Top 20 Time Tracking Software for Consultants

Paymo distinguishes itself through its comprehensive time-tracking capabilities seamlessly integrated with a user-friendly invoicing system. For consultants, this combination addresses two pivotal areas of their work with remarkable efficiency: meticulous tracking of billable hours and streamlined client billing management.

By blending these essential functions, Paymo significantly simplifies the consultant’s workflow. This integration minimizes the time spent on administrative tasks and ensures precision in billing, thereby lifting a considerable burden off the shoulders of busy consultants.

Automated time tracking, a standout feature of Paymo, revolutionizes how consultants manage their work. It autonomously records all desktop activities, both online and offline, eliminating the need for manual timer adjustments. This is particularly valuable for consultants managing multiple projects, as it saves time and ensures a comprehensive capture of all work-related activities.

Paymo Track, the automated time-tracking element of the app, meticulously logs details like files opened, apps used, and browser tabs, providing a thorough overview of time allocation per task. This feature sets Paymo apart from its competitors, as such smooth integration of automated time tracking is a rarity in project management tools.

It not only assists individual consultants in recognizing unproductive patterns and enhancing productivity but also plays a crucial role in accurately recovering billable time and prioritizing tasks efficiently.

For instance, consider a marketing consultant, Ben, juggling several client projects simultaneously. Ben starts his day by opening Paymo, which automatically tracks his activities. As he switches between tasks—from market research for Client A to crafting a marketing strategy for Client B—Paymo accurately captures the time spent on each activity. This granular tracking is crucial as it allows Ben to bill his clients accurately, reflecting the actual effort put into each project.

At the end of the week, Ben reviews his time logs in Paymo, gaining insights into how his time was distributed across different clients and tasks. He notices he spent more time than anticipated on market research, which prompts him to adjust his strategy for the following week to maintain project timelines.

When it’s time to invoice his clients, Ben leverages Paymo’s integrated invoicing system. He generates detailed invoices that pull in the logged hours and associated costs from the time-tracking data with just a few clicks. This seamless process saves Ben significant administrative time and enhances the transparency and accuracy of his billing, fostering trust with his clients.

Furthermore, Paymo’s reporting feature helps Ben analyze his productivity patterns over time. He uses these insights to optimize his workflow, delegate tasks more effectively, and even negotiate better rates with his clients based on the demonstrated value of his work.

Overall, Paymo’s combination of automated time tracking and easy invoicing empowers Ben to focus more on delivering value to his clients and less on the administrative aspects of consulting, leading to greater job satisfaction and professional growth. Learn how to track your time for billing purposes here.

Despite its strengths, Paymo does encounter some challenges in the communication domain. It doesn’t offer an integrated chat system like some of its peers; instead, it relies on a combination of task comments, project discussions, and customizable notifications for team interactions. This setup can be effective with external communication tools like Slack but may fall short for teams prioritizing seamless, in-platform communication. For these teams, Basecamp, with its more integrated communication features, might be a better fit.

In terms of user-friendliness, opinions on Paymo are mixed. While it garners praise from some users for its interface, others, especially those lacking a technical background, find it less intuitive than alternatives like Asana. Teams that value an easy-to-navigate, user-friendly platform may lean towards Asana.

Paymo’s Pomodoro timer available for free

However, it’s noteworthy that Paymo offsets these drawbacks with its exceptional support services and a wealth of resources to help users. This aspect is particularly beneficial for teams that need additional support and guidance, marking a significant plus point for Paymo.

Paymo’s pricing structure is attractively tailored for consultants, offering an affordable alternative to some competitors like Monday, which may present a steeper cost, particularly for smaller teams. This makes Paymo a cost-effective choice in the market.

TimeCamp is an excellent choice for consultants new to time tracking and seeking a cost-free solution. Although Paymo offers a free version for an unlimited duration, Timecamp’s free offering is more comprehensive. Additionally, Timecamp is one of the most affordable options in the market.

