Whether you’re self-employed doing client work on a freelance or contract basis, or you run a small business with multiple employees, you need to carefully track time to ensure accurate payment for work completed. That’s where time tracking software and applications can help. Some tools exist as standalone apps and others are built in to invoicing and accounting software. Our list of the best time tracking apps and software contains a variety of options to suit different small-business needs.
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» MORE: NerdWallet's top invoicing software picks
Best Time Tracking Apps and Software
Product | Best for▼ | Starting at▼ | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
FreshBooks Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Accounting software with built-in time tracking feature | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website |
QuickBooks Time | Best for Time tracking app with accounting software integration | $20/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $40. Price increases with each user. | 50% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | |
ClockShark | Best for Construction time tracking software | $40/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60. Price increases with each user. | 14-day free trial | |
Harvest | 5.0/5 Best for Project-based time tracking software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user. | 30-day free trial of the Harvest Pro plan. | |
Time Clock Wizard | Best for Scalable time tracking software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $34.95, $54.95, $249.95. | N/A |
Our pick for
Accounting software with built-in time tracking feature
FreshBooks
4.5
NerdWallet rating
on FreshBooks' secure website
Starting at
$19/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
FreshBooks is a simple and affordable option for freelancers and very small businesses that don’t require many users and prioritize being able to operate on the go via mobile app. It’s an especially inexpensive choice for those who can work within lower-tier plans’ billable client limits, and all plans include time tracking.Read full review
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails for accountants to review.
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
Read full review
Our pick for
Time tracking app with accounting software integration
QuickBooks Time
Starting at
$20/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $40. Price increases with each user.
Promotion
50% off
for first three months or free 30-day trial.
This time tracking app by QuickBooks can be used as standalone software, but it also integrates with QuickBooks Online accounting software.
Pros
- Integrates with popular accounting software.
- Mobile app for time tracking and approvals.
- Both plans include phone and chat support.
- Includes mileage and project tracking (in Elite plan only).
Cons
- Monthly cost can add up quickly if you require access for multiple users.
Our pick for
Construction time tracking software
ClockShark
Starting at
$40/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60. Price increases with each user.
Promotion
14-day free trial
ClockShark’s time tracking software has valuable features to serve a variety of industries, but it’s a particularly good fit for construction, contracting and other service-related businesses.
Pros
- Integrates with several popular accounting and payroll apps.
- Simplifies time tracking for crews and teams.
- Scheduling tool to efficiently assign employees to jobs.
- Includes job management and job costing features.
Cons
- Monthly cost can add up quickly if you require access for multiple users.
Our pick for
Project-based time tracking software
Harvest
5.0
NerdWallet rating
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user.
Promotion
30-day free trial
of the Harvest Pro plan.
Harvest allows members of a project team to track their hours and expenses in detail, often within whatever apps project managers are using. Managers can set the budget for a project and track expenses and hours to make sure teams are working efficiently. When it comes to invoicing, Harvest’s estimate, invoice and payment collection tools are easy to navigate, and it offers helpful features like automated email reminders to customers with late payments.If you’re concerned about credit card processing fees adding up, you can switch off the ability to pay with a credit card through Stripe. Instead, your invoices will only give clients the option to pay via ACH transfer.
Pros
- Offers a free plan (limited to two projects).
- Advanced time tracking features, including integrations with Google Calendar, Slack, Asana, Trello and other project management tools.
- Display billable hours by task, person or project on invoices.
- Snap and upload photos of billable expense receipts with the mobile app.
- Integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero for accounting.
Cons
- Invoice customization options are limited. Free users can’t add company logos to invoices, and Harvest offers only two templates (one PDF and one GDoc).
- Payment integrations are limited to Stripe and PayPal.
Our pick for
Scalable time tracking software
Time Clock Wizard
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $34.95, $54.95, $249.95.
With several plan options, including a free one, Time Clock Wizard is time tracking software that can grow with your business.
Pros
- Includes a free plan option.
- Allows unlimited users with all but one plan tier.
- Includes phone, chat and email support at all plan levels.
Cons
- The majority of time tracking features are only available in the higher tier plans.
Our picks for the best time tracking apps and software
FreshBooks
Best accounting software with built-in time tracking feature
$19 per month for the Lite plan.
$33 per month for the Plus plan.
$60 per month for the Premium plan.
Custom pricing for the Select plan.
Why we picked it: FreshBooks is one of our highest rated accounting software solutions. It’s also one of the more affordable tools on our list. The software is an especially solid tool for freelancers who need to easily track time for client work, generate invoices, collect online payments and keep accurate accounting records. FreshBooks’ built-in time tracking feature includes a timer to accurately keep track of your time, is available within the mobile app, and connects with popular work apps such as Asana and Trello.
Read our complete FreshBooks review.
» MORE: Top FreshBooks alternatives
QuickBooks Time
Time tracking app with accounting software integration
$20 per month plus $8 per user per month for the Premium plan.
$40 per month plus $10 per user per month for the Elite plan.
Why we picked it: Because this time tracking software is a QuickBooks product, it automatically integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks Online. It therefore likely makes most sense for businesses that already use or intend to use QuickBooks accounting software. Notable features include a mobile app for easily tracking and approving time, business insights and customizable reports, as well as unlimited access to customer support by phone and chat.
ClockShark
Best construction time tracking software
$40 per month plus $8 per month per user for the Standard plan.
$60 per month plus $10 per month per user for the Pro plan.
Why we picked it: ClockShark is strong on features well-suited to the needs of construction and other service industries. This time tracking software includes tools for project management, job costing, crew scheduling, and time and attendance tracking. It also has the ability to integrate with a number of well-known accounting and payroll solutions, including QuickBooks, Xero and RUN Powered by ADP.
Harvest
Best project-based time tracking software
$0 per month, 1 user, for the Free plan.
$12 per user per month for the Pro plan (or $10.80 per user per month billed annually).
Why we picked it: Harvest makes NerdWallet’s list of best invoicing software for its strengths in time tracking and invoicing, particularly for project-based work. In addition to useful features such as automated time tracking reminders, a mobile app, and integration with team-related apps like Asana, Basecamp and Slack, Harvest enables you to dig into the details with reporting on time, budget and profitability. Harvest also integrates with Xero and QuickBooks Online, among dozens of other third-party apps.
Time Clock Wizard
Best scalable time tracking software feature
$0 per month, unlimited users, for the Free plan.
$34.95 per month, unlimited users, for the Value plan.
$54.95 to $119.95 per month for the Pro plan. Pricing depends on the number of users.
$249.95 per month, unlimited users, for the Enterprise plan.
Why we picked it: For very small or startup businesses that anticipate growth and therefore need time tracking software that can scale, Time Clock Wizard may be a great fit. The company offers a free, albeit barebones, version of its software. But unlike the other products on our list, Time Clock Wizard allows an unlimited number of users at no additional cost for three of its four plans. The business software includes useful tools for employee scheduling, task management and payroll, along with a mobile app.
Seth David contributed to an earlier version of this article, which was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Methodology
NerdWallet independently reviews accounting software products before determining our top picks. We collect the data for our software ratings from products’ public-facing websites and from company representatives. Information is gathered on a regular basis and reviewed by our editorial team for consistency and accuracy.
NerdWallet’s accounting software ratings favor products that are easy to use, reasonably priced, have a robust feature set and can grow with your business. The best accounting software received top marks when evaluated across 10 categories and more than 30 subcategories. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.
These ratings are meant to provide clarity in the decision-making process, but what’s best for your business will depend on its size, growth trajectory and which features you need most. We encourage you to research and compare multiple accounting software products before choosing one.
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