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Best time tracking software apps to boost your productivity

Time tracking is an important part of team workflows. In this tutorial, we look at some of the best time tracking software.
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Are you looking to track your time to boost your productivity? Not sure what the best time tracking software are?

Time tracking apps have various use cases. Freelancers can use them to keep track of the time they spend on projects. 

tips and track
There are plenty of time tracking apps you can download today! Image source: Envato

Solopreneurs, or people who run their own businesses, can also benefit from these apps. Small businesses can use these apps as well. These are just some of the many use cases of time tracking software.

Using time tracking apps is one of the best ways to avoid procrastination and be more productive. Thankfully, there are many time tracking apps available for you to choose from. 

We'll cover the best time tracking software and employee time tracking software available today. 

If you are looking for software for tracking time, then be sure to check out Envato. There are thousands of creative assets that you can use for your upcoming projects. 

First, let's have a look at the advantages of using time tracking software. 

The advantages of time tracking software

Time tracking tools not only bring structure to the workplace, but they also provide a transparent view of how time is being spent.

This creates better project management, improves productivity, and increases overall business performance. 

time tracking software
Image source: Envato

Let's cover the specific advantages of using time tracking software:

  • Insightful Reporting: Most time tracking software includes reporting features that provide valuable insights. This data can be used to make informed decisions and increase efficiency.

  • Effective Cost Management: Time is money. By tracking time accurately, businesses can identify inefficiencies and cut costs.

  • Increased Accountability: Staff time tracking software makes everyones actions transparent and holds people accountable. 

  • Better Work-Life Balance: Employee time tracking software is also very beneficial. It can help stop workers from getting too tired or stressed from overwork, which is known as burnout. It also promotes a healthier balance between work and personal life.

  • Accurate Client Billing: Time tracking ensures you bill clients accurately for the hours worked. This not only prevents disputes but also strengthens client relationships.

  • Efficient Project Management: Time tracking software provides real-time information on project progress. This helps with resource allocation, task assignment, and project scheduling.

  • Enhanced Productivity: By keeping track of how much time you spend on different tasks, you can figure out where you work best. You can also discover if there are areas where you might be wasting time.

Let's now have a look at what makes a good time tracker app.

What makes a good time tracker app?

The right time tracker app for you or your organization should be user-friendly, reliable, and feature-rich. These key aspects ensure the tool does more than just track time. Time tracker apps should do more than just track time. They should also help you work more efficiently and give you useful information about your work habits. Here's what you should look for in a high-quality time tracker apps:

  • User-friendly Interface: A time tracker app should be intuitive and easy to navigate. 

  • Reliability: The app should accurately record time without any errors. It should be consistently functional and not crash or lose data.

  • Feature-rich: A good time tracker app should offer more than basic time tracking. It should provide features such as project management, invoicing, reporting, and more.

  • Integration: The time tracking app should work well with other software tools that you use. For example, it should connect easily with project management apps, accounting software, or communication tools.
  • Data Visualization: Graphs, charts, and other pictures that show data are really useful. They can help you quickly understand how you're using your time. Look for time tracking apps that offer clear and detailed visual reports.

Let's now have a look at the best time tracking software. 

Top time tracking software

Looking for the best time tracking software? Here are the top fifteen time tracking apps that you can download and start using today. 

1. RescueTime

rescue time

RescueTime is one of the biggest names in time tracker software. Although they've got a version for organizations, RescueTime is at its best for personal productivity. The app keeps a record of everything you do on your computer. Then it automatically labels each activity as either productive or unproductive.

If you want a simple way to see how you’re spending your time, check out their free plan. Premium, for $9 a month, gives you some extra features and a longer report history. The truth is you won't find this much quality with a free time tracking software.

2. Toggl

toggl

Toggl is a time tracking app for individuals and teams that’s available on pretty much any platform you care to name. They've got Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android apps, as well as Chrome and Firefox plugins. 

The free plan is a good choice if you only want to track time. But, if you pay starting from $9 a month, you can get extra features. These include reports, insights, connections with other apps, and special features. It’s a great way to track either your or your teams’ productivity. 

3. Timely

timely

Timely is an app that can connect with your calendar. It shows your planned activities next to what you actually do. It’s the best of both worlds and makes it super easy to track how well you or your team is doing at meeting deadlines. It’s live update and reports features are also great for keeping clients abreast of how the project is going. 

