š¤ The Problem: Time-Tracking Tools Arenāt Built for Developers
Letās be honestāmost time-tracking tools feel like they were designed for accountants or project managers, not developers.
You open the dashboard and get hit with:
- Clunky UIs
- Overpriced plans
- Features youāll never use
- APIs that barely work
- Zero flexibility to self-host or customize
And if youāre a Laravel dev? Forget it. Youāre stuck duct-taping integrations or building your own from scratch.
Whether youāre freelancing, managing a team, or building a SaaS, tracking time should feel native to your workflowānot like a chore.
ā The Solution: Solidtime
š GitHub Repo ā Solidtime
Solidtime is a clean, open-source time-tracking app built with Laravel. Itās designed for developers who want full control over how they track timeāand the freedom to fork, extend, and deploy it however they want.
Itās not just a tool. Itās a launchpad.
š§ What Makes Solidtime Different?
Solidtime isnāt trying to be everything for everyone. Itās focused, elegant, and developer-first.
Hereās what sets it apart:
š ļø Laravel-Native Architecture
- Built with Laravel 10+
- Blade components, Eloquent models, service providers
- Easy to read, extend, and test
ā±ļø Time Tracking That Feels Natural
- Start/stop timers with precision
- Manual time logging for flexibility
- Task and project-based organization
š Reporting That Makes Sense
- Exportable summaries
- Filter by user, project, or date
- Ideal for billing, retros, or audits
š„ Multi-User Support
- Great for agencies, teams, or solo devs managing multiple clients
š API-Ready
- RESTful endpoints for automation and integrations
- Perfect for connecting to Notion, Slack, or custom dashboards
š§© MIT Licensed
- Fork it, monetize it, ship itāno strings attached
šø Monetization Potential: From Side Project to SaaS
Solidtime isnāt just a dev toolāitās a business opportunity.
Hereās how you could turn it into revenue:
- š§āš» Build a niche SaaS for freelancers, consultants, or agencies
- š° Add premium features: invoicing, AI summaries, calendar sync
- š§± Offer it as a self-hosted alternative to Toggl or Harvest
- šØ Sell templates, themes, or add-ons to the Laravel community
- š¤ Bundle it with other tools (e.g., client portals, CRM, billing)
You donāt need to reinvent the wheel. Solidtime gives you a head start.
š Getting Started: Fork, Customize, Deploy
- Clone the repo:
git clone https://github.com/solidtime/solidtime.git - Install dependencies:
composer install npm install && npm run dev php artisan migrate - Customize branding, routes, or features
- Deploy with Laravel Forge, Ploi, or Docker
- Start trackingāand iterating
Want to add dark mode? Stripe billing? AI-powered time summaries? Youāre in control.
š§ Who Should Fork This?
- Freelancers who want to track time without SaaS lock-in
- Agencies managing multiple clients and projects
- Indie hackers looking for a SaaS MVP
- Laravel learners who want to study a real-world app
- Devs tired of bloated tools that donāt respect their workflow
š® Final Thoughts
Solidtime solves a real pain point: time-tracking that respects your stack, your workflow, and your freedom.
Itās Laravel-native, open-source, and ready to be whatever you need it to beāwhether thatās a personal tool, a client solution, or the foundation of your next SaaS.
If youāve ever thought, āI could build a better time-trackerāāyou donāt have to start from scratch.
Solidtime already did the hard part.
Fork it. Hack it. Launch it.
