Time Tracking · Researched comparison

Best Remote Time Tracking Software for Agencies

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The short answer

Time Doctor is the top pick for remote agencies, because screenshots and activity levels give managers a clear record of remote work at $6.67 per user per month billed annually. Hubstaff suits agencies that also need GPS and payroll for field staff.

On this page

Key takeaways

  • Time Doctor leads for remote agencies because screenshots and activity levels give managers a clear record of remote work at $6.67 per user per month.
  • Hubstaff suits agencies with field staff as well as office staff, because GPS and payroll sit on the same record.
  • Clockify suits small agencies that want a free start, with billable rates at $3.99 per user per month billed annually.
  • Everhour suits agencies that plan work in Asana, Trello, or Jira, because the timer lives inside those tools.
  • Check the free plan user cap and seat minimums before you buy, because agency teams often grow past the free limits fast.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
Time DoctorAgencies that need screenshots and activity data for remote staff$6.67 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
HubstaffAgencies with field and office staff that need GPS and payroll$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
ClockifyA free start with room to grow for small agency teams$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
Toggl TrackFast one click timers and clean client reports$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HarvestAgencies that bill clients for hours and want invoicing built in$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TimeCampAutomatic tracking on a free plan with no user cap$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
DeskTimeAutomatic tracking and productivity reports for remote teams$6.42 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
EverhourAgencies that plan work in Asana, Trello, or Jira$5 per user/month (billed annually)Yes

How we choose

We compared vendor pricing pages, product documentation, and feature lists for remote time tracking tools that suit agencies, 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 give managers a clear record of remote work, handle hourly rates and client billing cleanly, keep a usable free plan or trial, and show a clear price for payroll and invoicing.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Time Doctor

Best for Agencies that need screenshots and activity data for remote staff

  • Screenshots and activity levels for remote work
  • payroll reports from tracked time
Price$6.67 per user/month (billed annually)
See Time Doctor pricing

Time Doctor suits a remote agency that needs a clear record of what a distributed team worked on each day. Screenshots and activity levels show which apps and sites each person used, and the timer runs on web, desktop, and mobile. Payroll reports turn tracked time into pay figures, and project tracking shows hours by client and job. The focus is on accountability, which helps when the team works across time zones and the manager cannot see them.

Basic costs $6.67 per user per month billed annually and adds screenshots, activity tracking, and payroll reports. Standard costs $11.67 per user per month billed annually and adds more integrations and deeper reporting. There is no free plan, only a 14 day trial, so an agency should trial Time Doctor with one team before committing. Check the screenshot storage limit on Basic before you buy, because large teams build a large record.

Price: $6.67 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: timedoctor.com

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • screenshot storage is limited on Basic
2

Hubstaff

Best for Agencies with field and office staff that need GPS and payroll
$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Hubstaff fits a remote agency with field staff as well as office staff, because it covers both kinds of work. GPS tracking logs the location of each time entry for field visits, and screenshots and activity levels give a record of screen work for remote staff. The mobile app works well for staff who move between sites, and payroll and invoicing sit on the same record, so agency pay follows from tracked time. Time off and scheduling sit on the Team plan, which suits agencies that plan shifts across time zones.

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 idle timeout, expenses, project budgets, and one integration. Team costs $10 per user per month billed annually and adds scheduling, attendance, time off, overtime, payroll, and breaks. The 2 seat minimum applies on priced plans, and there is no free plan, only a 14 day trial, so trial Hubstaff with a real team 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 screenshots for field and office staff
  • payroll and invoicing built in

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • the 2 seat minimum applies on priced plans
3

Clockify

Best for A free start with room to grow for small agency teams
$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Clockify gives a remote agency a timer, timesheets, and a calendar view without a large monthly bill. A team member starts a timer or adds time by hand, a manager approves the timesheet, and reports show hours by client, project, and person. The free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects and clients, which is enough for a small agency team to run real client work before spending anything. The timer runs on web, desktop, and mobile, so hours can be logged from anywhere.

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 an agency 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

What we like

  • Free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects
  • timers on web, desktop, and mobile

Watch out for

  • Billable rates need a priced tier
  • activity monitoring and GPS need Pro
4

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 for an agency where staff switch between clients all day. Start the timer, add a short description, pick a client, and the entry is logged. The timer runs on web, desktop, mobile, and browser extension, so a team member 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 client invoicing faster at month end.

The free plan covers 3 users on new accounts, which suits a small agency team, 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. An agency that 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
5

Harvest

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

Harvest links tracked hours to invoices in one place, which suits a remote agency whose hours are billed straight to clients. A team member 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 agencies keep using it, because there is no export and reentry step between tracking and billing. Estimates sit alongside time, so an agency can compare quoted hours with actual hours on each client job.

