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Cross-platform time tracking app for macOS, iOS, and Android

2 starsSwift

Local Hours – Time tracking that's just files (no accounts)

by stinger·Mar 2, 2026·1 point·0 comments
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AI Analysis

●●●BangerSolve My ProblemZero to OneSlick

Time tracking via local JSON files synced through iCloud—no accounts, no backend, no lock-in.

Strengths
  • •Genuine architectural differentiation: files-first design eliminates vendor lock-in and avoids a backend entirely.
  • •Native iOS and macOS apps with menu bar access, widgets, and proper platform integration—not web wrappers.
  • •Real workflow completion: generates exportable timesheets and email drafts approvers actually want, not dashboards.
Weaknesses
  • •Ecosystem is small: time tracking tools (Toggl, Clockify, Harvest) are mature and well-funded with more features.
  • •File-based sync via cloud storage can lag or conflict; no conflict resolution strategy documented for concurrent edits.
Category
Productivity
Target Audience

Freelancers, contractors, and hourly workers who want time tracking without SaaS accounts or data lock-in.

Similar To

Toggl Track · Clockify · Harvest

Post Description

Have you clocked in yet?

I built Local Hours, a simple time tracking / timesheet app that treats your data as plain files instead of rows in someone else’s database.

No accounts, no backend – All time entries and timesheets are JSON files in a folder you pick. Sync happens via iCloud / Dropbox / OneDrive if you want it.

Cross-device by design – The macOS menu bar app and iOS app both point at the same folder, so they “sync” via your storage provider without any server code.

Timesheets, not dashboards – The main job is: track time, then generate a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly timesheet you can actually send to an approver.

Exports that don’t trap you – You can send an email with an embedded summary + CSV, or just open the JSON files yourself.

Privacy – No analytics, no telemetry, no in-app purchases. It’s MIT-licensed and fully open source.

Apps are free on the App Store (iPhone, iPad, Mac): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/local-hours-simple-timesheet/i...

Repo (code, storage format, docs, screenshots): https://github.com/gogrinimish/LocalHours

I’d especially like feedback on: Does the “just files” approach line up with how you’d want to archive or script your own timesheets? Is the UX for picking the storage folder and sharing it across devices clear enough? What’s missing for you to actually use this for client work?

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