Teams need to maximize productivity to achieve their objectives. From juggling multiple projects to meeting tight deadlines, the ability to manage time effectively makes all the difference. This is where a time tracking software can be a game-changer, streamlining workflows, enhancing accountability, and elevating productivity levels for teams of different sizes.
Time tracking software streamlines workflows, enhances accountability, and elevates productivity levels. They empower teams to work smarter.
But which is the most effective one? In this blog, we have compiled 12 of the best time tracking software to improve performance this year and in the years to come.
12 Time Tracking Software to Improve Team Productivity in 2024
Here are the 12 best options complied by us based on user reviews, vendor feedback, and our individual research:
1. Nifty: Best Free Time Tracking Software
Nifty is the best time tracking software for those who need a comprehensive project management solution. Its robust features go beyond merely tracking time. It also offers milestones, task management, workflow automation, discussions, meetings, and more in one place, making it an optimal project management tool for scheduling and tracking team workload.
Team members can efficiently manage tasks and projects, create invoices (based on the number of hours), and generate detailed reports to gain insights into productivity and performance.
With its task management features, Nifty enables streamlined working processes, task prioritization, and efficient task and time management.
Nifty’s interface and integration with other tools make it easy for teams to collaborate and streamline workflows. Be it simple or complex projects, Nifty provides flexibility and functionality to meet goals.
Key Features
- Task-Based Time Tracking: Track time directly against specific tasks or projects and plan smartly.
- Intuitive Interface: It makes it easy for users to start and stop timers, add time entries, and manage their time effectively.
- Integration: Integrate with your favorite tools like Slack, Docs, Zoom, and many more. It allows users to track time within the same platform they use for task management and collaboration.
- Customizable Reports: Generate customizable reports for insights into time usage, project progress, and productivity.
- Automatic Time Tracking: Leverage automatic time tracking features and capture time spent on tasks and projects in the background to improve accuracy.
- Mobile Accessibility: Use Nifty on the go as it is accessible via mobile devices.
Limitations
- Focus on team communication might overshadow time tracking for individual users.
Pricing
There is a useful free plan to help teams get started, including basic time tracking and basic time tracking features, emphasizing its suitability for small teams or businesses looking for essential time tracking capabilities. Paid plans start at $39 per month for ten team members.
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2. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a versatile time tracking solution that is suitable for remote teams, freelancers, and other businesses. Helpful features include a time tracker with employee monitoring features like screenshots and activity levels.
Key Features
Employee Monitoring: Hubstaff offers employee monitoring features. Teams can track time worked and activity levels with screenshots for accountability.
GPS Tracking: Users can monitor remote employees in real-time for field service or remote work use cases.
Project Time Tracking: As a project time tracking software, Hubstaff enables team managers to track time spent on specific projects or tasks, emphasizing its specialized features for managing and tracking time within project management. Project progress can be monitored and resources allocated efficiently, ensuring accurate billing for clients and optimizing workflows.
Integrations: Hubstaff also integrates with a range of productivity tools, to synch time management across applications.
Client Billing: Hubstaff allows users to bill clients by tracking billable hours and expenses associated with projects.
Limitations
- Can be expensive for larger teams.
- Desktop app might be resource-intensive for some machines.
- Limited offline functionality for users who need to track time without internet access.
Pricing
There is a free 14-day trial. A Starter plan is available for $4.99/seat/month, and the tiers go up to an Enterprise Plan at $25/seat/month.
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3. Toggl: User-friendly Time Tracking Software
Toggl has a simple and user-friendly interface. It offers features like time tracking, reporting, and project budgeting. It is a good choice for freelancers and small teams.
Key Features
- Simplicity and Flexibility: Toggl has a straightforward interface. It tracks time spent on tasks and projects, with start and stop timers. Users can track time manually or use the timer, which can be started and stopped as needed to accurately capture billable hours.
- Project and Client Tracking: Teams can organize time entries by project and client. The feature provides insights into where time is being allocated for easy client billing.