The free plan covers 1 seat and 2 active projects, which works for a solo agency owner on one or two client jobs. 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 small jobs.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: getharvest.com

What we like

  • Invoicing built in from tracked time
  • estimates show quoted hours against actual hours

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 1 seat and 2 projects
  • usage fees apply beyond base allowances on priced tiers
6

TimeCamp

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

TimeCamp suits a remote agency that grows and shrinks across the year, because the free plan covers unlimited users with no seat cap. A manager can add a whole team 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 staff work across several client 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, overtime, and invoicing. 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, screenshots, labor costs, and expenses. The free plan covers the core timer for any number of users, so an agency 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
7

DeskTime

Best for Automatic tracking and productivity reports for remote teams
$6.42 per user/month (billed annually)

DeskTime suits a remote agency that wants automatic tracking and a clear view of the working day. The desktop app records time in apps and documents without a manual timer, and the timeline shows when each person started, paused, and finished. Productivity reports split the day into productive and unproductive time, which helps a manager see where remote hours go. Mobile time tracking covers staff who work away from a desk.

Pro costs $6.42 per user per month billed annually and adds automatic tracking, productivity reports, and absence planning. Higher tiers add invoicing and deeper reporting. There is no free plan, only a 14 day trial, so an agency should trial DeskTime with one team before committing. Check the report depth before you buy, because larger tools give more ways to slice the data by client and project.

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

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: desktime.com

What we like

  • Automatic tracking from apps and documents
  • timeline shows the full working day

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • field and site tracking is weaker than office tracking
8

Everhour

Best for Agencies that plan work in Asana, Trello, or Jira
$5 per user/month (billed annually)

Everhour suits a remote agency that already plans work in Asana, Trello, or Jira, because it lives inside those tools. The timer sits on the task itself, so hours are logged without opening a second app, and reports show time by project and client for invoicing. The free plan covers up to 5 users with basic time tracking and reporting, which is enough for a small agency team. Budgets and estimates sit alongside time, so an agency can see whether a fixed fee client job is still profitable.

Lite costs $5 per user per month billed annually and adds billable rates, integrations, and invoicing, with a 2 seat minimum and a 10 seat maximum. Team costs $8.50 per user per month billed annually and adds budgets, approvals, and more integrations, with a 5 seat minimum. An agency with fewer than 5 people should note the 5 seat minimum on Team, because it means paying for 5 seats even with a smaller team.

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

Free plan: Yes

Website: everhour.com

What we like

  • Timer lives inside Asana, Trello, and Jira
  • budgets and estimates sit next to time

Watch out for

  • Free plan covers only 5 users and blocks integrations
  • Team needs a 5 seat minimum

What to check before you buy

Check how screenshots, activity data, and monitoring consent are handled, because remote tracking depends on those rules. Time Doctor Basic adds screenshots and activity tracking, Hubstaff Starter adds activity levels and limited screenshots, and DeskTime Pro adds automatic tracking and productivity reports. Agree the monitoring rules with staff first, because screenshots and activity data need clear consent, so trial the tool with one team before you commit.

Check the free plan user cap before you count on free, because agency teams often grow past the free limits fast. Clockify covers 5 users free, Toggl Track covers 3 users free on new accounts, and TimeCamp covers unlimited users free. Harvest covers 1 seat free, Everhour covers 5 users free, and Time Doctor, Hubstaff, and DeskTime have no free plan, only a 14 day trial. Watch seat minimums too: Everhour Lite needs 2 seats and Team needs 5 seats, and Hubstaff needs 2 seats on priced plans. Trial the top two tools with a real week of team hours before you commit, and confirm the price on the vendor pricing page on the day you buy.

FAQ

Which remote time tracking tool is best for agencies?

Time Doctor is the best choice for most remote agencies, because screenshots and activity levels give managers a clear record of remote work at $6.67 per user per month billed annually. Hubstaff suits agencies with field staff that need GPS and payroll. Clockify suits small agencies that want a free start with billable rates at $3.99.

Can agencies track remote time for free?

Yes, with Clockify, which covers up to 5 users free, and with TimeCamp, which covers unlimited users free. Toggl Track covers 3 users free on new accounts, Everhour covers 5 users free, and Harvest covers 1 seat free. Time Doctor, Hubstaff, and DeskTime have no free plan and give a 14 day trial instead. Check the cap first, because agency teams often grow past the free limits fast.

Do these tools show what remote staff worked on?

Yes, on the right tool. Time Doctor shows screenshots and activity levels for each person, Hubstaff shows screenshots and activity levels too, and DeskTime shows productivity reports from apps and documents. Toggl Track and Clockify track hours without monitoring, so they suit teams that do not need screenshots. Agree the monitoring rules with staff first, because screenshots need clear consent.

How do agencies bill clients from tracked hours?

Tracked hours are multiplied by the hourly rate for each client, then invoiced from the same record. Harvest turns tracked hours into invoices and compares quoted hours with actual hours through estimates. Toggl Track Starter adds billable rates, and TimeCamp tracks budgets on Premium. Set the rate per client or per project, review the totals each week, and send the invoice from the tracked record.

What should an agency check before choosing a tool?

Check the free plan user cap and the seat minimums, because agency teams often grow past the free limits fast. Everhour Lite needs 2 seats and Team needs 5 seats, and Hubstaff needs 2 seats on priced plans. Check which tier adds billable rates and invoicing too, and agree the monitoring rules with staff first. Trial the top two tools with a real team week before you commit.

Sources we checked

How we score

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Time Doctor#1 PICK
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