TL;DR: Most timesheet software roundups rank tools by feature count and stop at payroll. This one evaluates each option on whether logged hours actually connect to project delivery, billing, and workload visibility — the gaps IT company owners hit when time data lives in a silo. You'll leave with a clear decision framework tied to how your team actually works.
What timesheet software actually does
Timesheet software records who worked on what, for how long, and against which project or client.
Most time logging software stops there. Hours get captured, then sit in a spreadsheet or a dashboard no one checks before invoices go out. For IT teams billing clients by the hour, that gap is expensive: time logged against the wrong project, non-billable work mixed into client reports, or approval delays that push invoices a week past month-end.
The tools worth evaluating do more than track time. They split billable from non-billable hours automatically, tie entries to specific projects, and feed approved hours directly into invoicing. If you want a broader baseline first, which timekeeping software features actually matter is a useful starting point before comparing specific products.
What to look for before you pick a timesheet tool
Six criteria separate timesheet software that IT teams actually use from software that collects dust after onboarding.
Project-linked time logging is the baseline. Every entry should attach to a specific project or task, not float as an unassigned block of hours. Without that link, your employee time tracking software data can't feed utilization reports or client invoices.
Billable hours tracking with a hard billable/non-billable split comes next. IT services teams bill by the hour, so the tool needs to flag each entry at the moment of logging, not during reconciliation.
Invoice integration matters because logged time that requires manual export to your billing system creates errors. Look for a direct connection to your invoicing tool.
Approval workflows keep managers in the loop before hours are billed. A two-step submit-and-approve flow catches mistakes early.
Reporting depth is where most tools fall short. Check whether the time keeping software features include actual-vs-estimated comparisons at the project level, not just total hours logged.
Quick comparison: 6 timesheet software options
Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Taro | IT teams tracking billable vs. non-billable time by project | Contact for pricing | Yes | Connects logged hours to project budgets and invoicing in one workflow |
Toggl Track | Freelancers and small teams | $9/user/month | Yes (up to 5 users) | One-click timer with detailed reporting |
Clockify | Budget-conscious teams | $3.99/user/month | Yes (unlimited users) | Free tier covers most core timesheet app for teams needs |
Harvest | Client billing workflows | $12/user/month | Yes (1 seat, 2 projects) | Native invoice generation from logged hours |
Hubstaff | Remote employee monitoring | $7/user/month | No | GPS tracking plus timesheet approval |
Jira | Dev teams on Agile sprints | $8.15/user/month | Yes (up to 10 users) | Built-in time logging tied to issue tracking |
For a deeper look at which time keeping software features actually matter before committing to a plan, that breakdown covers approval workflows and reporting depth specifically.
The 6 best timesheet software tools in 2026
The tools below are evaluated against the same four criteria IT company owners actually care about: does it split billable from non-billable time, does it connect logged hours to project budgets, does it produce invoice-ready output, and does it fit how your team already works.
Taro by Worksbuddy
Taro is the timesheet and task-alignment layer, built specifically for IT service teams that need more than a running clock. Where most employee time tracking software stops at logging hours, Taro connects each entry to a specific project, task owner, and budget line — so you see actual vs. estimated hours in real time, not after the sprint closes.
Key capabilities:
Project-linked logging: Every time entry attaches to a task, so billable hours tracking happens at the work item level, not as a separate manual step
Billable/non-billable split: Tag entries at log time; the split rolls up automatically into client-facing reports
Approval flow: Team leads review and approve timesheets before they feed into invoicing or payroll
Connected system: Taro shares data with Inzo (billing) and Revo (workflow automation), so an approved timesheet can trigger an invoice without anyone copying numbers between tabs
What this looks like in practice: a 20-person IT firm logs project time through the week, a team lead approves Friday afternoon, and the client invoice goes out Monday morning with zero manual reconciliation.
Best for: IT company owners who bill clients by the hour and need project time tracking tied directly to delivery.
Pricing: Available on Worksbuddy's paid plans. Check current tiers at the product page.
Toggl Track is a clean, fast timer with strong browser and desktop integrations. The free plan covers unlimited time tracking for up to 5 users. Paid plans start at $9/user/month (Starter tier) and add billable rates, project budgets, and time rounding. Reporting is solid for freelancers and small agencies; the billable vs. non-billable split exists but requires manual rate setup per project.
Best for: Freelancers and small teams who want fast, low-friction logging without a full project management layer.
Clockify offers an unlimited free plan with no user cap, which makes it popular for growing teams watching costs. Paid tiers start at $3.99/user/month and unlock features like GPS tracking, approval workflows, and invoicing. Project time tracking is available on free, but budget alerts and billable rate management require a paid plan.
Best for: Teams that need a no-cost starting point and can tolerate upgrading for approval and invoicing features later.
Harvest is one of the cleaner tools for billable hours tracking tied to invoicing. It generates invoices directly from logged time and integrates with QuickBooks and Stripe for payment collection. The free plan is limited to 1 user and 2 projects. Paid plans run $10.80/user/month (billed annually). The main constraint: Harvest doesn't have native task management, so it pairs with tools like Asana or Basecamp rather than replacing them.
