The 5 Best Time Tracking Software for Accountants Today

As an accountant, you know the importance of keeping track of your billable hours, but that doesn’t make doing so less annoying. Time tracking is a pain, but the right tool – that is, one with accountant-friendly features – can make it less so.

We wanted to find out which time tracking software offered the best value for money for accountants, so we undertook an extended investigation and comparison. With an eye on integration capabilities (the ability to connect with the other software tools accountants use most), payroll options and overall value for money, we came up with a ranking of the top 5 as of this year.

Here’s what we found.

The Winners

Navigating the extensive choice of time tracking software for accountants can be overwhelming, so in order to simplify your search, we’ve identified the best options:

• Best for Simple Integration: Harvest
• Best for Comprehensive Employee Monitoring: HubStaff
• Best Free Plan: Clockify
• Best for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: FreshBooks
• Best for Automated Time Tracking: Timecamp

Time-tracking software, which is often referred to as billing software, offers unique features and benefits that are tailored to the needs of accounting firms. What this really means is that you will be better able to track all of your billable hours and streamline your time and billing processes easier.

1. Harvest – Best for Simple Integration

Harvest has been getting a lot of attention of late, due in part to its ability to integrate with PayPal and Stripe as well as Xero and QuickBooks. This integration means that you will be up and running in no time.

Pros:

• Integrates seamlessly with Xero and QuickBooks Online
• Allows clients to pay invoices quickly via PayPal and Stripe
• Offers a 30-day free trial

Cons:

• Limited advanced team management features
• Higher cost than other products

Harvest certainly stands out for its effortless integrations with popular accounting tools like Xero and QuickBooks Online. It makes it easy to begin automatically copying invoices and payments to simplify your accounting process. The fact that it can also integrate with PayPal and Stripe is a huge benefit as well.

With its robust reporting and analysis features, expense management, and customizable reports, your entire billing procedure will be streamlined.

Another reason why so many people are choosing Harvest is because of its user-friendly interface. Although the system doesn’t have a lot of the higher-end, advanced team management features found in other tools, its ability to integrate seamlessly makes it the preferred choice for firms that want to simplify their time-tracking and billing processes.

Price:

Harvest has a free version of its product that allows for one seat and two projects. The Pro package is available at $10.80 per seat, per month when purchased on an annual basis. No credit card is required and there is a full 30-day money-back guarantee.

Rating:

• Price: 4/5
• Design: 5/5
• Integration: 5/5
• Features: 4/5

2. HubStaff – Best for Comprehensive Employee Monitoring

HubStaff does a lot more than just track time – it is a comprehensive employee monitoring product that includes a number of advanced features for your in-house and remote employees.

Pros:

• Comprehensive employee monitoring features
• Automatic payroll management and client invoicing
• HIPAA compliance ensures data security

Cons:

• Privacy concerns due to the potential for screenshot capture
• Higher priced than other options

HubStaff includes advanced features like URL tracking, payroll management, and HIPAA compliance, making it an ideal tool for businesses that prioritize employee productivity. HubStaff is able to track employee work hours, take automatic screenshots, and provide detailed performance reports to ensure everyone is working at their best.

HubStaff’s automated payroll system is based on pre-determined pay rates which can save you an awful lot of time. For companies that are serious about data security, it is also the premier choice. However, because it has a built-in screenshot feature, you should consider that there might be privacy issues among employees.

Price:

Hubstaff comes with a free 15-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. The Fee plan allows up to five users and ten projects, while the Premium Plan starts at just $4.17 per user and provides for unlimited users and unlimited projects. You can also access custom pricing for enterprises from their website.

Rating:

• Price: 3/5
• Design: 4/5
• Integration: 4/5
• Features: 5/5

3. Clockify – Best Free Plan

If you have been looking for time-tracking software, then you have most likely come across Clockify. It is generally accepted to be the most full-featured free plan and its ability to integrate with QuickBooks makes it a no-brainer for small businesses.

Pros:

• 100% free plan with unlimited tracking and users
• Features include a Pomodoro timer, idle detection, and reminders
• QuickBooks Online integration
• Easy synchronization of data and transactions

Cons:

• Advanced features require paid plans
• The free version does not have all of the available features

Clockify is definitely known for its free plan which allows unlimited tracking and users. This means that it is an excellent choice for remote accounting teams, sole practitioners, or temporary staff members. Clockify also includes features like:

• Time tracker
• Calendar
• Pomodoro timer
• Idle detection
• Reminders

The fact that it integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks Online is another huge benefit. While the free version does offer a lot of features, some advanced features are only accessible with a paid plan upgrade. Despite this disparity, Clockify stands out as a strong choice for those in search of an economical time-tracking solution.

Price:

Clockify is available at four different price points. The Standard Plan starts at $5.49 per seat, per month when billed annually. The Pro Plan starts at $7.99 per seat, per month when billed annually. The Enterprise Plan is for larger companies and starts at $11.99 per seat, per month when billed annually. Finally, the Cake.com Bundle Plan is $12.99 per seat, per month when billed annually.

Rating:

• Price: 5/5
• Design: 4/5
• Integration: 4/5
• Features: 4/5

4. FreshBooks – Best for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses

If you listen to Sirius XM radio, then you have undoubtedly heard commercials for FreshBooks for the last few years. This is a very popular product among small businesses yet it offers the kinds of features you would normally only find in more full-featured, enterprise-focused products.

