TLDR (Summary)
Plutio ($19/month flat) turns every tracked minute into a billable invoice line item without an export step, because the timer, the project, and the invoice all live in the same platform. Plutio connects every tracked minute to a project and an invoice in the same workspace, so the path from running timer to sent invoice is one click. Toggl Track has the cleanest dedicated timer but no invoicing or client portal. Clockify offers unlimited free tracking but locks invoicing behind paid plans. Harvest includes invoicing but charges $11/user/month per seat.
Below, 9 tools compared on pricing, free plan limits, invoicing integration, billable rate support, and what workflow gaps remain after the timer stops.
Essential features in a freelance time tracker
A time tracker that only tracks time solves half the problem for freelancers who bill clients by the hour. The timer itself is the easy part. What separates a useful time tracking app from a timer widget is what happens after the hours are logged. The criteria below focus on the workflow between "hours tracked" and "invoice paid."
Billable vs non-billable separation
Freelancers who bill clients hourly need a clear split between billable project work and non-billable admin tasks like emails, bookkeeping, and prospecting. Without this separation, invoices either include unbillable hours (which clients dispute) or exclude billable ones (which eats into revenue). The tracker should let each time entry carry a billable flag and a per-project hourly rate.
Invoicing connection
When time tracking lives in one app and invoicing in another, the gap between "hours logged" and "invoice sent" is where billable work leaks. A QuickBooks study found that delayed time entries cost freelancers up to 70% of billable revenue. Tools that connect tracked hours directly to invoice line items close that gap without a manual export step. For a deeper look at how time tracking fits into freelance billing, see our freelance time tracking guide.
Project-level tracking
Freelancers juggling 3-8 clients at a time need hours tied to specific projects and tasks, not dumped into a single daily total. Per-project tracking enables budget monitoring ("this project has used 18 of 25 estimated hours") and accurate client reporting without reconstructing timesheets from memory at the end of the week.
Pricing model
Per-seat pricing at $9-18/user/month works for solo freelancers, but the moment a freelancer hires a subcontractor or virtual assistant, each additional seat adds to the monthly bill. Flat-rate pricing keeps costs predictable as the team grows from 1 to 5. The real cost of a time tracker includes the subscriptions it replaces: a $9/month tracker plus $17-30/month invoicing tool plus $15-25/month client portal adds up to $41-64/month for features that all-in-one platforms bundle at $19-49/month.
All-in-one freelance platforms with time tracking
All-in-one platforms bundle time tracking with invoicing, project management, and client communication, so a completed timer can reach an invoice without switching tabs. The trade-off is that the timer itself may have fewer niche features than dedicated trackers, but the connected workflow from hours to billing to client payment closes the revenue loop that standalone timers leave open.
Plutio ($19/month flat)
Best for: freelancers who need time tracking, invoicing, and a client portal in one platform | Capterra: 4.6/5 | G2: 4.6/5
Plutio puts time tracking, invoicing, project boards, proposals, contracts, and a white-labeled client portal into one platform. A timer runs against any task or project. Time entries carry billable flags and per-project hourly rates. When the project wraps, billable hours convert into invoice line items in one click, and the invoice goes to the client through a branded portal at the freelancer's domain. Clients view invoices, project progress, and files without emailing for updates. The Core plan at $19/month covers unlimited projects, time tracking, and invoicing. The Pro plan at $49/month adds workflow automations, removes the active client cap, and supports up to 30 contributors. Both plans are flat-rate, so adding a subcontractor or VA doesn't change the bill.
- Tracked hours become invoice line items in one click without exporting
- Flat-rate pricing at $19/month regardless of team size
- Billable and non-billable separation with per-project hourly rates
- Proposals, contracts, scheduling, and client portal included on every plan
- White-labeled portal where clients check progress, files, and invoices
- No free plan, 7-day trial with full access
- Core plan limits active clients to 9 (Pro removes the cap)
Harvest ($11/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who need time tracking with built-in invoicing and expense tracking | Capterra: 4.6/5 (507 reviews) | G2: 4.3/5 (766 reviews)
Harvest has been a time tracking and invoicing tool since 2006. Timer and manual entry modes both log hours against projects and tasks. Billable rates are set per project or per team member. Tracked time converts into invoices directly inside Harvest, and the platform accepts payments through Stripe and PayPal. Expense tracking with receipt capture rounds out the billing side. Project budget reports show hours used versus estimated, which helps freelancers catch overruns before the project ends. The free plan covers 1 user and 2 projects. Paid plans cost $11/user/month billed annually.
