⏱️ Quick summary: Time trackers show you where your hours go. These 10 tools all have a free option, and this list explains what each free option gives you in plain words.
Do you work on your own, or with a small team? Do you need invoices, or just a simple timer? Those answers decide which tool is right. Facts here come from each tool’s own website. Limits can change, so always check the official page before you sign up. If you like to plan your week, also read our simple personal productivity system.
🎯 Your Need → The Tool
| Your need | Try this tool |
|---|---|
| Tracking a team with no user limit | TimeCamp, Jibble or Kimai |
| Tracking as much time as you want | Clockify |
| Time tracking plus invoices (one person) | Harvest |
| Automatic tracking, no timers | RescueTime or ActivityWatch |
| Full control and privacy | Kimai or ActivityWatch |
| Simple timer for a tiny team | Toggl Track |
| Project and task reports | Everhour or My Hours |
📋 The 10 Free Time Tracking Tools
1. Toggl Track ⏲️
Overview: Toggl Track is a time tracker with a simple, clean look. Its pricing page says the Free plan is free forever and that a team can use it with up to 3 users. Official site: Toggl Track.
✨ Key features:
- Manual and real-time timers, plus a focus mode
- Tasks, boards and task estimates for simple planning
- Google and Outlook calendar integrations
- Personal reports to follow your own progress
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Clean and easy to start. Real timers and manual entry. | Free plan is for a small group (up to 3 users). Team reports and billable rates are in paid plans. |
🙋 Who it suits: People who want a tidy timer for personal work or a tiny team.
2. Clockify ⏲️
Overview: Clockify offers a Free plan for up to 5 users, and its pricing page says you can track as much time as you want without limits. Official site: Clockify.
✨ Key features:
- Unlimited time tracking and unlimited projects
- Timer, timesheet and calendar views
- Reports with export
- Pomodoro timer, idle detection and reminders
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| No limit on tracked time. Many tools in the free plan. | Some features, such as invoicing and approvals, are not in the free plan. |
🙋 Who it suits: Small teams and freelancers who want a lot for no cost.
3. Harvest ⏲️
Overview: Harvest is known for mixing time tracking with invoices. Its Free plan includes 1 seat and 2 projects. Official site: Harvest.
✨ Key features:
- Time tracking
- Invoicing
- Expense tracking
- Mac and iOS apps
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Invoices and expenses live next to your hours. | Only 1 seat and 2 projects. Teams must upgrade. |
🙋 Who it suits: One freelancer with a few clients.
4. TimeCamp ⏲️
Overview: TimeCamp lists a free-forever plan on its pricing page with unlimited users and unlimited projects. Official site: TimeCamp.
✨ Key features:
- Timesheets
- Web, desktop and mobile apps
- Unlimited users and projects
- Auto tracking, idle time tracking and GPS location tracking in the free column
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited users and projects. Includes auto tracking. | Screenshots, approvals and app and website tracking are not in the free column. |
🙋 Who it suits: Groups that need many users but only basic tracking.
5. Kimai ⏲️
Overview: Kimai is open-source time tracking software. Its website says it is free to self-host, with unlimited users. Official site: Kimai.
✨ Key features:
- Time tracking by customer, project and activity
- Invoice templates (PDF and DOCX)
- Export to XLSX, PDF, CSV and HTML
- Two-factor login and a JSON API
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Free to self-host with no user limit. You control your data. | You need to host it yourself. Some add-ons are paid. |
🙋 Who it suits: People who are comfortable with web hosting and want full control.
6. RescueTime ⏲️
Overview: RescueTime tracks your computer use for you. The free Lite plan gives automatic time tracking and keeps 12 months of history. Official site: RescueTime.
✨ Key features:
- Automatic time tracking
- 12 months of stored data
- Basic reporting
- Good for building time awareness
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| You do not need to press start. It runs in the background. | Lite has no Focus Sessions and no offline activity tracking. |
🙋 Who it suits: Anyone who wants to see where the day goes, without manual timers.
7. Everhour ⏲️
Overview: Everhour lists a free plan for up to 5 seats on its pricing page. It is built around projects and tasks. Official site: Everhour.
