Best Automatic Time Tracking Software for Freelancers

TimeCamp records time in two ways, with a manual timer and with automatic capture that watches app and website use and turns it into timesheet entries. A freelancer can let the automatic tracker fill in the gaps on a busy day, then review and assign the entries to projects before the week ends. The desktop and mobile apps cover the main platforms, and GPS tracking suits teams that work away from a desk.

The free plan covers unlimited users and unlimited projects, which is the widest free offer in this list. Starter costs $3.99 per user per month billed annually and adds invoicing, attendance, and time off. Premium costs $6.99 per user per month billed annually and adds billable time, budgets, and app tracking. Ultimate costs $9.99 per user per month billed annually and adds approvals and labor costs. Automatic tracking on the free plan makes TimeCamp a strong first choice for freelancers who forget to start a timer.

Price: $3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: timecamp.com

DeskTime runs in the background and records app and website use automatically, so a team member does not need to start or stop a timer. The tracker labels each app as productive, unproductive, or neutral, and reports show how the workday was spent by person, project, and app. Screenshots and idle time detection add a record for managers who need to see activity, not just totals.

DeskTime has a 14 day trial and no free plan. Pro costs $6.42 per user per month billed annually and covers automatic tracking, app reports, and screenshots. Premium costs $9.17 per user per month billed annually and adds scheduling, invoicing, and project costing. A team that wants automatic capture without manual timers will find DeskTime easy to adopt, but a team that only needs a simple timer can spend less elsewhere.

Price: $6.42 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: desktime.com

Toggl Track keeps time tracking close to one click. Start the timer, add a short description, pick a project, and the entry is logged. The timer runs on web, desktop, mobile, and browser extension, so a freelancer can start work on a laptop and stop it on a phone without losing the entry. Reports show time by client, project, and week, which makes invoicing faster at month end.

The free plan covers 3 users on new accounts, which suits a freelancer plus two regular collaborators, while older workspaces keep 5 seats. Starter costs $9 per user per month billed annually and adds billable rates, project templates, and scheduled reports. Premium costs $16 per user per month billed annually and adds approvals, labor costs, and profitability. A freelancer who bills by the hour will want Starter for billable rates, but the free plan covers the core timer and reporting well enough to start.

Price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: toggl.com

Clockify gives small teams a timer, timesheets, and a calendar view without a large monthly bill. Team members start a timer or add time by hand, managers approve timesheets, and reports show hours by project, client, and person. The free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects and clients, which is enough for a small team to run real client work before spending anything.

Basic costs $3.99 per user per month billed annually and adds billable rates, kiosk clock in, and project templates. Standard costs $5.49 per user per month billed annually and adds invoicing, timesheet approval, and time off. Pro costs $7.99 per user per month billed annually and adds scheduling, budgets, expenses, and GPS tracking. The step up in price is tied to clear features, so a team can start free and move up only when invoicing or approvals become part of the routine.

Price: $3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: clockify.me

Everhour puts its timer inside the project tools a team already uses, including Asana, Trello, ClickUp, Basecamp, and GitHub. A person starts the timer from a task card without opening a second app, and the hours flow into Everhour reports, budgets, and invoices. That embedded timer is the main reason to choose Everhour, because tracking happens where the work happens, so fewer hours go unlogged.

The free plan covers up to 5 users with basic tracking, but it leaves out the project app integrations. Lite costs $5 per user per month billed annually and adds budgets, expenses, and scheduling, with a 2 seat minimum. Team costs $8.50 per user per month billed annually and adds approvals, invoicing, and resource planning, with a 5 seat minimum. A team that already lives in Asana or Trello will get the most from Everhour, while a team without those apps can use a simpler timer instead.

Price: $5 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: everhour.com

MyHours keeps time tracking simple, with a timer, manual entry, and reports that split hours by client, project, and task. A freelancer sets an hourly rate per project, logs hours through the week, and turns the total into an invoice at month end. The interface has few menus to learn, so a new user can start logging hours on the first day without a setup project.

The free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects and clients, which suits a freelancer plus collaborators. The priced plan costs $4 per user per month billed annually and adds billable rates. Pro costs $8 per user per month billed annually and adds approvals and invoicing. A freelancer who bills by the hour gets rates at the lowest entry price in this list, and a team that needs approvals can move to Pro when the workflow grows.

Price: $4 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: myhours.com

TrackingTime gives a small team a timer, timesheets, and project reports without a user cap on the free plan. Team members log hours by project and task, managers see who worked on what, and reports export for payroll or billing. The setup is short, because projects, clients, and tasks are the only structure a team needs to learn before logging the first hour.

The free plan covers unlimited users with core tracking and reporting, which suits a growing team that does not want to count seats. Pro costs $4.50 per user per month billed annually and adds invoicing, approvals, and billable rates. A team that bills clients will need Pro, but a team that only needs to know where hours went can stay free for a long time. TrackingTime suits teams that want a low cost start with room to add people without a new bill for each seat.

Price: $4.50 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: trackingtime.co