TLDR (Summary)
The best time tracking software for solopreneurs is Plutio ($19/month).
Standalone timers track hours but don't connect to clients or billing. Plutio time tracking links to projects, budgets, and automatic invoicing... so tracked hours become accurate bills without manual data transfer between tools.
Solopreneurs get project timers, budget alerts, revenue per project reports, and automatic invoice line items. See which clients and service types are most profitable.
Solopreneurs using connected time tracking recover hours of billable time through automatic client and project linking that eliminates manual data entry.
For additional strategies, read our time tracking guide in Freelancer Magazine.
What is time tracking software for solopreneurs?
Time tracking software for solopreneurs is software that logs working hours against clients and projects, supporting accurate billing and margin analysis across your entire business.
The distinction matters: simple timers track time, but solopreneur time tracking connects hours to specific clients, projects, and tasks. System connection supports accurate invoicing and margin visibility that drives better business decisions.
What solopreneur time tracking actually does
Core functions include starting and stopping timers on tasks, logging time manually when timers are not practical, categorizing hours by client, project, and activity type, generating timesheet reports for billing, and converting tracked time to invoices with one click.
Spreadsheets vs time tracking software
Spreadsheet time tracking requires manual entry, lacks timer capability, and disconnects from invoicing. Dedicated software captures time in real-time and connects to billing workflow automatically. The difference compounds with every client added.
A solopreneur tracking hours in Google Sheets needs to open the spreadsheet, find the right row, enter the time, then later copy those hours into an invoicing tool. Each step introduces friction and error potential. Forgetting to log a 20-minute client call happens easily when logging requires opening a separate spreadsheet. Connected time tracking captures entries in the same place where projects and clients live, so the logging friction drops to a single click and nothing gets missed.
What makes solopreneur time tracking different
Solopreneurs switch between multiple clients throughout the day, sometimes changing context hourly. Tracking must be fast enough to capture these transitions without becoming its own administrative burden. When you are the entire team, every minute spent on admin is a minute not spent on billable work or growth.
When time tracking connects to projects and invoicing, the complete billing workflow simplifies. Hours tracked become invoiced revenue without manual data transfer between disconnected tools.
Why solopreneurs need time tracking software
Solopreneurs without connected time tracking leave 10-20% of billable revenue on the table through forgotten hours, inaccurate invoices, and the margin blindness that comes from not knowing which projects actually make money.
The forgotten hour epidemic
A 15-minute client call, a quick email revision, a scope clarification message. Each interaction is billable but too small to feel worth logging manually. Across 8-12 active clients, these micro-tasks add up to 4-8 unbilled hours weekly. At $100/hour, that represents $1,600-3,200/month in revenue that quietly goes unrecovered. Connected time tracking with one-click timers captures these micro-entries automatically because starting a timer takes less effort than deciding not to track.
The true hourly rate mystery
Most solopreneurs quote hourly rates or fixed fees but never calculate their actual earned rate per hour worked. A $5,000 fixed-fee project that takes 60 hours earns $83/hour. The same project at 35 hours earns $143/hour. Without tracking time on fixed-fee work, the difference between these outcomes stays invisible, and pricing decisions rely on guesswork. According to research, 36% of working time goes to non-billable tasks, making the true earned rate even lower than most solopreneurs estimate.
The late invoice cascade
When time tracking and invoicing are separate tools, invoice creation requires manual data transfer: opening the time tracker, exporting hours, reformatting entries, and typing them into the invoicing app. The tedium causes delays, and research shows 50-70% of freelance invoices arrive late. Late invoices trigger late payments, which create cash flow pressure that affects every business decision from hiring contractors to investing in marketing.
The service mix blind spot
A solopreneur offering three service types, like strategy consulting at $200/hour, design at $125/hour, and implementation at $75/hour, needs time data to know which services to promote and which to phase out. Without tracked hours per service type, marketing effort distributes evenly across offerings rather than concentrating on the highest-margin work. Three months of consistent time tracking reveals which clients and services generate the best returns per hour invested.
