Honest Comparison

How Scolect Compares

See how Scolect stacks up against commercial screen time apps and built-in OS solutions.

0%
Free Forever
0%
Local Privacy
$0
Monthly Cost
0%
Open Source
Feature Comparison

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature
Scolect
RescueTime
Price
Free
\$12/mo
Privacy
100% Local
Cloud
Open Source
Auto Tracking
Productivity Score
Focus/Pomodoro
Detailed Analytics
Distraction Blocking
Historical Data
Unlimited
Limited (Free)
No Account Req.
Multi-Platform
Win/Mac
All
Full Support
Partial/Limited
Not Available
In Development
Detailed Analysis

In-Depth Comparisons

vs. RescueTime

Scolect Advantages

  • Completely Free (vs $78/year)
  • Privacy-First: Local storage only
  • No Account Required
  • Built-in Pomodoro Timer
  • Unlimited history for free users

vsRescueTime Advantages

  • vs
    No mobile app (yet)
  • vs
    No automatic AI classification
  • vs
    Limited platform support (currently)

The Verdict: Choose Scolect if privacy and cost are your main concerns, or if you want Pomodoro integration without a subscription. Choose RescueTime if you need mobile tracking or cross-device syncing and are comfortable with cloud data storage.

vs. Built-in Screen Time

Scolect Advantages

  • Far more detailed analytics (Trends, Insights)
  • Productivity Scoring (Productive vs. Distracting)
  • Custom Categories
  • Focus Mode Integration
  • Unlimited History (OS usually limits to 7-30 days)

vsBuilt-in Screen Time Advantages

  • vs
    Requires installation (Screen Time is built-in)
  • vs
    No parental controls
  • vs
    No cross-device sync (like iCloud)

The Verdict: OS tools are great for basic awareness ("I used my laptop for 4 hours"). Scolect is for optimization ("I was 75% productive and my peak hours were 9-11 AM").

vs. Cold Turkey / FocusMe

Scolect Advantages

  • Completely Free (vs $39-60)
  • Respectful Approach: Awareness over strict locks
  • Better Analytics & Insights
  • Open Source Transparency
  • Focus Mode History

vsCold Turkey / FocusMe Advantages

  • vs
    Hardcore blocking (cannot create un-bypassable locks)
  • vs
    Website-level blocking (browser extension coming soon)
  • vs
    Scheduled blocks

The Verdict: Cold Turkey is a blocking tool; Scolect is an awareness tool. If you have zero self-control, use a blocker. If you want to understand your habits and build self-regulation, use Scolect.

Why Scolect

Why Choose Scolect?

Six reasons we believe this is the best tool for digital autonomy.

It's Free. Forever.

No trials. No premium tiers. No subscriptions. All features available to everyone, always.

Privacy Respected

No cloud servers analyzing your habits. No data sold to advertisers. Just local tracking.

Open Source

Verify our privacy claims yourself. Contribute features. Fork the project if you need customization.

Comprehensive

Not just a timer or a blocker. A complete ecosystem with tracking, analytics, and focus tools.

Flexible

Set the rules that work for you. Adjust limits. Disable notifications. Make it yours.

Respectful

We treat you like an autonomous adult, not a child who needs surveillance.

Final Summary

Choose Scolect if...

  • You want free, feature-rich tracking
  • You demand 100% local privacy
  • You want productivity insights, not just usage stats
  • You want an integrated Pomodoro timer
  • You value open-source transparency

Choose Others if...

  • You need mobile device tracking (RescueTime)
  • You need strict, unblockable locks (Cold Turkey)
  • You rely on AI auto-categorization
  • You need seamless cross-device cloud sync

Pro Tip: Scolect plays well with others. Use it for desktop tracking and combine it with RescueTime for mobile or Cold Turkey for blocking.

Free Download

Ready to Try Scolect?

Download for free and see the difference for yourself.