Build Mode is a one-time-purchase time tracker for Mac that records your focused work sessions and shows how your hours add up over time. It is designed for people building long-term projects—founders, students, writers, designers, musicians, and career switchers—who want to see the quiet compounding of their effort. With a single keyboard shortcut, you start a session, and Build Mode automatically tracks the active app and counts only honest, non-idle time. Your data never leaves your Mac: no account, no cloud, no screen recording, and no network code.
What is Build Mode?
Build Mode is a macOS time tracker (macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon or Intel) that records which app is active and how long you use it. It takes no screenshots, reads no window titles, and contains no networking code. It outputs daily, weekly, yearly, and all-time totals, plus a shareable summary card of your work. The app is made by an independent developer (no company name is given on the page).
Key Features
- One-button tracking — Start and stop a session with a single keyboard shortcut (⌘⌥B); no projects, tasks, or timesheets to set up.
- Honest hour counting — Idle time is automatically removed, so your total reflects only the time you actually spent building.
- Automatic app tracking — Build Mode records which app is active and how long you use it, without ever seeing your screen or keystrokes.
- Custom categories — Your hours sort themselves into modes like Build, Design, Marketing, Distribution, Founder Ops, and you can add your own.
- Progress views — Watch your hours add up across daily, weekly, yearly, and all-time totals.
- Shareable summary card — A single card shows your hours, sessions, categories, and consistency for any stretch of time.
- Privacy by default — No screen recording, no accessibility permission, no account, no cloud, and no network code; everything stays on your Mac.
Who is it for?
- Founders — Track time spent building the product versus distribution efforts.
- Students — Log revision time by subject (e.g., Biology, Essays) to see where your study hours go.
- Writers — Record time at the page, separating drafting from editing.
- Designers — Separate client work from portfolio practice.
- Musicians — Track practice time on scales and repertoire.
- Career switchers — Log after-hours learning on courses and personal projects.
What can you do with Build Mode?
- Founders: Press the shortcut when you start coding, and Build Mode will count only your active, non-idle hours, giving you a clear record of how much time you actually put into building.
- Students: Create custom modes for each subject, then review your weekly totals to see if you're spending enough time on revision.
- Writers: Use the shareable card to see your daily and weekly writing totals, and keep a streak going by hitting your long-term hour goals.
- Career switchers: Track your after-hours learning sessions and watch your cumulative hours grow, which can motivate you to keep going.
How does Build Mode work?
- Download and install the app on your Mac (macOS 14 or later).
- Press the keyboard shortcut (⌘⌥B) to start a session; Build Mode automatically detects the active app.
- When you step away, idle time is not counted; a notification tells you when you return.
- Your hours are sorted into categories (Build, Design, etc.) and accumulate into daily, weekly, yearly, and all-time totals.
- Open the summary card anytime to see your work in full, and share it if you like.
Pricing
Build Mode costs $29, paid once. There is no subscription, no account, and no free tier. The price is an early builder price (regularly $49) and is yours forever.
FAQ
Does Build Mode record my screen?
No. Build Mode never takes screenshots, reads window titles, or sees your browser. It contains no networking code at all.
Where is my data stored?
Only on your Mac. There is no cloud and no
