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Technology · head to head

RescueTime vs Sweep

RescueTime logo

RescueTime

Technology

Take back control of your time

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sweep logo

Sweep

Developer Tools

AI coding assistant for JetBrains IDEs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sweep has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RescueTime no free tier since 2023, making it costly for individual experimentation; Sweep limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
  • They diverge on capability: RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking, Sweep covers Autocomplete.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RescueTime and Sweep actually diverge.

Attributes where RescueTime and Sweep differ
AttributeRescueTimeSweep
Starting price$12/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownFreemium with paid tiers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Android, WebJetBrains IDEs
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools
Founded20062023

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 RescueTime

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

Only in Sweep

  • Autocomplete
  • AI Agent
  • Full codebase indexing
  • Code review functionality
  • Multi-IDE support
  • GitHub integration

What people use each for

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

RescueTime

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

Sweep

  • Accelerating code completion for JetBrains developersnot RescueTime
  • Automating refactoring tasks across codebasesnot RescueTime
  • Handling bug fixes with full repository contextnot RescueTime
  • Code review and quality assurancenot RescueTime

Where each one falls short

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

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

Sweep

  • Limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
  • Free tier limited to 1,000 autocompletes per month
  • API credit consumption varies by feature usage
  • Performance dependent on codebase size and indexing quality

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Sweep

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 autocompletes
    • 5 USD API credits included
    • All JetBrains IDEs supported
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited autocomplete
    • Higher API credit allocation
    • Priority support
  • Ultra$60/month
    • Unlimited autocomplete
    • Maximum API credit allocation
    • Extended context window

Which should you pick?

Choose RescueTime if

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

Choose Sweep if

  • You need autocomplete.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JetBrains IDEs.
  • You also want ai agent.
Sweep review

Questions people ask

Is RescueTime or Sweep better?
Neither clearly leads. RescueTime starts at $12/month and Sweep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RescueTime or Sweep?
Sweep has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for RescueTime and Free for Sweep.
Does RescueTime or Sweep run on more platforms?
RescueTime runs on Windows, macOS, Android, Web. Sweep runs on JetBrains IDEs.
Can I use Sweep for free?
Yes. Sweep has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RescueTime starts at $12/month.
What is RescueTime best used for?
RescueTime is most often used for personal productivity tracking, time audit, focus improvement, work-life balance. Of those, personal productivity tracking and time audit are not what Sweep is typically brought in for.
What can RescueTime do that Sweep cannot?
RescueTime covers Automatic time tracking, Productivity scoring, Detailed categorization, FocusTime blocking. Sweep covers Autocomplete, AI Agent, Full codebase indexing, Code review functionality.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Sweep: What programming languages does Sweep support?

Sweep works with all programming languages supported by JetBrains IDEs, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Kotlin, C++, and many others.

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
Sweep: Does Sweep retain my code data?

No. Sweep is SOC 2 Type II certified with zero data retention. Code is processed for suggestions but not stored.

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
Sweep: Can I cancel my Sweep subscription anytime?

Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings with no long-term commitments or cancellation fees.

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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