Is Sandtime.io open source?

No. Sandtime.io is a free, cloud-hosted product, and its source code is not public. There is no open-source repository to clone, fork, or self-host.

If you searched for an open-source time tracker, you are probably after one of three things: code you can inspect, the freedom to self-host, or a tool you do not have to pay for. Sandtime.io gives you that last one in full - it is free, with no seat or project limits - but the code stays private, so it is not open source.

Open source vs open innovation

These two terms sound alike and get mixed up often, so here is the difference:

• Open source means the source code is published under a license that lets anyone read, modify, and redistribute it. Sandtime.io does not do this.
• Open innovation means building and sharing a product openly with the wider community, usually without a paywall. That is how Sandtime.io is built: free to use, with no limits on seats, users, or projects.

So Sandtime.io is open in how it is shared and funded, just not in the licensing sense.

Where Sandtime.io has been recognized

• Listed in the United Nations WSIS Stocktaking 2021 Global Report as a digital solution from Sandstream Development in Poland, contributing to WSIS Action Lines 1 and 5 and relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 3.
• Featured as a case study of open innovation in the peer-reviewed paper "Enablers of Open Innovation in Software Development Micro-Organization" (Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 2022), which analyzes how Sandstream Development (now Sanddev) built and released Sandtime.io. The same paper is archived on EconStor.

We do contribute to open source

Sandtime.io itself is not open source, but we at Sanddev (formerly Sandstream Development), makers of Sandtime.io, maintain and contribute to genuine open-source projects, including widely used React components and JavaScript libraries. You can browse them on our open-source page.

Sandtime.io also stands on the shoulders of open-source software, and we are grateful for it. See the open-source licenses behind Sandtime.io.

What this means for you

If you want time tracking that is free, requires no server to maintain, and respects privacy, the hosted Sandtime.io product is a good fit. You get the core capabilities without seat or project limits, and without managing infrastructure. For pricing details, see what is included in the paid plan.

If trust-based, privacy-first reporting matters to you, it may also help to read whether Sandtime.io is employee monitoring software. It is not.

Open-source alternatives to Clockify, Toggl, and Harvest

If you specifically need open-source code or full self-hosting, Sandtime.io is not the right tool, and that is fine. If you want an open-source alternative to Clockify, Toggl, or Harvest, these solid, actively maintained open-source time trackers are worth evaluating:

• Kimai - the most mature option, AGPL-3.0, built with PHP/Symfony. Timesheets, invoicing, and granular permissions. Self-hosted or managed.
• solidtime - a modern, SaaS-like tracker, AGPL-3.0, built with Laravel and Vue. Clean interface for freelancers and small agencies.
• TimeTagger - open source and built around an interactive timeline with flexible tags and reporting.
• Traggo - a minimalist, tag-based time tracking server written in Go. Great for personal use.
• ActivityWatch - automatic, privacy-friendly tracking of how you spend time on your devices, with no manual timers.

Pick the model that fits your team. If you would rather skip server setup and start tracking time today, create your free Sandtime.io account - no seat limits, no project limits, no credit card.