Softwr

Project Management · head to head

Hive vs RescueTime

Hive logo

Hive

Project Management

Project management built for speed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RescueTime logo

RescueTime

Technology

Take back control of your time

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage; RescueTime no free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation
  • They diverge on capability: Hive covers Tasks, RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hive and RescueTime actually diverge.

Attributes where Hive and RescueTime differ
AttributeHiveRescueTime
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWindows, macOS, Android, Web
CategoryProject ManagementTechnology
Founded20152006

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Forms
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox

Only in RescueTime

  • Automatic time tracking
  • Productivity scoring
  • Detailed categorization
  • FocusTime blocking
  • Goal setting
  • Alerts & notifications
  • Offline time entry
  • API access

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot RescueTime
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teamsnot RescueTime

RescueTime

  • Personal productivity trackingnot Hive
  • Time auditnot Hive
  • Focus improvementnot Hive
  • Work-life balancenot Hive
  • Team productivity analysisnot Hive

Where each one falls short

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

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by plan

RescueTime

  • No free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation
  • Limited iOS support compared to competitors that offer full mobile app access
  • Requires integration via categories and rules rather than direct app detection on some platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Hive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 AI credits per month
    • 200MB storage
    • Up to 10 workspace members
  • Starter$5/month
    • 3,000 AI credits per month
    • Unlimited storage
    • Up to 10 projects
  • Teams$12/month
    • 5,000 AI credits per month
    • Unlimited workspace members
    • Custom fields

RescueTime

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Automatic time tracking
    • Focus Time
    • Idle time monitoring
  • Team$6/month
    • All Standard features
    • Team analytics
    • Cross-device tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.
Hive review

Choose RescueTime if

  • You need automatic time tracking.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want productivity scoring.
RescueTime review

Questions people ask

Is Hive or RescueTime better?
Neither clearly leads. Hive starts at Free and RescueTime at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hive or RescueTime?
Hive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hive and $12/month for RescueTime.
Does Hive or RescueTime run on more platforms?
Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. RescueTime runs on Windows, macOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Hive for free?
Yes. Hive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RescueTime starts at $12/month.
What is Hive best used for?
Hive is most often used for project and task management with multiple project views, coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teams. Of those, project and task management with multiple project views and coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teams are not what RescueTime is typically brought in for.
What can Hive do that RescueTime cannot?
Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking. RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking, Productivity scoring, Detailed categorization, FocusTime blocking. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hive: Is Hive free?

Hive offers a free plan with 1,000 AI credits per month, 200MB storage, and support for up to 10 workspace members. Paid plans start at $5 per user per month.

Source
RescueTime: Does RescueTime still have a free tier?

No. RescueTime discontinued its free tier in 2023. The service now requires a paid subscription starting at $12 per month or $78 per year.

Source
Hive: Does Hive offer annual billing discounts?

Hive offers 33% savings when choosing annual billing instead of monthly. Annual commitment discounts are available across all plan tiers.

Source
RescueTime: What platforms does RescueTime support?

RescueTime supports Windows, macOS, Android, and web. iOS support is limited to passive features like calendar sync and mobile summary emails.

Source
Hive: What are Hive's add-on pricing options?

Optional add-ons are available at $5 per month each, including CRM, Finance, Proofing & Approvals, Timesheets, and Team Resourcing features.

Source
RescueTime: What are the key productivity features in RescueTime?

RescueTime offers automatic time tracking, Focus Time for blocking distractions, idle time monitoring, goal-setting with reminders, and in 2026 adds AI-Based Focus Sessions with real-time alerts to detect poor focus patterns.

Source
RescueTime: Is there a team plan for RescueTime?

Yes. The team plan costs $6 per user per month when billed annually, with a minimum of 3 users required.

Source
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