The best time tracking software for most people is Clockify for free use, Toggl Track for simple daily tracking, and Harvest if invoicing matters most. If you need timers inside a task manager, pick ClickUp or Everhour. Start with a free plan, track real work for a week, then pay only for what you miss.
Time tracking software records how long you spend on tasks, projects, or clients, so you can see where your hours go, bill accurately, and plan work more realistically.
Most people don’t need the fanciest tool. They need one they’ll still open on day eight. The options below range from a free time tracker app with no user limit to time tracking and invoice software built for client work, plus tools that live inside a task manager.
Our list covers six: Clockify, Toggl Track, Harvest, ClickUp, TimeCamp, and Everhour. They were compared using vendor pricing pages, review-site listings, and published reviews from 2026, not hands-on lab testing, so treat the prices as a guide. Several of these vendors adjusted their plans this year, so confirm the numbers on each pricing page before you pay.
Key Takeaways
- If you want free time recording for a whole team, Clockify is the widest free plan on this list. Toggl Track’s free plan stops at five users.
- If you bill clients by the hour, Harvest is the most invoicing-focused option, though its plans and prices have been in flux.
- If your work already lives in Asana, Trello, Jira, or ClickUp, a tool that tracks time inside them (Everhour, ClickUp) saves you an extra app.
- Per-user pricing adds up fast. A $10 tool costs a ten-person team $100 a month.
Quick Guide
- Clockify: free plan with unlimited users, paid tiers add invoicing, scheduling, and approvals
- Toggl Track: clean, quick timer; free for up to five users
- Harvest: time tracking with built-in invoicing for freelancers and agencies
- ClickUp: a task manager with time tracking built into the platform
- TimeCamp: low-priced paid tiers starting under $4 per user on annual billing
- Everhour: adds timers inside tools like Asana, Trello, Jira, and Basecamp
How were these time tracking apps evaluated?
Each tool was judged on five things: how generous the free plan is, how invoicing and billable rates are handled, how fast it is to start a timer, what it costs per user as a team grows, and whether it works inside the tools you already use.
Pricing comes from vendor pages and 2026 review-site listings. Where sources disagreed, the article says so instead of picking a number. Free plans in this category change often, so check the current limits before you rely on one.
What are the best time tracking apps compared side by side?
The table below shows the free plan, starting price, and best use for each tool. Prices are USD per user per month, as listed in 2026 sources.
| Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Invoicing | Best for |
| Clockify | Yes, unlimited users | About $4–5 | On paid plans | Free tracking for teams of any size |
| Toggl Track | Yes, up to 5 users | $9 annual / $10 monthly | Not its focus | Simple daily tracking |
| Harvest | Yes, 1 seat and 2 projects | About $9–11 (plans changed in 2026) | Built in | Freelancers and agencies who bill hourly |
| ClickUp | Yes | $7 annual / $10 monthly | Not its focus | Tasks and time in one place |
| TimeCamp | Yes, limited | $3.99 annual / $5.49 monthly | Not on Starter | Low-cost paid plan |
| Everhour | Reported, check current limits | About $6 (Lite) | Built from tracked time | Timers inside project tools |
1. Clockify
The free plan with no user cap, and the one most people try first.
Clockify’s main pull is that you can track time for an unlimited number of users on its free plan, which almost no competitor matches. Paid plans layer on features such as billable rates, scheduling, approvals, and invoicing.
One caution: some reviewers say Clockify trimmed its free plan in 2026, so look at what the free tier includes today before you build a team around it.
Key Features
- Timer plus manual time entry across web, desktop, and mobile
- Projects, clients, and tags for organizing hours
- Reports with CSV and PDF export, even on the free plan
- Paid tiers add invoicing, scheduling, approvals, and (on higher plans) screenshots
What Works
- Unlimited free users, which suits students, small teams, and anyone testing the habit
- Cheap paid steps if you outgrow the free plan
- Familiar timer and timesheet layout that most people pick up quickly
Limitations
- Invoicing is not on the free plan
- Free-plan reports are basic compared with paid tiers
- Feature tiers are spread across several plans, so costs can climb as a team grows
Pricing: Free. Paid plans are listed from roughly $4.99 per user per month (Basic) up to $14.99 (Enterprise) on monthly billing, with lower prices on annual billing.
