12 Best Time Tracking Apps for Consultants in 2025
As a consultant, your time is your most valuable asset. Every billable hour directly impacts your revenue, making accurate time tracking non-negotiable. Manually logging hours in spreadsheets is not only tedious but also prone to costly errors, leading to under-billing and lost income. The right software transforms this chore into a streamlined, automated process that captures every second of your work.
Finding the best fit among the dozens of time tracking apps for consultants can be overwhelming. This guide is designed to simplify your decision. We will directly compare the top solutions, moving beyond generic feature lists to provide a practical analysis of what makes each tool stand out. You will see how platforms like Chronoid, Harvest, and Toggl Track cater to different workflows, from solo macOS professionals to growing agency teams.
Inside, you will find a detailed breakdown of each application, complete with screenshots, direct links, and clear pricing information. We will explore key aspects such as billing and invoicing workflows, integration capabilities with tools you already use, and specific use cases. Our goal is to equip you with the insights needed to select the right app that not only tracks your hours but also maximizes your profitability and simplifies your administrative workload.
1. Chronoid
Chronoid stands out as a powerful, privacy-first choice among time tracking apps for consultants who use macOS. Its core strength is its fully automatic "set-it-and-forget-it" approach. The app silently logs your activity across apps, websites, and documents without requiring you to ever start or stop a timer, a significant advantage for consultants juggling multiple clients and deep work sessions.
This automatic data collection feeds into an impressive on-device AI that categorizes your work and provides actionable insights. You can ask plain-language questions like, "How many hours did I spend on Project X this week?" or "What were my biggest distractions on Tuesday?" to get instant, clear reports. This feature transforms raw time data into a strategic tool for optimizing your productivity and ensuring accurate client billing.
Key Features for Consultants
- Effortless Invoicing: Chronoid's automatic logs provide a verifiable record of your work, making it simple to generate precise invoices. You can easily filter by project or date range to justify billable hours without manual reconstruction.
- Privacy-First Design: All activity data is processed and stored locally on your Mac by default. This is a critical feature for consultants handling sensitive client information, ensuring confidentiality and compliance.
- Integrated Focus Tools: The app includes a built-in website blocker, Pomodoro timer, and scheduled focus sessions. This integrated toolkit helps you minimize distractions and dedicate uninterrupted blocks of time to high-value client work.
Platform and Pricing
- Pros: Truly automatic tracking, powerful on-device AI for insights, privacy-centric local data storage, and a built-in focus suite.
- Cons: Exclusively for macOS (version 12+), so it's not a fit for consultants using Windows or needing cross-device tracking.
- Pricing: Chronoid offers a 14-day free trial. After the trial, you purchase the app; check the official website for current pricing and promotions.
Website: https://chronoid.app
2. Harvest
Harvest is an excellent choice for consultants who need a straightforward system for tracking time and billing clients. Its core strength lies in its simplicity. You can quickly set up projects, assign billable rates, and start tracking hours with its web, desktop, or mobile apps. Harvest integrates time tracking directly with invoicing, allowing you to generate invoices from your tracked hours in just a few clicks.
This platform stands out by bundling essential consulting tools into one user-friendly package. It's more than just a timer; it’s a complete workflow for managing billable work, from initial time entry to getting paid. The built-in project budgeting and reporting features give you a clear view of profitability, helping you understand which clients and projects are most valuable. It's one of the most reliable time tracking apps for consultants who prioritize efficiency.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Solo consultants and small teams needing integrated time tracking and invoicing.
- Pros: Simple setup, seamless invoicing with online payments (Stripe/PayPal), and strong integrations with accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero.
- Cons: The free plan is very limited (1 user, 2 projects), and more advanced reporting features are reserved for the paid plan.
- Pricing: A free plan is available for individuals. The Pro plan is $12 per seat, per month and offers unlimited projects and clients.
Website: https://www.getharvest.com/pricing
3. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is a popular choice for consultants who value flexibility and ease of use. It is known for its simple, one-click time tracking, which is accessible through web, desktop, mobile, and browser extension apps. Its core appeal is a lightweight and intuitive interface that lets you start logging hours instantly without a complex setup process, making it incredibly efficient for busy consultants.