Solopreneurs who switch from spreadsheet tracking to connected time-to-invoice software recover 10-20% more billable hours through automated capture and one-click invoicing.
Time tracking features solopreneurs need
The essential time tracking features for solopreneurs connect hours logging and budgets with project delivery, invoicing, and margin analysis.
Core time tracking features
- One-click timers: Start tracking from any task with a single click. Switch between client projects throughout the day with instant context changes. No friction, no manual entry.
- Manual time entry: Log time after the fact when timers aren't practical. Add descriptions, durations, and rates for work completed without active tracking.
- Project budget tracking: Set hour estimates per project. Real-time display of hours consumed versus budget. Alerts when projects approach thresholds you define.
- Time-to-invoice conversion: Select tracked entries and convert to invoice line items with one click. Rates, descriptions, and totals transfer automatically.
- Billable vs non-billable: Mark entries as billable or non-billable. Separate reports show how much time goes to client work versus admin tasks.
- Multiple rate support: Different hourly rates for different clients, project types, or work categories. Rates apply automatically based on context.
Solopreneur-specific features
- Revenue per project reporting: See time versus revenue per client and service type. Identify which relationships generate the best margins and which consume more effort than they return.
- Retainer hour tracking: Allocate hours against monthly retainer limits. System shows remaining hours and alerts when utilization approaches the cap.
- Expense tracking: Log project expenses alongside time. Add to client billing at cost or with markup.
Platform features that multiply value
- Branded time reports: When retainer clients receive a monthly hours breakdown, it arrives under your domain with your logo, reinforcing professionalism at the exact moment they evaluate your value.
- Mobile timers: Start and stop tracking from iOS or Android when client calls happen away from your desk, so billable minutes captured on the go don't slip through the cracks.
- Budget-triggered alerts: Automations notify you when logged hours hit 80% of a project estimate, giving you time to renegotiate scope before the budget runs out rather than discovering overruns at invoicing.
Connected time tracking captures the 4-8 unbilled hours per week that disappear between standalone timers and invoicing tools, recovering $1,600-3,200/month in revenue at typical solopreneur rates.
Time tracking software pricing for solopreneurs
Time tracking software for solopreneurs typically costs $10-20 per month for standalone tools, with integrated platforms providing complete functionality at lower total cost.
What solopreneurs typically pay for time tracking tools
- Toggl: $10-18/month per user
- Harvest: $12/month per user
- Clockify: Free-$11.99/month
- TimeCamp: $7-14/month per user
These tools track time but require separate systems for projects, invoicing, and client management. Total tool stack cost typically exceeds integrated alternatives.
Plutio pricing (January 2026)
- Core: $19/month: Unlimited time tracking plus projects, invoicing, contracts, scheduling, and client portals.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, team time tracking, advanced permissions.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, advanced reporting, full white-labeling.
The ROI calculation for solopreneurs
- Recovered revenue: 10-20% more billable hours captured through connected tracking
- At $100/hour: 4 additional hours/month = $400/month recovered
- Tool consolidation: Replace time tracker + invoicing + project tool ($40-60/month) with one platform at $19/month
Time tracking software ROI comes through recovered revenue. The hours previously missed pay for the platform many times over.
Why Plutio is the best time tracking software for solopreneurs
The gap between tracking an hour and billing for it is where solopreneurs lose money. Plutio closes that gap: every time entry already knows which client it belongs to, which project it serves, and which invoice it will appear on.
Integrated time tracking
Track time against projects with one click. Timers accessible from anywhere in the platform. Switch between clients throughout the day with quick context changes and no friction.
Task-level tracking
Time entries connect to specific project tasks. See exactly what work consumed which hours. Task completion and time tracked appear together for complete visibility.
Budget visibility
Real-time display of hours consumed versus project budget. Alerts when projects approach budget thresholds. Prevent margin surprises before they happen.
