UsageOS

What UsageOS is

UsageOS is a macOS app for tracking time spent in apps and websites and sorting that activity into categories you define. Create rules based on an app, website, or a word in a window title; changing a rule also reorganizes recorded history. The weekly view puts seven days on the same 24-hour scale, while the daily timeline lists activity and lets you inspect app switches within a run. Activity is kept in a local SQLite file, which you can export to CSV, set to auto-delete after 30, 90, or 365 days, or wipe. The maker says the app has no network connection in the data path or telemetry, and cannot see the screen. It reads the current browser tab to identify the website, but does not store titles or URLs from private browser windows. You can exclude apps or mark titles private while continuing to count their time. The open-source app is available for macOS 13+ as a Universal DMG or through Homebrew. Its free plan is listed as free.

Who it suits

UsageOS suits macOS users who want to sort app and website activity into their own categories and review it by day or week. It may also suit users who want local storage and controls for exporting or deleting activity data.

Getting started

1. Download the Universal macOS DMG or install UsageOS with Homebrew.
2. Run UsageOS on a Mac with macOS 13 or later.
3. Set categories using app, website, or window-title-word rules.
4. Review activity in the daily timeline or weekly view.
5. Optionally configure data export, auto-deletion, or exclusions.

Verdict

UsageOS combines configurable activity categories with daily and weekly views, plus controls for exporting and deleting locally stored data. It is a macOS-only option, and its browser-site identification reads the current tab.