Time Tracking · Researched comparison

Best Hourly Time Tracking Software for Temporary Workers

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The short answer

Clockify is the top pick for temporary workers, because the free plan covers up to 5 users and Basic adds billable rates at $3.99 per user per month billed annually, so short-term staff can start on day one with no setup cost. MyHours suits temp staff who bill by the hour at a low price.

On this page

Key takeaways

  • Clockify leads for temporary workers because the free plan covers 5 users and billable rates start at $3.99 per user per month.
  • MyHours suits temp staff who bill by the hour, with a priced plan at $4 per user per month billed annually.
  • Harvest suits temp staff whose hours turn straight into invoices for the client that hired them.
  • TimeCamp suits temp staff with changing shifts, because attendance and time off sit on the Starter plan.
  • Check how overtime and rounding work before you buy, because temp pay depends on those rules.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
ClockifyShort-term staff who need a free start with room to grow$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
Toggl TrackFast one click timers and clean client reports$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HarvestTeams that bill clients for temp hours and want invoicing built in$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
MyHoursSimple billing with rates at a low entry price$4 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TimeCampAutomatic tracking on a free plan with no user cap$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
PaymoSmall businesses that want tasks, time, and invoicing in one place$5.90 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TrackingTimeA free start with no cap on users$4.50 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HubstaffField and site teams that need activity data and GPS$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)

How we choose

We compared vendor pricing pages, product documentation, and feature lists for hourly time tracking tools that suit temporary workers, and we checked free plan limits and starting prices on each vendor site. This guide was prepared by the Taskreports Editorial Team. We reviewed published prices and plan details rather than claiming hands-on use, and we favored tools that let short-term staff start fast, handle hourly rates and overtime cleanly, keep a usable free plan or trial, and show a clear price for payroll and invoicing.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Clockify

Best for Short-term staff who need a free start with room to grow

  • Free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects
  • timers on web, desktop, and mobile
Price$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)
See Clockify pricing

Clockify gives a team that hires temporary staff a timer, timesheets, and a calendar view without a large monthly bill. A temp worker starts a timer or adds time by hand, a manager approves the timesheet, 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 crew of short-term staff to run real client work before spending anything. Kiosk clock in works well for temps who share one device at a site entrance.

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

Watch out for

  • Billable rates need a priced tier
  • activity monitoring and GPS need Pro
2

Toggl Track

Best for Fast one click timers and clean client reports
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

Toggl Track keeps time tracking close to one click, which matters when a temp worker joins for a few weeks and needs to log hours from the first shift. 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 temp 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 temp plus a manager and one more colleague, 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 temp 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

What we like

  • One click timer with a clean interface
  • reports split time by client and project

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 3 users on new accounts
  • approvals and profitability need Premium
3

Harvest

Best for Teams that bill clients for temp hours and want invoicing built in
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

Harvest links tracked hours to invoices in one place, which suits temp staff whose hours are billed straight to a client. A temp starts a timer against a project, Harvest totals the hours at the client rate, and the invoice goes out from the same record. That short path from hours to invoice is the reason small firms that hire temp staff keep using it, because there is no export and reentry step between tracking and billing. Expense tracking sits alongside time, so travel and materials for a short engagement stay in the same record.

The free plan covers 1 seat and 2 active projects, which works for a single temp on one client job. Teams costs $9 per seat per month billed annually and adds unlimited projects, invoicing, and estimates, while Enterprise costs $14 per seat per month billed annually and adds higher allowances and extra controls. Usage fees apply beyond the base allowances for active projects, clients, tasks, and invoicing on priced tiers, so check the allowance before a busy month with many short engagements.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: getharvest.com

What we like

  • Invoicing built in from tracked time
  • clean reports by client and project

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 1 seat and 2 projects
  • usage fees apply beyond base allowances on priced tiers
4

MyHours

Best for Simple billing with rates at a low entry price
$4 per user/month (billed annually)

MyHours keeps the focus on hours and rates, which is what a temp engagement usually needs. A temp logs hours against a project and a task, the manager sees the total at the agreed rate, and the report is ready for payroll or the client invoice. The layout is plain and quick to learn, so a temp who joins for two weeks can log hours correctly on the first day without a training session. That low learning curve is worth more than extra features when staff turn over often.

The free plan covers basic time tracking with unlimited projects and clients, which is enough for a small team to track temp hours and work out pay. Pro costs $4 per user per month billed annually and adds billable rates, invoicing, and detailed reporting. The price stays low even as the temp crew grows, and the upgrade is a single step, so a team can move from free to Pro when billing needs grow.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: myhours.com

What we like

  • Simple timer and timesheet with hourly rates
  • low entry price for small teams

Watch out for

  • No built-in invoicing on the free plan
  • fewer scheduling and approval features than larger tools
5

TimeCamp

Best for Automatic tracking on a free plan with no user cap
$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

TimeCamp suits temp teams that grow and shrink across the year, because the free plan covers unlimited users with no seat cap. A manager can add a whole crew of temps for a busy month and remove them when the work ends, without the free plan running out. Automatic tracking records time spent in apps and websites, which helps when temps work across several tools and forget to switch the timer. Timesheets, reports, and invoicing sit on the same record, so payroll has one source of truth.

