[object Object]
15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 04 57 12Claim now →
Alternatives

Best Paymo alternatives for freelancers & agencies (2026)

Paymo tracks billable hours and project tasks, but once a new client needs a proposal, a contract needs signing, or a booking link needs to go out, there's no proposal builder, no e-signature tool, no appointment scheduling, and no white-labeled portal where clients check project progress. The project work runs inside Paymo, but landing new clients and closing deals still routes through separate tools.

The right Paymo alternative connects time tracking and project management to the work that comes before and after: proposals that create projects when signed, contracts tied to the same scope, clients booking directly through a calendar, and a branded portal where project status shows without anyone asking for an update.

Five alternatives, ranked by what they cost, what they actually do, and who they're built for. No need to trial each one.

Last updated March 2026

Try Plutio free
#1
Plutio
9.2/10
#2
Paymo
7.8/10
#4
Harvest
7.2/10
#3
Bonsai
7.4/10

TLDR (summary)

Best Paymo alternative in 2026: Plutio ($19/month vs Paymo's $5.90/user/month Starter). Paymo tracks time against tasks and turns hours into invoices, but stops there. Plutio does the same time tracking and project work, then extends into the full client lifecycle: proposals that create projects automatically, contracts that attach to the scope, and a branded portal where clients check progress without emailing you.

Why freelancers switch: Paymo tracks billable hours and converts them to invoices, but it does not help you win the work in the first place. Paymo has no proposal builder, no contract tool, no scheduling, and no white-labeled client portal. The billing side works, but winning the next client engagement routes through Bonsai, DocuSign, Calendly, and email, all sitting outside Paymo.

Why Plutio is the best alternative: Proposals go out, clients approve and sign the attached contract, and Plutio creates the project with tasks from the scope automatically. Time tracking runs at the task level, hours convert to invoice line items, and clients see project status inside their branded portal at your domain without ever sending an "any updates?" email.

Other alternatives on this page: Harvest (time tracking and invoicing, no project management), Toggl Track (time tracking only, even less scope), Bonsai (proposals and contracts, limited project work), Teamwork (agency project management, per-user pricing). Full comparison below.

What is the best Paymo alternative for freelancers in 2026?

Compare pricing, project management, time tracking, invoicing, and client portal features.

PRICING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Starting price

$19/month (Core plan)

$9.90/user/month (Starter, $5.90/user annual). Free plan available.

$9/seat/month (Teams, annual) or $10.80/seat/month (monthly). Free plan for 1 seat and 2 projects.

$9/user/month (Starter, annual) or $10/user/month (monthly). Free plan for up to 5 users.

$15/month (Basic, $9/month annual)

$13.99/user/month (Deliver plan, $10.99/user annual)

Free plan

No free plan (14-day trial available)

Free plan (unlimited users, 5 clients, 10 projects)

Free plan for 1 seat and up to 2 projects (unlimited time tracking and invoicing)

Free plan for up to 5 users (unlimited projects, basic reports, no billable rates)

No free plan (trial available)

Free plan for up to 5 users and 5 projects

Trial period

14-day free trial

15-day free trial on paid plans

30-day free trial on Teams plan

Free plan available (no trial needed)

7-day free trial

30-day free trial

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Manage projects and tasks

Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow

Full project management with List, Table, Board, Calendar, and Gantt views

Basic project and task structure for time and budget tracking only (no kanban, no Gantt, no dependencies)

Basic project and task management (no kanban, no Gantt, no dependencies)

Basic project and task management

Full project management with List, Board, Table, and Gantt views

Project roles and permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project

Admin and member roles (no granular project-level permissions)

Admin and member roles only (no granular project-level permissions)

Admin and member roles (Premium plan adds billable rate visibility controls)

4 fixed roles (PMs cannot view financials)

4 project access levels (full, read-only, overview, hidden)

Multiple task boards

Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project

Single board per project with multiple views (List, Table, Board)

No board views (list-only task display)

No board views (list-only task display)

Strictly restricted to 1 board per project

Single board per project

Embeddable project boards

Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites

No embeddable project boards

No embeddable project boards

No embeddable boards

Embedding live project boards is not supported

No embeddable project boards

Sharable project boards

Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk

No shareable project boards

No shareable project boards

No sharable project boards

Portal access only (no public read-only links)

Limited sharing via client portal (no public links)

Project stages and milestones

Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work

Task statuses only (no formal milestones)

No project stages or milestones

Project status and estimates only (no milestones or stage tracking)

Milestones with Gantt chart visualization

Custom task statuses and milestones with dependencies

Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices

Everything related stays connected to the project automatically

Estimates can be converted to invoices (no proposals or contracts)

Invoices link to tracked time (no proposals or contracts)

No proposals, contracts, or invoicing workflow

Manual linking (no automatic project integration)

Only invoicing is built-in (no proposals or contracts)

Custom project data fields

Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data

Limited custom fields (Business plan only)

No custom project data fields

No custom project fields

Text, number, date, URL (no filtering)

Custom fields on projects and tasks (Free: 2, Deliver: 3, Grow+: unlimited)

Kanban boards

Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns

Kanban board view available

No kanban boards

No kanban boards

Kanban view (limited customization)