Feature-wise, it is comparable to Paymo, including the crucial automatic time-tracking feature. Therefore, if Paymo doesn’t fully meet your needs or preferences, Timecamp should be your next option.

However, it’s important to note that the automatic time tracking features are not included in either the free or the basic paid versions of TimeCamp. Remember this when choosing a plan, as these features might be essential for comprehensive time management and tracking.

Timecamp is user-friendly, both in terms of setup and daily use. The ease with which they can enter time and generate reports is a significant advantage for consultants. It also integrates smoothly with various external tools, enhancing their workflow, and the timesheet features are well-designed and intuitive. This simplicity and efficiency allow consultants to focus more on their professional work and less on administrative tasks.

However, consultants should be aware of some drawbacks to using TimeCamp. Users have reported experiencing bugs, particularly when submitting tasks or editing time entries. For instance, moving a time entry from one activity to another or deleting it can sometimes cause the system to lag or slow down, especially when copying entries.

Additionally, there is a learning curve associated with the app. Users have found it somewhat confusing to set up invoices and select clients. This initial setup can be challenging, requiring time and patience to navigate.

Moreover, the usability of the desktop version versus the Google Chrome extension can be a point of contention. Some users have reported that the desktop version is confusing and redundant, as it offers similar functionalities to the Google Chrome add-on.

Consequently, these users have found it more effective to use the Chrome extension or the website version exclusively for a smoother experience. This preference indicates that while TimeCamp has robust features, the user experience may vary depending on the version or platform used.

Clockify is a good choice for consultants requiring GPS time tracking due to its precision in location-based tracking, which is crucial for those frequently visiting various client sites. The platform’s user-friendliness allows consultants to manage time tracking through mobile devices easily.

Imagine an environmental consultant who works on various projects, such as assessing land for potential contamination, conducting field surveys, or monitoring environmental restoration efforts. These tasks often require the consultant to travel to multiple remote sites, possibly in different geographical areas.

In this scenario, GPS time tracking becomes essential. As the consultant moves from one site to another, their GPS-enabled time tracking tool, like Clockify, automatically logs the hours they spend at each location. This feature ensures accurate billing for the time spent on each site, which is particularly important when dealing with multiple clients or projects.

Moreover, GPS time tracking provides verifiable proof of site visits, which is crucial for maintaining client transparency. It also allows the consultant to review their travel patterns over time, helping in planning more efficient routes or schedules for future site visits, optimizing their workday, and reducing travel-related fatigue.

Many users also praise Clockify for its user-friendly interface. The simplicity and intuitiveness of the software mean that it only takes a few hours to learn the basics. This ease of use is a significant advantage for consultants who must train their teams quickly and efficiently. The fact that many teams are now using Clockify daily is a testament to its accessibility and practicality in a professional setting.

Other noteworthy features include the automated time tracking via the desktop app, which functions similarly to Paymo’s system, and the screenshot capture feature. This feature takes random screenshots approximately every five minutes, primarily aimed at work verification in remote work settings.

However, it’s essential to be aware that this could raise privacy and trust concerns, as employees or team members might view it as intrusive.

Even though Clockify promotes its free version, this aspect has become a significant contention among many users. While helpful, the free version of Clockify includes several restrictions on features.

Advanced capabilities that can significantly enhance productivity and user experience are only accessible in the subscription edition. This limitation can frustrate users who require more sophisticated functionalities but are not ready to commit to a paid plan.

Some users have even described the software as a “money grab,” expressing dissatisfaction that all the valuable features are locked behind the highest plan. This sentiment stems from the feeling that while the software offers basic functionalities for free, the most valuable and efficient features require a significant investment, leading to frustration among users attracted by the free offering.

The limitations of Clockify’s free version extend beyond the absence of advanced features, leading to a perception among some users that even basic functionalities are purposefully stripped down to create artificial constraints.

For instance, a significant restriction is the inability to display time tracked in fractions of an hour in the free version. This version only shows time in the format of hours, minutes, and seconds (hh:mm:ss), which can be highly inconvenient for consultants who need to bill or report their time in decimal hours.