The platform excels at integrating into your existing workflow, with over 100 integrations and clever features like idle detection and calendar integration. While its free plan is one of the most generous available, its paid plans unlock powerful reporting tools for analyzing project profitability and team productivity. For those seeking comprehensive time tracking apps for consultants, Toggl offers a scalable solution that grows with your business, from solo operations to enterprise-level teams. For an alternative perspective, you can compare the features of Toggl Track with other modern tools.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Solo consultants and teams of any size looking for a user-friendly timer with powerful integrations and reporting.
- Pros: Generous free tier for up to 5 users, excellent cross-platform apps with a simple user experience, and scales effectively for larger teams.
- Cons: Key profitability and billing features require paid plans, and there are no free seats included in paid tiers.
- Pricing: A Free plan is available for up to 5 users. Paid plans start with the Starter plan at $10 per user, per month.
4. Clockify
Clockify is a popular time tracker that appeals to consultants and teams with its incredibly generous free plan. Unlike many competitors, Clockify offers unlimited users, projects, and clients at no cost, making it an accessible starting point for growing consulting businesses. You can track time using a timer or manual entry in a timesheet, categorize it by project, and generate basic reports to see where your hours are going.
This platform stands out by providing a clear upgrade path for teams that need more advanced functionality. While the free tier covers core time tracking, paid plans unlock crucial consulting features like billable rates, invoicing, expense tracking, and project budget management. This makes it one of the most scalable time tracking apps for consultants, allowing you to start for free and add powerful features like timesheet approvals and profitability reporting only when you need them.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Solo consultants and growing teams who want a powerful free option with the ability to scale.
- Pros: Rare unlimited-user free plan, highly competitive pricing on paid tiers, and a clear step-up in features as your business needs grow.
- Cons: Essential consulting features like invoicing and billing are not included in the free plan. The depth of the UI can require some initial configuration for teams.
- Pricing: A robust free plan is available. Paid plans with more features start from $4.99 per seat, per month.
Website: https://clockify.me/basic-plan/
5. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets)
For consultants already embedded in the Intuit ecosystem, QuickBooks Time is a natural extension for managing billable hours. Its primary advantage is the deep, seamless integration with QuickBooks Online, which streamlines the workflow from time entry to invoicing and payroll. This eliminates the need for manual data transfer, reducing errors and saving significant administrative time.
The platform offers robust features beyond simple time tracking, including employee scheduling, job costing, and mobile time tracking with optional GPS for consultants working on-site. It is designed to provide detailed reporting that syncs directly with QuickBooks for accurate job costing and payroll processing. This makes it one of the most comprehensive time tracking apps for consultants who manage both their own time and that of a small team within the QuickBooks framework.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Consultants and small businesses that use QuickBooks Online for accounting and payroll.
- Pros: Flawless integration with QuickBooks for invoicing and payroll, robust mobile app with GPS capabilities, and detailed reporting features.
- Cons: Can be expensive due to its base fee plus per-user pricing model, and it offers limited value if you do not use QuickBooks Online.
- Pricing: Plans start with a base fee plus a per-user monthly charge. The Premium plan is 8 per user, per month.
6. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a powerful solution for consultants and agencies managing remote or field-based teams. It goes beyond simple time tracking by incorporating optional employee monitoring features like screenshots, activity levels, and app/URL tracking. This makes it ideal for leaders who need detailed oversight to ensure projects stay on track and client hours are accurately logged.
The platform stands out with its robust workforce management capabilities, including GPS and location tracking for consultants working on-site. Hubstaff also simplifies payroll and invoicing by integrating directly with your tracked time, providing a comprehensive system for managing distributed teams. While some features may be too invasive for certain company cultures, it is one of the most feature-rich time tracking apps for consultants who require detailed productivity insights and team management tools.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Consulting firms with remote or field-based teams needing detailed activity monitoring and payroll integration.
- Pros: Rich feature set for remote team management, transparent per-seat billing, and strong payroll and invoicing tools.