Board view included on all plans

Table view

Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet

Table view available

Basic list view for tasks (no advanced table features)

Basic list/table view for tasks

Basic table view (no bulk editing)

Table view with bulk editing

List view

Clean task lists with clear hierarchy

List view available

Default list view for tasks and projects

Default list view for tasks

Simple list view with basic sorting

List view is the default project view

Calendar view

See tasks and deadlines on a calendar

Calendar view available

No calendar view for tasks

Calendar integrations (Google/Outlook) available but no native calendar view

Calendar view for tasks and deadlines

Calendar view shows tasks and deadlines

Gantt view

Plan work visually with task order and dependencies

Gantt chart view (Business plan)

No Gantt view

No Gantt view

Gantt chart with drag-and-drop

Gantt chart with dependencies and milestones

Subtasks

Break work down into multiple nested levels

Subtasks supported

Tasks within projects (no nested subtasks)

Tasks and checklists (no nested subtask hierarchy)

Nested subtasks supported

Nested subtasks supported

Email to task

Turn emails into tasks without manual copying

No email to task

No email-to-task feature

No email-to-task feature

No email-to-task conversion

Forward emails to create tasks

Task comments

Keep discussions tied directly to each task

Task comments with @mentions

Notes on time entries (no dedicated task comment threads)

Comments on time entries and projects

Comments stay attached to tasks only

Comments with @mentions on tasks

Task attachments

Store files directly on the task they belong to

File attachments on tasks

No file attachments on tasks

File attachments on time entries

File attachments (no file manager)

File attachments on tasks

Task priorities

Define priority levels that fit your workflow

Priority levels on tasks

No task priority levels

No task priority levels

No priority levels

3 default priority levels (high, medium, low) with custom options

Task labels & color coding

Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks

Tags and color coding on tasks

No task labels or color coding

Project color coding

No color coding (labels only)

Tags and color labels on tasks

Multiple task assignees

Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates

Multiple assignees per task

Single assignee per task

Single assignee per task

One assignee per task (no multi-assign)

Multiple assignees per task

Task templates

Reuse task-level structures across projects

Project and task templates

No task or project templates

Project templates (Starter+)

Task templates with dependencies

Task list templates and project templates

Task permissions

Control access at the individual task level

Basic permissions via project roles

No task-level permissions

Admin and member role permissions only

Project-level only (no task-level)

Project-level permissions (4 levels, not per-task)

Task dependencies

Prevent work from starting out of order

Task dependencies with Gantt view (Business plan)

No task dependencies

No task dependencies

Waiting on, Blocking, Related to

Predecessor and successor dependencies

Recurring tasks

Automate repeating work with flexible schedules

Recurring tasks supported

No recurring tasks (recurring time entries only)

No recurring tasks

Daily, weekly, monthly, milestones

Recurring tasks with flexible schedules

Custom task data fields

Add task-level fields for tracking custom details

Custom fields on tasks (Business plan only)

No custom task data fields

No custom task fields

Custom fields (text and number only)

Custom fields on tasks (Free: 2, Deliver: 3, Grow+: unlimited)

TIME TRACKING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Time tracking system

Easily track time using timers or manual entries

Built-in time tracker with timer, manual entry, and desktop widget

Start/stop timer and manual time entry (browser extension, desktop, and mobile)

Full-featured time tracker with start/stop timer, manual entry, browser extension, offline sync, and Pomodoro mode

Timer and manual time entry

Timer and manual time entry built-in

Task-level tracking

Log time directly against tasks and subtasks

Track time per task

Track time per task with start/stop timer and manual entry

Track time per task with start/stop timer and manual entry

Limited to task-level only (no subtask tracking)

Track time per task and subtask

Project-level tracking

See time spent per project and per client

Track time per project with budget tracking

Time and budget tracking per project with rollup reports and cost analysis

Time rolled up per project with reports

Time tracked per project

Track time per project and client

Billable time tracking

Clearly separate billable and non-billable time

Billable and non-billable time tracking

Billable and non-billable categorization with hourly rates per person or project

Billable rates on Starter+ plan ($9/user/month annual)

Billable and non-billable categorization

Billable and non-billable categorization

Billable time invoicing

Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps

Convert tracked time to invoice line items

Auto-populate invoices from tracked billable time (core Harvest feature)

Basic PDF invoice export (limited — no discounts, no payment tracking, Toggl branding on free)

One-click invoice from time entries

Generate invoices from time logs, export to QuickBooks or Xero (no payment collection)

Timesheet reports

View detailed time reports by task, project, or client

Detailed timesheet reports with filtering and export

Detailed timesheet reports with filters by project, client, team member, and date range

5 report types: Summary, Detailed, Workload, Profitability, My Reports. 11+ filter properties.

