2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST TIME TRACKING SOFTWARE & APPS
Keep Track of Your Workday with the Best Free Time Tracking Software and Apps
Today’s workforce is more and more focused on freelancing, remote work, and startups. These unconventional patterns leave much need for both employers and freelancers to have the best time tracking software.
Whether you are looking for freelance time tracking or free time tracking software for teams, this is your guide to the best free time tracking software in 2017.
Award Emblem: Top 7 Best Time Tracking Apps
The time tracking apps that made it to your list all accomplish the same main goal: track the time spent on the workday. However, each will have unique features or focuses that may work best for your time tracking software needs.
From a simple time tracking tool that only gives you the bare minimum, to a wildly comprehensive time tracking app that allows you to integrate other tools – you are sure to find the best time tracking app for you.
Take a look through these seven options of the best free time tracking software and add some extra organization and productivity to your work life in 2017.
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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 7 Best Time Tracking Apps
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the product names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that product):
Top 7 Best Time Tracking Apps | Brief Comparison & Ranking
| Best Time Tracking Apps | Free iPhone App ? | Free Android App? | Free Desktop Apps? |
| ATracker | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Not Available | NA |
| Hours | Yes | Not Available | Desktop app only included with Pro membership (fee) |
| HoursTracker | Yes | Yes | NA |
| Hubstaff | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Windows, Mac, Linux destop app |
| Timely | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Not Available | Mac desktop app |
| Toggl | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Yes (Paid upgrade option) | Windows, Mac, and Linux desktop app; Chrome extension |
| TopTracker | No (Desktop App) | No (Desktop App) | Windows, OS X, Debian, RPM desktop apps |
Table: Top 7 Best Time Tracking Software | Above list is sorted alphabetically
What Is Time Tracking Software?
Put simply, a timetracker tracks your time. This can be for months, weeks, or days. But it can also be for small, individual tasks.
Essentially, time tracking apps are the modern version of a punch card. You will be given options to start the clock and end the clock. Then you will be given a report of some sort.
Image Source: Pexels
Then there are plenty of added features you will see in many of these best time tracking app options, such as:
- Organizational tools like tags or filters
- Integrations that allow you to join other calendars or work platforms
- Pay trackers
The best time tracking software will not only provide the essential function of counting hours; it should help improve productivity. Its main focus is the workplace, but it does not have to be. Productivity help is great for hobbies, too.
Who Needs Free Time Tracking Software?
The people who will benefit from a time tracking tool are most often either:
- Small business owners/managers
- Freelancers
Small business owners will often need to do timetracking for themselves as well as utilizing the best time tracking software to manage and pay their employees.
These services allow employees to track their own time quickly, but it also provides a level of proof that makes verifying your time to your employer much easier.
Freelance time tracking is important for billing clients effectively and honestly. A freelance time tracker is also quite useful for helping a freelancer stay on task, since they are often working alone, sometimes in their own homes.
As you will notice, many of these best time tracking software options do include capabilities to serve large teams. But this often means you will have to pay for monthly memberships.
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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Free Time Tracking Software
Below, please find a detailed review of each time tracking app on our list of time tracking software. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these time tracking apps to score so highly in our selection ranking.
ATracker Review
The first best time tracking app on our list of best free time tracking software is ATracker. This is a solid app for freelance time tracking or any project with multiple tasks.
Image Source: ATracker
Features of this time tracking app include the following:
- Defined list of tasks for the day
- One-touch start and stop timetracking
- History of time in list or calendar view
- Reports in bar charts or pie charts (can be shared via social media)
- Easy set-up that still has advanced options
As you go down this list of best time tracking software, you will see that each time tracking app varies in complexity vs. simplicity. For a good market, ATracker seems to land in the middle.
Hours Review
Of the best time tracking software on our list, Hours is probably the simplest. For those who are looking for a basic timetracker that allows for both easy team tracking and easy individual freelance time tracking, Hours may be just for you.
The included features of this time tracking tool are simple:
- Multiple timers you can switch between
- Reports of your time
- Timeline with editing capabilities
- Team timetracking
As of now, Hours is only available as a best time tracking app for Apple products. However, you can use their program on the web if you pay for their Pro membership at $8 per person/per month.
Hours is a good reminder that the best free time tracking software does not have to have endless options. Many searching for a freelance time tracking system will be drawn to the simplicity.