- Cons: Monitoring features can feel intrusive, and the most valuable tools are spread across different paid plans or add-ons.
- Pricing: A limited free plan is available for one user. Paid plans start with Time Starter at $7 per user, per month.
Website: https://hubstaff.com/pricing
7. Timely by Memory
Timely by Memory offers a unique approach for consultants who find manual timers tedious and forget to log their hours. Its core feature is an automatic "memory" tracker that privately records your computer activity, from emails and documents to websites and meetings. This activity log then serves as a reference for its AI, which drafts accurate timesheet entries for you to review and approve.
This platform stands out by shifting the focus from manual start/stop tracking to an AI-assisted review process. It ensures every billable minute is accounted for, even when you're juggling multiple clients and projects. For consultants, this means more accurate billing, less administrative overhead, and clear insights into project budgets and team capacity. As one of the more advanced time tracking apps for consultants, its automatic tracking capabilities are ideal for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it solution.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Consultants and teams who need to eliminate manual time tracking and ensure complete billing accuracy.
- Pros: Drastically reduces manual data entry with AI-powered timesheets, provides powerful project budget and profitability tracking, and scales well for growing teams.
- Cons: The automatic tracking can feel intrusive at first and requires a period of adjustment. There is no permanent free plan available after the trial.
- Pricing: Plans start at $11 per user, per month for the Starter plan. More advanced features are available in higher-tier plans.
Website: https://www.timely.com/pricing
8. Everhour
Everhour is built for consultants and teams who live inside their project management tools. Instead of forcing you into a new app, it embeds time tracking controls directly into platforms like Asana, Trello, Jira, and ClickUp. This allows you to track hours, estimate tasks, and set budgets without ever leaving your primary workspace, making it a seamless addition to your existing workflow.
This platform excels at connecting time data to project progress. You can easily see how much time is spent on specific tasks and compare it against original estimates, which is perfect for managing retainers and fixed-fee projects. For consultants who need to provide detailed timesheet reports and create invoices based on work done in their favorite PM tool, Everhour is one of the most powerful time tracking apps for consultants available.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Consulting teams who rely heavily on project management tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira.
- Pros: Deep, native integrations that keep your workflow in one place, detailed project budgeting, and robust reporting capabilities.
- Cons: The paid plan has a five-seat minimum, which can be costly for solo consultants or very small teams. Integrations are not available on the free plan.
- Pricing: A free plan is available for up to 5 users with basic features. The Team plan is $10 per user, per month (billed monthly, with a 5-user minimum).
Website: https://everhour.com/pricing
9. Paymo
Paymo is an excellent all-in-one solution for consultants who need project management capabilities alongside their time tracking. It combines task management, time tracking, and invoicing into a single, cohesive platform, making it easy to manage the entire lifecycle of a project. Consultants can create projects, assign tasks, and track billable hours accurately using its web, desktop, and mobile applications.
This platform stands out by offering a powerful free plan that is remarkably generous for individual users, providing unlimited time tracking and invoices. As a consultant's needs grow, Paymo scales with advanced features like resource scheduling and Gantt charts in its paid tiers. This makes it one of the most versatile time tracking apps for consultants who anticipate expanding their business from solo operation to a small team. For those looking to streamline their workflow even further, exploring options for project auto-assignment can complement Paymo's robust management tools.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Solo consultants wanting a free, all-in-one platform and small teams needing integrated project management.
- Pros: Generous free plan with unlimited time tracking and invoicing for individuals, and a full suite of project management tools.
- Cons: The free plan has client and project limitations that will quickly require an upgrade for growing teams, and advanced reporting is behind a paywall.
- Pricing: A free plan is available for individuals. The Starter plan is 10.90 per user, per month for more features.
Website: https://www.paymoapp.com/pricing/
10. Bonsai
Bonsai is an all-in-one suite designed for independent consultants and small agencies who want to manage their entire client workflow in one place. It combines time tracking with proposals, contracts, invoicing, and a client CRM. This integrated approach allows you to move seamlessly from winning a project to tracking your hours and getting paid, all within a single system.
