WakaTime vs Clockify

A detailed comparison of two popular developer tools — plus how VibeLog fits as a modern, AI-native alternative.

WakaTime

Dashboards for developers

WakaTime automatically tracks coding time via IDE plugins. It measures time spent per project, language, file, branch, and OS — then displays it in dashboards with leaderboards and goals.

Developer Time Tracker$9/month
vs

Clockify

The most popular free time tracker for teams

Clockify is a general-purpose time tracking tool with browser extensions, some IDE plugins, and broad integrations. It uses manual timer-based tracking with project/task categorization.

General Time Tracker$3.99/user/month

Side-by-side comparison

WakaTimeClockifyVibeLog
CategoryDeveloper Time TrackerGeneral Time TrackerAI Session Tracker
Best forDevelopers wanting personal time metrics across many editorsAgencies and freelancers needing general time tracking with invoicingTracking what AI coding assistants build
Tracks what was builtNoNoYes
AI awarenessNoneNoneNative (MCP)
Free tierYesYesYes
Starting price$9/month$3.99/user/month$9/month
Developer-facingYesYesYes

Who each tool is best for

Choose WakaTime if:

  • Developers wanting personal time metrics across many editors
  • Teams tracking total coding hours by project
  • Competitive leaderboards and coding streaks

Choose Clockify if:

  • Agencies and freelancers needing general time tracking with invoicing
  • Cross-functional teams tracking hours across varied work types
  • Budget-conscious teams wanting free time tracking for many users

Choose VibeLog if:

  • You use AI coding assistants and want to track what they build
  • You need automatic, zero-effort session logging
  • You want client-ready reports showing deliverables
  • You want real-time insight into AI changes in your codebase

Strengths and weaknesses

WakaTime

Strengths
  • Massive plugin ecosystem with 60+ IDEs supported
  • Large established user base (400K+ developers)
  • Open-source plugins build community trust
Weaknesses
  • Only tracks time and activity — has no understanding of what was actually built
  • No AI coding assistant awareness — blind to AI-generated code
  • No session or change-level granularity — just time blocks by file/language

Clockify

Strengths
  • Very generous free tier with unlimited users
  • Strong invoicing and billing features for freelancers
  • Broad integrations with 80+ project management and accounting tools
Weaknesses
  • Not developer-specific — requires manual time entry for coding sessions
  • No automatic coding activity detection whatsoever
  • No understanding of code changes, AI assistance, or development workflow

Consider VibeLog

Neither WakaTime nor Clockify was built for the era of AI-assisted coding. VibeLog is the first tool that uses MCP to integrate directly into AI coding assistants and track what they build — automatically, in real-time, with semantic detail.

01

Semantic change tracking

Know what was added, changed, fixed, or removed — with descriptions and affected files.

02

Zero effort

Connect once via MCP. No timers, no plugins, no surveys. Code as usual.

03

Client-ready reports

Generate shareable reports showing exactly what was delivered. Perfect for freelancers and agencies.

Try VibeLog free

The first AI-native coding session tracker. No credit card required.