Screen time is not
the same as work evidence.
Timing knows how long your IDE was on screen. Scribe knows what you actually built — the commits you pushed, the files you changed, and the Claude Code conversations that drove the work. Then it turns that into an invoice.
Side by side
App usage monitoring vs. work evidence from source.
| Feature | Scribe | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| How tracking works | Reads git commits, file changes, and AI session logs | Monitors active app and website usage by screen time |
| What gets tracked | Commits, diffs, file saves, Claude Code conversations | Time spent in apps, browsers, and documents |
| AI coding tool tracking | Parses Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, Gemini, and Codex sessions | Records time spent in the app window — no session content |
| Simultaneous & automated work | Captures parallel agent sessions and automated/background runs as overlapping evidence — built for running several AI agents at once | One linear screen-time stream — can't represent work done in parallel or by automation |
| Invoicing | Built-in, generated directly from your timeline | Requires export or third-party integration |
| Operating system | Mac, Windows, and Linux | Mac only |
| Where your data lives | Local SQLite on your machine | Timing cloud sync (optional) |
| Retroactive history | Years of git history from day one | Only from when Timing was installed |
| Setup | Download app, point at project folders | Install Mac app, grant Accessibility permissions |
| Free tier | 30 days of history | 14-day trial, then paid only |
| Pricing | Free / $12/mo Pro | $8–19/mo (annual) depending on plan |
Which tool fits?
Stick with Timing if you
- Need to track non-coding work like meetings, calls, and email
- Want a visual breakdown of time across every app and website
- Use macOS exclusively and want native system integration
- Want productivity scoring and habit analytics beyond coding
Switch to Scribe if you
- Write code and want time tracked from git — not screen time
- Use AI coding tools and need session-level work evidence
- Bill clients and need invoices generated from your timeline
- Work on Windows or Linux as well as Mac
- Want retroactive history from your existing git repos
Common questions
How is Scribe different from Timing?
Timing tracks how long apps are on screen — it sees that VS Code was active for 3 hours. Scribe reads what actually happened inside those 3 hours: which commits you pushed, which files changed, and what you discussed with Claude Code or Cursor. Scribe also works retroactively from your git history, so your first day of using it already has years of data.
Does Scribe work on Mac, Windows, and Linux?
Yes. Scribe is cross-platform. Timing is Mac-only. If your workflow spans machines or operating systems, Scribe covers all of them without separate tools.
Can Scribe replace Timing for tracking non-coding work?
Not entirely. Scribe focuses on developer work evidence — git commits, file changes, and AI coding sessions. Timing is better if you need to track time across meetings, email, design tools, or other non-code activities. Some developers use Scribe for billing and Timing for personal productivity analytics.
How does Scribe handle AI coding tool sessions?
Scribe reads the conversation logs that Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini, and Codex store locally on your machine. It extracts the session timeline — what was discussed, which files were involved, when the work happened — and adds those as evidence events on your timeline. Timing only sees that Claude or Cursor was open, not the actual work inside.
Do I get historical data immediately?
Yes. Scribe reads your existing git repos from the first scan, so you may have months or years of commit history visible from day one. Timing starts tracking from the moment you install it — there is no retroactive history.
Scribe is in private beta
We're rolling out access gradually. Join the waitlist and we'll notify you when your seat opens.
Get more like this
Developer insights and product updates.