ActivityWatch vs Freedom
ActivityWatch
activitywatch.net
Freedom
freedom.toSide by side
| Figure | ActivityWatch | Freedom |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.17/mo | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Screen Time Management Apps | 8.6 (#3) | 9.2 (#1) |
| Browser extensions | Browser extensions track the active tab, and the FAQ lists Chrome, Firefox, and Edge extensions for web activity tracking. | The main extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera; on Chromebook and Linux it can act as a standalone blocking app. |
| Platform support | ActivityWatch runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android; macOS version and architecture availability varies by release. | Freedom lists Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Chromebook/Linux support; the Chrome extension can provide blocking on Chromebook and Linux. |
| Purpose | ActivityWatch automatically tracks how users spend time on their devices, including applications and websites. | Freedom blocks distracting apps, websites, or the entire internet to help people focus. |
| Support | The project offers community discussion through its forum and Discord server, and says development is volunteer-built and may slow at times. | Users can contact support through the account messenger or email, and the help page describes an automated first response with an option to request a human agent. |
Plans
ActivityWatch
- Personal$5 a month
- Business$20 a month
- Personal yearly$50 a year
- Believer$450, paid once
Freedom
- FreeFree
- Premium (monthly)$8.99 a month
- Premium (yearly)$40 a year
- Forever$99.50, paid once
In their own words
ActivityWatch
ActivityWatch has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Freedom
Freedom blocks distracting apps, websites or internet access to help people focus. It supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows, with blocking sessions and schedules that sync across supported devices, including Chromebook. Users can set sessions in advance or have them recur automatically; Locked Mode prevents ending a session early. Website Exceptions let Mac and Windows users allow selected sites while blocking others, but are not supported on iOS, Android or Chromebook. Freedom also offers focus music and ambient sounds, including tracks from Brain.fm. The free plan includes blocking, multi-device sync, custom blocklists and limited features. Premium adds scheduling, advance and recurring sessions, Locked Mode, unlimited sessions and partner perks. Premium costs $3.33 per year when billed yearly or $8.99 per month; a Forever option is $99.50 as a one-time payment. A 7-day trial is listed. Freedom says it does not track browsing, app usage or personal activity.