We Did It! We Cracked The Code To Being More Productive Every Day As A Freelancer!
The answer is – freelance time tracking apps.
It’s simple: you have to be more organized to make the most of the time.
To do that, you must ask yourself a few questions, like Where is your time going? What are you actually doing every minute or every hour? How productive are you during the whole 17 hours with the ideal sleep period, as stated by a Healthline Study?
These metrics are especially important for freelancers, as it is extremely crucial for them to track progress and manage work efficiently. And time tracking apps help you do just that and much more.
A study shows there are over 1.55 billion freelancers worldwide, amounting to almost half (46%) of the total global workforce. Due to this, the number of time tracking apps for freelancers is also growing. Out of so many choices, which one is best for you? We will help you decide based on your workflow and needs.
If You want to create a freelance time tracking app you can collaborate with any Trustable Mobile App Development Company.
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Table Of Contents
Top 15 Best Freelance Time Tracking Apps
Most freelancers believe that proper time management is their secret to success. You can achieve that using time tracking apps.
Before details, here is a brief chart with a list of the best 15 freelance time tracking apps.
Detailed Overview of the 15 Best Free Time Tracking Apps For Freelancers
Every freelance time tracking app on our list contains a host of features and is fit for individuals, small teams, and big companies.
Although you might not be using all of the features, it is good to know extra details. With that being said, here is a detailed discussion of our recommendations.
1. Toggl – Most Intuitive and User-friendly tool
Seamless time tracking, powerful features, and profitable decision-making power – this is what you get when you download Toggl Track.
Toggl Track’s friendly interface and diverse tracking capabilities make you more efficient and productive. Used by many big names in the industry, including Amazon, Uber, LinkedIn, and Wise, to name a few, Toggl Track can be your go-to time tracker app.
Speaking of features, Toggl Track supports 100+ integrations, including automation tools. Also, it supports Adobe Photoshop and XD for freelance design time tracking. Other than these, you get actionable insights, detailed reports, billable rates, time rounding, and reports to mail features.
All in all, it is a friendly, intuitive, and powerful time tracking tool to manage your time effectively.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Friendly, intuitive, and pleasing interface which makes it easy to navigate
● Excellent time tracking functionalities and features
● Easy new and recurring projects handling
● Great and powerful integrations
● Offline functionality available
● Recurring Tasks can face display problems
● Correcting errors in accurate time tracking can be hard
● Activity tracking only works on active windows
● Pricing can get expensive
Category: Business Developer: Toggl OÜ Availability: Mobile Apps, Desktop Apps, Browser Extensions.
2. FreshBooks – Strongest Invoicing Features
Built for accounting, but FreshBooks is capable of much more than just counting dollars.
FreshBooks includes a professional invoicing feature that clearly shows the work you have done and its worth. The whole financing feature of the app provides easy-to-use tools and detailed reports of spending and cash flow. Simply, you won’t miss another dollar with FreshBooks.
Moving on, FreshBooks has a powerful integrated freelance time tracking feature, which is great for teams also. You can keep your whole team on the same page, including the clients and partners.
Finally, with multiple device compatibility, FreshBooks is here to keep your time and money in check anywhere and anytime.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Easy-to-use platform with intuitive design
● Affordable pricing
● Powerful accounting and financing features
● Great for freelance time tracking for mobile use.
● Not ideal for large corporations or businesses
● Extra cost per person
Category: Business Developer: FreshBooks Availability: Mobile Devices and Desktop app.
3. Clockify – Detailed Reporting and Time Tracking
Founded in 2017, Clockify is the most popular app, with millions of users and over 4000 reviews. The best part? Clockify is a free time tracking app for freelancers with unlimited users, tracking, and projects.
Clockify can help you track time with timesheets, manage them in your calendar, set auto-tracker for apps and websites, and set a Kiosk for users. Moreover, it helps keep tabs with detailed reports, earnings, and project estimates or budget information. Also, it records billable time for easy invoicing and project expenses for fee calculation.
All in all, you can streamline your workflow with Clockify and manage your time better every day.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Free forever plan with unlimited users
● Great features in the free plan
● Automatic time tracking
● Transparent payment structure
● Needs manual time error fixing
● Needs you to manually export information to payroll software
Category: Productivity Developer: CAKE.com Availability: Mobile apps, Desktop apps, Web extensions.
