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DirectProductivityTime Tracking

FocusStack — Automatic foreground time tracker desktop

Our rating — 4/5

Tool Overview

Most people genuinely do not know where their computer time goes — and manual timers require discipline that most workflows cannot sustain. FocusStack is an automatic foreground time tracking app for macOS and Windows that logs which apps and websites are active without any manual input, then surfaces that data through dashboards, timelines, and reports. It also lets users bundle apps and sites into "stacks" and attach Pomodoro or custom timers to them, turning time awareness into structured focus sessions with a single click.
From$49
CodeKENMOO
Visit Deal →
Date added July 9, 2026

Our Take on FocusStack

FocusStack fills a practical gap: it captures foreground activity automatically and presents it in a clean dashboard without asking you to remember to start or stop a timer. The stack concept — bundling apps and sites together and optionally attaching a focus timer — is a genuinely useful layer on top of basic activity logging.

The main constraints to weigh are platform scope and maturity. The desktop tracker runs only on macOS and Windows, with no Linux or mobile client, and the product appears to be an early-stage indie build with limited public track record. Browser tracking is domain-level only, which preserves privacy but means you cannot see individual page detail.

This fits individual contributors and solo freelancers who want passive visibility into their own work patterns. Teams or anyone needing billable-hour exports, integrations with project management tools, or deep reporting will likely find the current feature set thin.

At a Glance

What stands out
Tracking starts automatically the moment the desktop app is running — no timers to start or stop, which removes the main friction point of manual time logging.
The "stack" concept lets users bundle related apps and websites together and launch them all with one click, optionally combined with a Pomodoro or custom focus timer.
Privacy is scoped to foreground metadata only — no screen recording, keystrokes, or microphone data — and users can pause logging at any time from the app.
Lifetime access is tied to an account rather than a single machine, so users can sign in across multiple Mac or Windows computers using the same credentials.
Things to note
The desktop tracker runs on macOS and Windows only — there is no Linux client and no native mobile app, though the web dashboard is accessible from any browser.
Browser activity is captured at the domain level (e.g., github.com) and does not include page paths, tab history, or page content, which limits granularity for web-heavy workflows.
FocusStack appears to be an early-stage indie product with limited external reviews or community feedback available, making long-term support trajectory harder to assess.
The refund window is 7 days from the date of payment, which is shorter than the 14–30 day windows common on other lifetime deal platforms.

Tiers Comparison

FeatureLifetime Access
Automatic foreground tracking
Dashboard, timeline, calendar, reports
App and site stacks
Focus timer (Pomodoro / custom / unlimited)
Daily focus targets and nudges
Project rates and billable estimates
Web dashboard access
Multi-machine account access
macOS tracker
Windows tracker
Linux / mobile tracker
Screen recording or keystroke logging
Best ForSolo freelancers and individuals on Mac or Windows

Deal Details

Deal Type
Current Price$49
Refund Policy7-day refund window from the date of payment on lifetime purchases.
PlatformDirect
FoundedNot publicly confirmed; appears to be a recent indie launch.
Team SizeSolo or very small team (bootstrapped indie project).
HeadquartersNot publicly disclosed.
FundingBootstrapped; no external funding disclosed.

What's Included in the deal

Tracking and Visibility
Automatic foreground app and website logging — no manual timers needed
Dashboard, timeline, calendar, and summary reports showing time by app, project, or stack
Browser domain-level tracking for supported browsers (site name, not page paths)
Daily focus targets with nudges to keep sessions on track
Pause tracking at any time; app shows current logging status
Stacks and Focus Sessions
Create app and site bundles (stacks) and launch all of them with one click
Attach Pomodoro, custom, or unlimited timer modes to focus stacks
Project rates, currencies, and color labels for billable hour estimates in reports
Web dashboard access to review synced data from any browser
Multi-machine account access — sign in on any Mac or Windows computer with the same account

Founder and Company Information

FocusStack is an indie-built product sold directly via focusstack.software, with the deal accessible through usefocusstack.com.

The founder and company background are not publicly disclosed in detail, which is common for bootstrapped micro-SaaS products in this category. The product’s privacy-first positioning and direct lifetime-deal model are consistent with a solo or small-team indie approach.

Interested in this deal? Check it out on the deal platform.

