Best Time Tracking Software for Freelancers (2024) tested

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As someone who has successfully navigated the world of freelancing and placed a high priority on efficiency, I have come to realise the very important role that time tracking tools play. It is non-negotiable that you efficiently manage your work time, regardless of whether you are a freelancer juggling many projects, working a full-time job, managing a team, or running a business.

Each of these situations requires you to effectively manage your time. It is the linchpin that determines whether possibilities for progress are taken advantage of or whether they are allowed to fail to materialise. Nevertheless, because the market is saturated with an infinite number of time monitoring solutions, it can feel daunting to select the one that is the best fit.

Using my personal experiences and the findings of my study, I have combed through the available possibilities in order to identify the best of the best, which are tracking applications and software that are specifically designed to meet the varied requirements of freelancing professionals. Dive into our carefully chosen collection of the nine best time tracking apps for freelancers, which includes a comparison chart that is easy to use and in-depth evaluations of each tool.

Best Time Tracking Software for Freelancers Comparison Table

However, this has made freelance work even more popular because it gives people more freedom than a normal 9-to-5 job. As a freelancer, you have more freedom, but you also have more duties. You’ll have to go out of your way to find chances, keep track of your billable hours, and manage your work and projects. We need software to keep track of time and tools to handle projects in this case.

Feature	Apploye	Harvest	Freshbooks	Clockify	Toggl
Focus	Time & Task Management	Time Tracking & Invoicing	Accounting & Invoicing	Time Tracking & Project Management	Time Tracking & Productivity
Key Features	Timesheets, Project Management, Attendance Tracking, Payroll (paid), Expenses (paid), Approvals (paid)	Timesheets, Projects, Clients, Invoicing, Payments, Reporting, Retainers	Invoicing, Expenses, Payments, Projects, Proposals, Accounting, Reporting	Timesheets, Projects, Tags, Billable Rates, Workspaces, Reporting, Integrations	Timesheets, Projects, Tags, Billable Rates, Clients, Reporting, Desktop App, Mobile App
Ease of Use	Easy to use, intuitive interface	Easy to use, clean interface	Simple and user-friendly for core accounting	Very easy to use, beginner-friendly	Very easy to use, minimalistic interface
Reporting	Basic reports (free), Advanced reports (paid)	Extensive reporting features	Comprehensive reporting suite	Good reporting for time & projects (free), Advanced reports (paid)	Basic reports (free), Advanced reports with visualizations (paid)
Integrations	Several integrations (paid)	Many integrations, including Zapier	Connects with popular accounting and business tools	Many integrations, including Zapier	Many integrations, including Zapier

Best Time Tracking Software for Freelancers

When you’re a worker, you need to be extra careful about how you use your time. Using time tracking tools to help you better handle your time can help you focus, boost your confidence, and make better plans for your day. You can support steady income growth and a healthy work-life balance by keeping track of the time spent on each project, customer, and activity.

Apploye

Feature	Description
Time Tracking	Accurate time tracking for projects and tasks
Employee Monitoring	Monitor productivity and track work hours
Project Management	Plan and manage projects efficiently
Invoicing	Generate invoices based on tracked time
Reporting	Detailed reports on employee and project performance
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For the purpose of properly managing my team, Apploye has proven to be an amazing asset. It is possible to streamline personnel management, training, and communication with the help of this complete platform, which provides a variety of options.

I have been able to guarantee that my team stays on track while I focus on driving growth for my business by utilising features such as shift scheduling, time and attendance monitoring, and job checklists. These features allow me to keep track of my team’s progress.

Harvest

Feature	Description
Time Tracking	Track billable and non-billable hours
Invoicing	Create and send professional invoices
Expense Tracking	Monitor and manage project-related expenses
Reporting	Analyze project and team performance
Integration	Seamless integration with popular business tools

When it comes to billing customers and keeping track of the amount of time I spend on projects, Harvest has been my go-to tool. Through the use of this flexible platform, I am able to streamline the processes involved in time tracking and effortlessly generate bills based on the number of billable hours.

