The 3 best Harvest alternatives
Short answer
The best Harvest alternatives are Toggl Track, Clockify, FreshBooks. Toggl Track is our top pick — it scores 9/10 and is best for Freelancers tracking billable hours across clients. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and which features matter most.
Why look for a Harvest alternative?
Harvest scores 8.2/10 in our review and works well for many teams — but it is not the right fit for everyone. The most common reasons readers look elsewhere:
- ✗Free plan too limited for real use (1 user, 2 projects)
- ✗No built-in contract or proposal features
- ✗Per-seat pricing adds up for larger agencies
Harvest alternatives, ranked
Toggl Track
Top pickThe simplest time tracking tool — free for up to 5 users
Toggl Track is the go-to time tracking tool for freelancers and small teams. Its core is beautifully simple: start a timer, name what you're working on, stop it when done. The free plan supports up to 5 users with unlimited projects and clients — no credit card required. Reports show exactly where time goes across projects, clients, and team members. Toggl Plan (separate product) handles project scheduling.
Strengths
- ✓Free forever for up to 5 users — no credit card
- ✓Fastest to start tracking of any time tool
- ✓Desktop app, mobile app, and browser extension included
Best for
- →Freelancers tracking billable hours across clients
- →Small agencies (up to 5) who want free time tracking
Clockify
Free time tracking for unlimited users — no catch
Clockify offers genuinely unlimited free time tracking: unlimited users, unlimited projects, unlimited clients, forever. It covers timer-based tracking, manual entry, a timesheet view, and basic reports — all at no cost. Paid plans add GPS tracking, kiosk/clock-in mode, payroll exports, and screenshot monitoring. Owned by Cake.com, Clockify is the top choice for budget-conscious teams.
Strengths
- ✓Truly free for unlimited users and projects — no seat limits
- ✓Desktop, mobile, browser extension, and kiosk apps
- ✓Project budgets and estimates on free plan
Best for
- →Larger teams or agencies who can't afford per-seat pricing
- →Businesses needing basic time tracking at zero cost
FreshBooks
Invoicing and accounting for small businesses
FreshBooks is an accounting and invoicing platform designed for service businesses and freelancers. It covers invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, estimates, and basic double-entry accounting. Much easier to use than QuickBooks, though less powerful for complex accounting needs.
Strengths
- ✓Extremely easy to use
- ✓Beautiful invoices
- ✓Time tracking built in
Best for
- →Freelancers and consultants billing by project or time
- →Service businesses
Harvest vs. the alternatives
| Tool | Score | Starting price | Free plan | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest(current) | 8.2/10 | — | Yes | 8.5/10 |
| Toggl Track | 9/10 | — | Yes | 9.5/10 |
| Clockify | 8.5/10 | — | Yes | 8.5/10 |
| FreshBooks | 8.2/10 | $19/mo | No | 9/10 |
Harvest alternatives — FAQ
What is the best Harvest alternative?
Toggl Track is our top-rated Harvest alternative, scoring 9/10. It is best for Freelancers tracking billable hours across clients.
Is there a free Harvest alternative?
Yes — Toggl Track, Clockify offer a free plan you can use to evaluate the tool before paying.