Detailed timesheet reports

Detailed timesheet reports with filters

Team timesheets

See how each team member tracks their time

Team timesheets with approval workflow

Team timesheet views with member-level breakdowns and capacity reporting

Team timesheet views with member-level breakdowns (Starter+)

Per-member timesheets with locking

Company timesheets (Grow+) with approval workflows (all plans)

PROPOSALS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Create and send proposals

Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow

No proposal feature (estimates only)

Estimates/quotes only (not full proposals with contracts or e-signatures)

No proposals

Customizable proposals with e-signatures

Not built-in (requires third-party tools)

Drag-and-drop proposal builder

Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code

No proposal builder

No proposal builder

Not supported

Visual editor (no true drag-and-drop)

Not supported

Reusable proposal templates

Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients

No proposal templates

No reusable proposal templates

Not supported

Industry templates plus custom templates

Not supported

Real-time proposal analytics

See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed

No proposal analytics

No proposal analytics

Not supported

Real-time view tracking

Not supported

Live messenger on proposals

Answer questions directly while clients review proposals

No proposals

No live messenger on proposals

Not supported

No live chat in proposals

Not supported

Proposal flow automation

Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically

No proposal automation

No proposal flow automation

Not supported

Proposal-contract link only (no scheduler)

Not supported

Convert proposal to invoice

Create invoices directly from approved proposals

Convert estimate to invoice

No proposal-to-invoice conversion (estimates only)

Not supported

Auto-generate invoice from accepted proposal

Not supported

Packages and add-ons

Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals

No packages or add-ons

No packages or add-ons in proposals

Not supported

Packages with single, multi-select options

Not supported

Interactive pricing tables

Let clients choose options before approving

No interactive pricing tables

No interactive pricing tables

Not supported

Static pricing only (no client selection)

Not supported

Dynamic data and variables

Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data

No dynamic data/variables

No dynamic data or variables in proposals

Not supported

Basic smart fields (limited variables)

Not supported

Expiration dates

Automatically expire proposals after a set date

No proposals

Expiration dates on estimates only (no proposals)

Not supported

Manual expiry dates (no automation)

Not supported

PDF Export

Download as branded PDFs

No proposals to export

PDF export available for invoices and estimates

Not supported

Basic PDF export (limited branding)

Project reports exportable (no proposal PDFs)

Reusable content blocks

Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand

No proposals

No reusable content blocks

Not supported

Reusable blocks not supported (templates only)

Not supported

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals

No e-signatures

No e-signatures

Not supported

Basic e-signatures (limited audit trail)

Not supported

Custom proposal data fields

Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on

No proposals

No proposal custom data fields

Not supported

Text and date custom fields only

Not supported

CONTRACTS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Create and sign contracts

Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow

No contract feature

No contracts

No contracts

Legally vetted templates with e-signatures

Not built-in

Drag-and-drop contract builder

Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits

No contract builder

No drag-and-drop contract builder

Not supported

Visual editor (no full drag-and-drop)

Not supported

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification

No e-signatures

No e-signatures on contracts

Not supported

Legally binding e-signatures

Not supported

Multi-signature / signees

Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract

No contract feature

No multi-signature support

Not supported

Multiple signers and recipients

Not supported

Reusable contract templates

Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster

No contract templates

No contract templates

Not supported

Industry-specific and custom templates

Not supported

Auto-reminders automation

Automatically follow up until contracts are signed

No contract feature

No contract auto-reminders

Not supported

Auto-reminders (stop after 16 days overdue)

No contract feature

Dynamic data/variables

Auto-fill contract content with client and project data

No contract feature

No dynamic data variables in contracts

Not supported

Basic smart fields (limited variables)

Not supported

Contract automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed

No contract feature

No contract automation triggers

Not supported

Contract & proposal triggers only

Not supported

View notifications

See when contracts are opened and reviewed

No contract feature

No contract view notifications

Not supported

Basic email notifications (no detailed tracking)

No contract feature

PDF download with signature certificate

Download signed contracts with official proof of signature

No contract feature

No signed contract PDF download

Not supported

Basic PDF download (limited certificate)

Not supported

Custom signer data fields

Collect structured signer information during signing

No contract feature

No custom signer data fields

Not supported

Standard fields only (name & email)

Not supported

Custom contract data fields

Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on

No contract feature

No custom contract data fields

Not supported

Custom fields (contact info only)

Not supported

INVOICES & PAYMENTS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Create invoices and get paid

Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow

Create and send invoices with online payments

Create and send invoices from tracked time with Stripe and PayPal payment collection

Basic PDF invoice generation from time reports (Toggl branding on free, limited fields)

Invoicing with multiple payment options

Basic invoicing from time logs and fixed fees (export to PDF, QuickBooks, Xero; no payment collection)

Fully branded invoices

Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout

Branded invoices with logo and company details

Branded invoices with logo and custom colors

Toggl branding on free plan. No custom branding on paid plans either.