One-click invoicing
Select tracked time entries and convert to invoice line items instantly. Hours, rates, and descriptions transfer without manual entry. Accurate invoices in seconds instead of the 30-60 minutes manual creation takes.
Multiple rate support
Different hourly rates for different clients, project types, or work categories. Rates apply automatically when tracking against the relevant context. No manual rate lookup. A solopreneur charging $150/hour for strategy consulting and $100/hour for implementation work sees the correct rate applied automatically based on which project type the timer runs against. When invoicing time, Plutio calculates totals using the correct rate per entry without manual verification or adjustment.
Revenue per project reporting
See time versus revenue per client and service type. Identify which relationships generate the best margins and which consume more effort than they return. Data-driven decisions about pricing, service offerings, and client focus.
Client portal visibility
Share time reports through client portals when appropriate. Clients see work progress without requesting reports. Transparency builds trust and reduces billing questions. Configure visibility per client based on billing structure. Hourly clients benefit from seeing tracked time in real-time, while fixed-fee clients may only need milestone progress updates. Portal time visibility means clients review hours before receiving invoices, so billing conversations happen proactively rather than reactively.
Time tracking becomes part of the complete business workflow rather than an isolated logging exercise. Every tracked hour connects to billing, revenue per project data, and business intelligence that drives growth.
How to set up time tracking in Plutio
Setting up time tracking in Plutio takes 30-60 minutes for initial configuration, with tracking benefits beginning immediately.
Step 1: Configure billing rates (15 mins)
- Set default hourly rate
- Configure client-specific rates where different
- Define project type rate variations if applicable
Step 2: Set up projects for tracking (15 mins)
- Ensure active projects have hour budgets set
- Connect projects to client records
- Create task structures for detailed tracking
Step 3: Configure tracking preferences (10 mins)
- Set default billable/non-billable status
- Configure rounding rules if used
- Download mobile app for on-the-go tracking
Step 4: Build the tracking habit
Time tracking value depends on consistent use. Start timers when beginning work, stop when switching contexts. The habit forms within 1-2 weeks of consistent practice. During the first week, set a reminder to check whether your timer is running every time you switch tasks. By week two, starting and stopping timers becomes automatic. The data quality from consistent tracking compounds over months, creating a detailed picture of how your time actually gets spent versus how you think it gets spent.
Tracking tips for solopreneurs
- Track everything including quick emails and brief calls
- Use descriptions to remember what work entries represent
- Review timesheets weekly to catch any missed entries
- Compare tracked hours to quoted budgets for revenue per hour breakdowns
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Not setting default billing rates: Configure your standard hourly rate and any client-specific overrides before tracking starts. Entries without rates assigned require manual correction before invoicing.
- Tracking too granularly: Log time at the task level, not the minute-by-minute activity level. Overly detailed tracking creates admin burden that defeats the purpose of faster billing.
- Forgetting to connect time tracking to invoicing: Test the time-to-invoice conversion with a sample entry before relying on it for real billing. The connection between tracked hours and invoice line items is the primary value of integrated time tracking.
Setup is quick. Building the tracking habit takes 1-2 weeks. Consistent practice creates accurate data that transforms billing accuracy and margin visibility.
Time tracking templates for solopreneurs
Time tracking templates define work categories and billing structures that organize time data effectively for margin analysis.
Essential tracking categories for solopreneurs
- Client delivery: Billable time on client projects and deliverables
- Business development: Sales calls, proposals, networking, and marketing
- Administrative: Invoicing, email, tool management, and operations
- Product development: Building productized services, systems, and assets
- Professional development: Learning, skill building, and industry research
Project-level time structures
- Discovery: Initial research, scoping, and client conversations
- Active delivery: Core service work and deliverable creation
- Revisions: Changes based on client feedback
- Communication: Client meetings, emails, and coordination
- Administration: Project-specific billing, file organization, and handoff
Tracking proven methods
- Use consistent categories across all projects for meaningful analysis
- Include brief descriptions with each entry for invoice clarity
- Track in real-time rather than reconstructing hours later
- Review weekly to identify patterns and optimize time allocation
Using time data to adjust pricing
After three months of consistent tracking, patterns emerge that directly inform pricing decisions. A graphic designer who discovers that logo projects consistently take 18 hours despite quoting for 12 can adjust future proposals to reflect actual effort. A consultant who finds strategy sessions generate twice the revenue per hour compared to implementation work can shift their service mix toward higher-margin offerings. Without tracked data, these patterns remain invisible, and pricing stays based on guesswork rather than evidence from actual project delivery.
