GameDiary vs PlayCounter
GameDiary
github.comPlayCounter
playcounter.appSide by side
| Figure | GameDiary | PlayCounter |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Playtime Trackers | 7.8 (#7) | 7.5 (#9) |
| Data storage | GameDiary stores its database, session logs, settings, and icons in ms0:/PSP/COMMON/GameDiary/. | Recorded sessions, notes and history stay on the user's PC, and the desktop app requires no account. |
| Purpose | GameDiary tracks PlayStation Portable game playtime in the background and displays gaming statistics. | PlayCounter automatically records playtime for recognized PC games in one library, regardless of launcher. |
| Support | The project README invites users to support development through a coffee purchase or crypto donation. | The site links to step-by-step guides and a Discord community. |
Plans
In their own words
GameDiary
GameDiary tracks PlayStation Portable game playtime in the background and presents statistics for individual games and the full library. Its PSP release has a kernel-mode tracking plugin and a user-mode application. Tracking covers native PSP games and PlayStation 1 classics running through POPS; statistics include session history and activity graphs. The plugin also extracts icons from EBOOTs and ISOs. The interface supports English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, German, French, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese, with language detection from PSP settings. Web tools let users edit sessions visually and merge backup files from multiple Memory Sticks or PSP consoles. The responsive web interface works from a PC or smartphone with a backup.json file exported by the PSP app. Installation requires a PSP 1000, 2000, 3000, or Go with custom firmware and a Memory Stick or MicroSD-to-MS adapter. The project is free under the MIT License. Some homebrew that overwrites RAM boundaries or uses custom interrupts may temporarily pause tracking intervals.
PlayCounter
PlayCounter is a free Windows desktop app that automatically records playtime for recognized PC games across launchers. It displays a live session timer and saves a session when a recognized game closes. The library shows game covers, total hours, and session counts; history includes dates, session lengths, streaks, and playtime summaries. Users can track milestones, add notes, and keep separate playthroughs for each game. Listed sources include Steam, Epic, Battle.net, Xbox app, GOG, EA app, Ubisoft Connect, Riot Client, itch.io, disc installs, and standalone executables. Steam, Xbox, and Epic imports can bring in the playtime those services report; Battle.net import supplies a game list but no playtime. Sessions, notes, and history stay on the user’s PC, and the desktop app requires no account. It can run offline, though automatic game matching, cover images, and update checks need a server connection. The public installer is for Windows; the site says macOS, Linux, and console live tracking are not supported by that installer. The app sends a pseudonymous installation identifier at startup and about hourly, and process identifiers for online game matching.