Limited branding (logo and colors only)

Basic invoice layout (no drag-and-drop branding)

Drag and drop invoice builder

Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits

Template-based invoice creation (no drag-and-drop)

No drag-and-drop invoice builder (template-based)

Not supported

Pre-built templates (no drag-drop)

Not supported

Customizable line items

Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely

Customizable line items

Customizable line items with services catalog

No customizable line items (time entries only)

Line items (no advanced customization)

Basic line items on invoices (time logs and fixed fees)

Item or invoice discounts

Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level

Discounts on invoices

Discounts supported on invoices

No discount fields

Discounts (percentage or fixed, no tiered)

Not supported

Customizable taxes

Create tax rules that match your location and use case

Customizable tax rates

Custom tax rates supported on invoices

No tax configuration

Basic tax configuration (no automation)

Not supported

ACH payments

Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments

No ACH payments

ACH bank transfers via Stripe integration

Not supported

ACH via Bonsai Payments (US, UK, CA, AU only)

Not supported

Stripe integration

Accept credit and debit cards instantly

No Stripe integration

Native Stripe integration for invoice payments

Via Zapier or API

Stripe payments supported

No native Stripe payment integration

Square integration

Collect in-person payments when needed

No Square integration

No Square integration

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

PayPal integration

Let clients pay using PayPal

PayPal integration available

Native PayPal integration for invoice payments

Not supported

PayPal payments supported

Not supported

Flexible partial payments

Collect deposits and split payments across milestones

Partial payments supported

No partial payment support

Not supported

Partial payments (manual milestone setup)

Not supported

Payment plans

Break invoices into scheduled installments

No payment plans

No payment plans or installment schedules

Not supported

Payment plans (limited automation)

Not supported

Automated recurring invoices

Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule

Recurring invoices

Automated recurring invoices with flexible frequency options

No recurring invoices

Weekly, biweekly, monthly, yearly recurrence

Not supported

Subscription management

Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing

No subscription management

No subscription management

Not supported

Recurring invoices (no subscription portal)

Not supported

Automated payment reminders

Follow up automatically until invoices are paid

Automated payment reminders

Automated payment reminders for overdue invoices

No payment reminders

Automated reminders (stop after 16 days)

Not supported

Reusable invoice templates

Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time

Reusable invoice templates

Reusable invoice templates available

Not supported

Templates available (limited customization)

Not supported

Multiple currency support

Bill clients globally in their local currency

Multiple currency support

Multiple currency support on invoices

Multiple currencies in reports (no multi-currency invoicing)

Multi-currency (manual exchange rates)

Multi-currency support (1 on Free, 5 on Deliver, unlimited on Grow+)

Invoice automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid

No invoice automation triggers

No invoice automation triggers

Not supported

Payment & form triggers only

Basic invoice automation via time log triggers

View notifications

See when invoices are opened and paid

No invoice view notifications

Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid

Not supported

Email notifications (no real-time tracking)

Basic invoice notifications (no detailed view tracking)

Built-in expense tracking

Track project-related costs alongside invoices

Built-in expense tracking with receipt scanning

Built-in expense tracking with receipt photos and reimbursements

No built-in expense tracking

Expense tracking (auto-categorization via bank sync)

Budget tracking per project (no receipt-level expenses)

Invoice deposits

Collect upfront payments before work starts

No invoice deposits

No invoice deposit support

Not supported

Deposits supported (manual collection)

Not supported

Auto-invoice billable time

Turn tracked time into invoices automatically

Auto-invoice tracked billable time

Core feature — auto-populate invoices from tracked billable time

Manual export to invoice from time reports

Time-to-invoice (manual confirmation required)

Export time to QuickBooks or Xero for invoicing

Custom invoice data fields

Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on

No custom invoice data fields

No custom invoice data fields

Not supported

Text and date custom fields only

Not supported

INBOX

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Centralized unified inbox

Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox

No unified inbox

No unified inbox

No unified inbox

A unified client inbox is not supported

Project messages and Chat included with paid plans (no unified client inbox)

Full email integration

Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place

No email integration

No email integration

Not supported

Send-only (no inbox sync)

Email-to-task and email notifications (no full inbox sync)

Embeddable live chat

Add real-time chat to your website and client portals

No live chat

No embeddable live chat

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

Instant direct messages

Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace

No direct messaging

No direct messaging

Not supported

Direct messaging is not supported

Direct messages via Teamwork Chat (included with paid plans)

Contextual project conversations

Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to

Task comments only (no dedicated project conversations)

No project conversations

Not supported

No in-app project messaging

Project-level messages tied to tasks and projects

Team channels

Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions

No team channels

No team channels

Not supported

Team chat is not supported

Team channels via Teamwork Chat (included with paid plans)

Customized channels

Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow

No channels

No customized channels

Not supported

Not supported

Channels via Teamwork Chat (basic, included with paid plans)

@mentions

Notify teammates instantly inside conversations

@mentions in task comments

No @mentions

Not supported

Not supported

@mentions in task comments and messages

Message read receipts

See when messages are read

No messaging

No message read receipts

Not supported

Read receipts are not supported

Not supported

File sharing in chat

Share files directly inside conversations

No chat (file attachments in task comments only)

No file sharing in chat

Not supported

Share files and links in portal messages

File attachments in task comments (no dedicated chat)

Shared email inbox

Collaborate on incoming emails as a team

No shared email inbox

No shared email inbox

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

Inbox mobile app

Access and respond to messages on mobile

No inbox feature

No inbox mobile app

Not supported

Not supported

iOS and Android apps include messaging

Email reply to inbox

Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced

No inbox feature

No email reply to inbox

Not supported

Not supported

Email replies create task comments

FILES

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Store and manage files

Keep all client and project files in one organized place

File management with proofing and approval

No built-in file storage

No built-in file storage

Project document storage with client access

File storage on tasks and projects

Advanced folder organization

Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose

Project-based file organization

No folder organization

Not supported

Project-level only (no granular)

