Free Time Tracking Software (2026): 10 Tools Compared

Time tracking sounds dull until you see the report. It's usually the first time a freelancer realises one client takes twice the hours they thought, or a team sees how much of the week disappears into meetings.

These are ten free time tracking tools in no particular order, sorted alphabetically, from simple timers to open source trackers you can run yourself. Each description comes from the tool's own website, re-checked today. If you're not sure what you need yet, my guide on choosing the right time tracking tool for your business walks through the questions to ask first.

Free time tracking software at a glance

Every tool in this table states a free plan or free edition. Free plans usually cap users or projects and keep detailed reports, invoicing or approvals for upgraded plans.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
ActivityWatch	Automatic tracker	Private, automatic tracking	Yes
Clockify	Time tracker	Small teams on a free plan	Yes
Harvest	Time and invoicing	Freelancers who bill by the hour	Yes
Jibble	Time and attendance	Clocking in from phones	Yes
Kimai	Open source tracker	Self-hosted timesheets	Yes
My Hours	Project time tracker	Small project teams	Yes
Paymo	Project and time tool	Freelancers managing projects too	Yes
Super Productivity	To-do and timer app	Personal focus and estimates	Yes
Toggl Track	Time tracker	One-click timers	Yes
TrackingTime	Time tracker	Teams reporting to clients	Yes

Ten free time tracking tools

ActivityWatch

Best for: People who want an open source tracker that records app and website use automatically on their own device.

Clockify

Best for: Small teams that want timers, timesheets and a calendar view on a free plan.

Harvest

Best for: Solo freelancers who bill by the hour and want time tracking that connects to invoicing.

Jibble

Best for: Teams that need clock-ins and attendance on phones or a shared device for unlimited users.

Kimai

Best for: Technical teams that want open source timesheets they can self-host, with invoicing and an API.

My Hours

Best for: Small teams tracking time against projects and clients, free for a handful of users.

Paymo

Best for: Freelancers who want tasks, time tracking and invoices together on a single-user free plan.

Super Productivity

Best for: Individuals who want a free, open source to-do list with time estimates and tracking built in.

Toggl Track

Best for: Freelancers and small teams who want fast one-click timers and clear reports.

TrackingTime

Best for: Teams that want timesheets and client reporting on a free plan with unlimited users.

The record-keeping rule behind time tracking software

Here's the part employers often don't realise. In the US, the Department of Labor's recordkeeping fact sheet lists what employers must keep for non-exempt workers, and it includes hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek. A time tracker won't make you compliant on its own, but it gives you a daily record instead of a guess at the end of the month.

Rules differ by country and contract, so check your own obligations. The point is simple: if you employ people on hourly rates, accurate daily records protect you and them.

Manual timers or automatic time tracking

Manual timers make you start and stop a clock. They're accurate when people remember and useless when they don't. Automatic trackers record what's on screen and let you sort it later, which captures more but raises privacy questions in a team. For employees, be open about what's tracked and why.

Setting up free time tracking software in a week

1. Create your clients and projects before you track anything.
2. Decide whether tasks need tracking or projects are enough.
3. Track everything for one week, including email and admin.
4. Review the report and spot the work you didn't plan for.
5. Set one change for the next week, such as batching email.

What to do with your time tracking report

The report is only useful if it changes something. Look for the client who takes more hours than they're worth, the task you could hand to a tool, and the meeting that could be an email. My breakdown of how I use AI to save hours each week shows the kind of changes a time report tends to point to.

Repeat the review every month. Patterns only show up over several weeks, and that's when you'll see whether a change stuck.

Time tracking for freelancers versus teams

Freelancers usually track time for two reasons: to bill accurately and to find out which clients are worth keeping. A single-user free plan with one-click timers and a simple report covers both. If you bill by the project rather than the hour, track anyway for a month, because it's the only way to know whether your project rates still make sense.

Teams track for planning and fairness. You want to see who's overloaded, which projects overrun and how much time support or admin quietly eats. That needs shared projects, clear task names and a free plan that covers everyone, which is where user limits start to matter.

• Freelancers: one seat, quick timers, exportable timesheets.
• Small teams: shared projects, a team report, mobile apps.
• Hourly staff: clock-ins, attendance and approvals.

Do you make time tracking software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on free time tracking software

Track everything for two weeks before you change anything. The first report is often uncomfortable, and it's the most useful business data a freelancer or small team will see all year.

Frequently asked questions

Is there completely free time tracking software?

Yes. Several tools describe a free plan, and some open source trackers are free to run yourself.

What do free time tracking plans usually limit?

Users, projects, detailed reports, invoicing and approvals are the usual limits.

Do employers have to track hours?

In the US, employers must keep records of hours worked for non-exempt employees. Other countries have their own rules.

Is automatic time tracking legal for employees?

It depends on local law and contracts. Be transparent with your team and check the rules where you operate.

Can I invoice from a time tracker?

Some trackers connect time to invoices. Others export timesheets you can bill from.

How do I get my team to track time?

Keep projects simple, show them the report, and use the data to remove work rather than to police people.