✨ Key features:
- Time tracking
- Projects and tasks
- Reports
- Data export
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple project-based tracking for up to 5 seats. | Integrations are only on the paid plan. |
🙋 Who it suits: A small team that wants plain project reports.
8. Jibble ⏲️
Overview: Jibble says its time tracking is free forever for unlimited users. It also supports clock-ins from mobile and web. Official site: Jibble.
✨ Key features:
- Desktop time tracking
- Mobile and web clock-ins
- Basic timesheets
- Integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams and QuickBooks
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Free for unlimited users. Easy clock-in. | The site does not spell out every limit of the free tier, so check before you commit. |
🙋 Who it suits: Teams that need attendance-style clock-in as well as hours.
9. ActivityWatch ⏲️
Overview: ActivityWatch is free, open-source software. Its site says there are no feature gates, no usage limits and no ads. Official site: ActivityWatch.
✨ Key features:
- Tracks the active app and window title
- Categories for your activity
- Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox
- Data is stored on your own device
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| Fully free, and private because data stays on your device. | Syncing between devices is still marked as being worked on. |
🙋 Who it suits: Privacy-minded people who like open-source tools.
10. My Hours ⏲️
Overview: My Hours has a Free plan limited to 5 active users, according to its pricing page. Official site: My Hours.
✨ Key features:
- Free for up to 5 users
- Time tracking and reports
- Paid plans add budgets, rates and approval workflow
- Email and live chat support for all users
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
|---|---|
| A free start for a small team of 5. | Advanced features such as approvals are in the Pro plan. |
🙋 Who it suits: Small teams that may grow into paid features later.
📊 Comparison Table
| Tool | Free option, as stated by the tool | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Toggl Track | Free plan, up to 3 users | Cloud |
| Clockify | Free plan, up to 5 users, unlimited tracking | Cloud |
| Harvest | Free plan, 1 seat, 2 projects | Cloud |
| TimeCamp | Free plan, unlimited users and projects | Cloud |
| Kimai | Free to self-host, unlimited users | Self-hosted |
| RescueTime | Lite plan, 12 months of history | Automatic |
| Everhour | Free plan, up to 5 seats | Cloud |
| Jibble | Free for unlimited users | Cloud |
| ActivityWatch | Free and open source | Local app |
| My Hours | Free plan, up to 5 active users | Cloud |
🧭 How to Choose
| If you… | Then pick |
|---|---|
| work alone and send invoices | Harvest |
| have a team of 5 or less | Clockify, Everhour or My Hours |
| have a bigger team and a tiny budget | TimeCamp, Jibble or Kimai |
| forget to start timers | RescueTime or ActivityWatch |
| care most about privacy | ActivityWatch or Kimai |
| want a clean, simple look | Toggl Track |
Want more tools to organize your tasks? See how to choose a task management tool.
❓ FAQ
What is a time tracking tool?
It is an app that records how long you spend on tasks or projects. Some use a timer you start and stop. Others record by themselves.
Are these tools really free?
Each one has a free option, shown on its own website. Free plans have limits, such as number of users or fewer features.
Which tool has no limit on tracked time?
Clockify says on its pricing page that you can track as much time as you want without limits.
Which free tool works for a large team?
TimeCamp and Jibble both state unlimited users. Kimai also has unlimited users when you host it yourself.
Can I send invoices from a free plan?
Harvest includes invoicing in its Free plan. Kimai has invoice templates in its software. For other tools, check the pricing page for invoicing.
Which tool tracks time automatically?
RescueTime and ActivityWatch track your computer activity for you. TimeCamp also lists auto tracking in its free column.
What does self-hosted mean?
It means you install the software on your own server or hosting. Kimai works this way. You need some technical skill.
Is my data private?
ActivityWatch says data stays on your device. For other tools, read the privacy page of each service before you sign up.
Can freelancers use these tools?
Yes. Harvest suits one person with a few clients. Clockify and Toggl Track both offer free plans that a solo user can try.
Do free plans change over time?
They can. Everhour, for example, has changed its free plan in the past. Always check the official pricing page.
Do I need a time tracker at all?
You do not need one, but it helps if you bill by the hour or want to know where your time goes.
Can I start free and upgrade later?
Many tools let you upgrade. Harvest says your data carries over when you upgrade from the Free plan.