vs the competition

ClockMe vs Timely

Timely uses AI to automatically track what apps, documents, and websites you use throughout the day, then lets you review and assign that 'memory' to projects. It's impressive passive tracking. ClockMe takes a different approach: your AI coding assistant explicitly controls the timer via MCP — it's not guessing based on activity, it knows exactly what you're working on because it's the tool doing the work.

ClockMe
$0 — all features free for individuals
Best for: Developers and consultants who work primarily in AI coding tools
Timely
$9/seat/mo (Starter) · $16/seat/mo (Premium) · $22/seat/mo (Unlimited)
Best for: Knowledge workers who forget to track time and want passive activity capture
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Feature comparison
Feature
ClockMe
Timely
Automatic time tracking
Different approaches
Via MCP (AI-controlled)
Via activity capture (passive)
Invoice PDF generation
Yes
No
Project budget tracking
Yes
Yes
Idle detection
Yes
Yes
AI / MCP integration
Timely's AI is pattern-matching; ClockMe's is MCP control
Yes
No
Concurrent project timers
Yes
No
Focus Mode (site blocking)
Yes
No
Project time limit alerts
Yes
No
Historical billing rates
Yes
No
Privacy-first (no screen capture)
Timely captures app/URL activity
Yes
No
CSV export
Yes
Yes
Where ClockMe wins
  • MCP control is more accurate than activity guessing — the AI knows what project you're on
  • Invoice PDF built in — Timely has no invoicing
  • Completely free for individuals — Timely starts at $9/mo
  • Privacy-first — ClockMe doesn't capture your screen or app activity
  • Focus Mode and concurrent timers are unique to ClockMe
Where Timely wins
  • ·Passive tracking for non-developer workflows (email, documents, meetings)
  • ·Visual 'memory' timeline is excellent for retrospective review
  • ·Better for teams that forget to track time entirely
Our honest take

Timely's passive activity tracking is good for people who work across many different apps and need a comprehensive activity log. ClockMe is purpose-built for developers using AI coding tools — the MCP integration means the timer is always accurate because it's controlled by the tool that knows what you're doing.

FAQ

ClockMe vs Timely questions

Does ClockMe capture my screen or activity like Timely does?

No. ClockMe never captures your screen, app usage, or browser history. Timers are started and stopped explicitly — by you, your AI tool, or via the Chrome extension. This is a deliberate privacy-first design.

What if I work in tools that aren't AI coding editors?

ClockMe works for any billing scenario. You can start/stop timers manually from the web app or Chrome extension for calls, design work, or admin time — MCP auto-tracking is an add-on, not a requirement.

How accurate is AI/MCP tracking vs Timely's activity tracking?

MCP tracking is deterministic — the timer starts exactly when your Claude Code or Cursor session opens and stops when it closes. Timely's activity tracking is probabilistic — it captures what apps you used and asks you to confirm. For coding work, MCP is more accurate. For meetings and email, Timely's passive approach has an edge.

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Notion databases track everything. ClockMe tracks billable time accurately.

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