Kimai vs worklenz
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Kimai is a free, open-source time tracking software that helps individuals and teams track their work hours and stay organized. It offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy to log time spent on tasks and projects.
Worklenz is a free, open-source project management platform for teams and agencies, bringing projects, tasks, resource planning, and client collaboration into one workspace. Tasks can be viewed as a list, a Kanban board, or a Gantt chart, and time is logged directly against them. Alongside delivery it tracks budgets, costs, and team utilization, so project health and profitability stay visible. Worklenz can be self-hosted under AGPL-3.0 or used as a managed cloud service that has a free plan.
- Free and open-source
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Customizable dashboard and widgets
- Support for multiple users and teams
- Free and open-source under AGPL-3.0, with a self-hostable Community edition
- Covers projects, tasks, resources, and budgets in one workspace
- Multiple task views including list, Kanban board, and Gantt
- Time logged directly on tasks feeds utilization and profitability reporting
- Limited features compared to paid time tracking software
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Limited support options
- Free cloud plan is capped at three active projects
- Self-hosting means running and maintaining your own Docker, Postgres, and storage stack
- Mobile access is through the web app; there are no native iOS or Android apps
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Open‑source task manager that blends time tracking, kanban and agile planning for freelancers and small teams.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataWorklenz offers AI‑driven automatic tracking and richer analytics on a freemium SaaS model, while Kimai provides a completely free, self‑hosted open‑source solution with simpler features.
Key differences
- •AI automatic capture vs manual entry only
- •SaaS cloud deployment (Worklenz) vs self‑hosted (Kimai)
- •Worklenz integrates with Trello, Asana, Google Drive; Kimai lists no integrations
- •Free unlimited self‑hosted use (Kimai) vs limited free tier in Worklenz
- •Worklenz includes mobile apps and live‑chat support; Kimai offers only email/documentation
Pricing & value
Kimai is completely free; Worklenz has a freemium tier with limited features, requiring paid upgrade for full value.
Ease of use / learning curve
Worklenz’s AI capture and intuitive dashboards reduce manual effort; Kimai’s advanced features have a steeper learning curve.
Features & depth
Worklenz provides automatic tracking, real‑time analytics, idle detection, role permissions, and recurring task templates; Kimai offers basic tracking and reporting.
Integrations & ecosystem
Worklenz syncs with Trello, Asana, Google Drive; Kimai lists no key integrations.
Collaboration
Worklenz includes role‑based permissions and team dashboards; Kimai supports multiple users but lacks advanced collaboration controls.
Scalability
Worklenz’s cloud SaaS scales automatically; Kimai requires self‑hosting resources to scale.
Support
Worklenz offers live chat plus email; Kimai provides only email and documentation.
Choose Kimai if…
Budget‑conscious freelancers or small teams preferring self‑hosted, free software with basic tracking.
Choose worklenz if…
Teams needing automated tracking, analytics, and integrations, willing to pay for premium features.
Common questions
Is there any cost to start using Worklenz?
Worklenz offers a freemium tier, but advanced features require a paid plan; the free tier is limited.
Can I host Kimai on my own server?
Yes, Kimai is self‑hosted open‑source software, allowing full control over deployment.
Which tool provides automatic time capture?
Worklenz uses AI to automatically detect and log applications/websites; Kimai relies on manual entry.