Overview of best tracking apps
Choosing the right time tracking software can be difficult - there is an array of different apps, and they offer different combinations of features. The basics are usually the same, but some apps place greater emphasis on invoicing, budgeting and profit in relation to your tracked time, and some place greater emphasis on employee monitoring, or simple, straightforward work hours tracking.
When making a choice, you should consider the size and type of your business, size of your team, what features you’ll need the most, and whether you’ll be needing some additional features, such as self-hosting.
The most important matter you should consider is the price - tracking time is supposed to save you money, and you won’t be able to do that if you have to pay a lot for all your projects and users.
Yuzu&Sun on the Mac App Store This is the easiest and best way I've found to track my time. It's intuitive and the cost is nothing compared to the data I'll be able to use in refining my business. SEE ALSO: Best Payroll Software for Mac 2018. So, let’s take a look at 5 of the Best Time Tracking Apps for Mac. Toggl is an excellent time-tracking tool. It is web-based and has a Mac version, and you can start tracking your time just by logging in and clicking the timer. If your wallet is overflowing with business cards you haven't had time to organize, this simple app will lighten the load. 'I highly recommend CamCard to keep track of contacts—both personal and professional,' says Lisa Dooley, an organizing coach.
To help you with your decision, here is a compilation of the most popular time tracking software, with their detailed comparison in terms of the most common time tracking software features.
#1
Clockify
Clockify is the only 100% free time tracker and timesheet for teams. In sum, you get a free work hours tracker (available in form of timer and timesheet), with team and project management features, for an unlimited number of users, projects and clients.
You can make use of 100+ integrations, available through the Clockify Chrome extension. Both freelancers and teams can benefit from this app - you’ll save a lot of money when compared to time trackers that require pay-per-user or pay-per-project fees.
A feature that also makes Clockify stand out, and makes it suitable for enterprise businesses, is self-hosting, which enables you to host all your data on your own server.
#2
Toggl Track
It offers basic time tracking features, reporting, labeling, project and team management. It’s essentially a work hours tracker, and you can choose between 100+ integrations to streamline your work. Its features make it suitable for small businesses and freelancers.
The free plan covers only the very basic features, and is available for small teams up to 5 members. The bigger the size of the team, the bigger the price, which is also Toggl’s biggest flaw - depending on the number of users, you’ll have to spend a lot of money each month, because Toggl is one of the more expensive time trackers on the market, with a starting price of $10/user/month for the Starter Plan.
#3
Harvest
It offers basic time tracking features, invoicing, reporting, profitability analysis, as well as team and project management features. The feature that makes it stand out is the internet and application monitoring feature - it allows you to automatically track your device activities.
Companies and individuals who send a lot of invoices will appreciate that Harvest plans offer a robust invoicing system.
The free plan covers only 1 user and 2 projects, which is only enough to try out the program, before you’ll have to switch to a paid plan - Harvest is one of the more expensive options, as the subscription costs $12/month for 1 person and unlimited projects.
#4
Hubstaff
One of the more powerful employee-monitoring time tracking systems on the market, with Mobile GPS tracking, keystroke recording, internet and application monitoring, as well as automatic screenshots. This makes it perfect for larger companies, where the manager can’t always keep track of all employees.
The problem is that a lot of the features don’t come with the free plan, and you’ll have to opt for a subscription (starting at $5). You can also upgrade to a Premium Plan, and make use of the app’s invoicing features.
Hubstaff isn’t the best option if you’re looking for streamlining your work with integrations - If you’re looking to integrate this app with 1 of the 40 offered apps, you’ll have to upgrade to the Basic Plan, and for unlimited integrations, you’ll have to upgrade to a Premium Plan.
#5
TimeCamp
A time tracking app you can mostly use to assess your productivity, and your employees’ productivity. It offers an extensive list of time tracking features, including automatic time tracking and a Pomodoro timer available through an integration with PomoDoneApp. However, there is no weekly timesheet report, and the exporting options (PDF and Excel) are only available in the paying plans.
The apps’ highlights include the internet and application monitoring feature and automatic screenshots, which make TimeCamp a great choice for moderate employee monitoring.
It offers 30+ integrations, and you can also make invoices when you upgrade to a Pro Plan. TimeCamp is suitable for small businesses, with a Basic Plan starting at $7 per user.