Project-based file organization (no nested folders)

Folder permissions

Control who can view or edit folders

Project-level access controls

No folder permissions

Not supported

Project-level only (no granular)

Project-level permissions control file access

People folders

Group files by person when needed

No people-specific folders

No people folders

Not supported

Not supported

Files are project-based, not person-based

Project folders

Keep files scoped to each project

Files organized by project

No project file folders

Not supported

Project-based file sections in portal

Files organized within projects

In-app previews

Preview files instantly without downloading

In-app file previews with proofing tools

No in-app file previews

Not supported

Not supported

In-app file previews supported

Custom file data fields

Capture file metadata you can sort and filter

No custom file data fields

No custom file data fields

Not supported

Contact info only (no CRM fields)

No custom file metadata fields

Built-in documents

Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio

No built-in document editor

No built-in document editor

Not supported

No built-in document editor

Teamwork Spaces is a separate product

Comments on files and docs

Leave comments directly on files and documents

Comments on files with visual proofing annotations

No file comments

Not supported

No file commenting system

Comments on task attachments

Bulk file actions

Move, tag, or manage many files at once

Basic bulk actions

No bulk file actions

Not supported

Not supported

Bulk file select, download, move, copy, and delete

Files search & filter

Find files quickly using search and filters

Basic file search

No file search or filter

Not supported

Not supported

Search across projects and files

External cloud sync

Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox

Google Drive and OneDrive integration

No external cloud sync

Not supported

Not supported

Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive integrations

Secure sharing controls

Restrict access with permissions or passwords

Project-based sharing controls

No secure sharing controls

Not supported

Not supported

Project-level access controls

File sharing links

Share files externally with controlled access

Share files via project links

No file sharing links

Not supported

Portal sharing only (no direct file links)

Share via project access (no direct file links)

SCHEDULING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Schedule meetings

Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails

Resource scheduling for team bookings (not client booking)

No scheduling or booking feature

No scheduling or booking feature

Booking pages with calendar sync

Not built-in

Branded booking page

Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor

No public booking page

No booking pages

Not supported

Custom branding on booking pages

Not supported

Advanced availability management

Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings

Resource scheduling with availability view (team-focused)

No availability management

Not supported

Event types with availability windows

Not supported

Automatic buffer times

Add buffer time automatically between meetings

No buffer times

No buffer times

Not supported

Buffer times (no daily limits)

Not supported

Multiple meeting types

Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups

No meeting types

No meeting types

Not supported

Custom event types with different durations

Not supported

Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)

Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically

Google Calendar sync

No scheduling or calendar sync

Google and Outlook Calendar integrations available

Calendar sync (Google and Outlook only)

No scheduling feature (project calendar sync only)

Customizable booking confirmations

Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits

No booking confirmations

No booking confirmations

Not supported

Email customization (limited template control)

Not supported

Redirect after booking

Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page

No booking page

No booking redirects

Not supported

Redirect supported (basic URL redirect)

Not supported

Booking automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked

No booking automation

No booking automation

Not supported

Booking triggers (limited action types)

Not supported

Smart meeting reminders

Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups

Task deadline reminders

No meeting reminders

Not supported

Auto-reminders (email only, no SMS)

No scheduling feature

Automatic timezone detection

Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments

No timezone detection for bookings

No scheduling feature

Automatic timezone detection per user

Timezone detection (basic support)

No scheduling feature

Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)

Collect payments during booking without extra steps

No paid appointments

No paid appointments

Not supported

Require payment to book via Bonsai Payments or Stripe

Not supported

Custom booking forms

Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout

No booking forms

No booking forms

Not supported

Custom intake questions and forms on booking events

Not supported

Minimum notice / daily booking limits

Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume

No booking limits

No booking limits

Not supported

Notice periods (no per-event daily limits)

Not supported

Rescheduling and cancellation controls

Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations

No rescheduling controls

No rescheduling or cancellation controls

Not supported

Clients can reschedule or cancel from confirmation email

Not supported

AUTOMATION

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Automated workflows builder

Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates

No automation builder

No automation builder

No workflow automation builder

Contract, proposal, invoice, form triggers

Rule-based automations (all plans including Free with 100 actions/month, no visual builder)

Trigger-based workflows

Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments

No trigger-based workflows

No trigger-based workflows

Not supported

Contract signed, proposal accepted, form filled

Task-based triggers: status change, assignee change, due date (all plans)

Schedule-based workflows

Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals

No schedule-based workflows

No scheduled workflows

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

Multi-step workflows

Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation

No multi-step workflows

No multi-step workflows

Not supported

Not supported

Single trigger with multiple actions

True/False branching

Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows

No branching logic

No conditional branching

Not supported

Not supported

No conditional branching

Delay-based actions

Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days

No delay-based actions

No delay-based actions

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

Create & update records

Create, update, or move records automatically across the system

No automated record creation

No record automation

Not supported

Auto-create (projects and clients only)