- Built-in invoicing with Stripe and PayPal payment processing
- Expense tracking with receipt capture on all plans
- Project budget tracking with hours-vs-estimate reports
- Per-seat pricing at $11/user/month adds up with subcontractors
- No client portal, proposals, or contracts
- Free plan limited to 1 user and 2 projects
Mango Practice Management ($35/user/month)
Best for: accounting professionals who need time tracking tied to practice management | Capterra: 3.8/5 (60 reviews) | G2: 3.4/5 (25 reviews)
Mango Practice Management bundles time tracking, billing, document management, and client portals for accounting firms and bookkeepers. Time entries log against client engagements, and tracked hours flow into branded invoices. The platform includes a client portal for document sharing, e-signatures, and secure file requests. The Basic plan at $35/user/month covers time and billing. The Pro plan at $69/user/month adds document management and project tracking. Mango is built specifically for accountants and tax professionals, so freelancers outside that niche will find the interface and terminology unfamiliar.
- Time tracking tied directly to client billing and engagement tracking
- Client portal with document sharing and e-signatures
- Built for accounting firms, not general freelancers
- Per-seat pricing at $35/user/month is the highest on this list
- Lower review scores and smaller user base than other tools here
Plutio is the only all-in-one on this list with flat-rate pricing and a connected workflow from time tracking through invoicing to a branded client portal. Harvest covers time-to-invoice but adds per-seat costs and skips client portals, proposals, and contracts. Mango handles billing for accounting professionals but costs $35/user/month and serves a narrow niche.
Dedicated time tracking tools
Dedicated time trackers focus on logging hours with precision, detailed reporting, and integrations with project management tools. The timers tend to be more configurable than what all-in-one platforms offer, but invoicing, client portals, and proposals need separate subscriptions. For freelancers who bill clients, the time tracker is often just the first line item in a multi-tool stack.
Toggl Track (Free / $9/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who want the cleanest timer interface with detailed reports | Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,581 reviews) | G2: 4.6/5 (1,589 reviews)
Toggl Track is the most popular dedicated time tracker on this list by review count. The one-click timer starts from a browser extension, desktop app, or mobile app. Time entries tag by project, client, and task. Reports break down hours by day, week, project, or client, with exportable summaries that freelancers attach to invoices manually. The free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited tracking and basic reports. The Starter plan at $9/user/month adds billable rates, project time estimates, and saved time entry templates. The Premium plan at $18/user/month includes project dashboards, scheduled reports, and timesheet approvals. For more on how Toggl compares to Plutio, see our side-by-side comparison.
- Cleanest timer interface with one-click start from any device
- Free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited tracking
- Largest review count in the dedicated tracker category
- No built-in invoicing on any plan
- No client portal, proposals, or contracts
- Billable rates require Starter plan ($9/user/month)
Clockify (Free / $3.99/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who need unlimited free time tracking with no user cap | Capterra: 4.8/5 (9,231 reviews) | G2: 4.5/5
Clockify offers the most generous free plan on this list: unlimited users, unlimited projects, and unlimited tracking at $0. The free tier includes timers, manual time entry, timesheets, and basic reports. The Basic plan at $3.99/user/month adds time off tracking, break tracking, and bulk edits. The Standard plan at $5.99/user/month includes timesheet templates, time audits, and invoicing. The Pro plan at $7.99/user/month includes GPS tracking, screenshots, and budget alerts. For a detailed breakdown, see our Clockify vs Plutio comparison.
- Unlimited free tracking with no user cap on the free plan
- Lowest paid plan pricing at $3.99/user/month
- Invoicing available on Standard plan ($5.99/user/month)
- Invoicing locked behind Standard plan, not free
- No client portal, proposals, or contracts on any plan
- Interface described as visually cluttered in user reviews
Hubstaff ($5.83/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who hire remote subcontractors and need activity monitoring | Capterra: 4.6/5 (1,591 reviews) | G2: 4.3/5
Hubstaff is a time tracker built for remote teams, with features like screenshot capture, activity level monitoring, app and URL tracking, and GPS location logging. The Starter plan at $5.83/user/month (billed annually) covers basic time tracking and activity levels. The Grow plan at $7.50/user/month adds app tracking, project budgets, and idle time detection. The Team plan at $10/user/month includes scheduling, payroll, and advanced reporting. The free plan covers 1 user with basic tracking. Hubstaff leans toward employer-employee monitoring, so solo freelancers billing clients may find the surveillance features unnecessary.
