- Timesheet tools compared
- Eleven timesheet tools to consider
- Working hours rules that timesheets help you check
- Timesheets for payroll versus timesheets for projects
- Questions to ask before you roll it out
- Signs your timesheets aren't working
- My plain advice on choosing timesheet software
- Frequently asked questions
The best timesheet software makes it easy for people to record the hours they've worked, get them approved and turn them into payroll, invoices or project reports without chasing anyone on a Friday afternoon. Small teams usually want something quick with a free starting point, while project-based firms want approvals, rules and links to billing. Eleven tools follow in no particular order.
Paper timesheets and shared spreadsheets work until someone forgets, guesses or rounds up. Then payroll is late, a client invoice is short and nobody can say where a project's hours went. The data is there, just never on time.
Timesheet software fixes the habit, not just the form. The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from simple trackers with free plans to platforms for professional services firms, and every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If you plan shifts as well, my guide to the best employee scheduling software covers that side.
Timesheet tools compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free edition, a free account or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it or book a demo.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| actiTIME | Timesheets for project profitability | Firms checking which projects make money | Trial only |
| Beebole | Timesheets with resource planning | Matching planned work with tracked time | Yes |
| BigTime | Professional services automation with time | Consultancies and accounting firms | Not stated |
| Deltek Replicon | AI-powered time tracking for project firms | Project-based businesses with complex rules | Not stated |
| Harvest | Time tracking with invoicing | Agencies billing clients by the hour | Not stated |
| My Hours | Project time tracking for teams | Small teams wanting a free starting point | Yes |
| QuickBooks Time | Employee time tracking linked to payroll | QuickBooks users with field or hourly staff | Not stated |
| Tick | Straightforward project time tracking | Watching project hours against estimates | Trial only |
| TimeCamp | Time tracking and project profitability | Automatic timesheets with on-premise option | Not stated |
| Timely | Automatic time tracking and timesheets | Consultancies tired of filling in timesheets | Trial only |
| Timesheets.com | Employee timesheets with scheduling and expenses | Small employers paying hourly staff | Trial only |
Eleven timesheet tools to consider
actiTIME
Best for: Service firms that want staff timesheets tied to projects so they can see which clients and jobs are profitable.
Beebole
Best for: Teams that want to plan tasks and capacity, then compare what was planned with what timesheets show was done.
BigTime
Best for: Professional services firms that want timesheets, utilisation and billing data feeding project margins in one system.
Deltek Replicon
Best for: Larger project-based businesses that need timesheets with approvals, compliance rules and links to project accounting.
Harvest
Best for: Agencies and freelancers who bill by the hour and want timesheets turned into invoices and project reports.
My Hours
Best for: Small teams that want simple project timesheets and reports, starting on a free plan before adding more features.
QuickBooks Time
Best for: Small businesses on QuickBooks that want staff to submit timesheets from a phone and approved hours to flow into payroll.
Tick
Best for: Agencies that want staff to log time against project estimates and see early when a job is running over.
TimeCamp
Best for: Teams that want automatic time capture and timesheets, with the option of an on-premise setup for strict data rules.
Timely
Best for: Consultancies and agencies whose staff hate timesheets and want them filled in automatically from their work activity.
Timesheets.com
Best for: Employers that want online timesheets, time off, expenses and payroll exports for hourly staff in one place.
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Working hours rules that timesheets help you check
GOV.UK says workers can't work more than 48 hours a week on average, normally averaged over 17 weeks. Workers can choose to opt out, but it must be voluntary and in writing, and the employer must keep a record that the worker has opted out.
A timesheet that only shows this week's total won't tell you whether someone's rolling average is creeping up. If you employ people in the UK, look for a tool that can report hours over longer periods, so you can spot a rising average early.
Timesheets for payroll versus timesheets for projects
Some tools are built around employees and payroll: clocking hours, time off, approvals and exports to your payroll system. Others are built around projects and clients: logging time against tasks, comparing it with estimates and turning it into invoices.
Agencies and consultancies usually want the second kind. Employers with hourly staff want the first. A few tools cover both, but you'll usually find each one leans one way.
Questions to ask before you roll it out
- How do people log time: timer, weekly grid, mobile app or automatic capture?
- Who approves timesheets, and can we lock them after approval?
- Does it export to our payroll or accounts package?
- Can we compare hours with project estimates?
- Can we report hours over long periods, not just weekly?
- How do we chase missing timesheets without nagging by hand?
Signs your timesheets aren't working
- Hours arrive late every week. Payroll waits.
- Entries are guesses. Everything is rounded to the hour.
- Clients query invoices. There's no detail behind them.
- Overtime surprises you. Nobody sees the trend.
Do you make timesheet software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing timesheet software
Pick the tool your least organised team member will use. If logging hours takes more than a minute a day, timesheets will arrive late and wrong whatever the software promises. Automatic capture and simple mobile apps make a bigger difference than clever reports.
Then decide what the hours are for. If they're for payroll, prioritise approvals and exports. If they're for clients, prioritise projects and invoices. For solo owners, my roundup of time tracking tools for solo business owners covers lighter options.
Frequently asked questions
What is timesheet software?
Timesheet software records the hours people work, collects approvals and sends the data to payroll, invoicing or project reports, replacing paper forms and spreadsheets.
What's the difference between timesheet software and time tracking software?
They overlap. Timesheet software focuses on submitting and approving hours. Time tracking tools often add timers, automatic capture and productivity reports.
Are there free timesheet tools?
Yes. Some tools have free plans for small teams, and others offer trials. Check the free plan column in the table above.
Do UK employers need to record working hours?
GOV.UK says employers need to keep some records about working hours, including a record of any worker who has opted out of the 48-hour week.
Can timesheets be filled in automatically?
Some tools capture time automatically from people's work activity and suggest timesheet entries, which staff then check and submit.
How do I get staff to fill in timesheets?
Make it quick, use mobile apps or automatic capture, set reminders, and show people how the data is used so it doesn't feel like box-ticking.
