Freelancers enjoy a flexible workday that they typically control. However, even the most organized freelancer may not be using their time as productively as possible. Despite feeling as if they are multitasking and balancing multiple projects at once, improvements can always be made to ensure every minute of the actual working day billable hours is being billed as well as used appropriately. Even in just assessing your freelance business in terms of how much more work you could take on, it makes sense to use time-tracking apps at work.
Check out these 10 time tracking apps that offer a mix of free and paid tools:
Due works in the background while you handle various projects, quietly keeping track of the time you spend on each project. All you need to do is start the timer and get back to work while Due does the rest. The Due time tracking tool works in conjunction with its online invoicing tool to provide a more efficient way to bill for your time. It also offers a database that lets you enter and manage client data, including their name, address, the hourly rate you charge them, and the currency you bill them. Additionally, Due does offer a way to process various payment methods. Pricewise, it’s free!
TopTracker was developed by a freelancing network specifically for freelancers in mind and is free. This is a great benefit as freelancers definitely have a unique way of working that is different than traditional workers. Features include a timer as well as screenshots and webcam shots. Many aspects of the timing tool can be customized to work with how you organize your projects and share information on your productivity. It works OS X and Windows.
Toggl is very user-friendly and gives you many ways to look at how you spend your freelance time. Features include reports that break down your time in different ways that work with all types of applications — from billing to productivity analysis. You can either use the real-time tracking system or choose to enter your time later on. Because the time tracking tool was built for freelancers and teams to use, there may be many features that are not applicable to you as a freelancer. The pricing structure varies with this in mind. Freelancers may want to take advantage of the free version or the $5/month version while the business version priced at $49/month is more for teams.
This time tracking app is particularly useful for its ability to multitask, offering a way to track your time simultaneously across different projects, tasks, and hourly rates. It integrates with Basecamp and offers other features for billing and invoicing. Like Toggl, it works for freelancers and teams, again giving you features you may not need. There are no options for desktop monitoring like URL tracking either. Be prepare to pay more, including $12/month for individuals, $49/month for basic features, and $99/month for business if you have a team.
This is an ideal time tracking app for freelancers that are only tracking tiem for their own benefit to gauge productivity. However, the time tracking information cannot be sent to clients or any manager. It offers only the most basic features compared to the other time tracking apps on this list. However, it is free for the Lite version but $9/month for a Premium version.
Made for iOS only, this time tracking app is simple, easy to use, and basic in its features list. However, it does help you focus on how you use your time and the information can be shared in reports. The features offered include reminders and a visual timeline to show you where your time went. It’s a free app that you can download from their website or the Apple app store.
This free app works on the desktop as well as is downloadable as an iOS app from the company’s website and the Apple app store. Eternity time is fairly complex in what it offers in terms of being able to segment how you have used your time on projects and tasks. It gives you logs, reports, charts, invoicing and a tool to export data.
Tick is a time tracker app that offers numerous ways to use it. You can use the Chrome extension to have it track your work via desktop. It also offers an iOS and Android app as well as the ability to work with an Apple Watch. Plus, it integrates with more than 400 tools, platforms, and Web apps. It’s simple and straightforward. The only part that may require some consideration is its pricing model, which is based on the number of projects you do. As a freelancer, you are most likely doing more than one project, so the free version may be out. The next tier gives you the ability to time and track 10 projects at $19/month or 30 projects at $49/month. You can go all the way up to unlimited projects for $149/month.
Although Klok offers a tam console, it does offer a cheaper desktop version at $19.99 that fits a freelancer’s needs. Besides tracking your time while you work, you can also use this app to analyze previous data from past projects that clarifies how to create more accurate estimates and quotes for clients. Plus, it does also illustrate if you have been able to make any improvements to your productivity levels.
This time tracking app is made exclusively for Apple products, including Mac desktops and laptops, iPhone, and iPad. It’s free and downloadable from the company’s website as well as the Apple app store. It takes just minutes to set up and figure out how to use. You can track your time spent on different tasks and projects as well as track and manage your client base and even your mileage.
Most freelancers know and understand that just tracking your time and paying attention to how you operate will increase your productivity. You will spend less time on processes as you observe your own habits.
What are you waiting for? Now is the time to keep a better handle on how you spend your time by using time tracking apps. These apps are designed to increase productivity and revenue within your freelance business!