- Screenshot and activity monitoring for managing subcontractors
- GPS tracking for on-site freelancers (field service, photography)
- Built-in payroll on Team plan for paying contractors
- Monitoring features feel intrusive for client-facing freelance work
- No invoicing for client billing on any plan
- Per-seat pricing scales quickly with remote team growth
TimeCamp (Free / $2.99/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who want automatic time tracking based on app and website usage | Capterra: 4.7/5 (598 reviews) | G2: 4.7/5
TimeCamp tracks time automatically by monitoring which applications and websites are active, then assigns entries to projects based on keywords. The free plan covers unlimited users with basic tracking, project templates, and one integration. The Starter plan at $2.99/user/month adds unlimited integrations, attendance tracking, and custom reports. The Basic plan at $5.99/user/month includes billable time tracking, budget tracking, and timesheet approvals. The Pro plan at $7.99/user/month includes invoicing, screenshots, and advanced budgeting. TimeCamp's automatic detection reduces manual entry but requires configuration to categorize activities accurately.
- Automatic time tracking based on active apps and websites
- Free plan covers unlimited users with basic tracking
- Lowest per-seat paid pricing at $2.99/user/month
- Invoicing locked behind Pro plan ($7.99/user/month)
- Users report occasional bugs and data reliability issues
- No client portal, proposals, or contracts
Everhour (Free / $8.50/user/month)
Best for: freelancers who use Asana, Trello, or Jira and want time tracking embedded inside those tools | Capterra: 4.7/5 | G2: 4.7/5
Everhour embeds a timer directly inside project management tools like Asana, Trello, Jira, Monday, and ClickUp. Time entries appear alongside tasks without switching tabs. The free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited projects and basic reports but no integrations. The Team plan at $8.50/user/month (billed annually) includes native integrations, budgeting, invoicing, and client reports. Minimum purchase is 5 seats ($42.50/month), which makes Everhour expensive for solo freelancers. The native integration approach works well for freelancers already committed to a PM tool, but Everhour alone handles neither projects nor client communication.
- Native integration inside Asana, Trello, Jira, and Monday
- Budgeting and time estimates per task and project
- Invoicing available on Team plan
- Minimum 5-seat purchase on Team plan ($42.50/month minimum)
- Free plan excludes all integrations
- No client portal, proposals, or contracts
Every dedicated tracker on this list requires at least one additional subscription to handle invoicing and client communication. A freelancer using Toggl Track ($9/month) plus an invoicing tool like FreshBooks ($17/month) plus a client portal app ($15-25/month) pays $41-51/month for what Plutio covers at $19/month flat.
Passive time tracking tools
Passive trackers run in the background and log time automatically based on which apps and websites are in use, without requiring manual start/stop actions. The approach eliminates the "forgot to start the timer" problem that plagues manual trackers, but the trade-off is less control over how entries are categorized and limited billing integration.
RescueTime (Free / $6/month)
Best for: freelancers who want to understand where their time goes without manual logging | Capterra: 4.6/5 (141 reviews) | G2: 4.1/5
RescueTime runs silently on desktop and mobile, tracking which applications and websites are active throughout the day. The platform categorizes time into productive, neutral, and distracting buckets, then delivers daily reports showing how hours were spent. Focus sessions block distracting sites during deep work. The free plan includes basic tracking and daily reports. The paid plan at $6/month per user (billed annually) adds focus sessions, detailed reports, and offline time logging. RescueTime is a productivity analysis tool, not a client billing tool. There is no billable/non-billable separation, no invoicing, and no per-project tracking. Freelancers who need billable hour reports for clients will still need a separate tracker.
- Fully automatic tracking with zero manual input required
- Focus session mode blocks distracting websites during work
- Daily productivity reports break down time by category
- No billable/non-billable separation for client billing
- No invoicing, project tracking, or client-facing reports
- Cannot assign tracked time to specific client projects
RescueTime answers "where did my time go?" but not "how much do I bill this client?" Freelancers using RescueTime for productivity data still need a separate tracker and invoicing tool for actual billing, which brings the total stack cost above what all-in-one platforms charge.
Feature comparison at a glance
All 9 tools compared side by side on pricing, free plans, invoicing, billable rates, and client portals.
