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Technology · head to head

Plane vs RescueTime

Plane logo

Plane

Technology

Open-source project management tool

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 Plane has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Plane self-hosted Community edition requires managing your own Docker/Kubernetes infra plus your own PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3-compatible/GCS/MinIO storage; no single-binary install; RescueTime no free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation
  • They diverge on capability: Plane covers Issue tracking, RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Plane and RescueTime actually diverge.

Attributes where Plane and RescueTime differ
AttributePlaneRescueTime
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWindows, macOS, Android, Web
Founded20222006

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

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 Plane

  • Issue tracking
  • Cycles (Sprints)
  • Modules
  • Views & layouts
  • Pages (Docs)
  • Analytics
  • Webhooks
  • GitHub

Only in RescueTime

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

Both cover

  • API access
  • Slack
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Plane

  • Project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiativesnot RescueTime
  • Documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project worknot RescueTime
  • Sprint planning and issue triagenot RescueTime
  • Cross-functional collaboration with analytics and dashboardsnot RescueTime
  • Migration target from Jira, Linear, Monday, ClickUp, or Asananot RescueTime

RescueTime

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

Where each one falls short

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

Plane

  • Self-hosted Community edition requires managing your own Docker/Kubernetes infra plus your own PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3-compatible/GCS/MinIO storage; no single-binary install
  • Cloud Free tier caps at 12 users and 500 AI credits per seat per month
  • Substantial feature gating by tier: custom work item types, workspace wiki, time tracking, dashboards, initiatives, teamspaces, and integrations require Pro or above; LDAP, granular access control, and multi-workflow approvals require Enterprise Grid
  • Guest-to-paid-member ratio capped at 1:5 on the Pro 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

Plane

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 AI credits per seat
    • Max 12 users
    • Unlimited projects
  • Pro$6/seat per month
    • 1,000 AI credits per seat
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom work item types
  • Business$13/seat per month
    • 2,000 AI credits per seat
    • Unlimited users
    • Project templates, recurring work items
  • Enterprise Grid$null/mo
    • Flexible AI credit allocation
    • Private deployments
    • Granular access control

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 Plane if

  • You need issue tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want cycles (sprints).
Plane 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 Plane or RescueTime better?
Neither clearly leads. Plane 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, Plane or RescueTime?
Plane has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Plane and $12/month for RescueTime.
Does Plane or RescueTime run on more platforms?
Plane runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. RescueTime runs on Windows, macOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Plane for free?
Yes. Plane has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RescueTime starts at $12/month.
What is Plane best used for?
Plane is most often used for project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiatives, documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project work, sprint planning and issue triage, cross-functional collaboration with analytics and dashboards. Of those, project and task management with cycles, modules, epics, and initiatives and documentation and knowledge management via workspace wiki tied to project work are not what RescueTime is typically brought in for.
What can Plane do that RescueTime cannot?
Plane covers Issue tracking, Cycles (Sprints), Modules, Views & layouts. RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking, Productivity scoring, Detailed categorization, FocusTime blocking. Both handle API access, Slack, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Plane: Does Plane offer a free plan?

Yes, Plane's free tier includes 500 AI credits per seat, support for up to 12 users, and access to projects, work items, cycles, modules, layouts, views, estimates, and pages.

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
Plane: How much does Plane Pro cost?

Plane Pro costs $6/seat per month and saves 25% when billed annually. It includes 1,000 AI credits per seat, unlimited users, and access to custom work item types, wiki, time tracking, and integrations.

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
Plane: What is the difference between Plane's paid tiers?

Pro ($6/seat/month) includes 1,000 AI credits and workspace wiki. Business ($13/seat/month) adds 2,000 AI credits, project templates, and recurring work items. Enterprise Grid offers custom pricing with multiple workflows and LDAP support.

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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