The 5 Best Time Tracking Software for Consultants Ranked

When a consultant’s time tracking software malfunctions even slightly, money is lost. Few industries value the technology more in real dollar terms than consulting.

To help consultants choose the time tracking software that will suit their operation best, we conducted an in-depth evaluation of the most popular solutions, and assessed them from a consultant’s perspective.

Which offered the features that consultants would use most at the lowest price? After extensive research and comparison, we are excited to reveal our results!

The Winners

There is no shortage of time-tracking tools to choose from, but there are definitely five outstanding ones in 2024. Each of these products excels in different areas, ensuring there’s something for every consultant’s needs:

• Best for Simplicity and Ease of Use: Toggl Track
• Best for Remote Teams: Hubstaff
• Best for Budget-Conscious Users: Clockify
• Best for Comprehensive Features: TimeCamp
• Best for Invoicing and Payments: Harvest

All of these tools are more than just time trackers. They include integrations with project management tools, comprehensive reports, and features that optimize time tracking and billing processes.

1. Toggl Track: Best for Simplicity and Ease of Use

Toggl is a well-respected product that is very popular among small firms or individuals who want a simple product that does the job. With its user-friendly interface and almost endless integration possibilities, it is a popular choice.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• One-click timer and idle time detection
• Robust reporting capabilities
• Integrates with over 100 popular apps
• GDPR-compliant for data security

Cons:

• Limited advanced features]
• Not all of its plans are affordable

Toggl Track seems to be the ultimate time-tracking tool for consultants who want a full-featured, affordable product. With its intuitive interface, you can start tracking your time with just a few clicks. This means that it is perfect for those who want to avoid the complexities of more feature-rich software. It includes a unique one-click timer, idle time detection, and time audit features, too..

But, what sets Toggl Track apart is its robust reporting capabilities. It makes it easy to generate summary, detailed, and weekly reports with the press of a button and it can integrate seamlessly with over 100 popular apps, including Toggl Plan, Google Calendar, and Jira. It also includes the ability to create a live-updating permalink for specific reports to share with clients. However, while it offers a lot of features, advanced users might find it lacking in some more advanced areas.

Price:

Toggl Track offers four different packages – Free, Starter, Premium, and Enterprise. The Free package is designed primarily for freelancers, while the Starter package costs $9 per user, per month and is for small teams. The Premium package starts at $18 per month and includes features such as fixed fee projects, timesheet approval, and single sign-on (SSO). Finally, the Enterprise’s costs can be obtained by providing your particular needs and budget to the company.

Rating:

• Price: 3/5
• Design: 5/5
• Features: 4/5
• Ease of Use: 5/5

2. Hubstaff: Best for Remote Teams

Hubstaff was founded in 2012 in Indiana by a small company that was hiring freelancers and needed a way to manage them. This program is suitable for businesses of all sizes and has a lot of the features normally found only in more comprehensive products.

Pros of using this employee time-tracking software include:

• Time-tracking and employee monitoring features
• Timesheet approvals and payroll integration
• Supports multiple platforms
• Real-time reports and GPS tracking
• Add-on features for enhanced functionality

Cons:

• Privacy concerns due to screenshot features
• Can be too comprehensive for small teams

Hubstaff seems to be the perfect pick for remote consulting teams with its range of features geared towards boosting productivity and overseeing employees. Some of its key features include:

• Timesheet approvals
• Payroll reports
• Integration with solutions like PayPal, Wise, and Gusto
• Compatibility with Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS devices

Hubstaff’s compatibility ensures that time-tracking is accessible from any device, which is imperative in today’s high-tech workplace. Another of Hubstaff’s standout features is its balanced approach to privacy and productivity monitoring. It captures screenshots every 10 minutes on desktop computers.

The platform also offers real-time reports on hours worked, activity levels, and project expenses. While all of these features are extremely useful, they can also be cumbersome and unnecessary for smaller teams.

Price:

The first thing that you need to know about Hubstaff is that it offers a 14-day free trial as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means that you will have ample time to evaluate the product and see if it meets your needs.

There are two basic plans available – Free and Premium. The Free package allows up to 5 users and 10 projects, while the Premium package allows unlimited users, and unlimited projects, and provides 5Gb of storage per user. It is priced at just $4.17 per user, per month.

Rating:

• Price: 4/5
• Design: 4/5
• Features: 5/5
• Ease of Use: 4/5

3. Clockify: Best for Budget-Conscious Users

If you are on a budget, then finding time-tracking software that is actually free is pretty important. Thankfully, Clockify is a budget-friendly product that still has all of the features you would expect with more expensive software.

Pros of using this tool include:

• Free for unlimited users, tracking, and projects
• Comprehensive timesheet and time-tracking capabilities
• Multi-platform availability
• Simplifies invoicing process
• Customizable currencies for invoices

Cons:

• Basic features in the free plan
• Lacks advanced project management features

For consultants on a tight budget, Clockify is a remarkable time-tracking tool. It offers unlimited users, tracking, and projects, making it an incredibly cost-effective solution. The comprehensive timesheet and tracking capabilities help consultants manage their work hours and productivity efficiently. Plus, its invoicing features allow for easy creation of invoices from tracked time and billable expenses.