Best for: anyone who wants free time recording with room to grow.
2. Toggl Track
The tool people pick when they just want to start a timer and move on.
Toggl Track is known for a clean interface and a fast start: you press play, name the task, and get on with your day. Its free plan covers up to five users, which is enough for a solo worker or a small team.
Billable rates arrive on the Starter plan, and the Premium plan adds profitability reporting for teams that track margins. Paid plans come with a 30-day free trial.
Key Features
- One-click timers, with browser, desktop, and mobile apps
- Project and client tracking with visual reports
- Starter adds billable rates; Premium adds profitability and approvals
- Integrations with common work tools
What Works
- Among the quickest tools to start using
- A free plan that handles personal tracking well
- Clear reports for seeing where hours went
Limitations
- Free plan is capped at five users
- Paid plans cost noticeably more per user than Clockify or TimeCamp
- Invoicing isn’t the focus, so check how it fits your billing workflow
Pricing: Free (up to 5 users). Starter at $9 per user per month billed annually ($10 monthly). Premium at $18 annually ($20 monthly).
Best for: solo workers and small teams who want the simplest daily timer.
3. Harvest
The pick when tracked hours need to become invoices.
Harvest has long paired time tracking with invoicing, which is why freelancers and small agencies reach for it. You log hours against a client project, then turn those hours into an invoice without re-typing anything.
Its pricing has been unsettled. Older listings show Pro at $11 and Premium at $14 per seat, while a 2026 analysis describes a restructured Teams plan from about $9 per seat on annual billing ($11 monthly), with extra rules around usage. The free plan is limited to one seat and two projects.
Key Features
- Time and expense tracking with client and project budgets
- Invoicing built in
- Reports on hours, costs, and budget use
- Accounting integrations on paid plans
What Works
- Hours-to-invoice workflow with very little copying
- A free plan that covers a freelancer with a couple of clients
- Budget views that show when a project is running over
Limitations
- The free plan is tight: one seat, two projects
- Plan names and prices have changed, and some users report renewal increases
- Paid plans cost more than Clockify or TimeCamp
Pricing: Free (1 seat, 2 projects). Paid listings range from about $9 to $14 per seat per month depending on plan and billing. Check the current pricing page.
Best for: freelancers and agencies who bill by the hour.
4. ClickUp
A task manager with time tracking inside it, not a dedicated timer.
ClickUp is a full work management platform: tasks, docs, goals, dashboards, and time tracking in one workspace. If you already manage projects there, tracking time on the same tasks avoids the extra app.
Sources disagree on how much time tracking the free plan includes, and plan limits have shifted, so confirm which plan has the time features you need. Paid plans bill per member.
Key Features
- Time tracking attached to tasks
- Free Forever plan with unlimited members, plus tight storage and automation limits
- Task views, docs, dashboards, and automations
- Paid plans from $7 per member per month on annual billing
What Works
- Tasks and time in the same place
- A generous free plan for task management itself
- Low entry price on the Unlimited plan
Limitations
- A big platform, with a learning curve if you only want a timer
- Free plan has storage and automation caps
- Invoicing isn’t its focus, and AI features cost extra
Pricing: Free Forever. Unlimited at $7 per member per month annually ($10 monthly). Business at $12 annually ($19 monthly).
Best for: teams already running projects in ClickUp.
5. TimeCamp
Low-priced paid plans with a free tier to test first.
TimeCamp offers a free plan and paid tiers that start lower than most rivals. Starter is listed at $3.99 per user per month on annual billing ($5.49 monthly), Premium at $6.99 ($9.99), and Ultimate at $9.99 ($13.99).
The catch is that Starter leaves out billable time, billable rates, and project budgets, so anyone billing clients will need Premium or above.
