“Free” means very different things in time tracking. Some tools are free for one person, some for unlimited users but with the useful features locked away, and some for a small team with everything included. This guide compares four well-known options for small teams — what the free plan really covers, what you pay when you grow, and which one fits which kind of team.
Quick comparison
| Free plan | Paid from (per user / month, yearly) | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clocknico | Up to 5 users, every feature | €1.50 | Invoices, CRM, HR and a QR attendance kiosk included |
| Clockify | Time tracking and timesheets for a team | $3.99 (Basic) | Invoicing and time off from Standard ($5.49), scheduling and expenses from Pro ($7.99) |
| Toggl Track | Basic tracking for a small number of users | $9 (Starter) | Profitability and timesheet approvals in Premium ($16) |
| Harvest | 1 seat, 2 projects | $9 (Teams) | Strong invoicing and accounting integrations |
Competitor prices as published on their websites in October 2026, in USD with yearly billing. Prices and plans change — always check the vendor’s site.
What a free time tracker for a small team should include
Before comparing brands, decide what “enough” means for you. For most teams of 2–10 people, a free plan is only useful if it covers:
- Everyone on the team — a plan that is free for one person and paid from the second is a trial, not a free plan.
- A timer and manual entries — people forget to start timers; adding time afterwards has to be easy.
- A weekly timesheet — the view managers and employees actually check on Friday.
- Clients, projects and tasks — otherwise you only know how long, not on what.
- Reports with export — hours per client, project and person, exportable to CSV for payroll or your accountant.
- Roles — members see their own time, managers see the team.
If you bill clients, add billable rates and invoicing. If you employ people, add attendance and time off. These two are where “free” plans most often stop. For a longer checklist see 7 time tracking software features small teams need.
1. Clocknico — best if you want everything in the free plan
Clocknico is free for teams of up to 5 active users, with every feature: timer and weekly timesheets, projects with sub-projects, tasks on a kanban board, billable rates, invoices and expenses, profitability by project and client, a CRM, and HR — clock-in with a rotating QR code, time off with approvals, sick leave and monthly hours for payroll. Every company gets its own separate database.
Who it’s for: agencies, consultancies, studios and service companies with up to a few dozen people who want time, billing and HR in one place instead of three subscriptions.
Strengths:
- No feature tiers — the free plan and Pro have the same features; Pro only removes the 5-user limit.
- Invoices built from tracked time with hourly, fixed-price or retainer billing, so hours can’t be billed twice.
- QR code attendance at the door, with up to three working times (for example Office, Field and Overtime) counted separately.
- Price after the free tier: €1.50 per user per month on the yearly plan (€2.50 monthly).
Watch out for: no desktop app or browser extension yet; there is an Android app, and the web app works on iPhone from the home screen. Pricing · Clocknico vs Clockify
2. Clockify — best free timer for larger teams
Clockify’s free plan offers unlimited time tracking with timesheets and reports, plus desktop and mobile apps. It’s a strong choice if all you need is a timer for many people.
Who it’s for: teams that only need to record hours and are happy to pay per feature later.
Watch out for: invoicing, time off and approvals start on the Standard plan ($5.49), while scheduling, expenses and GPS tracking are in Pro ($7.99). A team that grows into billing and HR ends up on a paid tier for everyone.
3. Toggl Track — best for integrations and a polished timer
Toggl Track is loved for its timer, browser extension and integrations. The free plan suits a few users; billable rates start on Starter ($9).
Who it’s for: teams that live in other tools all day and want time tracked from inside them.
Watch out for: profitability, fixed-fee tracking and timesheet approvals are in Premium ($16), and leave approvals use a separate Time Off add-on. Clocknico vs Toggl
4. Harvest — best for invoicing-first freelancers
Harvest’s free plan covers one person and two projects, with invoicing and expenses included. Its accounting integrations are a highlight.
Who it’s for: freelancers and small studios whose main goal is getting invoices out.
Watch out for: the free plan is for one seat only; a team needs the Teams plan ($9). Clocknico vs Harvest
What a team of 8 would pay
Free plans matter most until you grow past them. Here is a rough monthly cost for 8 users on yearly billing, using the entry paid plan of each tool from the table above:
| Plan | 8 users / month | |
|---|---|---|
| Clocknico | Pro (all features) | €12 |
| Clockify | Basic ($3.99) / Standard with invoicing ($5.49) | $31.92 / $43.92 |
| Toggl Track | Starter ($9) | $72 |
| Harvest | Teams ($9) | $72 |
Simple multiplication of the published per-user prices; taxes, discounts and add-ons not included.
Free plan limits to check before you commit
- User limit — how many people, and do deactivated users count? (In Clocknico they don’t.)
- Feature locks — are billable rates, invoices, approvals and exports in the free plan?
- History limits — can you still see last year’s reports?
- Mobile — can people track time and clock in from their phone?
- Data — where is your data stored and can you export it?
- Upgrade path — does the next plan charge every user, or only the extra ones?
How to choose
- Solo and invoicing-focused? Harvest’s free plan or Clocknico both work.
- Large team, timer only? Clockify’s free plan.
- Heavy integrations and desktop tracking? Toggl Track.
- Small team that bills clients and also needs HR and a CRM? Clocknico — free up to 5 users, €1.50 per user after that.
FAQ
Is there a completely free time tracker for a small team?
Yes. Clocknico is free for up to 5 users with every feature and no time limit, and Clockify’s free plan covers time tracking for unlimited users. The difference is what’s included: Clocknico’s free plan also has invoicing, attendance and time off, which Clockify keeps in paid plans.
Which free time tracker includes invoicing?
Clocknico (up to 5 users) and Harvest (1 user, 2 projects) include invoicing in their free plans.
Which free time tracker includes attendance and time off?
Clocknico includes QR code clock-in, time off with approvals, sick leave and holidays in every plan, including the free one. See how QR code attendance works.
Can we switch later without losing data?
Reports in Clocknico can be exported to CSV at any time, and CRM companies and contacts can be imported from a spreadsheet.
Whatever you pick, try it with real work for a week or two. Clocknico gives every new company a 14-day Pro trial with unlimited users — start for free.
Clockify, Toggl and Harvest are trademarks of their respective owners. Clocknico is an independent product.