Easily track time, manage projects, and harvest instant reports with Harvest. With over 2 billion hours tracked, Harvest is a highly successful platform used by thousands of companies.
Harvest works through a simple 3-step process. You can add projects and tasks, select one to start time tracking and get automatic reports. Finally, it allows you to create an invoice with just one click and send it forward.
Lastly, Harvest features 50+ integrations, which allows you to work seamlessly on your projects.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Simple and intuitive freelance time tracking tool
● Flexible and seamless working
● Accurate tracking and results
● Lots of integrations to work with
● Some items can be hard to find in the interface
● Some robust accounting features may be lacking
Category: Business Developer: Harvest Availability: Mobile apps and Desktop apps.
Effortlessly track activity and record results with one of the best time tracking app for freelancers.
With multiple awards and 4+ ratings on SaaSworthy, Capterra, and Forbes, Jibble is the go-to platform for thousands of users. You can instantly start tracking time, enable automatic timesheets, manage projects, and get detailed reports and analytics for seamless workflow.
Jibble is trusted by many across several industries, including healthcare, hospitality, and education.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Dynamic work environments.
● Syncs with many popular apps, like Zapier, QuickBooks, and more.
● Easy to use and work with
● Great and timely customer support
● The interface may be complex for some.
● Integrations and functionalities may show issues sometimes.
Category: Business
Developer: Jibble Tech
Availability: Desktop app, Web extensions, and Mobile apps
6. RescueTime – Track Activity and Create Timesheets
Automate time tracking and rescue your projects from the time trap with RescueTime.
RescueTime eliminates the need for manual entries, with automatic time tracking for freelance work. Moreover, it provides detailed reports and insights. Also, it offers offline time tracking, so you can calculate hours even when you are out.
RescueTime helps you clear out distractions, set smarter goals, and be more productive.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Simple time management instructions
● Effective and quiet working
● Real-time insights
● Easy to prevent distractions and limit apps
● Handling projects’ recorded activities can be challenging.
● Reports can lack details sometimes.
Category: Productivity
Developer: RescueTime, Inc
Availability: Desktop apps and Mobile apps
7. Timely – AI-Powered Time Tracking Tool
Optimize your workflow and unlock high profitability with Timely freelancer time tracking app.
With over half a dozen awards in 2024, Timely automates your time tracking like none other. It works in every web and desktop app but keeps everything 100% private to you. Moreover, it includes timesheet functionality, memory tracking, billable rates, tags, tasks, invoices, and many more super useful tools.
On top of amazing features, Timely offers powerful integrations and a vast ecosystem.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● It is completely private to you, keeping your data secure.
● Timely can track time in various web and desktop apps.
● It includes a simple UI.
● Smart and automatic time tracking.
● Paid subscriptions may seem expensive in some cases.
● Sometimes, it faces software-related issues.
Category: Business
Developer: Memory AS
Availability: Web extensions, Desktop apps, and Mobile apps.
8. EverHour – Straightforward Tracking With Great Integrations
Everhour is an affordable time tracking app for freelancers with 40+ integrations.
Everhour provides easy task handling, detailed analysis, and timesheet compilation for better management and organization. In terms of tracking, it offers budget checking, live tracking, and billing and payments.
Easily manage your time and be more productive with EverHour.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Powerful integrations support
● Simple and engaging interface
● Helps tackle tasks and projects quickly
● Report customization and API integrations
● Some users have trouble grouping contracts
● Reporting can be troublesome sometimes.
Category: Business Developer: VIAVORA KONSALTING, OOO Availability: Browser extension and Mobile app
9. Timeneye – Simple and Intelligent Time Tracking
Timeneye brings a premier time tracking experience tailored for Microsoft Office Suite.
Timeneye seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams, Outlook Calendar, MS Planner, Power BI, MS To Do, Azure DevOps, and MS Project. It helps people familiar with Microsoft 365 be more productive and efficient. Moreover, it is 100% online and requires no installation.
Turn time into money and get detailed, customized reports while doing so with Timeneye.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Simple and elegant time tracker app for freelancers
● Experienced and good customer support team
● Seamlessly integrates applications and widgets
● Enhances productivity intelligently and simply
● Less number of integrations
● Lack of reporting features
Category: Productivity
Developer: DM Digital Software SRL
Availability: Mobile Devices and Web extensions.