Such a limitation suggests that the free version of Clockify is not just a scaled-down variant of the paid version but a strategically limited tool. This strategy encourages users to upgrade to the paid version by creating bottlenecks in the user experience.

The lack of a decimal hour display, a fundamental feature essential for many consultants and professionals, becomes a glaring issue. It’s a clear example of how the free version is designed with limitations that wouldn’t necessarily exist otherwise, affecting the utility of the software for those who rely on precise and flexible time-tracking options.

This lack of transparency builds even further with concerns regarding the cancellation process. Users report difficulties in discontinuing their service, noting that there isn’t an option for online cancellation. Instead, they are required to go through the cumbersome process of emailing the company to initiate cancellation.

Such a cumbersome process often leads to a prolonged and somewhat invasive series of interactions, where users receive multiple emails inquiring about their reasons for cancellation. In some cases, the company reportedly creates support tickets instead of straightforwardly processing the cancellation request, further complicating and delaying the process.

This approach to cancellation adds to the dissatisfaction of users, particularly those who might already be disappointed by the limitations of the free version. All these factors collectively contribute to Clockify being placed lower on lists that rank time-tracking software, as they detract from the overall user experience and satisfaction.

Suppose you are a consultant already utilizing a project management tool with limited or no time-tracking functionality, such as Asana, Basecamp, or Trello. In that case, Harvest might be the best solution to incorporate time tracking into these platforms.

Harvest is user-friendly, straightforward, and backed by a good support team. It shares similarities with Paymo, offering invoicing features alongside robust time-tracking capabilities.

However, compared to other similar tools, Harvest lacks many project management features. Therefore, it is not advisable for consultants who do not use an existing project management tool to pair it with, despite Harvest possessing some basic functionalities for handling project management tasks.

Many users have expressed concerns that working with projects in Harvest can be cumbersome and sometimes frustrating. The capabilities of Harvest are pretty restricted, focusing almost exclusively on time tracking. This narrow scope can limit its effectiveness for consultants seeking a more comprehensive project management solution.

Despite its specialized focus on time tracking, Harvest is priced similarly or higher than other tools, like ClickUp or Paymo, that offer comprehensive project management features. Such a pricing structure can be a drawback for users who expect more functionality beyond just time and expense tracking for their investment. This limitation is significant for consultants seeking an essential time-tracking tool and an all-in-one solution to manage projects, finances, and business opportunities more efficiently.

Concerns have also been raised about the overall performance and aesthetics of the Harvest website. Compared to similar sites, Harvest’s site is perceived as slower and more antiquated.

This outdated look and feel, along with performance issues, contribute to a less satisfactory user experience, particularly when users expect a certain standard of efficiency and modernity in web applications, especially in tools priced at a premium level.

RescueTime stands out as one of the most promising time-tracking tools, primarily due to its strong emphasis on automatic time-tracking functions. They combine the automatic time tracking aspect, which logs work activity using apps and websites, with a Timesheets AI (currently in beta).

This AI utilizes the gathered data to allocate time to the projects created by the user, aiding in accurately and swiftly completing a daily timesheet. This innovative approach to time tracking places RescueTime as a forward-thinking and efficient tool in time management.

However, it’s important to note that this feature of RescueTime is currently in its developing phase and is only available in beta. At this stage, it might present more hassle than necessary for some users due to potential bugs or limited functionality typical of beta versions.

Despite these setbacks, if RescueTime can refine and improve this feature to the point where it becomes beneficial and reliable, it has the potential to propel the tool to the top of the list in the time-tracking software market. However, there’s also the possibility that this feature might be more about the hype surrounding AI tools, as we’ve seen in other instances.

If it fails to meet expectations, this feature might be seen as yet another instance of overhyped AI functionality. In that case, I would use the “AI Excuse Generator” to create plausible excuses for those who dedicated their time and hopes to try it out, only to discover its limited practical utility and efficiency.