The platform stands out by providing a complete operational toolkit, making it more than just a time tracker. Its strength lies in the pre-built templates for proposals and contracts, which streamline the initial client engagement process. For consultants who want to minimize the number of apps they use, Bonsai is one of the most comprehensive time tracking apps for consultants available, covering the full sales-to-billing cycle.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Solo consultants and boutique firms seeking a single platform to manage their entire business workflow.
- Pros: Excellent single-vendor solution for client management, and its templates greatly simplify proposals, contracts, and invoices.
- Cons: Per-user pricing can be costly for teams, and advanced reporting features are gated behind higher-tier plans.
- Pricing: Plans start at 39 per month and includes more automation and branding options.
Website: https://www.hellobonsai.com/pricing
11. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is an all-in-one accounting solution designed for service-based business owners, making it a natural fit for consultants. Its strength lies in integrating time tracking directly into a complete financial management system. You can easily track hours against specific clients and projects, mark time as billable or non-billable, and then convert those hours directly into a professional invoice with just a few clicks.
This platform stands out by eliminating the need for separate tools for time logging, invoicing, and accounting. By keeping everything under one roof, FreshBooks simplifies back-office tasks and provides a clear financial overview of your consultancy. This integrated approach makes it one of the most practical time tracking apps for consultants who want to streamline their entire financial workflow, from tracking initial hours to reconciling payments and running profit and loss reports.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Independent consultants and small firms who need a unified solution for time tracking, invoicing, and accounting.
- Pros: Simplifies financial management by combining key tools, offers a generous 30-day free trial, and has flexible pricing tiers based on client count.
- Cons: Pricing is tied to the number of billable clients, and its time analytics are less specialized than dedicated time-tracking tools.
- Pricing: Plans start at $19 per month for the Lite version, which supports up to 5 billable clients.
Website: https://www.freshbooks.com
12. Capterra & G2 (comparison marketplaces)
Instead of a single app, Capterra and G2 are invaluable marketplaces for consultants looking to compare hundreds of tools at once. They consolidate verified user reviews, feature lists, and pricing information, allowing you to filter options based on specific needs like billing integrations, mobile access, or approval workflows. These platforms are essential for due diligence before committing to a system.
These sites stand out by providing side-by-side comparisons and user-generated feedback that marketing materials often omit. You can quickly see how different time tracking apps for consultants stack up in real-world scenarios, discover niche tools you may have missed, and find direct links to free trials. For consultants, this is the most efficient way to research the market and build a shortlist of tools that genuinely fit their business requirements, saving hours of manual investigation.
Key Details & Pricing
- Best For: Consultants in the research phase who want to compare multiple tools based on verified reviews and specific features.
- Pros: Massive volume of user reviews, powerful filtering options to narrow down choices, and direct links to vendor trials.
- Cons: Sponsored listings can influence rankings, so always verify information. G2 sometimes requires a sign-in to view certain details.
- Pricing: Free to use for research and comparison.