Using Harvest, I’ve been able to maintain my organization and make sure that my client projects are billed on time, which has eventually resulted in an increase in the bottom line of my company.

Freshbooks

Feature	Description
Cloud Accounting	Manage expenses, invoices, and financial reports
Time Tracking	Track billable hours easily
Client Portal	Allow clients to access invoices and documents
Mobile App	Access and manage accounts on the go
Automated Late Fees	Automatically apply late fees for overdue invoices

One more useful instrument that I have at my disposal is FreshBooks, which is a cloud-based accounting software that completely transforms the processes involved in financial management. From meticulously recording spending and providing detailed financial reports to invoicing customers with automatic precision, FreshBooks has been an invaluable tool in automating the financial operations of my company, which has enabled me to devote more of my attention to the things that are most important to my business.

Clockify

Feature	Description
Free Time Tracking	Track time for unlimited projects for free
Project and Task Management	Organize work with projects and tasks
Reports	View detailed time and productivity reports
Collaboration	Collaborate with team members on projects
Browser Extensions	Integrate with browsers for seamless tracking

From the beginning of my search for effective time management and tracking, Clockify has shown to be a trustworthy companion. My ability to precisely monitor my productivity levels and properly spend my time across a variety of projects and tasks has been made possible by its user-friendly design and strong capabilities, which include timesheets, project tracking, and informative reporting functionalities.

Toggl

Feature	Description
One-Click Time Tracking	Start and stop time tracking with a single click
Pomodoro Timer	Improve productivity with built-in Pomodoro timer
Calendar Integration	Sync time entries with Google Calendar
Auto-Tracker	Automatically track computer usage and time
Customizable Reports	Create and export customized reports

My overall productivity and my ability to manage my time more effectively have both been greatly improved as a result of using Toggl. With its user-friendly interface and practical features such as one-click timers, project tracking, and insightful reporting tools, Toggl has provided me with invaluable insights into how I allocate my time throughout the workday. These insights have enabled me to make informed decisions that will optimise my workflow and achieve better results.

Key Features to Look for in Time Tracking Software

When selecting time tracking software for your business, consider the following key features:

1. Time Entry Methods: Look for software that offers multiple time entry methods, including manual entry, timers, clock-in/clock-out functionality, and mobile apps. This ensures flexibility for employees to record time accurately and conveniently.
2. Project and Task Tracking: Choose software that allows employees to allocate time to specific projects, tasks, or clients. This feature helps managers track billable hours, monitor project progress, and analyze resource allocation.
3. Reporting and Analytics: Look for robust reporting capabilities that allow you to generate customizable reports on employee time data. Features such as time summaries, timesheet approvals, and analytics dashboards help you gain insights into productivity, project costs, and workforce trends.
4. Integration with Other Tools: Consider software that integrates seamlessly with other business tools such as project management software, accounting systems, payroll software, and HR management systems. Integration streamlines data sharing and eliminates the need for manual data entry across platforms.
5. Mobile Accessibility: Choose software with mobile apps or responsive web interfaces that allow employees to track time from anywhere using their smartphones or tablets. Mobile accessibility is essential for remote workers and employees who travel frequently.
6. Ease of Use: Prioritize software with an intuitive user interface and simple navigation to minimize training time and ensure widespread adoption among employees. Features such as drag-and-drop timesheet editing and calendar integrations enhance usability.
7. Customization Options: Look for software that offers customization options to tailor the system to your business needs. This includes customizable fields, settings, permissions, and workflows to accommodate unique requirements.
8. Overtime and Leave Management: Ensure the software supports tracking of overtime hours, as well as different types of leave such as vacation time, sick leave, and holidays. Features such as automated overtime calculations and leave accrual tracking streamline HR processes.

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