Clockify is a particularly versatile product and has the ability to operate on the following platforms:

• desktop
• web
• mobile
• kiosk apps

Because of this, time-tracking is accessible from anywhere, even when working on client projects. The free plan seems to be enough for most individuals, but if you want more advanced features, then the paid plan would be more suitable.

Price:

Clockify provides four different tiers of pricing: Standard, Pro, Enterprise, and Cake.com Bundle. The Standard plan includes basic features and starts at just $5.49 per user, per month when purchased annually. The Pro plan starts at $7.99 per user, per month when purchased annually, and the Enterprise plan starts at $11.99 per user, per month.

The Cake.com Bundle is $12.99 per user, per month which is a savings of about 53% off the Enterprise price.

Rating:

• Price: 5/5
• Design: 4/5
• Features: 3/5
• Ease of Use: 4/5

4. TimeCamp: Best for Comprehensive Features

TimeCamp is a comprehensive, full-featured time-tracking system that is ideal for small to mid-sized consulting firms. It offers a lot of features that are not found in other products and is one of the easiest packages to integrate into your existing workflow.

Pros:

• Extensive time tracking, attendance, and billing features
• Multi-platform tracking and 80+ tool integrations
• Idle time tracking
• Detailed reports on time usage and productivity

Cons:

• Can be complex to set up initially
• The free plan does not include billing or invoicing

Consulting agencies seeking extensive features have found that TimeCamp is a solid choice. It provides extensive time-tracking, attendance, and billing capabilities, which makes it a versatile tool for managing various aspects of a consulting business. Some of the key features of TimeCamp include:

• Extensive time tracking
• Attendance management
• Billing capabilities
• Ability to track time across multiple platforms
• Integration with over 80 tools

TimeCamp is known for its detailed reporting capabilities which allow consultants to gain insights into their time usage, productivity levels, and billable versus non-billable hours. But, the free plan lacks some crucial billing and invoicing features so it might not be suitable for all companies. There is also a fairly steep learning curve due to the amount of features, so keep that in mind when you decide to adopt this package.

Price:

TimeCamp offers four different pricing plans: Starter, Premium, Ultimate, and Enterprise. All of these packages include unlimited users and projects and are available with a free trial.

The Starter package’s price is $2.99 per user per month when billed annually. The Premium package is $4.99 per user per month when purchased annually. The Ultimate package starts at $7.99 per user per month and includes features such as screenshots, unlimited integrations, and timesheet approvals. The Enterprise package is $11.99 per user per month and includes all the bells and whistles.

Rating:

• Price: 4/5
• Design: 4/5
• Features: 5/5
• Ease of Use: 3/5

5. Harvest: Best for Invoicing and Payments

Harvest has quickly become one of the most prominent time-trackers that also features robust invoicing and payment features.

Pros:

• Seamless invoicing and payment collection to bill clients
• Tracks billable hours online and offline
• Supports multiple invoice types
• Integrates with billing and invoicing software
• Detailed expense tracking with attached receipts

Cons:

• Higher cost compared to some competitors
• Can be overkill for simple time-tracking needs

When it comes to invoicing and payments, Harvest is the leader. It allows consultants to track time and expenses, create professional invoices, and collect payments seamlessly without leaving the app. Harvest also supports multiple invoice types, including recurring and retainer invoices, and automatically populates invoices with logged time entries and customizable billing rates.

All of these features mean that it is a highly desirable option for companies that value a smooth workflow. If you are looking for expense tracking and professional invoicing capabilities, then it should be your first choice.

While it offers a lot, the price may be a bit too high for smaller firms. But, for those who are looking for robust invoicing and payment solutions, it is a top contender.

Price:

Harvest offers two primary packages: Free and Pro. The Free package is suitable for one user with up to two projects, while the Pro package supports unlimited users and projects. When purchased on an annual basis, it is priced at just $10.80 per user per month and comes with a 30-day free trial.

Rating:

• Price: 3/5
• Design: 4/5
• Features: 5/5
• Ease of Use: 4/5

How to Choose the Best Time-Tracking Software for Consultants

Choosing the most suitable time-tracking software for your consulting business may seem like a simple choice, but there are now so many options available that it can be quite daunting. It is, therefore, important to first identify your specific needs and compare those to what these products have to offer.

Data security and product integration are both important features. A good time-tracking tool should seamlessly integrate with your existing project management tools, accounting software, and other work management apps. This helps to streamline your workflow and ensure that all your data is centralized and easily accessible. A product that has several different levels of service and pricing can also be helpful as you grow.

Pricing is obviously a significant consideration for most of us. While most of these products offer free plans, the premium plans usually provide more advanced features that can be beneficial for consultants. Take the time to test-drive the products before you commit to ensure you get one that works for you.

Customizable reports can provide valuable insights into your time spent. These reports can help you to understand billable versus non-billable time, and overall productivity and be a big help when it comes to growth.

Final Thoughts

Each of these products has features that make them unique.

• Toggl Track stands out for its simplicity and ease of use, making it ideal for consultants who want a straightforward tool.
• Hubstaff is perfect for remote teams while
• Budget-conscious users will find that Clockify has a lot to offer.
• TimeCamp offers extensive functionalities for those who need a comprehensive solution and
• Harvest excels in invoicing and payment capabilities.

By first understanding your specific needs and evaluating these tools based on their features, integrations, pricing, and usability, you can find the perfect time-tracking software for your business.