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Software · head to head

Ansible vs Clockify

Ansible logo

Ansible

Software

Simple, agentless IT automation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clockify logo

Clockify

Software

Free time tracker for teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ansible the open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform; Clockify the free plan stops at 5 users
  • They diverge on capability: Ansible covers Playbooks, Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ansible and Clockify actually diverge.

Attributes where Ansible and Clockify differ
AttributeAnsibleClockify
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, ApiWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension
Founded20122017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ansible

  • Playbooks
  • Inventory management
  • Module library
  • Variables and templating
  • Handlers
  • Roles
  • Async tasks
  • Plugins

Only in Clockify

  • Timer & manual time entry
  • Timesheets
  • Calendar view
  • Projects & tasks
  • Reports & analytics
  • Team dashboard
  • Kiosk mode
  • Offline mode

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ansible

  • Configuration managementnot Clockify
  • Server provisioningnot Clockify
  • Application deploymentnot Clockify
  • Multi-node managementnot Clockify
  • Orchestrationnot Clockify

Clockify

  • Employee time trackingnot Ansible
  • Project time budgetsnot Ansible
  • Client billingnot Ansible
  • Productivity analysisnot Ansible
  • Payroll calculationnot Ansible

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ansible

  • The open source project gives the engine and the language; the automation controller, automation mesh, automation hub, analytics and governance all belong to the paid Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
  • Event-Driven Ansible and the AI coding assistant are platform features rather than open source ones
  • Red Hat does not publish platform pricing
  • Running open source Ansible at scale means building the control plane the platform otherwise provides

Clockify

  • The free plan stops at 5 users
  • Free accounts are throttled to 30 API requests per hour and 3 webhooks
  • Reporting on the free plan only covers a 1 month range
  • Invoicing needs Standard at $5.49 per seat per month and GPS tracking needs Pro at $7.99
  • SSO, SCIM provisioning, a custom subdomain and the audit log are Enterprise only at $11.99 per seat per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Ansible

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Community edition
    • Unlimited nodes
    • Full functionality
  • Ansible Automation Platform$5000/year
    • Enterprise support
    • Ansible Tower
    • Advanced features

Clockify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • Time tracking
  • Basic$3.99/user/month
    • Bulk edit
    • Billable rates
    • Rounding
  • Standard$5.49/user/month
    • Timesheet approvals
    • Invoicing
    • Scheduled reports
  • Pro$7.99/user/month
    • Profit & loss
    • GPS tracking
    • Screenshots

Which should you pick?

Choose Ansible if

  • You need playbooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want inventory management.
Ansible review

Choose Clockify if

  • You need timer & manual time entry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension.
  • You also want timesheets.
Clockify review

Questions people ask

Is Ansible or Clockify better?
Neither clearly leads. Ansible starts at Free and Clockify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ansible or Clockify?
Ansible starts at Free and Clockify at Free.
Does Ansible or Clockify run on more platforms?
Ansible runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. Clockify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension.
Can I use Ansible for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ansible best used for?
Ansible is most often used for configuration management, server provisioning, application deployment, multi-node management. Of those, configuration management and server provisioning are not what Clockify is typically brought in for.
What can Ansible do that Clockify cannot?
Ansible covers Playbooks, Inventory management, Module library, Variables and templating. Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry, Timesheets, Calendar view, Projects & tasks.
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