The classic freelancer time tracker vs the new kid on the block. Which one deserves your time?
Harvest has been a trusted name in time tracking since 2006, offering time tracking combined with invoicing and expense management. Hourly is a newer, leaner alternative focused purely on time tracking for solo freelancers. If you need invoicing and expense tracking in one tool, Harvest is proven. If you want the fastest way to log hours and see your revenue, Hourly gets you there with less overhead.
| Feature | Hourly | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Beta) | Free (1 user, 2 projects) / $12/user/mo |
| Built for | Solo freelancers | Freelancers & small teams |
| Unlimited projects | ✓ Free | Pro plan ($12/mo) |
| Hourly rates per project | ✓ Free | ✓ Available |
| Billable vs non-billable | ✓ Free | ✓ Available |
| Invoicing | Planned | ✓ Built-in + online payments |
| Expense tracking | Not included | ✓ Built-in |
| Visual analytics | ✓ Bar & donut charts | ✓ Reports & dashboards |
| PDF reports | ✓ Client-ready monthly export | ✓ Detailed reports |
| Desktop app | ✓ Native macOS | ✓ Mac & Windows |
| Accounting integrations | Not yet | ✓ QuickBooks, Xero |
| Setup time | ✓ Under 1 minute | ~5-10 minutes |
| Planning mode | ✓ Built-in & free | Separate product (Forecast +$5/mo) |
| Spreadsheet & card view | ✓ Both layouts | Timer view only |
| Monthly timesheet | ✓ Day & week summary | Weekly view only |
| Data hosting | EU (AWS, GDPR) | US-based |
Harvest's free plan is limited to 1 user and 2 projects. For most freelancers juggling multiple clients, this means upgrading to Pro at $12/user/month ($144/year). While Harvest includes invoicing in that price, it's a significant cost for a solo freelancer.
Hourly offers unlimited projects, billable rates, revenue tracking, and PDF reports during the free Beta. There are no artificial project limits or feature gates.
Harvest's biggest advantage is its built-in invoicing. You can generate invoices from tracked time, send them to clients, and accept online payments. If invoicing is critical and you don't want a separate tool, Harvest delivers this exceptionally well.
Hourly focuses on doing time tracking right. Invoicing is planned for the future, but today Hourly pairs well with dedicated invoicing tools. The monthly PDF reports include all the data you need to create invoices elsewhere.
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