- Reports and Insights: Reporting features include customizable reports for insights into time usage, productivity, and profitability.
- Team Collaboration: Toggl enables team members to collaborate on projects. They can track time together, for transparency and accountability.
- Offline Time Tracking: Toggl has offline time tracking capabilities. Users can track time when online and synch data when back online.
Limitations
- Interface might be too simple for complex time tracking needs.
- Limited reporting features in the free version.
- May not offer advanced budgeting or forecasting features.
Pricing
Toggl has a free plan with limited features for up to five users. Paid plans start at $9 per user per month, with additional features for better team collaboration.
4. Workforce
Workforce is a time and attendance software solution for businesses of all sizes. It features features like time tracking, scheduling, and payroll integration and aims to streamline the entire workforce management process.
Key Features
- Shift Scheduling: Workforce allows managers to create and manage employee schedules efficiently. It enables proper staffing levels and resources.
- Time and Attendance Tracking: It has comprehensive time and attendance tracking features. Team members can check in and out, monitor breaks, and track over time.
- Labor Cost Management: Workforce has tools for monitoring and managing labor costs. These include real-time visibility into budget tracking and labor cost forecasting.
- Employee Self-Service: Workforce includes employee self-service features. Employees can view schedules, request time off, and manage attendance through the platform.
- HR Integration: Workforce integrates with other HR systems, such as payroll software and time clock hardware.
Limitations
- Can be expensive for smaller teams.
- Customization options might require technical expertise.
- Some users may experience a steep earning curve.
Pricing
The workforce is primarily for enterprises with a sizeable number of employees. Pricing is only available on request.
Workforce is a good tool, but Nifty is better.
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5. Worktime
Worktime is a flexible time tracking solution for individuals and businesses. It streamlines workflows and improves productivity.
Key Features
- Project and Task Tracking: Worktime enables teams to allocate time to different projects and tasks. This feature provides insights into where time is being spent. It facilitates management and billing processes.
- Attendance Monitoring: Worktime offers attendance monitoring features for managers to check employee attendance, arrivals, and departures and manage absences.
- Productivity Analysis: Worktime’s productivity analysis tools include reports and analytics to identify patterns, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement.
- Automatic Time Tracking: Automatic time tracking capabilities can capture time spent on tasks and projects in the background.
- Mobile Accessibility: Worktime offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing users to track time on the go and seamlessly switch between devices.
- Customizable Reports: Worktime allows users to generate customizable reports. These provide insights into time usage, productivity, and profitability.
Limitations
- Free plan limitations restrict features significantly.
- Some users find the user interface dated.
- Limited customer support options.
Pricing
There is a limited free plan for individuals and small groups. Paid plans start at $6.99 per employee per month.
6. TimeCamp
TimeCamp is a well-rounded option with a blend of features. Timesheets, project budgeting, and team collaboration tools allow enterprises to manage projects and clients effectively.
Key Features
- Automatic and Manual Time Tracking: TimeCamp offers automatic time tracking functionality, and users can also manually enter and edit time entries as needed.
- Project and Productivity Monitoring: Productivity monitoring features include activity levels and website/app usage tracking. It enables team members to identify distractions and optimize work habits.
- Billing and Invoicing: TimeCamp provides tools to generate invoices based on tracked time and billable rates.
- Reporting and Analytics: Customizable reports and analytics offer insights into time usage, productivity trends, and project profitability.
- Budget Tracking: TimeCamp allows users to set project budgets and track time against these budgets.
Limitations
- Interface might be tricky to manage for new users.
- Limited customization options for reports.
- May not be suitable for global operations due to limited time zone support.
Pricing
It has a starter plan with basic features at $2.99 per user per month, going up to an Enterprise plan of $11.99 per user per month.
Why pay for time tracking when you get it for free?
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7. Hivedesk: Employee Time Tracking Software
Hivedesk combines time tracking with added functionalities such as project and task management. It is suitable for teams that need to track time, collaborate on projects, and foster a connected work environment.
