Time Tracking · Researched comparison

Top Rated Time Tracking Software Compared for Teams

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Key takeaways

  • Clockify starts at $3.99 per user per month billed annually and has a free plan, which makes it the lowest cost starting point in this list for small teams.
  • Toggl Track and Harvest both start at $9 per user per month billed annually, but Toggl Track has a free plan while Harvest offers a 30 day free trial instead.
  • Time Doctor, Hubstaff, DeskTime, and Timely focus more on monitoring and automatic capture, so they suit managers who need visibility across remote or field teams.
  • Everhour and Paymo connect time data to budgets, invoices, and project costs, which helps agencies and consultancies that bill clients by the hour.
  • QuickBooks Time starts at $20 per month plus $10 per user per month, so it fits best when a team already runs payroll or scheduling inside QuickBooks.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
Toggl TrackSimple timer tracking for small teams$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
ClockifyLow cost tracking for growing teams$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HarvestClient billing and invoicing$9 per user/month (billed annually)No, Free trial (30 days)
Time DoctorRemote team monitoring$6.67 per user/month (billed annually)No, Free trial (14 days)
HubstaffField and remote workforce tracking$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)No, Free trial (14 days)
DeskTimeAutomatic tracking and productivity reports$6.42 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TimelyAutomatic time capture for professionals$9 per user/month (billed annually)No, Free trial (14 days)
EverhourBudgets and billing inside project tools$8.50 per user/month (billed annually)No, Free trial (14 days)
PaymoProject work, billing, and invoicing$10.90 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
QuickBooks TimeScheduling and payroll for hourly teams$20 per month base plus $10 per user/monthNo, Free trial (30 days)

How we choose

We reviewed the vendor pricing pages, product pages, and help documentation for each tool listed here, and we compared the starting price, the free plan or trial terms, the core tracking method, and the reporting and billing features. We did not claim hands-on testing, and we did not use customer counts, awards, or test results that we could not verify from the vendor. Prices are starting prices for the lowest subscription tier, billed annually unless stated otherwise, and Sources lists the pricing page for each tool.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

The best time tracking software

The tools below cover a wide range of needs, from a simple timer for a five person team to scheduling, GPS tracking, and client invoicing for a larger operation. Prices are starting prices for the lowest subscription tier, billed annually unless stated otherwise, and each entry notes whether a free plan is available.

2

Toggl Track

Best for Simple timer tracking for small teams

Website: https://toggl.com/

Best for: Simple timer tracking for small teams

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Clean one click timer and a free plan for up to 5 users; Reports that sort time by project, client, and tag

Cons: The free plan lacks billable rates and project time estimates; Advanced reporting and approvals sit on higher tiers

Toggl Track keeps time entry close to the work itself. A user starts a timer, picks a project and a client, adds a tag, and stops the timer when the task ends. The web app, desktop app, and mobile app stay in step, so a timer started on a laptop can be stopped from a phone.

The Starter plan at $9 per user per month billed annually adds billable rates, time rounding, project time estimates, and saved reports. The free plan covers basic timers and reports for up to five users, which is enough for a very small team to test the habit of daily tracking before moving to a subscription tier. Teams that need approval workflows or audit trails will need to look at the higher tiers.

3

Clockify

Best for Low cost tracking for growing teams

Website: https://clockify.me/

Best for: Low cost tracking for growing teams

Starting price: $3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Free plan with unlimited users and projects; Very low starting price on the Basic plan

Cons: Time off, invoicing, and approval features need higher tiers; The interface can feel plain next to more visual rivals

Clockify gives teams a timer, a manual timesheet, a calendar view, and a kiosk mode for shared workstations. The free plan has no user limit, which is unusual in this category, and it includes unlimited projects and tracking for as many people as a team needs.

The Basic plan at $3.99 per user per month billed annually adds admin controls, time audit, project templates, and the ability to hide pages from regular users. That low entry price makes Clockify a practical choice for teams of 20 to 100 people that want a central record of hours without a large monthly bill. Larger teams that need approvals and invoicing should check the Standard and Pro tiers before they commit.

4

Harvest

Best for Client billing and invoicing

Website: https://www.getharvest.com/

Best for: Client billing and invoicing

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, Free trial (30 days)

Pros: Clear link from tracked time to invoices and expenses; Strong reporting on project budgets and team capacity

Cons: No free plan beyond the 30 day trial; The per seat price rises on the Enterprise tier for larger teams

Harvest pairs a simple timer with invoicing, expenses, and budget tracking, which suits agencies and consultancies that bill by the hour. A project manager sets a budget in hours or money, the team logs time against that project, and Harvest shows how much budget remains.