Key Features
- Free plan for basic tracking
- Paid tiers from Starter to Ultimate, plus Enterprise
- A 30-day free trial of paid features
- Dozens of integrations
What Works
- Some of the cheapest paid plans in this group
- A free plan that suits solo users with simple needs
- Trial period to test advanced features before paying
Limitations
- Starter has no billable rates or project budgets
- Reviewers note the free plan is limited
- Occasional reports of bugs and manual-entry issues
Pricing: Free. Starter $3.99 annual / $5.49 monthly. Premium $6.99 / $9.99. Ultimate $9.99 / $13.99.
Best for: people who want a low-cost paid plan after trying the free one.
6. Everhour
Time tracking that sits inside the project tool you already use.
Everhour embeds a timer next to tasks in Asana, ClickUp, Jira, Trello, Basecamp, and similar tools, so you don’t have to switch apps to log hours. It also handles budgets, billable rates, and invoices built from tracked time.
Sources disagree about its free plan: some list one for up to five users, others complain there isn’t one. Check the current pricing page.
Key Features
- Timers embedded in project management tools
- Billable and non-billable hours, rates, and budgets
- Invoices generated from tracked time
- Integrations with Asana, Jira, Trello, ClickUp, and others
What Works
- No app switching if your tasks live in a supported tool
- Budget tracking with alerts
- Simple plan structure compared with five-tier rivals
Limitations
- Free-plan availability is unclear across sources
- Reviewers call it steep for small teams
- The Team plan reportedly has a five-seat minimum
Pricing: Lite listed at about $6 per user per month. The Team plan is reported around $10 monthly (about $8.50 annually) with a five-seat minimum. Confirm current rates.
Best for: teams that want timers inside Asana, Trello, or Jira.
What features should a good time tracking app have?
A good time tracking app needs a one-click timer, manual entry for forgotten hours, and reports you can export. Anything beyond that depends on how you use the hours.
When comparing any time track application, check these:
- A timer you can start in under five seconds, on phone and desktop
- Manual entry and edit, because everyone forgets to start a timer
- Projects or clients with tags, so the report means something
- Billable rates, if you charge by the hour
- Export to CSV or PDF, so your data isn’t trapped
- Integrations with the tools where your tasks and invoices live
Skip anything you won’t use in the first month. Extra features are the main reason people end up with a tool that feels like homework.
Is free time recording good enough, or should you pay?
Free time recording is enough if you work alone or on a small team and only need to know where your hours go. You start paying when you need invoices, approvals, budgets, or scheduling.
Clockify’s free plan allows unlimited users, Toggl Track’s free plan covers up to five, and Harvest’s free plan covers one person with two projects. Those limits matter more than the price list.
A useful rule: stay free until a specific missing feature costs you real time or money, such as retyping hours into an invoice every Friday. Free plans also change, so check the limits when you sign up and again before you build a team routine around one.
What is the best time tracking and invoice software?
Harvest is the most invoicing-focused option here, since it turns tracked hours into invoices directly. Clockify (on paid plans) and Everhour can also build invoices from tracked time.
If you’re a freelancer, the point of combining tracking and billing is to stop re-entering hours. Log time against a client project, then generate the invoice from that same record.
If your tracker doesn’t invoice, export the report and bill from your accounting tool. That works fine, as long as you export on a schedule instead of reconstructing weeks from memory.
What is the best task manager with time tracking?
ClickUp is the clearest task manager with time tracking built into the platform, and Everhour is the pick if you want timers inside Asana, Trello, or Jira.
The benefit is fewer apps. You start the timer on the task you’re already looking at, so hours attach to the right work automatically. If your current task manager already has a basic timer, try that first before adding another subscription.
One warning: don’t run two tracking systems at once. Duplicate timers produce duplicate data, and you’ll trust neither.
Are time trackers with screenshots okay to use?
Screenshot and activity monitoring can be acceptable when everyone knows about it and agrees, but hidden monitoring damages trust and may be restricted by law depending on where you live. Check local rules or ask a lawyer before using it on employees.
Some tools offer screenshots only on higher plans, such as Clockify’s Pro tier. If you’re choosing for a team, tell people what is recorded and why, track the work instead of the person, and skip screenshots unless a client needs proof of work.
