Best time tracking software for freelancers & teams (2026)
By Will
Good time tracking should be quick to use, accurate, and cheap enough that it pays for itself. We tested the leading tools on the things that matter to freelancers and small teams: how easy they are to use every day, how much they cost as you add people, and whether they help you bill.
Clockify is our best pick on value, thanks to a genuinely generous free plan and the cheapest paid tiers. Toggl is the one to choose if a lovely interface matters most, and Harvest wins if you bill clients by the hour and want invoicing built in.
| # | Tool | Best for | Rating | Pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ClockifyBest value & best free | Freelancers, Budget-conscious teams | Free plan (unlimited tracking & projects); paid from $3.99/user/mo billed annually | Visit | |
| 2 | Toggl TrackBest for ease of use | Freelancers, Small teams | Free plan (up to 5 users); paid from $9/user/mo | Visit | |
| 3 | HarvestBest for billing & invoicing | Agencies, Client billing | Free plan (1 seat, 2 projects); paid from $11/seat/mo billed annually | Visit |
#1 · Best value & best free
Clockify
A genuinely generous free plan with unlimited tracking and projects, and paid tiers from just $3.99 per user, far below the rest. The default choice for freelancers and teams that want to track time without the cost.
#2 · Best for ease of use
Toggl Track
The best-loved tracker for its clean, frictionless interface. Costs more than Clockify and has no built-in invoicing, but people actually enjoy using it, which means they actually track their time.
#3 · Best for billing & invoicing
Harvest
Ties time tracking straight to invoicing, with strong project budgets and profitability reporting. Ideal for agencies and freelancers who bill by the hour, though pricier than Clockify for tracking alone.
How we picked
We weighted daily ease of use, price as you add team members, and how well each tool turns tracked hours into something useful, whether that is reports or invoices.
Clockify: best value
Clockify does the core job well and charges the least for it. The free plan covers unlimited tracking and projects, and paid seats start at $3.99, so it stays cheap as a team grows. For most freelancers and small teams, it is the sensible default.
Toggl Track: best for ease of use
Toggl is the nicest to use, and that matters: a tracker people enjoy is a tracker people actually keep up with. It costs more and lacks invoicing, but for a design-led freelancer or small team, the experience can be worth the premium.
Harvest: best for billing
If you bill clients by the hour, Harvest is built for you, turning tracked time into professional invoices with budgets and profitability baked in. It is more than a pure tracker, and priced accordingly.
Our verdict
For most people, Clockify is the best place to start: free to try forever and the cheapest to scale. Choose Toggl if the experience matters most, and Harvest if invoicing is central to how you work. All three have free plans or trials, so test before you commit.