A focused time tracker vs a full accounting suite. Do you need both, or just the essentials?
FreshBooks is an accounting platform that includes time tracking as one of many features. Hourly is a dedicated time tracker built exclusively for freelancers. If you need invoicing, double-entry bookkeeping, expense tracking, and time tracking in one platform, FreshBooks is a comprehensive choice. If you just need fast, focused time tracking with revenue visibility, Hourly does it better and for free.
| Feature | Hourly | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Beta) | From $7.60/mo (promo) / $19/mo |
| Primary purpose | Time tracking | Accounting & invoicing |
| Free plan | ✓ Yes (Beta) | ✗ 30-day trial only |
| Weekly timesheet | ✓ Core experience | ✓ Timer + manual |
| Hourly rates per project | ✓ Free | ✓ All plans |
| Invoicing | Planned | ✓ Full suite + online payments |
| Accounting | Not included | ✓ Double-entry bookkeeping |
| Expense tracking | Not included | ✓ Receipt capture & categorization |
| Visual analytics | ✓ Bar & donut charts | ✓ Financial reports |
| PDF time reports | ✓ Client-ready export | ✓ Available |
| Client limit (cheapest plan) | ✓ Unlimited | 5 clients (Lite) |
| Setup complexity | ✓ Under 1 minute | 15-30 minutes (accounting setup) |
| Planning mode | ✓ Built-in | Not available |
| Spreadsheet & card view | ✓ Both layouts | Timer view only |
| Monthly timesheet | ✓ Day & week summary | Not available |
| Data hosting | EU (AWS, GDPR) | US & Canada |
This comparison is less about which tool is "better" and more about what problem you're solving. FreshBooks is fundamentally an accounting platform that happens to include time tracking. Hourly is a time tracker that happens to calculate revenue.
If you already have accounting software (or your accountant handles bookkeeping), adding FreshBooks introduces redundancy. Hourly gives you just the time tracking piece without the overhead of an accounting platform you might not need.
FreshBooks Lite starts at $19/month ($228/year) with a 5-client limit. The Plus plan at $33/month removes that limit. For a freelancer who only needs time tracking, this is paying for accounting, invoicing, and expense features that may go unused.
Hourly is free during the Beta, with no client or project limits. You pay nothing for the exact features a time-tracking freelancer needs: weekly timesheet, project rates, billable hours, and revenue reports.
Sign up for free during our Beta and discover a time tracker that's built specifically for the way freelancers work.
Start tracking for free