected over the next 12 months.

Kimai pricing breakdown: free open-source software versus the commercial Standard plan

For teams that can self-host comfortably, the free, open-source core is the natural entry point. There is no license cost to evaluate it — only the effort of standing it up — so deploy the open-source software, validate the workflow and reporting against your needs, and treat the self-hosting overhead as the cost to weigh.

For teams considering anything beyond the free core, engage the vendor on the commercial Standard plan early. Because its pricing is unpublished and flagged for validation, get the cost, billing, and packaging in writing, and clarify how implementation depth and support differ from the free open-source deployment before committing.

Kimai Open Source — what the free, self-hosted core covers

Kimai's open-source core is free to run and self-hosted in a web-based environment you control. It covers structured time tracking with workflow coverage, workflow and approval support under its automation capabilities, and reporting built for operational and people-insights visibility. The price is zero in license terms, but the cost shifts to deployment: you own the infrastructure, setup, updates, and maintenance. For teams that already run their own infrastructure, this is the most economical path. Specific configuration options and feature limits should be confirmed in Kimai's documentation.

Kimai Standard — the commercial plan with pricing to validate

Kimai references a commercial Standard plan, but the pack does not include published pricing or packaging detail and explicitly notes that pricing requires validation. There is no public rate to plan against, so the cost of this plan is a vendor conversation, not a number you can assume. Before considering it, ask what the plan costs, how it is billed, and what it adds over the free open-source core. The pack also notes that implementation depth varies by plan, so confirm the setup and support experience for the Standard plan specifically.

Kimai hidden costs: self-hosting overhead and pricing that requires validation

Self-hosting infrastructure, setup, and maintenance overhead

Kimai's free, open-source core has no license fee, but self-hosting carries costs that never appear on a price page. You own the servers or hosting environment, the initial setup, the ongoing updates, and the uptime. Unlike a managed SaaS time tracker that absorbs this work, Kimai's self-hosted, web-based model puts it on your team. For organizations with existing infrastructure capacity, the overhead is marginal; for those without it, it is a genuine cost to factor into any comparison against hosted alternatives.

Unpublished commercial pricing and variable implementation depth

The referenced Standard plan does not have published pricing, and the pack flags pricing as requiring validation — so any commercial cost is unknown until you ask the vendor. The pack also notes that implementation depth varies by plan, meaning the setup and support effort is not uniform. Both factors make total cost harder to predict than with a tool that publishes flat pricing, so get the commercial pricing and the implementation scope in writing before committing.

How Kimai pricing compares to managed SaaS time trackers

Kimai vs managed SaaS time trackers: free self-hosted versus subscription convenience

The core trade is control versus convenience. Kimai's open-source core is free to license but self-hosted, so your team owns the infrastructure and maintenance. A managed SaaS time tracker typically charges a recurring subscription but absorbs hosting, updates, and uptime on your behalf. For teams with infrastructure capacity and data-control requirements, Kimai's free, self-hosted model can be the lower long-term cost. For teams that want zero-maintenance operation, a hosted subscription tool may justify its recurring fee. The pack does not publish competitor prices, so compare any specific SaaS quote against Kimai's deployment overhead rather than a headline license number.

Kimai vs published-pricing tools: validation effort versus budget certainty

One practical difference is transparency. Kimai's commercial Standard plan has no published pricing and is flagged for validation, so buyers must run a vendor conversation to learn the cost. Tools that publish flat, public pricing remove that step and offer budget certainty up front. If predictable, documented pricing is a priority for your finance team, weigh the validation effort Kimai's commercial plan requires against the free, no-license open-source core that needs no pricing conversation at all.

Kimai pricing buyer checklist: what to verify before adopting or buying the commercial plan

Confirm your team can self-host and maintain Kimai

Kimai's free core is self-hosted and web-based, so your team owns the infrastructure, setup, updates, and uptime. Verify you have the capacity to run it before adopting — the absence of a license fee does not mean the absence of cost.

Get the commercial Standard plan pricing in writing

The Standard plan's pricing is not published and the pack flags it for validation. Request the cost, billing terms, and packaging directly from the vendor, and do not assume a rate until it is confirmed.

Clarify implementation depth for the path you choose

The pack notes implementation depth varies by plan. Ask what setup, configuration, and ongoing support look like for the free open-source deployment versus the commercial plan so you understand the real effort involved.

Validate the workflow, approval, and reporting features against your needs

The pack describes workflow coverage, workflow and approval support, and operational reporting qualitatively. Walk through Kimai's documentation to confirm the specific capabilities and limits match how your team tracks time before committing.

Factor self-hosting overhead into total cost of ownership

When comparing Kimai against a managed SaaS tool, add the cost of infrastructure, setup, and maintenance to the free license to get a true total. That all-in number is the fair comparison against a subscription rate.

Frequently asked questions about Kimai pricing

Kimai's pricing is genuinely attractive at the core: the open-source software is free, self-hosted, and gives teams control over where their data lives and how the tool runs. For SMB and mid-market teams with the infrastructure capacity to host it, that combination is hard to beat on cost. The caveats are real, though. Self-hosting carries infrastructure and maintenance overhead that does not show up on a price page, the referenced commercial Standard plan has no published pricing and is flagged for validation, and implementation depth varies by plan. For teams that value control and can run their own infrastructure, Kimai's free core is a strong starting point. For teams that need budget certainty or a fully managed experience, the unpublished commercial pricing and self-hosting overhead are worth resolving before committing.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kimai free?

Yes. Kimai's core software is free and open source, with a self-hosted deployment model. There is no per-user license cost to run the core tool. The cost that does not appear on a price page is the cost of self-hosting — infrastructure, setup, updates, and maintenance, all of which your team owns. A commercial Standard plan is also referenced, but its pricing is not published.

How much does the Kimai commercial plan cost?

The pack references a commercial Standard plan for Kimai but does not include published pricing or packaging detail, and it explicitly notes that pricing requires validation. To get a firm number, contact the vendor and ask what the plan costs, how it is billed, and what it adds over the free open-source core. Do not assume a rate until it is confirmed directly.

What is included in Kimai's free open-source version?

Kimai's free, open-source, self-hosted software covers structured time tracking with workflow coverage, workflow and approval support under its automation capabilities, and reporting built for operational and people-insights visibility. It runs in a web-based, self-hosted environment you control. Specific configuration options and feature limits should be confirmed in Kimai's own documentation.

Does Kimai have hidden costs?

Kimai's core software is free, so there is no license fee — but self-hosting carries real costs that do not appear on a price page: the infrastructure to run it, the time to set it up, and the ongoing updates and maintenance your team owns. The pack also notes that implementation depth varies by plan and that the commercial plan's pricing requires validation, so confirm both the operational overhead and any commercial cost before committing.

Does Kimai offer a free trial?

The pack does not list a free trial for Kimai. Because the core software is free and open source, the evaluation path is to deploy the software itself rather than start a time-limited trial. For the referenced commercial Standard plan, contact the vendor to understand evaluation options, pricing, and what the plan includes.

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