Besides the advanced automated time tracking, RescueTime offers several features that can be particularly useful for consultants keenly focused on personal productivity. It serves as a tool for self-critique and improvement in time management skills, providing deep insights into habits and how they combine to impact productivity. Users appreciate RescueTime for its excellent personal analytics service, which shows how time is spent and enhances productivity.

Many users have found that RescueTime has helped them better understand where their time is allocated. This awareness is especially beneficial for those who tend to get distracted easily. For instance, it’s common to drift off into unrelated tasks while researching.

The FocusTime feature in RescueTime has been highlighted for its effectiveness in making users more conscious of when they wander off task, helping them stay focused and on track with their intended activities.

Concerns have been raised regarding the lack of significant product updates in RescueTime over the past few years. Compared to tools like Paymo and ClickUp, which frequently update and refine their platforms, RescueTime’s interface is often seen as old and outdated.

A notable flaw mentioned by users is related to the nature of specific work tasks. For instance, some jobs require visiting e-commerce sites or spending time on entertainment websites. In such cases, RescueTime’s analytics might inaccurately lower the overall productivity rate, as it may categorize this necessary activity as non-productive.

This misrepresentation in the analytics can lead to a skewed understanding of actual productivity, highlighting a need for the tool to better differentiate between work-related and non-work-related internet usage. Such refinements in its analytics and reporting would enhance its accuracy and usefulness for users requiring more nuanced online activity tracking.

Replicon is another time-tracking tool that seeks to distinguish itself by incorporating AI into its functionality. This AI component assembles and pre-fills timesheets, streamlining the process for individual users and teams. The goal is to simplify the review and submission of timesheets.

Additionally, Replicon’s AI-powered time tracking automatically captures work and time data across various digital apps its users use, offering a comprehensive and automated approach to time management. Replicon claims that its AI-powered time tracking can help businesses gain up to $26,500 in revenue per employee annually. This figure is based on an estimated monetary gain calculated at $500 per hour, multiplied by a 50-week billing rate. However, such a claim might be met with skepticism. 

Replicon’s more plausible claim is that the ZeroTime feature effectively tackles the issue of employees losing approximately 10% of their billable hours to administrative tasks. This challenge is addressed through the AI-driven capability of pre-filling timesheets, which are ready for review and submission.

By automating this time-tracking aspect, ZeroTime significantly reduces the time typically spent on manual timesheet entries, recapturing those lost billable hours and streamlining the administrative process for employees and managers.

If we compare Replicon’s ZeroTime with RescueTime’s Timesheets AI, it’s evident that they are similar. Both tools are designed to address the same issue – reducing the time spent on administrative tasks like timesheet management – and they do so by leveraging AI technology.

These technologies are still in their early stages and require extensive testing to assess their quality and effectiveness fully. They are both in the testing phase, which means it’s too early to determine their utility conclusively. If you’re interested in understanding which, if either of these tools proves genuinely helpful, it would be advisable to return to this article in a few months.

The next standout feature of Replicon, as widely acknowledged by many users, is its exceptional customer support team, which ranks among the best in the industry. Users have consistently praised the responsiveness and effectiveness of Replicon’s support staff.

For instance, whenever users encounter a problem, the customer support team is readily available to assist, often going the extra mile by setting up Zoom meetings to provide hands-on guidance.

Moreover, users have pointed out that even when they find aspects of the system less intuitive, the support team is always there to guide them, making the overall experience with Replicon PSA more user-friendly.

This exceptional level of customer support from Replicon is particularly beneficial if you are a consultant who frequently interacts with support teams of various tools. Their willingness to provide in-depth help, whether through direct calls, Zoom meetings, or comprehensive follow-up emails, ensures that consultants can quickly return to their productive work with minimal disruption. This level of support can be a key factor in the smooth operation of a consultant’s workflow, mainly when dealing with complex projects or tight deadlines.

However, it’s important to note that investing time in training on the Replicon platform is essential. While the system offers many capabilities, its design has been described as somewhat clunky. Users have pointed out that the interface requires excessive mouse clicks to accomplish tasks, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.