Auto-create tasks and update statuses

Move & duplicate records

Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup

No automated move/duplicate

No duplicate actions

Not supported

Not supported

Move tasks between lists and projects

Delete & archive records

Automatically archive or remove records based on rules

No automated delete/archive

No delete automation

Not supported

Not supported

Archive tasks and projects manually

API calls (webhooks)

Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems

API available (REST API)

REST API and webhooks available

Via Zapier or REST API

Webhooks (outgoing only, no incoming)

Webhooks and REST API available

Send emails

Send automated emails tied to real workflow events

No automated email sending

Automated invoice and reminder emails

Not supported

Logo & colors (no custom domain)

Email notifications on triggers (no custom email templates)

Post comments

Add notes or comments automatically where work happens

No automated comment posting

No comment automation

Not supported

Not supported

Auto-add comments via triggers

Complete automation logs

See exactly what ran, when, and why

No automation logs

No automation logs

Not supported

Not supported

Automation activity logs with run history

Auto-fill data/variables

Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping

No auto-fill variables

No auto-fill variables

Not supported

Not supported

No dynamic variable support in automations

Cross-entity connections

Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more

Time entries linked to projects and invoices

No cross-entity automation

Not supported

Not supported

Automations limited to tasks and projects

FORMS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Create branded forms

Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience

No form builder

No form builder

Not supported

Branded intake and questionnaire forms

Intake forms on projects (basic, no branding control)

Drag-and-drop form builder

Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required

No form builder

No visual form builder

Not supported

Form editor (no true drag-and-drop)

Drag-and-drop form builder with customization (Grow+ for branding)

Reusable form templates

Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch

No form templates

No form templates

Not supported

Form templates with auto-CRM sync

Project templates include intake forms

Custom form data fields

Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on

No forms

No custom form fields

Not supported

Custom fields (limited field types)

Basic custom fields on intake forms

Smart conditional logic

Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms

No forms

No conditional logic

Not supported

Conditional logic (limited complexity)

Conditional logic on forms (If/then on Grow, If/and/or/then on Scale+)

Instant email notifications

Get notified immediately when forms are submitted

No forms

No form notifications

Not supported

Email notifications (no customization)

Email notifications on form submission

Form automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted

No forms

No form automation

Not supported

Basic automation triggers (limited actions)

Form submissions can trigger task creation

Embed forms

Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions

No forms

No embeddable forms

Not supported

Embed via iframe (limited styling control)

Embeddable forms via iframe code

Advanced field preferences

Control required, hidden, and default field behavior

No forms

No advanced field preferences

Not supported

Not supported

Basic field settings only

Comprehensive field types

Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more

No forms

No form field types

Not supported

Not supported

Text, date, and select fields (limited types)

Form signature field

Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms

No forms

No signature field on forms

Not supported

E-signature field (basic, no advanced options)

No signature field on forms

File upload fields

Accept file uploads as part of form submissions

No forms

No form file uploads

Not supported

Clients can upload files to projects

File upload field available on forms

Redirect after submission

Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page

No forms

No form redirects

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

CRM

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Manage clients and leads

Manage contacts and companies in one connected system

Client list for invoicing (no lead management)

Basic client and contact list (no CRM pipeline or lead tracking)

Client/project tracking in reports only (no CRM features)

CRM with Deals pipeline for leads

People section for contacts (Teamwork CRM is a separate product)

Full company management

Track organizations, not just individual contacts

Client companies for billing only

No company management

Not supported

Companies (basic info only, no hierarchy)

Company records available (basic)

Custom contact data fields

Collect and manage structured contact data you define

No custom contact fields

No custom contact fields

Not supported

Custom fields (text and select only)

Custom fields via Teamwork CRM add-on only

Complete activity timeline

See every interaction with a client in one place

No activity timeline

No activity timeline

Not supported

Activity log (projects and invoices only)

Task and project activity per person (not a CRM timeline)

Contacts labeling and grouping

Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines

Client categories

No contact labeling or grouping

Not supported

Tags (no advanced segmentation)

Tags on people records (basic)

WIKI

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Comprehensive knowledge base

Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides

No knowledge base or wiki

No knowledge base

Not supported

Not supported

Teamwork Spaces (integrated on Deliver+, coming soon on Free)

Beautiful rich text pages

Write structured, formatted content without complexity

No wiki pages

No rich text pages

Not supported

Not supported

Requires Teamwork Spaces add-on

Unlimited nested pages

Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits

No wiki pages

No nested pages

Not supported

Not supported

Requires Teamwork Spaces add-on

Granular page permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each page

No wiki pages

No page permissions

Not supported

Not supported

Requires Teamwork Spaces add-on

DASHBOARDS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Custom dashboards and pages

Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics

Basic project dashboard with summary views

Basic project and time reporting dashboard (not customizable)

Basic reporting dashboard (not a customizable dashboard builder)

Dashboard (fixed layout, no customization)

Portfolio dashboard with project overview (not fully customizable)

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder

Design dashboards visually with full layout control

No dashboard builder

No drag-and-drop dashboard builder

Not supported

Pre-configured widgets only

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder (all paid plans)

Charts widget

Visualize data with customizable charts

Basic project progress charts

Charts in time and budget reports only

Charts in reports only

Charts (revenue and time only)

