If you bill by the hour, manage hourly employees, or need to know where your team’s time goes, time tracking software replaces guesswork with data. The right tool tracks time accurately, integrates with payroll and invoicing, and doesn’t make your team hate using it.
We compared the top time tracking tools on ease of use, integrations, and price.
Quick Comparison
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | GPS Tracking | Invoicing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toggl Track | Best for freelancers and agencies | $10/user/mo | Yes (5 users) | No | No |
| Clockify | Best free time tracking | Free | Yes (unlimited) | No | Limited |
| QuickBooks Time | Best if using QuickBooks | $10/user/mo | No (trial) | Yes | Via QuickBooks |
| Harvest | Best for billing clients by the hour | $12/user/mo | Yes (1 seat) | No | Yes |
| Homebase | Best for hourly employee scheduling | Free (basic) | Yes | Yes | No |
1. Toggl Track — Best for Freelancers and Agencies
Toggl Track makes time tracking as easy as pressing a button. The one-click timer, browser extension, and mobile app mean you track time in the moment instead of guessing at the end of the week. For freelancers and agencies that bill by the hour, Toggl is the least painful way to do it.
Pros:
- Simplest time tracking interface — one click to start
- Browser extension tracks time across web apps
- Mobile app with offline tracking
- Project and client tracking
- Billable vs. non-billable time
- Reporting by project, client, team member, and date range
- Integrates with 100+ tools (Asana, Trello, Jira, etc.)
- Timeline view shows your day at a glance
- Pomodoro timer built in
- Good for teams that resist time tracking
Cons:
- No invoicing (pair with Harvest, FreshBooks, or QuickBooks)
- No GPS tracking (not for field teams)
- Free plan limits projects and reports
- No built-in scheduling
- No overtime calculations
- Not designed for hourly employee management
- Pricing has increased in recent years
Pricing: Free (5 users); Starter $10/user/mo; Premium $20/user/mo; Enterprise custom
Best for: Freelancers, agencies, and professional services that bill by the hour and want the simplest tracking experience.
2. Clockify — Best Free Time Tracking
Clockify is the only time tracker that’s free for unlimited users and unlimited projects. If budget is zero and you need basic time tracking, Clockify does it without charging. It’s not as polished as Toggl, but it’s functional and free.
Pros:
- Free forever for unlimited users and projects
- Simple timer and manual time entry
- Project and client tracking
- Billable rates and invoicing (basic)
- Reports by project, client, and team member
- Browser extension, mobile app, and desktop app
- Integrates with 50+ tools via Zapier
- Good for teams that need basic tracking without budget
Cons:
- Interface is functional but not polished
- Fewer features than paid alternatives
- No GPS tracking
- Limited invoicing
- No overtime calculations
- Customer support is slower for free users
- Reporting is less customizable than Toggl or Harvest
- Fewer integrations
Pricing: Free forever (unlimited users); Pro $4/user/mo; Business $7/user/mo; Enterprise $12/user/mo
Best for: Teams that need free, basic time tracking without limits on users or projects.
3. QuickBooks Time — Best if Using QuickBooks
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is the time tracker built for QuickBooks users. Time entries sync directly to QuickBooks for payroll and invoicing. If you’re already in the QuickBooks ecosystem, this is the natural choice.
Pros:
- Syncs directly with QuickBooks Online and Desktop
- GPS tracking for field teams
- Scheduling and shift management
- Overtime alerts and calculations
- Job and project costing
- Mobile app with GPS and offline tracking
- Clock-in/out via mobile, desktop, or kiosk
- Good for hourly teams and construction
- PTO tracking built in
- Good reporting and compliance features
Cons:
- Only makes sense if you use QuickBooks for accounting
- $10/user/month on top of your QuickBooks subscription
- No invoicing without QuickBooks
- Interface is functional but not elegant
- Overkill for freelancers who just need to track their own time
- GPS tracking raises privacy concerns for some teams
- Setup requires QuickBooks integration
Pricing: Premium $10/user/mo; Elite $12/user/mo; 30-day free trial
Best for: Businesses using QuickBooks for accounting that need time tracking for payroll and job costing.
4. Harvest — Best for Billing Clients by the Hour
Harvest combines time tracking with invoicing in one tool. Track your time, convert it to invoices, and get paid — all from the same platform. For freelancers and agencies that bill clients by the hour, Harvest eliminates the gap between tracking time and collecting payment.
Pros:
- Time tracking + invoicing in one tool
- Convert tracked time directly to invoices
- Billable vs. non-billable time tracking
- Project budgets and alerts
- Expense tracking with receipt capture
- Client portal for invoice review and payment
- Accepts credit card and ACH payments
- Good reporting (by project, client, team member)
- Integrates with Asana, Trello, Jira, QuickBooks, Xero
- Good for agencies billing clients by the hour
Cons:
- More expensive than Toggl or Clockify ($12/user/mo starting)
- Free plan limited to 1 seat and 2 projects
- No GPS tracking
- Not designed for hourly employee scheduling
- No overtime calculations
- Invoicing features are good but not as robust as FreshBooks
- Some features require higher-tier plans
Pricing: Free (1 seat, 2 projects); Pro $12/user/mo; Enterprise custom
Best for: Freelancers and agencies that want time tracking and invoicing in one tool.
5. Homebase — Best for Hourly Employee Scheduling
Homebase is built for businesses with hourly employees — restaurants, retail, services, and any business that needs scheduling + time tracking + team communication in one platform. The free plan covers basic scheduling and time tracking for small teams.
Pros:
- Free plan covers scheduling, time tracking, and team communication
- Shift scheduling with templates
- GPS time clock (employees clock in from their phone)
- Overtime alerts and labor cost tracking
- Team messaging and announcements
- Hiring and onboarding tools
- Integrates with QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP for payroll
- Good mobile app for employees
- Labor cost forecasting
- Good for restaurants, retail, and service businesses
Cons:
- Not for freelancers or salaried teams
- Time tracking is basic compared to Toggl or Harvest
- No project or client tracking
- No invoicing
- Free plan has ads and limited features
- Designed for shift-based work, not project-based work
- Not ideal for agencies or professional services
Pricing: Free (basic); Essentials $20/mo + $6/emp; Plus $48/mo + $10/emp
Best for: Businesses with hourly employees that need scheduling + time tracking + team communication.
How to Choose
1. Why are you tracking time?
Billing clients by the hour → Harvest or Toggl. Payroll for hourly employees → QuickBooks Time or Homebase. Just need to know where time goes → Clockify (free).
2. What accounting software do you use?
QuickBooks → QuickBooks Time. FreshBooks → Harvest or Toggl. Xero → Harvest or Toggl. None → Clockify (free) or Harvest.
3. Do you need invoicing too?
Yes → Harvest (built in). No → Toggl, Clockify, or QuickBooks Time.
4. Do you manage hourly shifts?
Yes → Homebase or QuickBooks Time. No (project-based work) → Toggl, Harvest, or Clockify.
5. What’s your budget?
Free → Clockify. Under $10/user/mo → Toggl or QuickBooks Time. Under $15/user/mo → Harvest.
Our Top Pick
For freelancers and agencies, Toggl Track is the easiest time tracking experience. For free time tracking, Clockify can’t be beat. For billing clients, Harvest combines tracking with invoicing. For QuickBooks users, QuickBooks Time syncs seamlessly. And for hourly shift workers, Homebase covers scheduling and time tracking for free.
SoftDecide helps churches, nonprofits, and small organizations find the right software. Our comparisons are independently researched. We may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page — at no extra cost to you.