For example, a common task such as running reports on timesheet use for a semi-monthly period necessitates updating the report definition each month to select the correct date range. This process alone can take up to seven or eight mouse clicks, which users consider excessive.

Such design inefficiencies in the user interface can lead to frustration, especially for frequently performed tasks. Therefore, while Replicon’s functionality is robust, its user interface could be more streamlined and efficient to enhance the overall user experience.

Toggl Track is particularly well-suited for freelance consultants prioritizing ease and straightforwardness in time tracking. Its simplicity is a key feature, as users can start tracking by simply entering a project name and clicking ‘stop’ when they’re done. One user aptly noted in their review that “there are many similar products on the market with a gazillion features.”

In this context, the standout aspect of Toggl is its free version, which many users find amazing. Therefore, if you’re a freelance consultant working independently, without the need for elaborate features like AI (like in the case of Replicon or Rescuetime) and extensive project management functionalities (like in the case of Clickup or Paymo), Toggl might indeed be the best option for you.

Why pay for those extra options when a simple, straightforward solution might be enough? For freelance consultants who don’t require the bells and whistles of more complex systems, Toggl offers just the right balance of functionality and ease. The free version is fantastic if you’re looking for just essential timekeeping.

However, if you delve into more complex aspects of project management, especially with multiple clients and projects, Toggl Track might feel a bit messy. Users have expressed concerns about its design and usability in such scenarios. One common complaint is the excessive dead space in Toggl Track’s interface, which limits the visibility of only a few lines or projects at any time. This can hinder managing a large volume of projects or tasks.

Additionally, users find the navigation within Toggl Track confusing, mainly due to its use of multiple colors to classify clients and initiatives. While intended to aid organizations, this approach can make it difficult to distinguish between different projects.

Users suggest that a more precise form of labeling, such as color-coded bubbles or other distinct visual indicators, could significantly enhance the ability to quickly and accurately identify specific entries.

Even though I don’t recommend it, and many users are vehemently opposed to it, there might be situations where taking screenshots or video recordings of employees’ screens becomes necessary. This could be the case if there are serious doubts about an employee’s commitment or if their performance is significantly below expectations, and the only other option is to let them go. In such scenarios, Time Doctor could be a viable solution.

Besides time tracking, Time Doctor offers a feature that allows screen captures of an employee’s screen as frequently as every three minutes. This functionality might provide oversight in critical situations requiring close monitoring to make informed decisions about an employee’s performance or commitment.

The screen capture feature in Time Doctor is available even in their most affordable package, which is currently priced at $5.9 per user per month. However, an even more notable feature, aligning with the same concept of close monitoring, is the ability to record video screen captures, available only in the premium package, priced at $16.7 per user per month.

While these features might be helpful in specific circumstances, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential negative backlash they can provoke. For instance, one user described their experience with Time Doctor as “It was like Big Brother, a slave driver, and a spy all wrapped up in one.” This sentiment reflects the discomfort and privacy concerns such intensive monitoring can generate among employees.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that features like screen captures and video recordings in Time Doctor can potentially be manipulated through third-party downloads such as mouse and keyboard emulators. Tech-savvy employees can easily use these tools to simulate activity, creating an illusion of productivity when, in fact, there may be none.

Some users have expressed frustration about being encouraged to transition to TimeDoctor 2, only to encounter various issues after dedicating hours to move a sizable team to the new platform. A significant concern is the absence of core features in Time Doctor 2 that were available in the original version.

This gap in functionality has led to complications and dissatisfaction among users who made the switch. Therefore, if you’re considering moving to Time Doctor 2, it’s essential to be cautious and thoroughly evaluate the differences between the two versions.

Users have also raised concerns about the limited functionality of Time Doctor’s mobile application. While the desktop version is equipped with various features and capabilities, the mobile app falls short, missing some key functionalities that make Time Doctor effective.

This limitation can be particularly challenging for users who rely on mobile access for flexibility and convenience. Users have reported encountering various bugs and experiencing slow performance with Time Doctor. These technical issues can disrupt the workflow and affect productivity, making the tool less reliable than expected. 