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Invoicing | Billable rates | Client portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plutio | $19/mo flat | No (7-day trial) | Included | Included | Included |
| Toggl Track | Free / $9/user/mo | Yes (5 users) | No | Starter ($9+) | No |
| Clockify | Free / $3.99/user/mo | Yes (unlimited) | Standard ($5.99+) | Standard ($5.99+) | No |
| Harvest | $11/user/mo | Yes (1 user, 2 projects) | Included | Included | No |
| Hubstaff | $5.83/user/mo | Yes (1 user) | No | No | No |
| TimeCamp | Free / $2.99/user/mo | Yes (unlimited) | Pro ($7.99+) | Basic ($5.99+) | No |
| Everhour | Free / $8.50/user/mo | Yes (5 users, no integrations) | Team ($8.50+) | Team ($8.50+) | No |
| Mango | $35/user/mo | No | Included | Included | Included |
| RescueTime | Free / $6/mo | Yes (basic) | No | No | No |
Only Plutio, Harvest, and Mango include invoicing on every plan. Plutio is the only tool on this list with flat-rate pricing, a client portal, proposals, and contracts included alongside time tracking and invoicing. Every other tool either charges per seat, locks invoicing behind higher tiers, or skips billing entirely.
Picking the right freelance time tracker
The right time tracker depends on what happens after the timer stops. A freelancer who bills hourly clients has different needs from one who tracks hours for personal productivity. The decision tree below maps each use case to the tool that fits.
If tracked hours need to become client invoices
Plutio handles the full arc from time entry to invoice to client payment in one platform. Billable hours convert into invoice line items without exporting data. Harvest connects time to invoicing with per-project rates but charges per seat and skips proposals, contracts, and client portals. Clockify's invoicing requires the Standard plan at $5.99/user/month, and the invoices don't connect to a client portal or proposal workflow.
If the freelancer only needs a timer with reports
Toggl Track's free plan covers up to 5 users with unlimited tracking and clean reports. Clockify offers unlimited free users but with a more cluttered interface. Both export time reports that can be attached to invoices created in a separate tool. For freelancers who don't bill hourly, the free plans from either tool handle the job without a subscription.
If the freelancer manages remote subcontractors
Hubstaff's activity monitoring, screenshot capture, and GPS tracking suit freelancers who hire remote contractors and need visibility into hours worked. The Team plan at $10/user/month adds payroll for paying those contractors directly. The monitoring approach suits contractor management but feels heavy for solo freelancers billing their own clients.
If the freelancer already uses Asana, Trello, or Jira
Everhour embeds timers natively inside those tools, so time entries log against tasks without switching apps. The 5-seat minimum on the Team plan ($42.50/month) makes Everhour expensive for solo users, but freelancers running a team inside Asana or Jira get the tightest integration available.
If the freelancer wants to understand time habits
RescueTime tracks time passively across apps and websites without manual input. The daily reports reveal where hours actually go versus where they're supposed to go. RescueTime is a productivity analysis tool, not a billing tool, so freelancers still need a separate tracker and invoicing app for client work.
For freelancers who bill clients, the cheapest overall stack is an all-in-one platform that includes time tracking, invoicing, and a client portal in one subscription. A dedicated tracker plus separate invoicing plus a portal adds up to 3 subscriptions and 2-3 manual data transfers per project.
Common time tracking mistakes freelancers make
The most expensive time tracking mistake freelancers make is treating the timer as a standalone tool and handling invoicing separately. The gap between logging hours and sending an invoice is where billable work leaks, and the longer that gap stays open, the more revenue disappears into admin. According to an Accelo analysis, service businesses lose an average of 5-15% of revenue to unbilled work.
Paying for team features as a solo freelancer
Hubstaff's screenshot monitoring, Everhour's 5-seat minimum, and Toggl Track's team management features are built for employers tracking employees. A solo freelancer billing 3-5 clients pays for features designed for a use case that doesn't apply. Before subscribing, check whether the plan's price includes tools aimed at teams rather than individual billing.
Tracking time but not billing it
Freelancers who log hours in Toggl Track or Clockify but create invoices in a separate app like FreshBooks or QuickBooks face a manual transfer step. Each transfer introduces rounding, missed entries, and delays. A QuickBooks survey found that 38% of freelancers struggle with accurate billable time, and the manual transfer between tools is a root cause. Connecting time tracking to invoicing in one tool eliminates that gap.
Choosing based on free plan instead of billing workflow
Clockify and TimeCamp both offer unlimited free tracking, but neither free plan includes invoicing. A freelancer who picks a tracker because it's free, then adds a $17-30/month invoicing tool, pays more than a flat-rate platform that bundles both. The total cost of the stack matters more than the cost of any single tool in it.
Forgetting client-facing visibility
Most dedicated trackers produce reports meant for internal review. Clients who want to see hours logged against their project either receive a PDF export or get no visibility at all. A client portal where clients view logged hours, project progress, and invoices in one branded interface replaces the weekly update email and the "can you send me a time report?" request. The real cost of a time tracker is the total monthly spend across every tool needed to get from "hours logged" to "client paid." Choosing the cheapest timer often leads to the most expensive overall stack.
