Bolt.new
Gets a working timer and reports page running in one sitting.
Time tracking · updated 2026-11-03
Can you vibe code a time tracker like Toggl Track?
Easy: Yes, easily Yes. A start-stop timer with projects and a weekly report is one of the easiest useful apps to vibe code for yourself.
2–6 h
MVP build time
$0–$12/mo
Your running cost
$9/mo/seat
Toggl Track Starter
up to $108
Saved per year
The honest verdict
The core is a timer, a list of time entries and a report grouped by project and client. That is simple CRUD with some date math. The work grows with native desktop and mobile apps, idle detection, offline sync and team approvals, which you probably do not need for personal use. Toggl's free plan covers up to 3 users, so building your own is more about fit and learning than saving money.
Toggl Track is time tracking app with timers, projects, reports and billable rates for freelancers and teams. This page is about building your own version for personal or internal use, or to learn how this kind of product works, not about copying Toggl Track to compete with it. How we grade.
What's easy and what's hard
Easy with AI
- Start and stop timer with a running entry
- Projects, clients and tags
- Manual entries and edits
- Weekly and monthly reports with totals
- CSV export
Hard (where AI won't save you)
- Time zones and entries that cross midnight
- Native desktop apps with idle detection
- Offline mode and sync conflicts across devices
- Team approvals and locked timesheets
Toggl Track feature checklist
Difficulty is for a solo builder using an AI coding tool. Skip means not worth building yourself.
| Feature | Difficulty | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Timer | Easy | Store start time server side; compute duration on stop so a closed tab does not lose time. |
| Projects, clients and tags | Easy | Basic relational tables. |
| Manual entries and editing | Easy | Validate that end is after start. |
| Reports by project and client | Easy | SQL group by with date ranges in the user's time zone. |
| Billable rates and amounts | Easy | Rate per project; amounts in integer cents. |
| Browser extension or menu bar app | Medium | A small extension calling your API is doable; packaging and updates take time. |
| Idle detection and reminders | Medium | Needs a desktop app or extension with system idle access. |
| Offline sync | Hard | Conflict resolution between devices; skip for a web-only tool. |
Build time and running costs
Your own version vs Toggl Track, at personal or small-team scale.
Build time
- Working MVP for yourself
- 2–6 h
- Polished, relied on daily
- 15 h–5 days
- MVP time at $50/h equals
- 22 months of Toggl Track
Toggl Track price (checked 2026-11-03)
Starter: $9/mo/seat billed annually
Free for up to 3 users; Starter $9 per user per month billed annually ($12 monthly); Premium $16 billed annually.
Source: toggl.com/track/pricing. Prices change; check before deciding.
| Running cost | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting (Vercel, Netlify or Replit) | $0–$10 | Personal use fits free tiers. |
| Database (Supabase free tier) | $0 | Time entries are tiny rows. |
| Domain (optional) | $0–$2 | Only if you want a custom URL. |
| Total | $0–$12/mo | Saves up to $108 a year vs Toggl Track Starter per seat; at the top of the range it costs $36 a year more. |
Recommended vibe coding tools
Starter prompt
Paste it into your tool, then ask for a plan before any code. Edit the specifics to match what you need.
prompt.txt
Build a personal time tracking web app (single user, my freelance work). Stack: Next.js, Supabase (Postgres, auth), Tailwind. Data model: clients (id, user_id, name), projects (id, user_id, client_id, name, color, hourly_rate_cents, billable), time_entries (id, user_id, project_id, description, started_at timestamptz, ended_at timestamptz null, tags text[]). Features: - One running timer at a time; starting a new one stops the previous - Store started_at on the server so closing the tab keeps the timer running - Manual entry and editing, with validation that end is after start - Today and this week views with totals - Reports for a date range grouped by client and project, with billable amounts - Respect my time zone setting when grouping by day - CSV export of a report - Keyboard shortcut to start and stop Security: Row Level Security so each row is only visible to its user_id, server-side validation of all inputs, no public endpoints except auth.
Security pitfalls to check
AI tools often get these wrong by default. Check each one before anyone else uses the app.
- 01Turn on Row Level Security; time entries reveal clients, rates and working hours.
- 02Validate ownership of project_id when creating entries so a user cannot attach entries to someone else's project.
- 03If you build a browser extension, scope its API token narrowly and let it be revoked.
- 04Escape descriptions in CSV export to avoid spreadsheet formula injection.
Indie makers who built a real time tracking business
They went far past the prototype: support, payments, reliability and years of iteration. Their profiles show what that took.
~$190K/yr run rate about tw…Amy Hoy built Noko (formerly Freckle)
Online time tracking and invoicing for freelancers and teams.
Daniel Alm built Timing
Automatic time tracker for Mac.
Lukáš Petr built Timelines
Visual time tracker for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
Or just use these indie-made tools instead
If you need Toggl Track's job done rather than a project, these are built and supported by independent makers.
Noko (formerly Freckle)
nokotime.com
Friendly online time tracking and invoicing for freelancers and teams, co-founded with Thomas Fuchs.
~$190K/yr run rate about tw…by Amy Hoy
Timing
timingapp.com
Automatic time tracker for Mac that logs apps, documents and websites and assigns time to projects.
by Daniel Alm
Timelines
timelines.app
Visual time tracker for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
by Lukáš Petr
What building it teaches you
You learn date and time zone handling, aggregation queries and how to keep client state in sync with the server.
Can you vibe code these too?
Vibe coding Toggl Track: FAQ
Can you vibe code a time tracker like Toggl Track?
Easy. Yes. A start-stop timer with projects and a weekly report is one of the easiest useful apps to vibe code for yourself.
How long does it take to vibe code a time tracker like Toggl Track?
A working personal or internal MVP takes about 2–6 h with a tool like Bolt.new. A polished version you would rely on every day takes about 15 h–5 days, mostly spent on time zones and entries that cross midnight.
How much does it cost to run your own Toggl Track alternative?
Expect $0–$12/mo at personal or small-team scale (hosting (vercel, netlify or replit), database (supabase free tier), domain (optional)). Toggl Track Starter costs $9/mo/seat (checked 2026-11-03), so the most you would save is $108 a year, before counting your time.
Is it worth building my own time tracker?
If you want something tailored, yes, and it is a quick build. Toggl Track is free for up to 3 users, so savings are small unless you need paid features.
How do I keep a web timer running after closing the tab?
Store the start time in the database and calculate elapsed time from it. The browser only displays the count.
Can a self-built tracker detect idle time?
Not from a normal web page. You need a desktop app or browser extension with access to idle state.
Is it legal to build your own Toggl Track clone?
Building your own tool that solves the same problem is common and generally fine. Copying Toggl Track's code, design assets, brand name or content is not. Use your own name and design, respect their terms of service, and get proper advice if you plan to sell it. This page is not legal advice.