Kimai 2: A self-hosted timesheet solution for small firms

This review evaluates Kimai 2's suitability for small firms requiring open-source, self-hosted time tracking per project, with admin dashboards and data import capabilities, as specified by a Reddit user.

TL;DR

Best for: Small to medium-sized firms (up to 30 people) seeking a self-hosted, open-source timesheet solution with project-based tracking, administrative oversight, and data import/export capabilities, particularly those looking to reduce recurring SaaS costs. Skip if: Your firm requires highly specialized industry-specific compliance features out-of-the-box, or if you lack the internal IT resources to manage a self-hosted application and its updates. Bottom line: Kimai 2 is a strong contender for firms like /u/kevalpatel100's, offering core timesheet functionality at a significantly lower total cost of ownership than many commercial SaaS alternatives.

METHODOLOGY

This v0 review draws on the founder's published claims and community documentation for Kimai 2, observed on 2026-05-19. The primary source signal for requirements is the Reddit post by /u/kevalpatel100 at https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/1tgpp1n/does_anyone_has_experience_with_opensource/. This review covers Kimai 2's core features as described in its official documentation, focusing on its ability to meet the specific use cases outlined by /u/kevalpatel100: time management per project per hour, customizable admin dashboards, and CSV/Excel data import. We also consider its open-source nature and self-hosting suitability for a 30-person firm. What is not covered in this v0 review includes independent performance benchmarks, long-term workflow integration, specific edge cases, or a detailed comparison against other open-source alternatives. Update cadence: Kimai 2 will be re-tested when claims diverge from observed behavior or significant new versions are released.

WHAT IT DOES

Project-based time tracking

Kimai 2 is built around tracking time against projects and activities. Users can log hours with start/stop timers or manual entries, associating time with specific customers, projects, and tasks. This granular tracking supports detailed billing and project cost analysis, directly addressing /u/kevalpatel100's need for "time management per project per hour."

Administrative dashboards and reporting

For administrators, Kimai 2 provides a dashboard that offers an overview of team activities, project progress, and billable hours. It includes reporting features to generate summaries based on users, projects, activities, and timeframes. While the term "customizable dashboard" can vary, Kimai's interface allows for filtering and sorting of data, providing a functional overview for management.

Data import and export

Kimai 2 supports importing and exporting data, crucial for integrating with other systems or migrating existing timesheet records. It offers CSV export for reports, and while direct Excel import for timesheets might require specific formatting or a plugin, its API and data structure are designed for interoperability. The platform's open-source nature means custom scripts can be developed for specific import needs if the built-in functionality is insufficient.

Self-hosted deployment

As an open-source application, Kimai 2 is designed for self-hosting. It can be deployed on various environments, typically requiring a web server (Apache or Nginx), PHP, and a database (MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL). This aligns perfectly with /u/kevalpatel100's requirement for deployment on a separate VLAN and internal network, offering full control over data security and infrastructure.

WHAT'S INTERESTING / WHAT'S NOT

What's interesting about Kimai 2 is its dedicated focus on time tracking. Unlike broader project management suites that include time tracking as an add-on, Kimai's core strength lies in this specific function. Its open-source license allows commercial use without per-user fees, directly addressing /u/kevalpatel100's current spend of $10-15/user/month. For a 30-person firm, this represents a potential saving of $300-$450 per month in software licensing alone. The self-hosting capability is a significant advantage for firms prioritizing data sovereignty and internal network security, as specified by the Reddit user. The API is well-documented, enabling custom integrations and automation, which can extend its utility beyond the core feature set.

What's not as interesting, or what requires careful consideration, is the term "customizable dashboard." While Kimai offers filtering and reporting, it may not provide the drag-and-drop widget-based customization found in some high-end commercial SaaS tools. Firms expecting a highly personalized visual experience might find it basic. The "import timesheet data via Excel" claim also needs nuance. While CSV export is standard, direct, robust Excel import for timesheet entries often requires specific templates or custom development for complex sheets. For /u/kevalpatel100's firm, this might mean a one-time script development or a change in their data preparation workflow. Furthermore, while the software is free, the total cost of ownership for self-hosting includes server hardware/VMs, maintenance, backups, and potential developer time for setup and updates. These are costs that must be factored in against the current SaaS spend.

PRICING

Kimai 2 is open-source software, licensed under the MIT License. This means the software itself is free to download and use commercially. There are no per-user or monthly licensing fees for the core application. However, users should account for the costs associated with self-hosting: server infrastructure (physical or virtual), electricity, internet bandwidth, and the labor required for installation, configuration, maintenance, backups, and updates. Kimai also offers a marketplace for plugins and themes, some of which may be paid, and provides professional support plans for those who prefer commercial assistance. Pricing snapshot date: 2026-05-19.

VERDICT

Kimai 2 is a highly suitable open-source timesheet solution for /u/kevalpatel100's 30-person firm, particularly given their specific requirements and current expenditure. It directly addresses the need for project-based time tracking, offers administrative dashboards for oversight, and provides data import/export capabilities, albeit with a potential need for custom scripting for complex Excel imports. The self-hosting option ensures data control and internal network deployment, aligning with security preferences. While the software itself is free, the firm must be prepared for the operational costs of managing a self-hosted application. For a firm currently spending $10-15 per user per month, Kimai 2 presents a compelling alternative to significantly reduce recurring software costs, shifting expenditure from licensing to internal IT resources.

WHAT WE'D TEST NEXT

For a v2 review, we would conduct an independent benchmark of Kimai 2's performance with 30 concurrent users logging time, specifically measuring database contention and UI responsiveness. We would also evaluate the actual effort required for initial setup and ongoing maintenance on a standard Linux server environment. A deeper dive into the "customizable dashboard" claim would involve attempting to build specific administrative views based on common business metrics. We would also test the robustness of its CSV import functionality with various data formats and assess the ease of developing custom import scripts for Excel files. Finally, we would explore the plugin ecosystem to identify any commercially available add-ons that enhance reporting or integration capabilities relevant to a small firm's operations.

Pull quote: “Kimai 2 is a strong contender for firms like /u/kevalpatel100's, offering core timesheet functionality at a significantly lower total cost of ownership than many commercial SaaS alternatives.”