Key Features
- Automatic Tracking and Monitoring: HiveDesk automatically tracks time spent on tasks and projects. It monitors user activity levels, including mouse and keyboard activity.
- Screenshot Capture: HiveDesk captures screenshots at intervals to provide visual evidence of work activity and ensure accountability.
- Project and Task Tracking: Team members can organize time entries by project and task. It provides insights into where time is being spent and facilitates project management.
- Idle Time Detection: HiveDesk detects idle time and subtracts it from the total recorded time. Only productive hours are counted towards billable hours or work reports.
- Reporting and Analytics: HiveDesk provides customizable reports and analytics with insights into time usage for informed management decisions.
Limitations
- Lacks advanced features for complex project management.
- Free plan limitations restrict team size and features.
- Limited invoicing and billing functionalities.
Pricing
Their plan costs $5 per user per month for a minimum of three users.
8. Monitask
Monitask is another program that helps businesses manage remote teams and track billable hours accurately. Notable features include blocking websites and applications to minimize distractions.
Key Features
- Productivity Reports: Customizable reports and analytics help team users make informed decisions on workflows.
- Budget Tracking: Users can set project budgets and track time against them to control costs. This feature provides greater visibility into project costs and helps projects stay within budget.
- Attendance Monitoring: Monitask tracks employee attendance and hours worked to monitor employee schedules and ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
Limitations
- Free plan limitations restrict timesheets and reports.
- Focus on screenshots might cause privacy concerns.
- Limited integrations with other project management tools.
Pricing
There is a free trial, and paid plans start at $5.99 per user per month.
9. MyHours
MyHours is a basic and efficient time tracking app for tracking hours and managing projects. It is meant for individuals and smaller teams, and not larger enterprises with complex needs.
Key Features
- Project and Task Management: Users can organize time entries by projects and tasks to manage projects and allocate resources.
- Invoicing: Users can generate invoices based on tracked time and billable rates.
- Reporting and Analytics: MyHours provides customizable reports and analytics that offer insights into time and productivity.
- Client Management: There are features for managing clients and projects so managers can assign tasks, track time, and monitor productivity.
- Collaboration Tools: Features such as shared project views and team time tracking foster transparency and accountability among teams.
- Privacy and Security: MyHours prioritizes the privacy and security of user data.
Limitations
- Limited desktop app functions.
- User interface can feel cluttered.
- Fewer options for payroll processing and expense management.
Pricing
There is a limited free plan. Paid plans start at $8.00 per user per month.
10. Timely
Timely is promoted as an AI-powered time tracking platform that captures billable hours for actionable insights. The list of useful features includes real-time tracking and automatic timesheet creation.
Key Features
- AI-Powered Categorization: Timely uses machine learning to categorize entries based on activities, providing insights into where time is being spent.
- Real-Time Dashboard: There is a real-time dashboard for visibility into team activities. Managers can monitor progress, allocate resources, and make data-driven decisions.
- Project and Task Tracking: Timely allows users to organize time entries by both projects and tasks.
- Automatic Timesheet Creation: Timely automatically generates timesheets based on tracked time entries to streamline invoicing and payroll processes.
- Collaboration Tools: Timely includes features such as shared project views and team time tracking.
Limitations
- No appointment scheduling or client cancellation options.
- TImely does not have a free tier, and therefore there is no trial.
Pricing
There is a starter plan at $9 per user per month. Plans go up to $22 per user per month.
11. OnTheClock
OnTheClock is a budget-friendly option for freelancers and small organizations. It is a simple and intuitive app that is useful to track attendance.
Key Features
- Geofencing: OnTheClock offers geofencing capabilities for businesses to create virtual boundaries around specific locations and track employee attendance.
- Scheduling: It includes scheduling features so team leaders can manage employee schedules, track assignments, and ensure staffing levels.
- PTO Tracking: OnTheClock offers paid time off (PTO) tracking features. Employees can view available PTO balances and track PTO usage.
- Reporting and Analytics: Customizable reports and analytics that offer views into employee attendance, labor costs, and productivity.