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HoursTracker Review
Our next best time tracking app is HoursTracker. This timetracker is great for those seeking freelance time tracking from home, but it has even more features for those who go to an office (or from location to location throughout the day).
Features of this time tracking app include:
- Track one or multiple jobs
- Clock in/clock out or start and stop as needed
- Organize time by day, week, or month
- Calculate pay period
- Estimate net pay with overtime
- Get notifications when you arrive so you remember to click in
- Create jobs list
- Use tags for easy organization
- Take advantage of filters
- Hear alerts when you are done for the day
- Have streamlined timetracking
- Export timetracking reports
As some of the best free time tracking software available, HoursTracker is simple and effective. There are not many frills, but there are enough innovative ideas to make it a great timetracker.
Hubstaff Review
Now, we will look at some of the best time tracking software in Hubstaff. This may be the best time tracking app for those who want the flexibility to upgrade and add more and more team members.
Hubstaff has free time tracking software that is geared for one individual seeking freelance time tracking. To take advantage of their tiered programs that can cater teams with up to 200 users, you will start having to pay for memberships.
The free freelance time tracker version includes:
- Timetracking
- Limited screenshot storage
- Activity levels
If you choose to pay for the membership, however, this timetracker explodes with features, including payroll, timesheets, GPS, budgets, scheduling, and much more.
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Timely Review
On our list of best time tracking software, Timely has the largest focus on effortless and quick timetracking.
Image Source: Timely
To save you time, this timetracker will automatically import meetings and appointments you have in the following calendar systems:
- Outlook
- Office 365
- Google Calendar
Other important integrations for this best time tracking app include:
- Moves
- Walkatime
- Gmail
- Trello
- Wunderlust
- Rescuetime
- Github
- Asana
- Todoist
This is not only some of the best free time tracking software, Timely also includes budget tools for your convenience as well.
This time tracking tool is free when used as freelance time tracking for one individual. This includes a maximum of 5 projects. You will have to pay extra fees per user/per month in order to use this best time tracking software for teams.
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Toggl Review
Next up on our review of the best free time tracking software is Toggl. This is arguably the most comprehensive time tracking software on our list.
The free version of this time tracking tool includes the following feature:
- Multiple project timetracking
- Capability to delete time entries
- Bulk edit
- Manual time additions
- Website/program view timeline
- Autotracker (apps or keywords that automatically trigger tracking)
- Tags
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Idle detection
- Time format options
- Pomodoro timer tells you when to take a break
- Weekly, detailed, or summary reports
- Dashboard with detailed summary
- Project archiving
- Unlimited projects and clients
- User groups
- Team access levels
- Color code projects
While this can be a great freelance time tracker for those who work alone, this best time tracking app also integrates with these teambuilding programs:
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TopTracker Review
Last on our list of the best free time tracking software is TopTracker. This timetracker is one of the best options for freelance time tracking. All their features are geared to helping freelancers with timetracking.
The biggest note to make right away is that this best time tracking software is specifically a desktop app. However, the online capabilities of this freelance time tracker can still be accessed on your phone or tablet.
On top of this benefit, everything for this time tracking app is always free. TopTracker boasts on their website, “Today, no time tracking software exists that is free, high quality, and flexible; we’re changing that.”
Important features of this freelance time tracking system include:
- Timetracking from any device
- Dashboard view of projects
- Private freelance time tracking (extra settings and blurred screenshots)
- Detailed reports for you and/or your team
- Unlimited projects and users
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Conclusion – Top 7 Best Time Tracking App
Now that you are well acquainted with some of the best free time tracking software in 2017, it is time to choose the best time tracking app for you.
Ask yourself some of the following questions to help you decide which time tracking tool is best for your needs:
- Do you prefer simplicity or advanced options? If you are simply looking to clock your hours, choose an easy, streamlined option. If you need the help of more advanced options, choose the more comprehensive time tracking apps.
- Do you work alone at home (or rented space)? If so, the best time tracking software for you will focus on freelance time tracking.
- Do you work with other workplace apps? If so, best free time tracking software will integrate with other apps.
The nice thing about free time tracking software is that if you do not like that program, you will not be out of any money if you cancel. Feel free to try a few of these best time tracking app options until you find the ideal choice.
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