The Teams plan costs $9 per seat per month billed annually, while Enterprise costs $14 per seat per month billed annually and adds extra controls and support. Harvest also charges Flex usage fees for active projects, clients, tasks, and invoicing in some cases, so a buyer should read the pricing page notes before estimating a monthly total. A 30 day free trial lets a team test the timer and invoicing flow first.

5

Time Doctor

Best for Remote team monitoring

Website: https://www.timedoctor.com/

Best for: Remote team monitoring

Starting price: $6.67 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Screenshots, activity levels, and app use reports for managers; Payroll and client billing tools on higher tiers

Cons: Monitoring features may feel intrusive for some teams; No free plan beyond the 14 day trial

Time Doctor records time worked and adds context about how that time was spent. It can take screenshots at set intervals, measure keyboard and mouse activity, and report which apps and websites were used during work hours. Managers get a dashboard that shows who is working, on what task, and how active each person has been during the day.

The Basic plan at $6.67 per user per month billed annually covers time tracking, screenshots, and productivity reports. Teams that value privacy should set clear rules before they switch it on, since screenshot and activity capture is the core of the product and not an optional add on.

6

Hubstaff

Best for Field and remote workforce tracking

Website: https://hubstaff.com/

Best for: Field and remote workforce tracking

Starting price: $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, Free trial (14 days)

Pros: GPS tracking, geofencing, and mobile apps for field teams; Payroll and invoicing tools on higher tiers

Cons: No free plan beyond the 14 day trial; Monitoring features need careful setup to avoid staff friction

Hubstaff combines a time tracker with GPS location, screenshots, and activity monitoring, which makes it a fit for field service teams, delivery crews, and distributed remote teams. The mobile app records location during a shift, and geofenced job sites can start and stop time automatically when a worker arrives or leaves.

The Starter plan at $4.99 per user per month billed annually covers time tracking, limited screenshots, activity levels, and basic reporting for one seat minimum. Grow and Team tiers add payroll, invoicing, and more screenshots per user. Teams should trial the GPS and screenshot settings with a small group first, since the right balance depends on the job and on local workplace rules.

7

DeskTime

Best for Automatic tracking and productivity reports

Website: https://desktime.com/

Best for: Automatic tracking and productivity reports

Starting price: $6.42 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Automatic tracking of apps, documents, and websites; A free plan for a single user

Cons: The free plan covers only one user; Shift scheduling and invoicing need higher tiers

DeskTime runs in the background and records which apps, documents, and websites a person uses, then sorts that activity into productive, unproductive, or neutral categories. The automatic approach cuts the need to start and stop a timer for every task.

The Pro plan at $6.42 per user per month billed annually adds project tracking, cost calculation, and absence management. The free plan covers one user only, so it works as a personal trial rather than a team plan. Teams that want shift scheduling, invoicing, or screenshots will need to check the Premium and Enterprise tiers and their per user prices.

8

Timely

Best for Automatic time capture for professionals

Website: https://timelyapp.com/

Best for: Automatic time capture for professionals

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Automatic capture of work across apps and calendar; Clean project budgets and capacity views

Cons: No free plan beyond the 14 day trial; The per user price rises sharply on higher tiers

Timely uses a feature called Memory to record work automatically from calendar events, emails, documents, and apps, then lets each user drag those entries onto projects and clients. The idea is to cut manual entry and to catch billable work that a manual timer might miss.

The Starter plan at $9 per user per month billed annually covers automatic capture, project budgets, and basic reporting for small teams. Premium and Unlimited tiers add team capacity planning, custom rates, and advanced permissions. Timely suits consultancies and professional services firms where staff work across many small tasks and where missed hours would otherwise reduce client bills.

9

Everhour

Best for Budgets and billing inside project tools

Website: https://everhour.com/

Best for: Budgets and billing inside project tools

Starting price: $8.50 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No, Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Deep links with Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and other project tools; Budget alerts and invoicing from tracked time

Cons: No free plan beyond the 14 day trial; The interface depends heavily on the connected project tool

Everhour adds time tracking, budgets, and billing to tools a team already uses, such as Asana, Trello, Basecamp, and ClickUp. A timer appears inside tasks in those tools, and time logged there flows into Everhour reports, budgets, and invoices.

The plan costs $8.50 per user per month billed annually, with a 14 day free trial and no free plan. That single tier keeps the choice simple, and the price includes reporting, scheduling, expenses, and invoicing. Teams that do not use a supported project tool will get less value from Everhour, since its main strength is the link between tasks and time.