- Employee Self-Service: OnTheClock includes self-service features for employees to view work schedules, clock in and out, and manage time-off requests.
Limitations
- Focus on attendance tracking at the expense of other data.
- Limited functionalities for performance management and goal setting.
Pricing
There is a sliding scale of paid plans, depending on the number of users. For example, with 15 employees, it costs $51.75 per month.
12. eBillity
eBillity is a time tracking and invoicing software designed for freelancers and small businesses. It has features like time and expense tracking and professional invoicing to help streamline finances.
Key Features
- Expense Tracking and Invoicing: Users can track expenses associated with projects and generate professional client invoices.
- Online Payments: eBillity integrates with online payment platforms. Users can accept payments directly through invoices, streamlining the payment process.
- Client Management: It includes features for managing client information, project details, and billing preferences.
- Reporting and Analytics: eBillity provides customizable reports and analytics, empowering users to make informed decisions.
- Mobile Apps: eBillity offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing users to track time, manage expenses, and create invoices on the go.
Limitations
- Geared more towards the finance needs of freelancers and consultants.
- Limited features for project management and collaboration.
- Free plan places restrictions on invoicing and reporting.
Pricing
After a free trial, plans start at $7.20 per user per month.
What Makes the Best Time Tracking App Effective?
The best time tracking apps have features to meet users’ needs and preferences. They offer a seamless and efficient experience while being flexible.
Here are some key features to look for when choosing a time tracking app that is best for your needs.
- User-Friendly Interface: Look for an interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate. Users should be able to start and stop timers without fuss, quickly add tasks or projects, and view time entries without fuss. Nifty’s interface ensures that you can track and enter data quickly and efficiently. It is best to get a free time tracking software trial before moving on to paid plans.
- Compatibility: The app should be accessible across various devices and platforms: web browsers, desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. This is handy in an age of remote working models.
- Flexibility in Tracking Methods: The app should offer flexibility in tracking time. For example, manual time entry, timers, and integrations with tools like calendars or project management software can be used.
- Customization: Users should be able to customize the app to fit their needs and workflows. This could include project names, tags or categories, hourly rates for tasks, and reports based on specific criteria.
- Integration: The app should integrate with other tools and software that teams use, such as project management platforms, invoicing software, calendars, and communication tools. This functionality makes a time tracking app a valuable way to enhance processes. For example, Nifty integrates with popular tools such as Zoom, Github, Slack, and Microsoft Suite.
- Reporting and Analytics: The app should provide reporting and analytics features that allow users to gain insights into their time usage patterns. This could be in the form of charts and graphs, time breakdowns, and summaries of billable hours. Such reports can contain insight into boosting productivity in the future.
- Collaboration: Collaboration features are essential for enterprises to cooperate across teams. They also help in dealing with clients. These features can include shared project views, collective time tracking, and client invoicing capabilities.
- Offline Functionality: It is useful for a time tracking app to have offline functionality. This allows users to track time even when they are not connected to the internet. It ensures that no entries and other data are lost.
- Privacy and Security: Time tracking involves sensitive data about work activities. The app should employ robust security measures to protect user data from unauthorized access and have an effective recovery mechanism in case of data loss.
- Customer Support and Updates: A responsive customer support team and regular updates to the app are important to address user concerns. This keeps the app streamlined and ready for the future. Nifty has a dedicated team and help center to answer all queries.
Selecting the right time tracking tool is crucial for businesses looking to enhance productivity and project management. It’s important to choose a tool that offers a variety of features and integration capabilities to meet specific business needs.
Conclusion
With the right tool, managers can take control of their team’s time. The goal is not just to monitor hours but to enhance productivity and foster collaboration.
The best time tracking apps also offer insights that empower teams to work better together and reach a shared goal. This culture of accountability and efficiency leads to continued success and growth.
To get started, explore any of the tools above, or if you have already decided, here’s Nifty, a tailor-made time-tracking solution. Get Started Free.
