When you are a freelancer, time is money. So tracking your time as a Sole Trader or Freelancer is clearly important. But what is the best tracking software? We’ve compared a bunch, and these are our favourites.
You happily agree to a job thinking it will only take max one day. 11 sleepless nights, 67 coffees and 32 meltdowns later, you realise the job you charged only eight hours for, has actually taken you the better half of two weeks. Short answer? Yes, you need to be tracking your time. For a sole trader or freelancer time tracking is of the utmost importance. Time is money, after all.
By tracking your time, you’ll be able to know on average how long each project takes, how to budget your time, what to be quoting clients (with actual data backing your rates), and your cost/hours worked to make sure you really are making a profit. It’s what all the grown-up kids are doing these days.
It’s a pain, we get it… but trust us when we say it soon becomes a habit and definitely pays off in the long run. To kick-start some new habits, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite time-tracking apps for freelancers and sole traders to help you get started.
A personal favourite in the office, Clockify is a free time tracking app that lets you track your billable hours and hourly rates. With a plugin added to your browser, you can start and stop the timer as you work, or enter the hours manually. The program also does timesheets and reports so you can see exactly how many hours you spend on work, what takes most of your time and where all the time goes. Magic.
Harvest is another top-rated free time tracking program which is great for sole traders and freelancers, letting you track time based on to-do lists, tasks or single hours – whatever works best for you. You can install the app on your phone and on your desktop, so you’ll be working both online and offline.
Designed for busy freelancers who toggle between tasks and projects, this is a super simple app that makes time tracking quick and seamless. Reports are delivered straight to your email and include deep insights into how your business is doing. It will set you back a small price each month, but definitely worth it.
Level up. You can do this.
SAVE TIME IN OTHER WAYS WITH SOLE ACCOUNTING APPDesigned to make accounting simplified, fast, easy and stress-free for Sole Traders, Freelancers, Self-Employed and Small Businesses, Sole App is an Australian Accounting App jam-packed with features to do just that. Check out the full range of Sole App features, such as invoicing, finance tracking, income & expenses and more on our Features page. Or get started right away – download Sole App on the App Store (Accounting Made Easy – SOLE) or Google Play (Sole – Accounting & Invoicing Made Easy) and start your 30-day free trial to test it out for yourself
Enjoy reading this blog? Want more tips, tricks and insights on business, accounting, finance or organisation, for Sole Traders, Small Business and Finance? Check out more in our Sole App Accounting & Business Blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is time tracking important for freelancers and sole traders?
Time tracking helps freelancers and sole traders understand how long projects take, measure profitability, create more accurate quotes, and ensure they are charging appropriately for their work. It also provides valuable insights into productivity and workload management.
What is the best time tracking app for freelancers?
Popular time tracking apps for freelancers include Clockify, Harvest, and Toggl. Each offers features such as timer tracking, reporting, timesheets, and project management tools to help users monitor billable hours and improve efficiency.
Can time tracking help me charge clients more accurately?
Yes. By tracking the time spent on projects, freelancers can use real data to estimate future work, set competitive rates, and avoid underquoting clients. This helps improve profitability and business planning.
Are there free time tracking apps available?
Yes. Apps such as Clockify offer free time tracking features, including timers, timesheets, and reporting tools. Many other platforms also provide free plans or trial versions that suit freelancers and sole traders.
How can freelancers save time on accounting and administration?
Using accounting software alongside time tracking tools can reduce manual administration. Features such as invoicing, expense tracking, income management, and financial reporting help freelancers spend less time on paperwork and more time on billable work.