Pros:

• Comprehensive invoicing and time-tracking features
• Integration with essential accounting functions like estimating, invoicing, and financial reporting
• User-friendly interface and mobile app

Cons:

• Higher cost for advanced features
• Limited project management capabilities

FreshBooks has been designed specifically for small to medium-sized businesses. Therefore, it offers a blend of time tracking, invoicing, and other essential accounting functions that small businesses require to thrive. Its time-tracking feature ensures accurate tracking of activities and integrates seamlessly with other accounting tasks.

One factor that a lot of users say about FreshBooks is that it is the most user-friendly among all the time-tracking software programs for accountants. But, the cumulative cost for more advanced features can be high as your business grows. Despite these drawbacks, its overall functionality and user-friendly design make it a top option for small to medium-sized accounting firms.

Price:

FreshBooks offers plans on a monthly and annual basis which enables you to save an extra 10%. There are three basic packages to choose from – Lite, Plus, and Premium. There is also a Select Plan that requires you to contact FreshBooks directly for a quote.

The Lite Plan starts at $7.60 per month and allows you to send invoices for up to five clients. The Plus Plan starts at $13.20 per month and you can send invoices to up to 50 clients per month. The Premium Plan allows unlimited invoices as well as a lot of other features and starts at $24.00 per month.

Rating:

• Price: 4/5
• Design: 5/5
• Integration: 5/5
• Features: 4/5

5. Timecamp – Best for Automated Time Tracking

Timecamp is another leading time-tracking software for accountants and it also brings a lot to the table. With its strong time-tracking abilities and reputation for security and privacy, it is trusted by many small companies.

Pros:

• Strong automated time-tracking capabilities
• Project tree structure with tags for simplified management
• High scores in pricing, security, and data privacy

Cons:

• Limited free features
• Mobile app performance is not as fast as the desktop version

Timecamp is a powerful tool for automatic time tracking, with some of the following features:

• An attendance module that manages employees’ presence and absence automatically
• A project tree structure with tags, making task and subtask management
• Excellent pricing, security, and data privacy

Timecamp’s automated features are big time-savers, enabling accountants to dedicate more time to strategic tasks. But, the free version doesn’t have a lot of the same abilities and would certainly not be for larger companies. Another drawback is the mobile app that is currently not up to snuff. Even with these drawbacks, its comprehensive feature set and robust security measures make it a leading choice for automated time tracking.

Price:

You can try Timecamp for 14 days for free which will give you an opportunity to see if it has what you need. Then, there are four different pricing packages available: Starter, Premium, Ultimate, and Enterprise. Starter is available at just $2.99 per month, per user when billed annually. Premium is more full-featured and starts at $4.99 per month, per user when billed annually.

The Ultimate package starts at just $7.99 per month, per user when billed annually, and the Enterprise package has it all for just $11.99 per month, per user when billed annually.

Rating:

• Price: 4/5
• Design: 4/5
• Integration: 4/5
• Features: 5/5

Choosing the Right Time-Tracking Software for Your Accounting Firm

Choosing the best time-tracking software for your accounting firm requires careful evaluation of several factors. Obviously, finding a product that you can actually afford upfront is important. It should be noted that some products offer free versions while others require a subscription for more advanced features, so keep this in mind when you are evaluating the pricing of a product.

It is also obviously important that time and billing software should seamlessly fit into your firm’s workflow. This is the key to reducing the need for manual data entry and improving efficiency. Tools like Harvest and TimeCamp both offer excellent integration capabilities, automating time tracking, budgeting, and billing tasks.

A good time-tracking tool should offer features that enhance productivity and client relationships. These include automated invoicing and real-time project tracking. In most cases, a prebuilt solution should meet your needs, but there are customized options as well.

The amount of time that it takes you and your staff to get up and running is imperative. Prebuilt products are usually much easier to implement and they also tend to be more user-friendly overall.

Finally, ensure the software provides all of the features that your company needs, such as project tracking, expense tracking, and detailed reporting.

By looking carefully at these factors, you can select the time-tracking software that best meets your firm’s needs.

Important Features to Look For in Time Tracking Software

Among the various features that you should look for is the way in which a product will work with whatever you currently have. Time-tracking software will only be valuable to you if it works with your billing program. It must also be stable on all computers and mobile devices in order for everyone to use it properly.

Custom reporting and analytics are also vital features for many companies. The ability to generate detailed reports and export them as PDFs or email them directly to clients enhances transparency and accountability. These reports can be very valuable for both you and your clients and help everyone make better decisions in the long run.

Time-tracking software that integrates with tools like Trello, Slack, and Asana can streamline task management and improve overall efficiency. The addition of real-time insights and resource management features is also essential.

All of these features allow firms to monitor project statuses, manage client tasks, and allocate resources effectively and this means that projects stay on track, clients get billed properly, and everyone gets paid.

Summary

Selecting the right time-tracking software is going to be a big part of determining your future success. Each tool that we have highlighted in this guide offers unique features tailored to different needs.

The right software can streamline your billing processes, enhance project management, and improve overall productivity. By evaluating factors such as cost, integration capabilities, and essential features, you will be better able to find software that aligns with your firm’s goals and needs.