Project progress and workload charts

Metrics widget

Track key numbers without manual reporting

Basic time and budget metrics

Time and budget metrics in reports only

Not supported

Metrics (revenue and project totals only)

Profitability and utilization metrics (Grow plan+)

Goals widget

Monitor progress toward defined goals

No goals widget

No goals widget

Not supported

Not supported

No goals widget

Notes widget

Add contextual notes directly to dashboards

No notes widget

No notes widget

Not supported

No notes widget

No notes widget on dashboard

Calendar widget

View upcoming events alongside work and metrics

No calendar widget on dashboard

No calendar widget

Not supported

Calendar widget (upcoming tasks only)

Calendar widget on dashboard

Financial widgets

Track revenue and expenses in the same view

Basic invoice and expense summaries

Revenue, expense, and invoice reporting but no custom dashboard widgets

Not supported

Revenue tracking (invoices only, no expenses)

Budget and profitability tracking (Grow plan+)

BRANDING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

White-label and branding

Run the entire platform under your brand

No white-label branding

No white-labeling

No white-labeling

Documents and portal only (no admin theming)

Custom branding on Grow+ (add your own logo and branding)

Custom interface theme

Apply your brand colors across the system

No custom interface theme

No interface theming

Not supported

No admin interface theming

Color themes on Deliver+ (no Free plan theme customization)

Stylesheet customization

Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming

No stylesheet customization

No CSS customization

Not supported

No CSS customization

No custom CSS

Custom login/signup pages

Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens

No custom login pages

No custom login pages

Not supported

Branded login (fixed layout)

Can hide Teamwork logo from login page (Grow+)

Email branding

Send all system emails with your branding

No email branding customization

Logo and branding on invoice emails

Not supported

Logo in emails (no custom templates)

Company logo in notifications

Custom brand fonts

Use your own fonts throughout the platform

No custom fonts

No custom fonts

Not supported

No custom fonts

No custom fonts

Custom brand logos

Replace all platform logos with your own

Custom logo on invoices

Logo upload on invoices and branded documents

Not supported

Logo (documents and portal only)

Logo on project templates and notifications

Custom domain name

Run everything on your own domain

No custom domain

No custom domain

Not supported

No custom domain

Custom domain with SSL (Deliver+ plans)

Custom email SMTP

Send emails from your own email infrastructure

No custom SMTP

No custom SMTP

Not supported

No custom SMTP

Not supported

Full workspace embedding

Embed Plutio directly into your website or product

No workspace embedding

No workspace embedding

Not supported

No workspace embedding

Not supported

CUSTOMIZATION

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Flexible workspace setup

Shape the platform to match how your business works

Workspace organized by projects

Workspaces, projects, tasks, and clients only (no flexible hierarchy)

Workspaces, projects, and clients only (no nested hierarchy)

No workspace customization

Configurable project templates and views

Main menu editor

Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely

No menu editor

Fixed menu

Not supported

Fixed menu (no customization)

Customizable navigation (pin/unpin main menu items, reorder project tabs)

User-based menus

Show different navigation for different roles

No user-based menus

Fixed menus for all users

Not supported

Same menu for all users

Same menu for all users

Custom user roles

Create role types beyond preset permissions

Fixed roles (Admin, User)

Admin and member roles only

Admin and member roles (Premium adds rate visibility)

4 fixed roles (no custom)

Predefined roles (Site Admin, Admin, Standard, Client)

Advanced user permissions

Control access at a granular level

Basic role-based permissions

Project-level permissions only (admin and member roles)

Admin and member permissions by workspace and project

Project permissions (no granular control)

Project-level permissions (4 levels)

SSO / OAuth

Support enterprise-grade single sign-on

Google sign-in

No SSO on Teams plan (Enterprise only)

SSO on Premium plan ($18/user/month annual)

Email & password login only

SSO available via Advanced Security add-on (Enterprise only)

INTEGRATIONS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Connect with other tools

Integrate with external systems without lock-in

Zapier, Slack, Google Calendar, QuickBooks, and more

50+ native integrations including Asana, Trello, Jira, Slack, QuickBooks, Xero, Basecamp, and more

100+ integrations via browser extension and native connections (Jira, Asana, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Trello, Todoist)

Integrations (Zapier and Make only)

80+ integrations: Slack, HubSpot, Google Drive, Dropbox, QuickBooks, Xero

Zapier integration

Connect to thousands of apps without custom code

Zapier integration

Full Zapier integration

Full Zapier integration

Zapier (limited triggers and actions)

Zapier integration available

Make.com integration

Build advanced automation scenarios visually

No Make.com integration

Make.com integration supported

Make.com integration via API

Make.com (limited modules)

Make.com integration available

Pabbly Connect

Connect services without usage-based limits

Pabbly Connect integration

Possible via API

Possible via API

No Pabbly integration

Possible via API

Full REST API access

Build custom integrations with full system access

REST API available

Full REST API available

Full REST API available

REST API (read-only, limited endpoints)

Full REST API available

Incoming & outgoing webhooks

Send and receive real-time events

Webhooks via Zapier

Incoming and outgoing webhooks supported

Webhooks via API and Zapier

Webhooks (outgoing only, limited events)