Starter costs $3.99 per user per month billed annually and adds attendance, time off, and overtime, which are the features temp pay depends on. Premium costs $6.99 per user per month billed annually and adds budgeting, invoicing, and approvals. The free plan covers the core timer for any number of users, so a team only starts spending when attendance and overtime rules become part of the routine.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: timecamp.com

What we like

  • Free plan covers unlimited users
  • automatic time tracking from apps and sites

Watch out for

  • Attendance and overtime need Starter
  • the interface takes time to learn
6

Paymo

Best for Small businesses that want tasks, time, and invoicing in one place
$5.90 per user/month (billed annually)

Paymo fits a small business that hires temps and wants the whole job in one place, from task list to invoice. A manager assigns tasks to a temp, the temp tracks time against them, and Paymo turns the tracked hours into an invoice at the agreed rate. That single flow cuts the admin work that comes with short engagements, because there is no second tool to reconcile. Kanban boards and Gantt charts sit alongside time tracking, so a temp can see what is due without asking the manager.

The free plan covers 1 user, which suits a solo operator who hires a temp now and then. Starter costs $5.90 per user per month billed annually and adds unlimited clients and projects, invoicing, and time tracking for the team. Business costs $10.90 per user per month billed annually and adds scheduling, resource planning, and advanced reports. A small firm should budget for Starter once temps join the team.

Price: $5.90 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: paymoapp.com

What we like

  • Tasks, time tracking, and invoicing in one tool
  • clean reports by project and client

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 1 user
  • resource scheduling needs the Business plan
7

TrackingTime

Best for A free start with no cap on users
$4.50 per user/month (billed annually)

TrackingTime gives a team that hires temps a free plan with no cap on users, which is rare at this price. A manager can invite every temp for a season, set up projects and clients, and collect timesheets in one place without counting seats. The online timesheet is easy to read, and the timer runs on web and mobile, so a temp on site can log hours from a phone. Reports show hours by person, project, and client, which is enough for payroll and client billing on short jobs.

Pro costs $4.50 per user per month billed annually and adds approvals, invoicing, and billable rates, which are the features that turn raw hours into pay and client invoices. The step from free to Pro is small, so a team can start free for a trial crew and upgrade when the temp program grows. Check the report depth before you buy, because larger tools give more ways to slice the data.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: trackingtime.co

What we like

  • Free plan covers unlimited users and projects
  • simple online timesheets for teams

Watch out for

  • Reports are simpler than larger tools
  • approvals and invoicing need the Pro plan
8

Hubstaff

Best for Field and site teams that need activity data and GPS
$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Hubstaff suits temp staff who work on site or in the field, where the manager needs to know where hours were worked. GPS tracking records the location of each time entry, and geofencing can start and stop the timer when a temp enters or leaves a job site. Screenshots and activity levels give a record of screen work for remote temps, and the mobile app works well for staff who move between sites during a shift. Payroll and invoicing sit on the same record, so temp pay follows from tracked time.

Starter costs $4.99 per user per month billed annually and adds time tracking, activity levels, and limited screenshots. Grow costs $7.50 per user per month billed annually and adds scheduling, overtime, and time off. The 2 seat minimum applies on priced plans, and there is no free plan, only a 14 day trial, so a team should trial Hubstaff with a real crew before committing.

Price: $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: hubstaff.com

What we like

  • GPS tracking and geofencing for field staff
  • screenshots and activity levels for remote temps

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • the 2 seat minimum applies on priced plans

What to check before you buy

Check how overtime, rounding, and breaks are handled, because temp pay depends on those rules. Clockify Standard adds overtime and rounding, TimeCamp Starter adds overtime and attendance, and Hubstaff Grow adds breaks and idle timeout. A temp schedule with split shifts needs a tool that records breaks as time off the clock, not as work time, so trial the tool with a real temp week before you commit.

Check the free plan user cap before you count on free, because temp teams often have more people than full-time teams. Clockify covers 5 users free, Toggl Track covers 3 users free on new accounts, and TimeCamp and TrackingTime cover unlimited users free. Harvest covers 1 seat free, Paymo covers 1 user free, and Hubstaff has no free plan, only a 14 day trial with a 2 seat minimum. Trial the top two tools with a real week of temp hours before you commit, and confirm the price on the vendor pricing page on the day you buy.

FAQ

Which hourly time tracking tool is best for temporary workers?

Clockify is the best choice for most temp teams, because the free plan covers up to 5 users and Basic adds billable rates at $3.99 per user per month billed annually. MyHours suits temp staff who bill by the hour at $4 per user per month. Harvest suits temp staff whose hours turn straight into client invoices.

Can temporary workers track hours for free?

Yes, with Clockify, which covers up to 5 users free, and with TimeCamp and TrackingTime, which cover unlimited users free. Toggl Track covers 3 users free on new accounts, and Harvest covers 1 seat free. Hubstaff has no free plan and gives a 14 day trial instead. Check the cap first, because temp teams often have more people than full-time teams.

How is pay worked out from tracked hours for temp staff?

Tracked hours are multiplied by the hourly rate, with overtime and breaks applied under the rules the team sets. Clockify Standard adds overtime and rounding, TimeCamp Starter adds overtime and attendance, and Hubstaff Grow adds breaks and idle timeout. Set the rate per person or per project, review the timesheet each week, and approve it before payroll runs.

Do these tools handle overtime for temp staff?

Yes, on the right tier. Clockify Standard adds overtime and attendance, TimeCamp Starter adds overtime, and Hubstaff Grow adds breaks and idle timeout. Toggl Track and MyHours handle overtime through reports and rates rather than a dedicated overtime rule. Check the tier before you buy, because overtime rules often sit above the entry tier.

What should an employer check before tracking temp hours?

Check the rounding rule, the break rule, and the overtime rule, because those three rules decide the pay. Check the free plan user cap too, because temp teams often have more people than expected. Trial the top two tools with a real temp week, agree the rules with staff first, and confirm the price on the vendor pricing page on the day you buy.

Sources we checked

How we score

Need the method behind these picks?

We publish the criteria and the weights, so you can disagree with them.

Clockify#1 PICK
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