10. HourStack – Visualize Your Time In An All-In-One App
HourStack helps organize tasks, track time, and keep you well-organized with a simple app.
HourStack is a transparent, simple, and easy-to-use time management and freelance time tracking app. Moreover, you can use HourStack to manage projects, tasks, schedules, reports, and teams.
Experience reliable time tracking with diverse features and engaging UI built for growth.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Great reporting feature for effortless reviewing
11. Memtime – Automatic Freelance time tracking App
Save up to 75% of your time daily with the efficient freelance time tracking app – Memtime.
Memtime makes it comfortable for you by tracking time itself through every program, file, browser, and email. Moreover, Memory Aid is 100% offline, so only you can access your tracking data without an internet connection. Also, you can import projects from other software or create new ones and make use of auto-sync time entries.
Download Memtime and free yourself from manual time start/stop and tracking.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Provides reliable and dependable data
● Excellent customer support
● Tons of integrations, like Asana, Moco, Jira, and many more.
● Great experience overall
● Limited trial period and expensive subscriptions
● Syncing can be challenging in some apps
Category: Productivity Developer: memtime GmbH Availability: Desktop OS apps
12. TimeCamp – Feature-Rich time tracking
Track time, tasks, attendance, and profits easily with TimeCamp freelance time tracking free.
Used by people in more than 100 countries, TimeCamp makes you more time-efficient and achieve better results. Moreover, it includes automatic time tracking, detailed reporting, invoicing, budgeting, timesheets, and a new entry in products called expenses, to track expenses.
With TimeCamp, you can expect better revenue growth, faster budgeting, and enhanced productivity.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● User-friendly interface.
● Quick and smooth configuration process
● Detailed reporting and analysis
● Integrations support with top project management tools, like Trello, ClickUp, and more.
● Lack of customization options
● Some users have experienced low performance on the mobile app
Category: Productivity Developer: TimeCamp S.A Availability: Browser extensions, Desktop app and Mobile app
13. Paymo – Easy-To-Use. Great To Apply
Paymo is a powerful tool for freelance time tracking, invoice sharing, and work management.
Used confidently by NYU, Fujifilm, Adidas, and 100,000+ people worldwide, Paymo can help you run your business better. Moreover, it offers Task Management with 4 types of views, including Kanban Boards. Project Management with Gantt Charts, team scheduler, custom workflow, and templates. Additionally, you can track time with real-time active timers, automation, and detailed reporting. Also, you can collaborate with clients easily with comments and discussions.
Paymo helps you track profits, gains, and expenses in a concise and simple format.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Highly useful and impactful time tracking
● Easy set-up and final invoicing
● Great customer service
● Detailed dashboard
● Some features are complex and challenging to work with
● Limited functionality on phones
Category: Productivity Developer: Paymo S.R.L. Availability: Desktop app and Mobile app
14. My Hours – Great Features. Simple To Maintain
Efficient tracking for effective results is the headlining quality of My Hours.
Since 2002, My Hours has helped over 250,000 people improve productivity. It is an intuitive and one of the best free time tracking app for freelancers that helps analyze time and costs, organize projects, and manage your team. My Hours is a flexible application with several other features, including client billing, project costing, team payroll, and time analytics.
On top of that, it features enterprise-grade security and support for dependable service.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
● Simple and friendly interface
● Reliable analytics and reporting
● Offers customizability
● Responsive customer service
● Some users have experienced occasional glitches
● It has limited team management integrations
Category: Business Developer: Spica International d.o.o Ljubljana Availability: Mobile application
15. Deputy – Reliable Platform With Amazing Tools
Deputy guards your time and costs with tight security and streamlined processes.
With many notable stats, Deputy helps companies manage their costs and expenses and adjust staffing easily. Moreover, it accurately handles timesheets, automates complex tasks, and notes real-time attendance. In the end, it provides dynamic reports with detailed descriptions.
Deputy offers a powerful set of integrations and APIs and is best for nearly every industry.
Pros✔️
Cons❌
News feed to keep you updated with information and changes
You can easily link it with existing platforms, including Square and Shopify.