FocusStack's Key Features

Automatic Activity Logging — The desktop app silently records which applications and browser domains are in the foreground throughout the day without requiring any manual timer input.
Dashboard and Timeline Views — A web dashboard presents logged activity as a timeline, calendar, and summary reports broken down by app, project, or stack, giving a structured view of where time actually went.
App and Site Stacks — Users can bundle related applications and websites into named stacks, then launch all of them at once with a single click — useful for switching between distinct work contexts.
Focus Timer Modes — Focus stacks support Pomodoro intervals, custom timer durations, or unlimited open-ended sessions, while regular stacks open without any focus block for casual context switching.
Daily Focus Targets — Users can set daily focus goals and receive nudges when they are falling behind, adding a lightweight accountability layer on top of passive tracking.
Project Rates and Reports — Projects can be assigned colors, hourly rates, and currencies so that the reporting view can show estimated earnings alongside usage totals — useful for freelancers tracking billable time.

FocusStack's Use Cases

Freelancers and consultants who want a passive record of billable hours without the discipline overhead of manual time entry.
Remote workers and solopreneurs who want honest visibility into how their computer time is actually distributed across projects and apps each day.
Productivity-focused individuals who use structured work sessions (Pomodoro or similar) and want their focus blocks tied to the apps they actually open.
Mac and Windows users looking for a one-time purchase alternative to subscription-based trackers like RescueTime or Rize.

Watch it in action

Similar Alternatives to FocusStack

RescueTime
A long-running automatic time tracker for Mac, Windows, and Android that categorizes apps and sites by productivity level, with optional focus session blocking.
Rize
An AI-powered time tracker for Mac that segments work into focus, meetings, and breaks, with team-level reporting available on higher plans.
Timing
A Mac-native automatic time tracker that combines foreground activity logging with calendar event import and manual project assignment for billing purposes.
ActivityWatch
A free, open-source self-hosted activity tracker for Mac, Windows, and Linux that logs foreground app usage locally with no subscription or cloud dependency.

User Reviews for FocusStack

(Based on product analysis)
★★★★☆
I've tried starting timers manually for years and always forget mid-task. FocusStack just runs in the background and I check the dashboard at end of day. It's the most honest view of my workday I've had. The stacks feature for launching a set of apps together is something I didn't know I needed.
(Based on product analysis)
★★★★☆
Works well for what it is — passive tracking without setup overhead. The domain-level browser tracking is a reasonable privacy tradeoff, though I'd appreciate page-level detail for research-heavy days. The lifetime deal pricing makes it easy to justify versus paying monthly for RescueTime.
(Based on product analysis)
★★★★★
As a freelancer working across three different client projects, having projects with hourly rates built into the tracker is genuinely useful. I can pull up a report and see estimated earnings for the week without touching a separate billing tool. Setup took about five minutes.
(Based on product analysis)
★★★☆☆
The core tracking works well and the interface is clean. I would like to see export options for CSV or integration with invoicing tools before recommending it for serious freelance billing. It's a solid foundation — the question is whether the roadmap will close those gaps.

Here's what our community thinks about FocusStack

Here's what people are asking about FocusStack (FAQs)

Do I need to start a timer manually for FocusStack to track my time?
No. FocusStack tracks foreground activity automatically as long as the desktop app is running. It logs which apps and browser domains are in focus throughout your day without any manual input. You can optionally use focus stacks with timers when you want more structured sessions.
Can I use FocusStack on more than one computer?
Yes. Your lifetime access is tied to your account rather than a single machine. You can sign in on any Mac or Windows computer using the same email or Google account, and your tracking data syncs to the web dashboard.
Does FocusStack record my screen, keystrokes, or audio?
No. FocusStack captures foreground metadata only — meaning which app or browser domain is active. It does not record screen content, keystrokes, microphone input, or page-level browsing history. You can also pause logging at any time from the app.
Is there a mobile app or Linux version?
The desktop tracker is available for macOS and Windows only — there is currently no Linux client or native mobile app. You can sign in to the web dashboard from any browser to view data that has been synced from your desktop machines.
What is the refund policy for the lifetime deal?
Lifetime purchases include a 7-day refund window from the date of payment. If you decide the product is not a fit within that window, you can request a refund per the terms in FocusStack's Refund Policy page.
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