#6
Time Doctor
A time tracker suitable for remote teams of any size, with its powerful employee monitoring features, that include GPS monitoring, internet and application monitoring, keystroke recording and automatic screenshots (the last one is an optional feature).
You can also manage your projects and conduct basic time tracking (although you’ll have to enable manual time entering in the settings first).
The app offers 30+ integrations, and it’s one of the rare apps that doesn’t offer a Chrome extension.
It’s biggest problem is the lack of versatile pricing plans: the only available plan costs $9.99/user/month, and there is no free plan.
#7
RescueTime
A super simple automatic time tracker that aims to help you analyze how you spend your time and whether you’re productive with it.
The basic time tracking features are lacking (apart from automatic time tracking, you can only track time through a stopwatch tool). However, you can track the time you spend on applications and in your browser, which is the app’s main feature.
The free plan of the app offers select features, and the pricing starts at $9/month for the Premium Plan.
RescueTime is not adequate for tracking the hours you spend working (as it lacks billability options and accurate project tracking), so it’s best that you use it to measure your productivity, and combine it with a robust work hours tracker, such as Clockify, for additional features.
#8
TSheets
It offers a clock-in/clock-out system that enables you to track employees’ overtime, their time spent at work overall, and their attendance.
Some of the more basic time tracking features are missing, but this apps’ focus is actually on its scheduling features - this includes scheduling by shift and scheduling by job or task. Other prominent features include GPS tracking and a custom field for tracking mileage on vehicles, which makes this app perfect for transportation businesses.
You can choose among 40 integrations, including QuickBooks, which enables you to make invoices based on your time data. The nature of its features make TSheets a good, though expensive choice for big and mid-size businesses (starting plan for small businesses is $5 per user + $20 base fee).
#9
Everhour
An all-inclusive work hours tracker - project and team management features, basic and additional time tracking features (such as custom fields), invoicing, a GitHub script for the Pomodoro timer, third-party time trackers data import, and time logging on behalf of other team members. As such, it’s suitable for different business types and sizes.
However, the problem with this app is that it doesn’t offer a free plan, and the subscriptions start at $7/user/month for the Team Plan ($35 monthly minimum).
The number of possible integrations is also small; it is only available as a Web version and Chrome extension, so no desktop or mobile apps.
#10
Timely
Another automatic time tracker, one that creates time entries based on your schedule - the automatically tracked data is private, so only you can view it. You can also track time in real-time when working in a team, but you cannot add time manually, so you can’t add back-dated entries.
This automatic time tracker offers 15+ integrations, and the one that stands out is Moves (GPS tracker) - it enables you to bill the time you spend on transportation, or away on location.
Because of this, Timely can be used by transportation businesses, and individual workers who spend a lot of their time on location (electricians, plumbers...).
The biggest problem of this app is that there is no free plan, not even for people who need limited features - the pricing starts at $8/month for the Solo Plan, and for teams $15-$23/user/month.
So which is the best time tracking app?
All time tracking apps offer same basic time tracking features, though individual features vary:
- Standalone work hours tracking: Clockify, Toggl, and Everhour.
- Automatic time tracking: Timely and RescueTime
- Employee monitoring: Hubstaff and Time Doctor
- Time tracking and invoicing: Harvest and TimeCamp
- GPS, clock-in/clock-out, and scheduling: TSheets
The biggest issue with most of these time trackers is their price. Of them all, only Clockify offers all features for free.
How to choose the best time tracking softwareIf you love good productivity hacks when working on your Mac or Windows (that remain the most popular systems among users), then you need to enrich your experience with hassle-free time tracking.
Time tracking apps will not only make you more accountable and productive but create the ideal work environment by facilitating the completion of any project in time.
Here are the top features that are essential for a time tracker on your Mac or Windows as they guarantee to enhance your business productivity.
Automated real-time tracking: You need a time tracker that would let you calculate work hours in real-time so that you could launch a timer and focus on the project at hand without worrying about storing the important data related to your work hours.
Simple Invoicing: Creating invoices is an integral part of any stage of the project management process, and a smart time tracker can handle it effortlessly. It is of great importance that freelancers, contractors and employers had the means of issuing accurate invoices for transparency and accountability.