Unlike most of the options on this list, Timely doesn’t have a free plan. Instead there’s a free trial. Plans start at $7 per month for one person and $14 per month per user for teams.

4. Time Champ

Time Champ

Time Champ is a comprehensive productivity and time tracking solution designed to help businesses monitor performance, optimize workflows, and manage time more effectively. It combines multiple capabilities into one powerful platform, making it a valuable tool for both small teams and large organizations.

It also offers advanced workforce analytics, enabling managers to gain real-time visibility into employee performance, work patterns, and productivity trends. Its built-in timesheet management system simplifies time entry, approvals, and payroll alignment, ensuring accurate and efficient reporting across departments.

Pricing starts from $3.9 per user/month for a Standard plan. 

5. TopTracker

top tracker

TopTracker is the best option if you just need a simple way to prove to clients how much time you’re spending working on their projects.

While it also tracks how you spend your time, its best feature is that it can take and anonymous screenshots as you work. This means you can submit proof to your clients that when you say you spent ten hours working on something, you really did. Even better, this is a totally free time tracking software.

6. Harvest

harvest

Harvest is a great option if you’re a project manager who just wants a good looking, easy way to keep tabs on how your team is doing. It doesn’t do anything different or revolutionary, it’s just a great time tracker software for teams at a reasonable price. 

You can start using this as a free time tracking software. Single users can track up to two projects for free; after that, it’s $12 per month per user for unlimited projects. It's one of the best time tracking software for a small business.

7. Paymo

paymo

Paymo is a total project management app. It has tools to help you plan, schedule, invoice and, of course, track time. If you’re looking for a single app to manage every facet of your team, Paymo is definitely worth a look. With a simple workflow that lets you plan, assign tasks, track what’s done, and then charge for billable hours, it makes life very easy. 

There’s a free trial. After that plans start from $4.45 per month per user and go up to $22.45 per month per user if you want the Professional top tier.

8. Deltek | Replicon

Deltek | Replicon’s unified time tracking software powered by AI/ML technologies can capture employees’ work time data anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With its AI-powered timesheets, you can automatically track data in real time from more than 100 work apps that employees use, including Slack, Jira, Asana, and Zoom, and get ready-to-review timesheets without requiring any manual intervention.

Simple to use and navigate, this time-tracking platform is designed to help businesses capture accurate billable hours for invoicing clients and process payroll for employees. Its advanced validation system ensures accuracy at the source and error-free billing.

Deltek | Replicon’s time and attendance suite starts at $12 per month per user, while the project time tracking suite starts at $60 per month and is available for up to 5 users.

9. ClickTime

clicktime

ClickTime is a time tracking app that’s geared more towards project management. This app has tools that help you manage your projects. You can see if your projects are costing more than you planned. It shows how many hours your employees worked that you can bill for. It also tells you if you need to hire more help. It basically helps the entire management team understand exactly what’s happening in the trenches. 

Plans start at $10 per month per user, but it’s only at the $12 per month per user mark that you start to get the really powerful features.

10. TimeTune

timetune

TimeTune is a time management app that helps users set up and stick to routines and schedules. It has a time tracking feature that lets users easily start and stop timers. Users can also create blocks of time for different activities. This makes recording what you do more efficient. TimeTune is made for people who want to get better at managing their time and be more productive overall. The app is only available for Android devices.

11. Clockify

clockify

Looking for the best personal time tracking app? Clockify is a special software for tracking time. It has an easy-to-use time tracker and timesheet. These tools help monitor how productive you are and track hours that can be billed.

You can access this best time tracking software on desktop and mobile platforms for Windows and MacOS.

The best personal time tracking app has several features. It allows users to keep track of how much time they spend on different activities. It helps manage schedules for a team. And it can create reports about all of this information.This software for tracking time is ideal for freelancers and small businesses.

12. Buddy Punch

Buddy Punch landing page

Buddy Punch offers streamlined employee time tracking software and attendance management, simplifying workforce administration. Its intuitive interface and seamless payroll integration enable businesses to easily monitor employee hours for precise payroll processing.

It's ideal for small to medium-sized enterprises, or any organization seeking an uncomplicated solution for tracking work hours and attendance.

