An actiTIME alternative with no user limit
actiTIME's free plan covers three users and then moves to per-user pricing. Sandtime.io is free for unlimited users, with approvals, reminders and locking included.
actiTIME is a long-established timesheet product covering time tracking, approvals, leave and absence management and reporting. It is free for up to three users, then priced per user per month, with a one-time license available for self-hosting. Visit actiTIME website
Best for teams that bill against time and need trust
Sandtime.io fits agencies, freelancers, consultants, and other service teams that need client-ready reports, project visibility, and cleaner invoicing without the seat tax or surveillance that often comes with legacy trackers.
Sandtime.io vs actiTIME
| Feature | Sandtime.io | actiTIME |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan size | Free for unlimited users | Free for up to 3 users |
| Pricing model | No charge at any team size | Per-user monthly pricing, with a one-time self-hosted license |
| Timesheet approvals | Included free | Included |
| Leave and absence management | Logged as leave projects; no entitlements or balances | Built in |
| Self-hosting | Hosted in the European Union; on request for Enterprise | Available as a one-time per-user license |
| Multi-currency reporting | Included free, with historical rates | Billable rates and invoicing in multiple currencies |
| Best fit | Teams that want the timesheet workflow at no cost | Established teams wanting time and leave in one system |
Why teams switch from actiTIME to Sandtime.io
Three is a very small number
actiTIME's free plan stops at three people, the tightest limit among the established trackers. Sandtime.io has no limit, so a fourth hire is not a budget conversation.
The full workflow at no cost
Reminders, one-click approvals from email and automatic locking of past periods are included free, along with multi-currency reporting and rates that keep their history.
EU hosted, nothing to run
Sandtime.io runs on OVHcloud infrastructure in the European Union, with GDPR compliance, one-click export and backups every eight hours. No server of your own to maintain.
Two things actiTIME does that Sandtime.io does not
This comparison is narrower than it first looks. actiTIME manages leave and absences alongside time, and it can be self-hosted on a one-time license. Sandtime.io does not handle leave at all, and self-hosts only by arrangement. If either matters to you, the pricing difference is not the deciding factor.
Choose Sandtime.io when
The team is larger than three, leave lives in your HR system already, and you want the timesheet workflow without a per-user bill.
Keep actiTIME when
Leave needs entitlements, approvals, and balances rather than days logged against a project, which is where Sandtime.io stops. An on-premise deployment is available here under an Enterprise agreement, but actiTIME sells one off the shelf, which is the shorter route.
Where the data sits
Sandtime.io runs on OVHcloud infrastructure in the European Union with one-click export, which suits teams that want EU hosting without running a server themselves.
Pricing and plan details checked August 19, 2026
Test the workflow before switching
The useful test is whether complete, approved hours reach billing on time. These are real Sandtime.io screens, not mockups of a competitor's product. The screenshots use the English interface; Polish and French interfaces are also available.
Record the work
Use one client project for a complete billing cycle. Track or enter hours yourself; Sandtime.io does not reconstruct work from app or website activity.
Close the week
Submit, approve, and lock the weekly timesheet. Friday email reminders require auto-locking and each user's notification opt-in; they are off by default.
Check the billing handoff
Compare the exported hours and amounts with your existing billing records before switching. Sandtime.io supplies reports and exports, not an invoicing engine.
Keep payroll, attendance, automatic capture, legal billing, and resource planning in the evaluation if your team depends on them. A simpler timesheet tool is not a replacement for those workflows.
See the worked timesheet-to-billing example
Screenshot source: the public Sandtime.io brand kit · Read the approval guide · Read the reminder conditions
actiTIME alternative FAQs
Short answers about pricing, migration, and product fit.
How do the free plans compare?
actiTIME is free for up to three users. Sandtime.io is free for unlimited users, with approvals, reminders, locking, reports and exports all included and no credit card required.
Does Sandtime.io handle leave and absences?
Not as a leave module. Teams log holiday and sick days against their own Paid Leave and Unpaid Leave projects, which is how the team behind Sandtime.io records its own, so the days sit in the same timesheet as the work. What is missing is the machinery around them: entitlements, requests, approvals, and running balances. actiTIME has all of that built in, and if you need it, that is a real reason to stay.
Can Sandtime.io be self-hosted like actiTIME?
Not as a licensed build. Sandtime.io runs on OVHcloud infrastructure in the European Union, and self-hosting is arranged case by case under an Enterprise agreement rather than sold as a download. actiTIME sells a self-hosted license outright, which is the simpler route for a team that wants one today.
Can Sandtime.io import actiTIME data?
Not automatically. Keep actiTIME as the historical archive, recreate active clients, projects, people and rates in Sandtime.io, then reconcile one full reporting cycle before cutting over.
Is actiTIME still the better choice for some teams?
Yes. actiTIME has been doing this a long time, and its leave management answers a requirement Sandtime.io simply does not have. Its off-the-shelf self-hosted license is also the shorter path than arranging one.
Comparing something else?
Teams weighing this one usually weigh these too.
Try one project before switching your team
Create a free workspace, record a billing cycle, and check the exported hours against your current records. Keep your existing tool until the workflow fits.