For your own tracking, none of this matters. Pick the simplest tool and leave monitoring features off.
How do you stick with a time tracker app once you start?
Make starting a timer the easiest thing you do, and review the data weekly. Most people quit because they forget to start the timer, not because the tool is wrong.
A simple seven-day test:
- Day 1: install one time tracker app on your phone and browser, and create three or four broad projects.
- Days 1–3: track everything roughly. Don’t fix categories yet.
- Day 4: look at the gaps. Untracked hours usually mean forgotten timers, not free time.
- Days 5–6: pick one trigger, such as starting the timer whenever you open a task, and stick to it.
- Day 7: read the report and decide to keep, upgrade, or switch.
Once you know where hours go, planning gets easier. A time-blocking approach is a natural next step; the site’s best time blocking apps guide and Daily Time-Block Builder pair well with tracked data.
Want to try time tracking before picking software?
Yes, you can test the habit first with Better Lifestyle Dominates’s free time tracking tool, which runs in your browser with no account or sign-up. Start a timer, tag each task by category, and see a breakdown of where your day went.
It’s a personal tracker, not a replacement for the tools above. There’s no invoicing, no team features, and no sync between devices, and your entries stay in that browser. If you bill clients or manage a team, pick one of the six apps. If you just want to see where your hours go, start here.
Which time tracking software is right for you?
- You want free time recording for a team of any size: Clockify, after checking its current free limits.
- You want the simplest timer for yourself: Toggl Track.
- You bill clients by the hour and want invoices from tracked time: Harvest.
- You already manage tasks in ClickUp: ClickUp’s built-in time tracking.
- You want a cheap paid plan after a free trial: TimeCamp.
- Your tasks live in Asana, Trello, or Jira: Everhour.
- You want to test the habit before signing up for anything: Better Lifestyle Dominates’s free time tracking tool, no account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a time tracker app and time tracking software?
Not much. A time tracker app usually means a phone or desktop timer you use yourself, while time tracking software often adds team features like approvals, budgets, reports, and invoicing. Many products are both. Pick based on what you need to do with the hours, not on the label.
How do I start time tracking today?
Pick one free tool, create three or four broad projects, and start a timer whenever you begin real work. Don’t aim for perfect categories on day one. Rough data you actually collect beats detailed data you abandon. After a week, check the report and refine your project list.
Which free time tracking app has no user limit?
Clockify has long been the main answer, with a free plan that allows unlimited users and projects. Toggl Track’s free plan is capped at five users. Free plans change, and some reviewers say Clockify trimmed its free features in 2026, so check what the free tier includes before you commit your team.
How much does time tracking software cost?
Many tools have a free plan. Paid plans typically run from about $4 to $20 per user per month, depending on features like invoicing, approvals, and profitability reports. Annual billing is usually cheaper than monthly. Costs scale per user, so a team of ten pays ten times the listed price.
Do freelancers need time tracking software?
Not always, but it helps whenever you bill by the hour, quote fixed prices, or suspect some clients take more time than they pay for. Even a free time recording tool shows which projects are worth it. If you invoice clients, pick one that exports reports or builds invoices.
Can time tracking software hurt trust on a team?
Yes, if it’s introduced as surveillance. Tracking lands better when it’s explained, limited to work hours, and used to plan workloads or bill clients. Screenshots and activity monitoring need extra care. Tell people what is recorded and why, and check local rules on employee monitoring.
How long should I test a time tracking app before paying?
Give it at least a full working week, including a messy day. Use a free plan or trial first; Toggl Track and TimeCamp both offer 30-day trials on paid tiers. Pay only when you hit a real limit, like invoicing, approvals, or reports you actually keep needing.
Muddasir Tahir is the founder of Better Lifestyle Dominates, a website about morning routines, productivity, habit building, and self-discipline. He spent years dealing with unproductive mornings and a scattered mindset before he started testing real strategies that actually work. Now he writes about what he personally tried and tested, including morning routines, focus techniques, task batching, and building daily habits that stick. His goal is simple: give people honest, practical advice they can use right away, not recycled tips copied from everywhere else.