10

Paymo

Best for Project work, billing, and invoicing

Website: https://www.paymoapp.com/

Best for: Project work, billing, and invoicing

Starting price: $10.90 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Project planning, time tracking, and invoicing in one place; A free plan for small teams

Cons: The Plus price rises after the first 3 months; Advanced resource scheduling needs the Business tier

Paymo brings project management, time tracking, expenses, and invoicing into one workspace. A team can plan a project with tasks and milestones, log time against those tasks, track expenses, and turn the logged hours into an invoice for the client.

The Plus plan is listed at $10.90 per user per month billed annually for the first 3 months, then it rises to $15.90 per user per month. The Solo plan is listed at $5.90 per user per month for the first 3 months, then it rises to $9.90. A free plan is available for small teams with basic features. Buyers should budget on the later price, not the first 3 month price, when they compare Paymo with rivals.

11

QuickBooks Time

Best for Scheduling and payroll for hourly teams

Website: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/

Best for: Scheduling and payroll for hourly teams

Starting price: $20 per month base plus $10 per user/month

Free plan: No, Free trial (30 days)

Pros: Scheduling, GPS tracking, and payroll links in one tool; Strong fit for teams that already use QuickBooks

Cons: The base fee plus per user fee adds up for larger teams; No free plan beyond the 30 day trial

QuickBooks Time, formerly TSheets, is built for hourly teams that need schedules, time clocks, and payroll data in one place. Managers build a weekly schedule, staff clock in from a phone or a kiosk, and GPS records show where each clock in happened.

The Premium plan costs $20 per month plus $10 per user per month, and the Elite plan costs $40 per month plus $10 per user per month, with extra features such as project tracking and geofencing. A 30 day free trial is available, with no free plan after that. The base fee makes it less attractive for a team of two or three, but the payroll link can save real admin time for larger hourly teams.

What to check before you buy

Check how your team will actually log time before you choose a tool. A simple timer suits office teams with a few projects, while automatic capture suits staff who switch between many small tasks. Field teams need GPS and mobile clock in, and agencies need budgets, expenses, and invoicing from the same time data.

Use the table below to match team size and budget to a starting point, then trial the shortlist with a small group for two weeks. Check the renewal price as well as the first month price, since some vendors offer a lower rate for the first few months.

FAQ

What is the cheapest top rated time tracking software in this list?

Clockify has the lowest starting price in this list at $3.99 per user per month billed annually, and it also has a free plan with unlimited users and projects. Hubstaff Starter at $4.99 and DeskTime Pro at $6.42 are the next lowest subscription starting points.

Which time tracking tool is best for client billing?

Harvest, Paymo, and Everhour are the strongest choices for client billing in this list. Harvest links tracked time to invoices and project budgets, Paymo adds project planning and expenses to the same workflow, and Everhour builds budgets and invoices inside project tools such as Asana and Trello.

Do any of these tools have a free plan?

Yes. Clockify, Toggl Track, DeskTime, and Paymo all offer a free plan, though the limits differ. Clockify allows unlimited users on its free plan, Toggl Track allows up to five users, DeskTime allows one user, and Paymo limits the free plan to basic features. The other tools in this list offer a free trial of 14 or 30 days instead.

Is automatic time tracking better than a manual timer?

Automatic tracking suits people who work across many apps, documents, and meetings, since it records activity without a start and stop step for each task. A manual timer suits teams with a small number of clear projects, since each entry is tied to a chosen task from the start.

What should a remote team look for in time tracking software?

A remote team should look for clear time zones, a mobile app, project and task reports, and an approval flow for timesheets. If managers need visibility, check screenshots, activity levels, and app use reports, and agree the rules with staff before switching them on.

How do I switch from one time tracking tool to another?

Start by exporting time entries, projects, clients, and rates from the old tool, then check whether the new tool can import that file format. Set up the same projects and clients in the new tool, run both tools in parallel for one week, and compare the totals before you close the old account.

Sources we checked

  • https://toggl.com/pricing/
  • https://clockify.me/pricing
  • https://www.getharvest.com/pricing
  • https://www.timedoctor.com/pricing
  • https://hubstaff.com/pricing
  • https://desktime.com/pricing
  • https://timelyapp.com/pricing
  • https://everhour.com/pricing
  • https://www.paymoapp.com/pricing
  • https://quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/pricing/
How we score

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The best time tracking software#1 PICK