Automatic time tracking for Final Cut Pro 10+. Know your real hours on every library, every event, every cut — without ever opening a timer.
For YouTube creators, indie filmmakers, wedding filmmakers, and documentary editors working in Final Cut.
Free forever for individuals · 30-day trial for studios · no card required
How it works with Final Cut
Cut Time detects Final Cut Pro sessions by monitoring open .fcpevent files via lsof, then uses AppleScript to read the active library name directly from FCP. No Motion templates needed, no FxPlug install, no preferences to change. Works with Final Cut Pro 10.5 and newer, including Apple Silicon builds.
What you get
No timesheets. No guessing. Just honest numbers for every project you edit.
Zero-effort tracking
Cut Time runs in your menu bar. Open a Final Cut project and time starts counting automatically — no timers, no buttons.
Active vs idle detection
Distinguishes real editing time from time the app was open but idle. Your billable hours reflect actual work.
Per-project breakdown
Every Final Cut project is tracked separately. See exactly how many hours went into each cut.
Private by default
Cut Time only reads the project name from Final Cut. Not your footage, not your timeline, not your files.
No habit change
Install once. Open Final Cut like you always do. The data builds itself.
Works across all four
If you switch between Resolve, Premiere, After Effects, and Final Cut during a week, Cut Time tracks all four.
Freelancers figuring out what to charge. Studios tracking what projects actually cost.
YouTube creators
Cutting videos weekly in Final Cut? See which videos actually take the longest and adjust your production schedule with real data.
Wedding filmmakers
A wedding library lives for weeks through rough cut, revisions, and delivery. Cut Time totals the whole project so your hourly rate reflects reality.
Indie filmmakers
Feature-length libraries sprawl. Cut Time keeps the hour count honest across months of editing.
Documentary editors
Knowing how much time a story actually takes is how you pitch the next one. Per-library tracking gives you that ground truth.
Pricing
Track your own Final Cut hours on the free plan forever. Studios start with a 30-day free trial — no card required, invite your whole team.
Does it work with Final Cut Pro X / 10.x?
+Yes. Cut Time supports Final Cut Pro 10.5 and newer, including Apple Silicon builds. The detection method is based on macOS file handles, which are stable across versions.
Does it work with libraries stored on external SSDs?
+Yes — Cut Time detects the open library regardless of where it's stored. External SSDs, SANs, and network volumes all work the same way.
Does it track the library name or the event name?
+Library name. FCP projects are organized at the library level, which usually maps to a client or major project. Events and individual projects inside a library all roll up together.
Will it slow down Final Cut's background rendering?
+No. Cut Time runs in its own process at 30-second intervals. It never touches your library database, background tasks, or cache.
Does it need permissions I'd need to grant in System Settings?
+Cut Time needs macOS Automation permissions to read FCP's active library name. You'll see one one-time prompt — same as any AppleScript-enabled app.
Does it work with Motion or Compressor?
+Cut Time focuses on editing time. Motion and Compressor sessions aren't tracked today — if you need that, email us and we'll add it.
More questions? See the full FAQ or email [email protected].
Use a different editing app?
Install the tracker (Mac or Windows), open Final Cut, keep editing. Your first session shows up on your dashboard in under a minute.
Get Cut Time free