Furthermore, navigating Time Doctor’s interface has been challenging, especially for new users. The platform’s layout and functionality can confuse unfamiliar users, leading to frustration. This learning curve is a significant consideration, as getting accustomed to a new tool should be straightforward. 

Another serious concern with Time Doctor, particularly compared to competitors like Replicon, Paymo, or Clickup, is its customer support system. Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the level of support provided. Common complaints include the customer support team not being up to the mark and being slow to respond.

In sharp contrast to competitors such as Replicon, Paymo, or Clickup, known for their exceptional customer support, Time Doctor significantly lags in this crucial area. Users frequently express dissatisfaction with Time Doctor’s customer support system, citing subpar service and delayed responses. This deficiency is particularly noticeable when compared to its competitors’ high customer service standards, underscoring a significant area of concern for not particularly tech-savvy consultants.

Timely is the best choice for consultants who engage in work requiring a high degree of context shifting. This type of work can be particularly challenging to track and manage due to its dynamic nature. For example, a consultant might work on a project for an hour, then attend a meeting, then return to the project, or switch to a different task.

Although part of the same workday, these discontinuous segments are not connected in a straight, uninterrupted line of activity. Timely is effective for this kind of work as it can accurately capture and organize the fragmented nature of such tasks, helping consultants to keep track of the diverse activities and time spent on each, even amidst frequent context shifts.

It uses Timely Memory, an app that records everything in the background. Then, it uses the Memory AI feature, automatically assigning activities from the Memory app to suitable projects and drafts time entries for you. This AI learns from your logging patterns to group your activities accurately.

Each time you log an entry using tracked memories, the AI refines its understanding, making future draft entries more precise. Over time, this results in a more automated and accurate tracking process, filling your Hours tab with well-constructed entries effortlessly.

While the Memory AI feature in Timely is still developing and might take some time to train for optimal performance fully, it has considerable promise for the future. Besides this innovative feature, Timely is known for its user-friendly and straightforward interface, making it simple and efficient. Moreover, its customer support is noteworthy, often compared favorably to the high standards of companies like Replicon and Paymo, further enhancing the user experience. In addition, Timely is also committed to maintaining a high privacy standard. Timely adheres to a strict anti-surveillance policy, unlike competitors like Time Doctor, WebWork, or Hubstaff. This means the tool does not engage in practices such as employee screenshots, keystroke monitoring, or other forms of intrusive monitoring.

Timely’s approach is focused on respecting the privacy and autonomy of its users, ensuring that tracking productivity and work activities does not infringe on personal boundaries or privacy concerns.

Addressing some of the challenges identified by users, Timely does face a few issues, primarily due to the technical difficulties in tracking various applications. A notable issue arises in screen sharing during meetings; the system only tracks the displayed application rather than registering the meeting itself.

Another area of concern is email tracking. Timely tends to aggregate the time spent on email applications, showing it as the total duration for a particular session rather than detailing individual emails.

Time Analytics stands as one of the most affordable choices in the market, with its paid plans beginning at $4.99. This price is marginally lower, by just $1 than Paymo, which is at the top of this list. However, it’s important to note that Time Analytics does not offer invoicing features at this price point.

In contrast, Paymo includes invoicing capabilities even in its free package. Therefore, if a consultant needs a budget-friendly time-tracking solution and invoicing isn’t required, Time Analytics could be your go-to choice.

But, if your needs extend to generating invoices directly from tracked work hours with a single click, Paymo is more affordable. Time Analytics jumps to $6.99 if you want to create invoices.

In addition to its attractive price point, it’s essential to recognize that Time Analytics, being relatively new to the market since 2019, has a limited feature set compared to established competitors.

Users won’t have access to advanced project management tools, guest access capabilities, or time and project budgeting features. This nascent stage in the market, especially when compared to a veteran like Paymo, which started in 2007, places Time Analytics behind in terms of the breadth and depth of its offerings. This more basic offering may impact its suitability for consultants requiring more comprehensive project management and time-tracking functionalities.