For freelancers on hourly contracts
Fairlancers Tracker
Press Start and work. Your time, activity and one screenshot every 10 minutes go to your Timesheet, so your client can see the work. You see each screenshot first and can delete it.
Version 0.1.8 · free · Not sure which Mac you have? Apple menu → About This Mac: “Chip” means Apple chip, “Processor … Intel” means Intel.
Fair to you, clear for your client
Nothing you type is recorded
Activity is just whether the computer was used in each minute. No keystrokes, no clicks, no keyboard monitoring permission.
You see every screenshot first
It shows in the app and is only sent when its 10 minutes end. Delete it and that block isn't logged.
Only the screen you're using
One screenshot per 10 minutes, at a random moment, of the screen your mouse is on. Only while you've pressed Start.
Time away is your call
After 10 minutes without the keyboard or mouse, the app asks when you're back: keep it (a call, reading) or discard it.
Works offline
No connection? Your time is saved on your computer and sent automatically when you're back online.
Private to the contract
Only you, your client on that contract and Fairlancers support can see the screenshots. Remove a block from your Timesheet any time before the week is delivered. Your client can flag a block they won't pay for, and you see why.
Set up on a Mac
- Open the downloaded file and drag Fairlancers Tracker into Applications.
- Open it from Applications. If your Mac asks if you're sure, choose Open.
- Log in with your Fairlancers email and password. Signed up with Google or Apple? Set a password first in My account.
- Pick a contract and press Start. Allow Screen Recording when your Mac asks, then reopen the app.
Set up on Windows
- Open the downloaded file. If Windows says it protected your PC, choose More info, then Run anyway.
- It installs and opens by itself, and adds Fairlancers Tracker to the Start menu and your desktop.
- Log in with your Fairlancers email and password, pick a contract and press Start.
- While tracking, the blue F sits in the taskbar tray (bottom right). Hover it to see today's time.
Questions
- Do I have to use it?
- Only if your client chooses Tracked hours only for that contract. Otherwise you can also add manual hours in your Timesheet. Tracked time with screenshots gives your client a clear record, and you a clear record if there's ever a disagreement.
- What does my client see?
- For each 10 minutes: the screenshot, how many minutes were active, and your note. Only for their contract.
- What if I close the window?
- Tracking carries on in the menu bar (Mac) or the taskbar tray (Windows). Quit the app or press Stop to stop.
- Does it track when my computer is asleep?
- No. Going to sleep stops tracking.
- What if screenshots are blocked?
- On a Mac, the tracker won't start until Screen Recording is on, and it stops if you turn that off. If a block has no screenshot, its time isn't logged.
- What if I press Stop before the screenshot?
- That block's time isn't logged and can't be recovered, because every logged block needs a screenshot. The app tells you when it happens.
- How do I get new versions?
- From version 0.1.7, the app downloads them by itself and shows Restart to update. It never restarts while you're tracking. If you ignore it, the update installs next time you quit. On an older version, download the latest one here once.