Webhooks supported

PLATFORM

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

Paymo

53/199

Harvest

38/199

Toggl Track

21/199

Bonsai

43/199

Teamwork

59/199

Mobile apps

Access your business from native mobile apps

Native iOS and Android apps

iOS and Android apps with timer and time tracking

iOS and Android apps

Mobile apps (iOS and Android, limited features)

iOS and Android apps available

iOS app

Full-featured iPhone app

Native iOS app

Full iOS app available

Full iOS app available

iOS app (basic features only)

Full iOS app available

Android app

Full-featured Android app

Native Android app

Full Android app available

Full Android app available

Android app (basic features only)

Full Android app available

Mac desktop app

Native macOS app for desktop workflows

Desktop widget for time tracking

Mac menubar app and browser extension (no full standalone desktop app)

Native Mac desktop app

Web only (no Mac app)

Desktop app wraps the web version

Windows desktop app

Native Windows app for desktop workflows

Desktop widget for time tracking

Windows menubar app and browser extension (no full standalone desktop app)

Native Windows desktop app

Web only (no Windows app)

Desktop app wraps the web version

Frequently asked questions about Paymo alternatives

Can Plutio replace Paymo?

Yes. Plutio handles everything Paymo does (time tracking, project management, invoicing) plus what Paymo doesn't: proposals that create projects automatically, contracts with e-signatures, a white-labeled client portal, appointment scheduling, and a CRM. All connected in one platform from $19/month.

Is Plutio cheaper than Paymo?

Paymo Starter costs $5.90/user/month billed annually, but per-user pricing means a 3-person team pays $17.70/month before adding the separate tools Paymo lacks. Add Bonsai ($15/month) and Calendly ($10/month) and you're at $42.70/month for an incomplete stack. Plutio Core is $19/month with no per-user fees and includes everything.

Does Paymo have a proposal builder?

No. Paymo has no proposal builder. Proposals and client approvals require a separate tool like Bonsai, PandaDoc, or Proposify. Plutio includes a full proposal builder with packages, interactive pricing, and an attached contract in the same document.

Does Paymo have e-signature or contract tools?

No. Paymo has no contract builder or e-signature functionality. Contracts require a separate tool like DocuSign or Bonsai. Plutio includes contracts with legally binding e-signatures tied directly to the project and scope.

Is it hard to switch from Paymo to Plutio?

Paymo exports projects, tasks, time entries, and clients as CSV files. Those import directly into Plutio. Most freelancers complete the setup in a day and run both tools in parallel for 2-3 weeks while active Paymo projects finish and new work starts in Plutio.

Does Paymo have a client portal?

Paymo has no white-labeled client portal. Clients can be given limited guest access to specific projects, but there is no branded portal at your own domain where clients check task progress, download files, and approve deliverables independently. Plutio includes a fully white-labeled client portal on every plan.

Can my team use Plutio?

Yes. Plutio supports agencies on all paid plans with no per-user fees that scale with headcount. Paymo charges per user, so team costs increase with every new hire. Plutio's flat pricing includes unlimited client access and team collaboration across all plan tiers.

Does Paymo have a free plan?

Yes. Paymo has a free plan for unlimited users, but it limits you to 5 clients, 10 projects, and 1 GB of storage. Plutio has no free plan but offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features including proposals, contracts, time tracking, and client portals.

Does Plutio have Gantt charts?

Yes. Plutio includes Gantt charts with task dependencies on all paid plans. Paymo locks Gantt charts and dependencies to the Business plan at $23.90/user/month. For a 3-person team, that's $71.70/month just to unlock Gantt views in Paymo.

Is my data safe with Plutio?

Yes. Your data is private, encrypted, and never used to train AI models. Plutio makes data export straightforward at any time, so there's no lock-in. Paymo also allows data exports via CSV at any time.

Does Plutio have AI features?

Yes. Plutio's AI is built into workflows and can take actions, suggest next steps, and help manage projects without you asking. The AI layer sits inside the same platform where proposals, projects, and invoices live, so it has context across the full client lifecycle.

Can I use Plutio outside the US?

Yes. Plutio works in any country and supports billing in local currencies. Paymo also supports multiple currencies on the Business plan ($23.90/user/month). Plutio includes multi-currency support on all paid plans without requiring an upgrade.

Does Plutio offer a free trial?

Yes. Plutio offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required. You can explore proposals, contracts, time tracking, project management, and client portals before choosing a plan.

Does Plutio have appointment scheduling?

Yes. Plutio includes built-in appointment scheduling with booking pages, calendar sync, custom availability, and automatic reminders. Clients book meetings directly from their portal without a separate Calendly link. Paymo has no scheduling feature.

Can I white-label Plutio with my own branding?

Yes. Plutio includes complete white-labeling on all paid plans: custom domain, branded login pages, your logo and colors throughout, custom email templates, and CSS customization. Clients see your brand at every touchpoint. Paymo has no white-labeling or custom domain support.

The complete Paymo alternative

Time tracking and project management, plus everything Paymo doesn't have

Proposals, contracts, a branded client portal, and appointment scheduling, all connected to the same project from $19/month.

No credit card required

Plutio - Your entire business, one login away