TimeTracker - Self-Hosted Time Tracking with Invoicing

TL;DR

TL;DR: TimeTracker is an open-source, self-hosted time tracking app that runs on Docker with timers, project management, client billing, and PDF invoice generation built in.

Source and Accuracy Notes

⚠️ This section is MANDATORY. All links must be verified from actual source, not guessed.

• Project page: timetracker.drytrix.com
• Source repository: github.com/DRYTRIX/TimeTracker
• License: GPL-3.0 (verified via GitHub API)
• HN launch threads: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45436758, news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46086086
• Source last checked: 2026-07-22 (commit verified via GitHub API, 608 stars)

What Is TimeTracker?

TimeTracker is a web-based, self-hosted time tracking application built with Python Flask and PostgreSQL. It targets freelancers, small teams, and privacy-focused organizations that want full control over their data without paying for a SaaS subscription.

The official description:

TimeTracker is a self-hosted, web-based time tracking application designed for freelancers, teams, and businesses who need professional time management with complete control over their data.

Perfect for:

• Freelancers tracking billable hours across multiple clients
• Small teams managing projects and tracking productivity
• Agencies needing detailed reporting and client billing
• Privacy-focused organizations wanting self-hosted solutions

Setup Workflow

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your server
• A domain or subdomain pointing to your VPS
• At least 1 GB RAM and 10 GB disk space

Step 1: Deploy via Docker

The fastest path is a single Docker command pulling the official image:

docker pull ghcr.io/drytrix/timetracker:latest

Or using Docker Compose. Save this as docker-compose.yml:

version: '3.8'
services:
  timetracker:
    image: ghcr.io/drytrix/timetracker:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "5000:5000"
    environment:
      - SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here
      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:pass@db:5432/timetracker
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=user
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=pass
      - POSTGRES_DB=timetracker
    volumes:
      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data

volumes:
  pgdata:

Start the stack:

docker-compose up -d

The app will be available at http://your-server:5000.

Step 2: Configure Reverse Proxy (Nginx)

Point Nginx at the container port:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name timetracker.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Obtain a certificate and enable HTTP/2:

certbot --nginx -d timetracker.yourdomain.com

Step 3: Initial Setup

Open https://timetracker.yourdomain.com in your browser. On first launch you will:

1. Create an admin account (email + password)
2. Add your first client
3. Create a project and assign it to the client
4. Start the timer from the Dashboard

Deeper Analysis

Technology Stack

TimeTracker uses a conventional Python web stack:

| Layer | Technology | |---|---| | Backend | Python 3.11+, Flask 3.0.0, SQLAlchemy 2.0.23 | | Frontend | HTML5, JavaScript (ES6+), Tailwind CSS 3.3.5 | | Real-time | Flask-SocketIO 5.3.6, Eventlet | | Database | PostgreSQL (production), SQLite (dev) | | PDF generation | WeasyPrint | | Deployment | Docker, Gunicorn, Nginx |

Feature Scope

The README lists these core modules: Dashboard, Timer, Time entries, Projects, Reports (time/finance), Finance and Expenses, Invoices, Clients, and Settings. Recent releases (v5.9.x) added Kanban boards with WIP limits and checklists, a Comments system with @mention notifications, Calendar views with holiday overlays, and a Client Portal with native session handling.

Distribution Options

Beyond Docker, TimeTracker supports:

• NAS deployment — QNAP, Synology, Portainer via compose stack
• Cloud platforms — Render (one-click deploy button), Fly.io, Railway, Coolify
• Docker Hub — drytrix/timetracker (previously driesp/timetracker)
• GitHub Releases — pre-built compose files and desktop/mobile binaries

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• Self-hosted with no mandatory external dependencies
• Docker-based deployment works on any VPS
• Supports multiple users and clients
• Includes invoice generation with PDF export
• Kanban boards with WIP limits for project tracking
• Real-time timer widget on the Dashboard
• OAuth/OIDC authentication available via Authlib
• Prometheus metrics endpoint for monitoring
• Internationalization via Flask-Babel

Security Notes

• SQLAlchemy 2.0 with parameterized queries guards against SQL injection
• Flask-WTF provides CSRF protection on all forms
• Optional Sentry SDK integration for error monitoring
• Optional Grafana OTLP telemetry sink for observability
• All sensitive configuration via environment variables
• Database credentials should be stored in secrets management, not in docker-compose.yml

FAQ

Q: Does TimeTracker have a built-in billing system? A: Yes. The Finance module handles invoicing and expense tracking, and WeasyPrint generates professional PDF invoices. You can create invoices from tracked time entries and send them directly to clients.

Q: Can I use SQLite instead of PostgreSQL? A: SQLite works for development and small single-user deployments, but PostgreSQL is recommended for any shared or production environment due to its concurrency handling and reliability.

Q: Does it work on a Raspberry Pi or low-resource NAS? A: Yes — the Docker image and SQLite backend run on ARM devices. For a NAS, use the dedicated NAS compose stack (QNAP, Synology, Portainer templates) documented in the repo.

Q: Is there a hosted SaaS version? A: No. TimeTracker is exclusively self-hosted. There is no cloud offering. The project accepts voluntary support purchases to hide donate prompts in self-hosted instances.

Conclusion

TimeTracker fills a specific niche: teams that want the power of a commercial time tracking tool like Harvest or Toggl, but need it fully self-hosted with no recurring cost. The Docker-based deployment makes it VPS-friendly, and the breadth of features (timers, Kanban, invoicing, reports) covers most freelancer and small-agency workflows out of the box.

If you need a time tracker that you own end-to-end, TimeTracker is worth the 10-minute Docker setup. Check the GitHub repo for the latest release and the docs for advanced deployment guides.