User-friendly and engaging
Easy learning curve
Some users have experienced functionality issues with clocking in and out
Some users have faced integration issues with Point of Sale systems and payroll software.
Category: Productivity Developer: Deputec Pty Ltd Availability: Desktop apps and Mobile phone apps
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Why Freelance Time Tracking Apps Are Game-Changers?
Freelancers are growing each year. As we are in the Q2 of 2024, here is a quick look at the number of global freelancers in 2023.
Freelancing has one simple rule: the more you work or the more productive you are, the more you will earn at the payment time. So, in short, time tracking apps help you become more productive.
However, the benefits of time tracking software don’t just stop there. For freelancers, here are the things that time tracking apps bring to the table.
● Track Time
Of course, it is a time tracking app, so it helps you track your time. You can tweak settings according to your work and projects, and the app will track your time throughout the work. At the end, you will get a detailed picture of where you spent your time and what tasks you got out of the way.
● Improve Productivity
When there is a clock hand ticking on your head, you are bound to get more productive. So, basically, time tracking apps make you become more productive. It helps you avoid distractions and focus on the task at hand, making you efficient and make the most of your work time.
● Enhance Accountability
Time tracking apps give you a detailed representation of how you spent your past time. So, it keeps you accountable for the tasks and things you achieve. As a result, you will easily meet deadlines and make your clients more happy.
● Grow Revenue
So, it is a universal truth that if your clients are satisfied and you are receiving positive feedback, you will secure more clients. Moreover, time tracking apps can help you price your tasks and services more easily. Overall, it helps you grow yourself and your revenue.
● Increase Management
Working on a schedule and being the most productive helps you set your priorities right. Furthermore, it helps you avoid distractions and focus more on managing your time effectively and efficiently. In short, it helps you become more organized and managed.
How To Choose the Best Time Tracking Software As A Freelancer?
A Time tracker app for freelancers comes with a range of features and offers diverse characteristics that may vary from app to app. You may find one feature that you want in one app while another in some other app.
However, from our expert knowledge as a top mobile app development company Dubai, we say it is wise to base your decision on the most useful features based on your needs.
Some of the things to consider before selecting a time tracking app are as follows:
Are you an Instagram Marketer, working on your phone for the most part? Or are you hooked to your PC, writing content, or designing images?
Not every device is compatible with every time tracking software. Some are available on only iOS and Android, while some are available on Mac and Windows PCs, and some are accessible on both and even offer browser extensions.
So, before choosing a freelance time tracking app, make sure to consider your device of usage. If your work makes you stay on your home computer, you might want a Mac and Windows-compatible app with diverse features. On the flip side, if your work requires you to travel often, you might benefit from an easy-to-use mobile app.
● Check the Features & Integrations
Do you use any project management tools like Asana or Jira?
Do you work with a team or solo?
Different freelance time tracking apps offer several features and integrations. These include communication and cooperation features, a billable hours calculator, project tabs and management, report generation and exporting, etc.
Which one will help you best in your freelancing journey? That is for you to decide!
● Ensure The App Has Essential Characteristics
Some of the qualities and characteristics are important for an ideal experience. These are as follows:
○ Easy to Use
The app must be easy to use, it is a no-brainer. It includes the overall navigation, technical aspects, menus, actions, and processes.
○ Customizable
Every user has different needs. To address unique needs, an app must have diverse customization options. It will help the users align the time tracking app according to them and create a personalized experience.
○ Flexible
A robust freelance time tracking app must serve different work styles and choices. These include manual inputs, timesheet templates, etc.
○ Secure
Utmost security and privacy are essential for a time tracking app to have. Some best security practices include encryption, a secure network, and strict authentication standards. These help ensure the users’ personal information and data is safe and that no one but authorized personnel can access it.
○ Collaborative
Collaboration and communication features help teams work effectively and efficiently on projects. An ideal time tracking app has many features that enable this, like time entries for each member, chat options, and real-time project collaboration, enhancing productivity.
● Modes of Tracking
Some modes of tracking that different freelance time tracking apps offer are as follows:
○ Silent
Some apps are a distraction themselves. They keep nudging you about time on, time off, and other such notifications. So, make sure the app you are about to go with has silent background functionality that makes it super effective.
○ Offline
Another helpful tracking feature is the offline tracking. It allows the app to work even without an internet connection.