Diverse Integrations: The app needs to allow you to switch between programs you apply without feeling hectic about timekeeping.
Overall, an ideal time tracking tool on your Mac and Windows is supposed to activate that famous 'work smarter, not harder' mode that increases your productivity and translates into maximizing profits without much effort. A reliable time tracking tool on your Mac or Windows assists a user in accurate calculating the work time, detailed reporting, and prompt invoicing.
There are lots of time tracking apps that incorporate options of fully-fledged services for efficient time keeping on Mac and Windows. Among frequently mentioned time trackers for Mac and Windows, there are the following tools:
- TMetric
- Paymo
- Clockify
- BeeBole
- actiTIME
- timeEdition
- Chrometa
- Timelines
- Hours
- Timing
- TSheets
Let's dive in a bit deeper and analyze them in terms of their feature sets.
TMetric
Automated time tracking?
The accuracy of calculations brought TMetric recognition: users chose it as the high performing app of spring 2019 and the customer choice of summer 2019. It is an automatic timer that also has functions of marking break time and manual adding time on new tasks.
Time entries can be edited, which is a great benefit for facilitating the admin routine. The teams of up to 5 users can enjoy the benefits of accurate TMetric time tracking on a free plan and see the description of any project with a click.
Invoicing ?
TMetric lets you log time for tasks and bill customers for the utilized time. You can create invoices directly from Projects.
Integrations?
TMetric integrates seamlessly with 45+ services and apps including ones for task and project management. Besides, there are options that let you generate flexible reports and export time-sheets in PDF and CSV for better team management. TMetric browser extension is available on Chrome and Firefox.
TMetric has the capacity of working in the offline mode, which means you can still track your time even in when there is no internet connection. Working on your tasks is not dependent on getting the instant online access. The data will be stored regardless of your status and once you are online again, you will get your time entries added to your work time.
Freelance Time Tracking Mac
Paymo
Automated time tracking?
This software incorporates options for noiseless time tracking, resource planning and instant reporting and managing projects from start to the end. The easy and efficient time tracking is ensured by automatic recording time on performing tasks and projects.
Invoicing ?
You can easily track your expenses and create invoices online. The app is a helpful tool in ensuring that you and your team will not have to allocate time for checking on time entries for invoicing. The tracker assists in creating transparency by monitoring the project performance at all the stages.
Integrations ?
You can get it both on Mac and Windows, and integrate with a big number of services including task management and corporate communication tools.
Clockify
Automated time tracking?
Its desktop versions for Mac and Windows are native apps that enable users tracking time from the desktop without having to open Clockify in a browser. The tool automatically logs the time utilized for each completed task.
Invoicing ?
Online invoicing is not available but you and your team can easily process data by applying the project estimating and project budgeting options for further creating the invoices to bill your clients without hassle. For advanced functionality, you will need an upgrade.
Integrations ?
It is compatible with 50+ apps: if you install the time tracker as a browser extension, you will get the access to easy-to-set integrating options.
BeeBole
Automated time tracking ?
Intuitive and easy-to-use, BeeBole Timesheet allows you to track time for clients, projects, sub-projects and tasks using a one-click timer or manual time entry. For ultimate flexibility, timekeeping may be done daily, weekly or monthly. Managers have the option to implement time entries approval, and can enjoy the customizability of running and analyzing advanced KPI reports.
Invoicing ?
By logging billable hours by tasks, projects or clients, you’ll be confident you’re able to generate the most accurate invoices. BeeBole Timesheet integrates seamlessly with software like Quickbooks and more.
Integrations ?
BeeBole Timesheet is a cloud-based time tracking tool that can work without internet connection on both desktop and mobile. You can use its fully documented API to integrate it with your own application or service. It’s also compatible with Office 365 or Google Sheets using their free add-on .
By logging billable hours by tasks, projects or clients, you’ll be confident you’re able to generate the most accurate invoices. BeeBole Timesheet integrates seamlessly with software like Quickbooks and more.
Integrations ?
BeeBole Timesheet is a cloud-based time tracking tool that can work without internet connection on both desktop and mobile. You can use its fully documented API to integrate it with your own application or service. It’s also compatible with Office 365 or Google Sheets using their free add-on .
actiTIME
Automated time tracking?