Best for: Service businesses that invoice clients directly from logged time and want payment collection in the same tool.
Hubstaff adds activity monitoring (screenshots, app usage, URL tracking) on top of time logging. Paid plans start at $4.99/user/month. It suits distributed IT teams where managers need visibility into remote work patterns alongside hours. The monitoring features can feel heavy-handed for trust-based cultures.
Best for: Remote IT teams where activity visibility matters alongside raw hour counts.
Jira's built-in time tracking (log work on issues) works well if your team already lives in Jira. It's not a standalone timesheet app, and billable rate management requires third-party add-ons like Tempo Timesheets. For teams already running sprints in Jira, it removes one tool from the stack.
Best for: Engineering teams already on Jira who want project time tracking without switching context.
Taro vs. top alternatives: detailed feature comparison
Here is how the major timesheet apps compare across the criteria IT teams actually use to make a final call.
Feature | Taro | Toggl Track | Clockify | Harvest | Hubstaff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Project-linked logging | Yes, auto-assigned | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual |
Billable/non-billable split | Automatic | Manual toggle | Manual toggle | Manual toggle | Manual toggle |
Invoice output | Built-in | Via integration | Via integration | Built-in | Via integration |
Approval flow | Multi-stage | Single-stage | Single-stage | Single-stage | Single-stage |
AI features | Task prediction | None | None | None | Screenshots only |
Integrations | 50+ | 100+ | 50+ | 50+ | 30+ |
Reporting | Real-time, project-level | Standard | Standard | Standard | GPS-heavy |
Pricing model | Per seat | Per seat | Per seat | Per seat | Per seat |
Free plan | Yes | Yes (5 users) | Yes (unlimited users) | No | No |
Implementation time | Under 1 day | 1–2 days | 1–2 days | 2–3 days | 3–5 days |
For project time tracking tied directly to client billing, Taro's automatic billable split removes a reconciliation step most timesheet app for teams workflows handle manually.
How to choose the right timesheet software for your IT team
Picking the right timesheet software comes down to three variables: team size, billing model, and how tightly time needs to connect to project budgets.
Small IT shops (under 20 people)
You need fast entry and a clean billable/non-billable split, not a 40-field setup wizard. Clockify covers both on a free plan with no seat limit. It handles client-tagged entries and basic reporting without configuration overhead.
Growing teams (20 to 100 people)
At this size, approval workflows and manager visibility matter. Employee time tracking software without an approval layer creates payroll disputes. Harvest starts at $12 per seat per month and adds budget alerts per project, which stops overruns before they hit the invoice.
Project-heavy teams billing by the hour
You need time logging software that ties every entry to a project phase, not just a client. Toggl Track does this with its project tree structure. For teams running multiple concurrent engagements, pairing it with tools that handle both time tracking and project management closes the gap between logged hours and actual delivery.
Closing
The gap between a timesheet tool and a project-linked time tracker is a revenue gap. Most software logs hours and stops. The tools that matter for IT teams connect those hours to project delivery, split billable from non-billable work automatically, and feed approved time directly into invoicing—so your team isn't manually reconciling data between systems every month-end.
If you bill clients by the hour, start by asking one question: when a team member logs time, can you see immediately whether it's billable, which project it belongs to, and whether it's on budget. If your current tool can't answer all three, it's costing you. Taro closes that gap by connecting logged hours to project budgets and invoicing in the same workflow. You can start with a free Taro account to see how that works for your team.
FAQ
What is the best timesheet software for small IT teams?
Taro for teams billing clients by the hour and needing project-linked tracking; Clockify if you're cost-conscious and can upgrade later; Toggl Track if you want a fast, simple timer. Pick based on whether you need invoice integration now or later.
What is the difference between timesheet software and time tracking software?
Timesheet software is built for approval workflows and payroll or billing; time tracking software is a running clock. Timesheets attach hours to projects and require sign-off. Time trackers just capture duration.
Can timesheet software connect to invoicing tools?
Yes. Harvest and Taro generate invoices directly from logged time. Clockify and Toggl require manual export or a third-party integration. Direct connection eliminates reconciliation errors and speeds billing cycles.
How do I track billable vs. non-billable hours in timesheet software?
Tag each entry as billable or non-billable at log time, not during reconciliation. Taro, Harvest, and Clockify all support this split; look for tools that flag it immediately so it rolls into client reports automatically.
Is there free timesheet software for employee tracking?
Yes. Clockify offers unlimited free users with core timesheet features. Toggl Track and Jira have free plans capped at 5 and 10 users respectively. Taro offers a free account; upgrade for full project-linked invoicing.
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Ryan Mitchell is a Productivity Specialist & Operations Consultant who helps fast-growing teams stop dropping balls and start moving with clarity. With experience scaling ops at startups across three continents, he writes about task systems, team accountability, and how the best businesses build workflows that actually stick.