○ Work Time
The work time feature helps only track time during work. It allows users to finish a project together or flexibly as per their comfort.
○ Applications
Applications tracking feature is really useful. It actually calculates the productivity of a user by only capturing time in specific applications of the user’s choice.
● Think About Your Budget
The last but one of the most important things to consider before finalizing a time tracking app is watching your budget.
Although the best software and features come at a high price, you don’t have to invest a lot of money for a fitting solution. Some apps with freelance time tracking for mobile, desktop, or web offer flat monthly or yearly rates, while some charge according to the number of users. Also, there are some free time tracking apps for freelancers that charge no fee, no matter the number of users or projects.
Best Free Time Tracking Tips For Freelance Creators
Research shows that many freelancers work less than 8 hours a week. That is 8 hours out of 56 hours a week. Here is a detailed analysis of the time freelancers spend each week on billable hours:
It can be due to a number of reasons. Mainly, it happens due to lack of time management and work progress tracking.
Freelance time tracking can be tricky as you have to impose these rules onto yourself. Proper time management is important for everyone, especially for freelancers. It helps overcome procrastination, handle interruptions, and work better.
The following tips will help you adjust better and faster to these applications.
● Use A Time Tracking App
Don’t think twice and download a freelance time tracking app. Choose the one that best fits your work requirements. After that, customize and adjust settings to suit your needs and get started.
A time tracking app brings a host of benefits that help enhance productivity and improve your overall routine.
● Limit Distractions
Use the Windows focus mode or Focus on Mac feature to limit distractions and maintain focus on work. It will help silence notifications and keep you away from distracting apps and games. Also, a robust time tracking app will help avoid distractions.
● Maintain A Schedule
Manage time with schedules, use automatic time trackers, and try to build a routine. A proper schedule will help you work better and complete projects faster. An ideal working routine consists of 8 work hours daily.
● Stick to Routine
Once you have established a schedule, stick to it. Don’t let any distractions, interruptions, or people disrupt your routine and sway you away from work.
Some Final Thoughts
Even if you keep yourself away from unnecessary thoughts or non-work things, there are distractions that even seasonal freelancers fall for. This is where apps for time trackingfreelance come in. They help you boost your productivity and enhance workflow. Choosing a time tracking app, however, is a bit challenging.
Still, by understanding your needs, budget, and work scale, you can easily select software from our list that aligns with your goals.
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Frequently Asked Questions For Freelance Time Tracking
1. How do freelancers keep track of time?
The most effective and efficient way that help most freelancers keep track of time is using a time tracking application. We have listed above some of the best free and paid time tracking apps options for you to choose from.
2. What is the best app for tracking hours?
If you want to take our advice, a top development and app maintenance service and support provider, we would say Toggl and Clockify. They are powerful and easy-to-use time tracking apps with the most positive reviews and feedback.
3. What are some of the free time tracking apps for freelancers?
There are several time tracking app for freelancers free versions that you can start with. These include Toggl, FreshBooks, Clockify, Harvest, Jibble, Everhour, TimeCamp, and My Hours.
These apps allow users to have free access without a trial period, but do have certain limitations.
4. Are there any compliance standards in time tracking apps?
Yes, there are some laws that help freelancers and employees get the right treatment from their managers and company owners. These are:
FLSA or Fair Labor Standards Act Regulations
DCAA or Defense Contract Audit Agency Compliant Timekeeping
DOL or Department of Labor Regulations
When businesses start to operate, they must be compliant with these regulations and laws for seamless working, more efficiency, zero delayed payments, and transparent operations.
5. How much does a time tracking app development cost?
Here is an overview of app development costs:
A smartphone app development can cost between $5000 to $150,000 and more.
A web app development can cost between $5000 to $250,000 and more.
A desktop app development can cost between $10,000 to $100,000 and more.
Please Note: These prices are estimates only. There are several factors that impact the overall app development cost. To get the exact estimate for your app, use the app development cost calculator.
Rida is a seasoned content writer with over four years of writing background in app development company. She holds a degree in Business Administration and has a keen knowledge in writing technical blogs, conversion-driven web pages, and online guides. Beyond her skills as a writer, Rida is also an artist, often found painting landscapes and expressing her creativity through poetry.