It provides a diversity of options for users to track time including accurate tracking the work hours, marking time off, sick leaves and overall monitoring the employees' attendance. The small teams of up to 3 users can use a tool on free plan.
Invoicing ?
Its wide functionality was recognized by Capterra in 2017. You can apply hourly billing for straightforward invoicing and getting paid in time.
Integrations ?
It enables time tracking data integrations with some popular software applications like Quickbooks and actiPlans.
timeEdition
Automated time tracking?
timeEdition is a lightweight time tracker available on macOS. It enables automatic calculations from the desktop version or on the mobile.
With enabling timeEdition, you can track projects in a click, which is ideal for multi-taskers.
Invoicing?
Basing on the information of the detailed tracking, you can bill your clients. Applying the functionality of this tool, you can record project duration time for further customer billing. You can export thes a snap for your clients to pay you directly online.
Integrations ?
It best integrates with billing solutions and practice management systems designed for attorneys' work. Integrations are created directly from the Chrometa Account
Timelines
Automated time tracking?
It is an app designed for IPhone. You can apply it for personal use to monitor how you utilize your time. It visualizes in graphs your time consumption so that you could make better choices for increasing your personal and business productivity.
Invoicing?
Creating invoices is not supported by this app but users can export data to a PDF or CSV file. In addition, this app lets you create a timeline for projects or milestones.
Integrations ?
It is intended to increase your personal productivity so developers focused on creating the system of Reminders and Alerts. Though the tool does not have an impressive list of outer integrations, it performs its main goal of tracking your personal time without fail.
Best Personal Time Tracking App Macbook
Hours
Automated time tracking?
You can secure tracking your work time from any Mac device: the software functionality enables keeping a running list of timers that requires just a click to switch. The data will be stored and visualized for further reporting without fail ensuring the precision of work time calculations.
Invoicing ?
Android Time Tracking App
Hours specifications do not support invoicing or expense tracking options.
Integrations ?
It is crafted as a tracker reconstructing your work day in a visual timeline. Besides, it is equipped with a system of smart reminders and reports on the utilized time. Its easy to use interface lets learn the navigation without requiring any extra efforts. You can edit the visual timeline to see the bottlenecks in your work routine. The data syncs across multiple devices including Apple Watch and Hours Web. For starting/stopping timers you can use Siri.
Timing
Automated time tracking?
It provides detailed recording of your Mac activity with the additional benefit of storing and processing data for further reporting, which makes a positive impact on your productivity and lets you focus on the task at hand instead of taking efforts on timekeeping.
Invoicing ?
Though direct online invoicing is not available on this app but there is a plug-in for automatic import of tracked hours as billable through GrandTotal invoicing app. Provided you are on the Expert edition of Timing, all your Timing tasks will automatically show up in GrandTotal.
Integrations ?
Timing integrations with the invoicing app and calendars enable prompt billing and invoicing as well as instant assigning any calendar event (to schedule the meeting, to bill hours, to invoice, etc.).
TSheets
Automated time tracking?
It functions both for Mac and Windows users. The option of clocking in and out is available either you work from a computer or a phone. Admins have permissions for approval the cloud-based timesheets and sync work time for further processing by accountant department.
Invoicing ?
Since TSheets is a native Quickbooks time tracker, apparently it is designed for the prompt hassle-free billing and invoicing your clients. It is a reliable assistant in streamlining the payroll process as well.
Best Personal Time Tracking App
Integrations?
It is a time tracking application that works on Mac and Windows platforms. It automatically tracks and retrieves data on work hours provides analytics to show where improvements can be made so teams stay productive. It intertwines with diverse apps available on the marketplace under the category of project and task management.
Final Thoughts
Growing popularity of flexible, self-managed work environment allows the participants of the work process reach a new level of business productivity and achieve better work-life balance. Hence, we can observe the growing demand for apps delivering work through applications that easily integrate in apps complex systems and ensure wide functionality within project management.
Most of us measure the working day applying the Mac or Windows based devices that we use on everyday basis: the time trackers we recommend for Mac and Windows users in this post will ensure that you make no mistakes when it comes to calculation of the work hours.
Most of us measure the working day applying the Mac or Windows based devices that we use on everyday basis: the time trackers we recommend for Mac and Windows users in this post will ensure that you make no mistakes when it comes to calculation of the work hours.