Effortless time intelligence
Track your time by app or project automatically. No timers, no buttons, just open any app and work as normal.
Nobody has time to track time
That's why Chronode tracks everything automatically. So you can focus on doing the work that actually matters.
The Problem
Ever wonder where your day actually goes? You sit down at your computer with good intentions, but hours later you can't remember what you actually worked on.
Manual time tracking doesn't work because it requires constant attention; the very thing you need for your actual work.
The Solution
Chronode tracks your app usage automatically. It monitors which apps you use and for how long, building an accurate picture of your computer time without any manual input.
No timers to start and stop. No logs to fill out. Just use your Mac normally and Chronode handles the rest.
The Chronode Advantage
Everything you need, nothing you don't. Powerful tracking without the complexity.
Universal App Tracking
Track your time spent in ANY application you use.
Monitor any app on your Mac. From creative tools like Photoshop and Final Cut Pro to productivity apps like Notion and Slack. Whether you're coding in Xcode, designing in Figma, writing in Word, or managing projects in Asana, Chronode tracks it all automatically.
Smart Project Detection
Knows what you're working on, not just what app you're in.
Automatically identifies specific projects in supported applications. Currently excels with 11 development IDEs, with more apps coming soon. While it knows you're working on "Project X", Chronode tracks it separately from "Project Y". No manual switching required at all.
100% Privacy Assured
Your data never leaves your Mac.
No cloud. No accounts. No tracking. All your time data stays on your Mac, protected by Apple's built-in security. Unlike cloud-based alternatives that mine your data, Chronode respects your privacy. Export when you need to, delete when you want to.
Lightweight Menu Bar
Designed to be powerful yet invisible.
Chronode lives happily and quietly in your menu bar using less than 1% CPU and under 50MB of memory. There is no dock icon to clutter your workspace and no windows to manage. Just click the menu bar icon when you need your activity insights.
Intelligent Session Manager
Focus mode & smart filtering.
Focus Mode tracks only when apps are your active window, perfect for billable hours. Minimum Session Duration filters out accidental launches and brief app checks. Set it and forget it, or fine tune your settings to match your workflow exactly as you need it to work.
Flexible Export System
Your data, your way, in your format.
Generate reports or export your data in CSV, PDF or JSON formats. Chronode provides privacy controls to anonymize project names and round timestamps when sharing sensitive information. Choose custom date ranges, quick presets, or export everything at once.
Pricing: Basic Vs Pro
Try it free forever. Go Pro for less than competitors charge monthly.
Chronode Basic
Chronode Basic isn't a crippled trial. It's a fully functional time tracker with thoughtful limits. See everything the app can do, upgrade when you need more.
- Track up to 2 apps
- Last 7 days of analytics
- See if our app works for you
- Forever free, no trial expiration
Chronode Pro
Unlock unlimited apps, full history, and professional exports with Chronode Pro. Everything you need for professional time tracking
- Unlimited apps to monitor
- Smart project detection
- Full analytics history
- All chart types for deep insights
- Export everything in any format
- Lifetime updates included
Visualize Your Productivity
Six Powerful Views to Understand Your Work Patterns. Watch your productive hours accumulate in real-time.
Daily Activity Patterns
Discover which days you're most productive.
Understand your weekly rhythm at a glance. This chart aggregates your work hours by day of the week across your selected time range, revealing patterns you never knew existed. Maybe Mondays aren't so bad after all, or perhaps Thursday is your productivity powerhouse.
Use these insights to schedule important work when you're naturally at your peak, and protect your high-energy days from meetings and interruptions.
Peak Performance Hours
Find your natural productivity sweet spots.
Everyone has golden hours; those times when focus comes easily and work flows naturally. This visualization maps your work distribution across 24 hours, highlighting when you're consistently in the zone.
Whether you're an early bird crushing it at 6 AM or a night owl who peaks after dinner, understanding your chronotype helps you align demanding tasks with peak mental performance. Stop fighting your natural rhythm and start working with it.
Time Allocation Breakdown
Project distribution to see where your hours really go.