Structured tracking categories support meaningful margin analysis. Well-organized time data reveals patterns that inform pricing, service offerings, and business strategy.
Client portals for solopreneurs: time visibility
Client portals can display time tracking data, providing transparency that builds trust and reduces billing questions.
Time visibility through portals
Choose what time data clients see: summary hours only, detailed entries with descriptions, or no time visibility at all. Configure per client based on relationship type and billing structure.
Benefits of time transparency
When clients see work in progress, they understand where time goes. Billing surprises disappear because clients have context throughout the project rather than only seeing the final invoice. Transparency also reduces scope disagreements because clients track hours consumed against budget allocation in real time. A client who sees 75% of hours consumed at the halfway point of a project can discuss priorities with you before the budget runs out, rather than receiving an unexpected overage bill after delivery.
Reduced billing questions
Invoices referencing time clients have already seen through their portal generate fewer questions. The connection between work performed and billing amount becomes obvious through ongoing visibility.
Trust building
Transparency signals honesty and professionalism. Clients who can verify time spent trust that billing reflects actual work. Trust leads to repeat business and referrals.
When not to share
Fixed-fee and productized service projects may not benefit from time visibility. Some client relationships work better with outcome focus rather than time transparency. Configure visibility appropriately per project type.
Time reports for retainer clients
Retainer clients especially benefit from portal time visibility. Monthly retainer relationships often generate questions about how hours get allocated. When retainer clients see tracked hours against their monthly allocation through the portal, they understand utilization without requesting reports via email. A marketing consultant on a 20-hour monthly retainer can show the client exactly where those 20 hours went: 8 hours on content creation, 5 hours on campaign management, 4 hours on analytics reporting, and 3 hours on strategy meetings. The breakdown justifies the retainer investment and often leads to retainer renewals or increases when clients see the breadth of work being delivered.
Portal time visibility transforms billing from documentation review to ongoing transparency. Clients understand work in progress rather than only seeing final invoices.
How to migrate time tracking to Plutio
Migrating time tracking takes 30-60 minutes for initial setup, with tracking benefits beginning immediately for new work.
Step 1: Audit current approach (15 mins)
- List current tracking tool and workflow
- Identify rate structures and billing categories
- Note pain points in current time-to-invoice process
Step 2: Configure Plutio tracking (30-45 mins)
- Set up billing rates and client-specific overrides
- Create project structures with hour budgets
- Configure tracking preferences and categories
Step 3: Begin tracking new work
Start using Plutio for all new time tracking immediately. Build the habit with fresh work rather than migrating historical entries.
What about historical time data?
Historical time entries typically don't need migration. Past invoices remain valid regardless of where time was tracked. Focus new tracking on the connected workflow rather than recreating history. If you need historical data for reference during a client dispute or audit, export reports from your old tool and store them as files. Moving forward, all new time data lives in Plutio's connected system where entries flow directly into invoices and margin reports.
Parallel operation period
If needed, run both systems briefly for ongoing projects. Complete active work in the old tracker while starting new projects in Plutio. The parallel period typically lasts 2-4 weeks until active projects on the old system wrap up. Once all current billing cycles close on the previous tool, cancel the old subscription and operate entirely from Plutio's connected tracking workflow.
From day one in Plutio, every timer click feeds directly into invoicing. Within a month, you see revenue-per-project data that reveals which clients and services actually earn what you think they earn.