13. Time Analytics

time analytics

This best time tracking software designed for consulting firms, contractors, engineers, and architects.

Time tracking software is very helpful for consultants. It helps them be more productive and make more money. It does this by keeping track of how many hours they spend on each client, project, or task. One such software is Time Analytics. It has features like automatic cost allocation, managing billing and pay rates, and creating timesheets.

14. Hubstaff

hubstaff

Hubstaff is a time tracking software tailored for contractors. It has featrures such as scheduling, job management, team communication, quoting, and invoicing.

The software provides employee work tracking with screenshots, timesheets, and comprehensive reports, enabling businesses to identify and address productivity issues. There are over thirty integrations with this time tracking software for consultants.

15. Apploye

apploye dashboard

Apploye is a robust time tracking and remote employee monitoring software be it in-house, remote, or hybrid. Its key features include detailed time tracking, productivity monitoring with screenshots and activity levels, and comprehensive reporting tools. With Apploye, users can easily manage projects and track billable hours, making it ideal for accurate client billing. 

The software also includes features for payroll management and automatic timesheets useful for remote teams. It's accessible on multiple platforms like Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. 

16. Smartsheet

smartsheet

Smartsheet is a project management platform that incorporates time tracking features.

Users can track time in various ways, such as hours and minutes, half days, or itemized hours and minutes. This allows for different levels of flexibility in your time tracking. 

17. ClickUp

clickup

ClickUp is a tool for managing projects. It's one of the best personal time tracking apps. Besides other productivity tools, it also has features for tracking time. Users can track time spent on tasks, manage schedules, and generate reports.

ClickUp is well-known for its ability to be customized. This makes it a great choice for businesses that want to personalize their time tracking and project management.

18. Wrike

wrike

Wrike is a software for managing projects. It includes features for tracking time to help users keep track of how much time they spend on tasks. The software is best suited for complex projects. This best time tracking software for small business allows users to track time across multiple tasks and projects, generate reports, and manage team schedules.

19. Teamwork

teamwork

Teamwork is another tool for managing projects and working together as a team. It also has features for tracking time. Users can track time spent on tasks, manage schedules, and generate reports.

Looking for a time tracking software for a small business? Teamwork is best suited for businesses that require collaboration and communication in addition to time tracking. 

20. Traqq

Traqq

Traqq is an intuitive time tracker designed for both individuals and teams. It runs automatically, tracking time and providing insights into the apps and websites you use most. The tool also works offline, syncing seamlessly once you’re back online, so no tracked time is ever lost.

Traqq simplifies team management by helping track attendance and leave. It’s a great choice for teams that value privacy, as it doesn’t capture screenshots. Additionally, its detailed reports make it easy to analyze productivity trends and make smarter decisions to optimize your workflow.

Looking to learn more about productivity? Don't miss the next section!

Learn more about productivity 

Are you still looking to learn more about how you and your employees can be more productive? Be sure to check out the following articles on productivity and get more work done!

Gain access to high-quality creative assets

Are you looking for other ways to boost your productivity?

Consider using professional assets in your projects. It's a must if you're trying to save time, be more productive, and deliver a high-quality product.

Envato has just what you need to supercharge your next project and save you time. 

Envato is the best place on the web for tools of all types. For a low monthly fee, get unlimited downloads to as many creative assets as you want. 

Explore Creative Assets

Envato is one of the best values out there for business professionals today. With the unlimited downloads, you'll be able to try out all types of options in your upcoming projects.

Here's how you benefit from using Envato:

  • save money by not having to hire professional graphic designers
  • save time by starting with an already professional design
  • generate new ideas with all the fresh creative assets
  • focus on other parts of your creative project

Start boosting your productivity today! 

The biggest benefit of any time tracking app is that they make it easy for you to actually track how you spend your time.

As Peter Drucker says, “What gets measured, gets managed.” 

All the time tracking software on this list are great for different needs. The best time tracker app is the one that you will actually use. Pick the one that best fits you and your team’s existing workflow. 

Check out Envato. There are sure to be plenty of high-quality creative assets that you can use in your next project!

Editorial Note: This tutorial was original published in 2017 by Harry Guinness. It's been completely revised and udpated to include current tools and information.