The truth about your time allocation might surprise you. This pie chart reveals the exact percentage split between all your projects and applications, exposing imbalances you feel but couldn't quantify.
That "quick check" of email? It's actually 15% of your day. The project that feels overwhelming? Maybe it's only getting 20% of your attention. Armed with real data, you can make informed decisions about where to invest your time for maximum impact.
Trend Analysis
Track your productivity momentum over time.
Your productivity isn't static. It ebbs and flows with life's demands. This trend line charts your daily work hours alongside a 7-day moving average, smoothing out the noise to reveal real patterns.
Spot downtrends before they become burnout, celebrate upward momentum, and understand how external factors affect your output. Whether you're ramping up for a deadline or scaling back, see the story your work patterns tell over days, weeks, and months.
Work Consistency Heatmap
Visualize your dedication at a glance.
Inspired by GitHub's contribution graph, this heatmap transforms your work history into a visual story of consistency and effort. Each day is a cell colored by intensity—darker squares represent longer work sessions, creating patterns that reveal your professional rhythm.
Spot your streaks of deep focus, identify gaps that need attention, and feel the satisfaction of a month painted in productive colors. It's not about working every day; it's about understanding your pace.
Focus Sessions
Understand your work style through session lengths.
Not all work sessions are created equal. This chart categorizes every tracked session by duration, from quick 30-minute sprints to marathon 4+ hour deep dives.
Are you a consistent 2-hour focused worker, or do you alternate between quick tasks and lengthy immersions? Understanding your patterns helps you plan realistic time blocks, set deadlines, and recognize whether you need more breaks or longer focus time.
Your Time Has Value.
Start Protecting It
Focus on your work while Chronode handles the timekeeping. Start tracking time in under a minute
Common Questions
We've got you covered. Quick answers to help you get started.
What is Chronode?
Chronode is a macOS menu bar application that automatically tracks time spent in your applications and projects (where supported). It monitors which apps you use and for how long, building an accurate picture of your computer usage without any manual input.
What are the system requirements?
Chronode requires macOS 14.6+ (Sonoma) or later and supports both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. The app uses less than 50MB of disk space and runs at an average of 1% CPU usage with less than 50MB of memory during normal operation. No internet connection is required.
How much does Chronode cost?
Chronode basic is free. Chronode Pro is a one-time purchase with lifetime updates included. No subscriptions, no recurring fees. This makes Chronode more cost effective than subscription based time trackers.
Where is my data stored?
All data is stored locally on your Mac using Apple's native database framework. Nothing is sent to the cloud, synced to external servers, or shared with third parties. No account is required. Your time tracking data exists only on your computer, under your complete control.
Does Chronode collect any data about me?
No. Chronode has zero telemetry, no analytics, and no tracking of any kind. Your usage data never leaves your Mac. There are no background network connections, no automated crash reporting services, and no usage statistics sent to developers. What happens on your Mac stays on your Mac.
Which applications can Chronode track?
Chronode can monitor any macOS application you choose. Intelligent project detection is available for the supported applications displayed when adding an app. We intend to add additional project/file detection support for commonly used apps in the near future.
Does Chronode work automatically?
Yes. Once you've added apps to monitor, Chronode tracks time automatically from the moment you launch an application until you quit it. There are no timers to remember to start, no buttons to click when switching tasks, and no logs to fill out at the end of the day.
Simply use your computer as you normally would, and Chronode quietly records everything in the background. The app handles all the tracking mechanics so you can focus entirely on your work without interruptions.
What reporting does Chronode provide?
Out of the box, Chronode provides comprehensive visual analytics to help you understand your time usage patterns. See which days you're most productive, identify your peak working hours, and visualize how time is distributed across different projects and applications.
Track your work consistency over time with intuitive graphs and visualizations that update in real-time as you work. Whether you're analyzing session lengths, spotting weekly trends, or reviewing your activity patterns, Chronode gives you the insights you need to optimize your workflow without complex settings.
Have a question not answered here? Try our other help sections below.