Website: https://www.capterra.com/time-tracking-software/ and https://www.g2.com/categories/time-tracking
Top 12 Time-Tracking Apps for Consultants — Quick Comparison
Product | Core features ✨ | UX / Quality ★ | Price / Value 💰 | Target audience 👥 |
Chronoid 🏆 | Automatic app/site/doc tracking, on‑device AI chat, focus tools (blocker, Pomodoro), privacy‑first | ★★★★☆ — native macOS, zero setup, interactive charts | 💰 14‑day free trial; paid app (site lists promos) | 👥 Freelancers, students, developers, knowledge workers (macOS users) |
Harvest | Time tracking + invoicing, budgeting, profitability reports; web/desktop/mobile | ★★★★ — consultant‑friendly, clear client/project model | 💰 Per‑seat pricing; free limited plan (1 seat, 2 projects) | 👥 Consultants, agencies billing clients |
Toggl Track | Cross‑platform apps & extension, calendar sync, idle detection, 100+ integrations | ★★★★☆ — lightweight UX, excellent extensions | 💰 Generous free tier (up to 5 users); paid per‑active‑user | 👥 Solo consultants & small teams |
Clockify | Unlimited users/projects on free tier, timesheets, approvals, invoicing on paid plans | ★★★☆☆ — flexible but needs config for teams | 💰 Unlimited free plan; competitive paid tiers for add‑ons | 👥 Teams seeking low‑cost, scalable tracking |
QuickBooks Time | Mobile/GPS time tracking, scheduling, approvals, payroll/invoice sync | ★★★☆☆ — strong QuickBooks ecosystem fit | 💰 Base fee + per‑user; requires QuickBooks Online | 👥 Small U.S. businesses using QuickBooks (field teams) |
Hubstaff | Per‑seat tracking, optional screenshots/app‑URL tracking, GPS, payroll integrations | ★★★☆☆ — rich monitoring & workforce tools | 💰 Per‑seat billing; annual discounts; add‑ons cost extra | 👥 Remote & field teams needing monitoring/payroll |
Timely by Memory | Automatic memory‑based capture, AI‑drafted timesheets, project health/budget tracking | ★★★★ — minimizes manual entry; AI timesheets | 💰 Trial only (no permanent free plan); paid tiers | 👥 Consultants who prefer automatic, AI‑assisted timesheets |
Everhour | Time, budgets, invoicing, approvals; deep Asana/Trello/Jira integrations | ★★★★ — tight PM tool integration | 💰 Paid plans; 14‑day trial; 5‑seat minimum on paid | 👥 Agencies & teams working inside PM tools |
Paymo | Project management + time tracking + invoicing; mobile apps, task planning | ★★★★ — all‑in‑one for SMBs | 💰 Free tier for individuals; paid tiers to scale | 👥 Solo consultants & small agencies |
Bonsai | Time tracking tied to contracts/proposals, invoicing, CRM, templates | ★★★★ — single‑vendor sales‑to‑billing stack | 💰 Per‑user pricing; features gated to higher tiers | 👥 Independent consultants & boutique firms |
FreshBooks | Accounting + invoicing with built‑in time tracking, client portal, expense tracking | ★★★★ — simplifies back office and billing | 💰 Tiers by client limits; 30‑day trial | 👥 Consultants needing accounting + billing in one |
Capterra & G2 | Review marketplaces, filters, verified reviews, side‑by‑side comparisons | ★★★★ — broad coverage; verify sponsored content | 💰 Free to browse; vendor links to trials/purchases | 👥 Buyers researching & shortlisting time‑tracking tools |
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Consulting Practice
We've explored a wide spectrum of powerful time tracking apps for consultants, from the privacy-first automation of Chronoid to the team-focused project management of Paymo and the robust accounting integrations of QuickBooks Time. The most critical takeaway is that the ideal tool is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Your perfect match depends entirely on the unique structure and demands of your consulting business.
Choosing the right application is a strategic decision that directly impacts your productivity, profitability, and client relationships. A solo macOS consultant prioritizing deep work and minimal administrative overhead will find value in a different tool than a growing agency that needs to manage team capacity, track project budgets, and streamline invoicing across multiple clients.
A Framework for Your Decision
Before you commit to a subscription, take a moment to evaluate your specific requirements. This self-assessment will act as your compass, guiding you toward the app that truly serves your workflow rather than complicating it.
Consider these key questions:
- Who is tracking time? Are you a solo practitioner, or do you manage a team of contractors and employees? Tools like Hubstaff and Clockify excel at team management, while solo-focused apps offer a more streamlined experience.
- What is your primary goal? Is it simply to log hours for accurate billing? Or do you need deeper insights into project profitability, task efficiency, and resource allocation? Timely, for example, offers powerful AI to analyze where your efforts yield the best results.
- How important is automation? Do you prefer a manual start-stop timer for maximum control, or would you benefit from an automatic, background tracker that captures everything? If you value a 'set-and-forget' system, apps like Chronoid and Timely are designed for you.
- What does your tech stack look like? Your time tracker must integrate seamlessly with the other tools you rely on. If your entire workflow lives inside Asana, Everhour is a natural fit. If QuickBooks is your financial hub, Harvest or QuickBooks Time are logical choices.
Your Actionable Next Steps
The journey to finding the best of the time tracking apps for consultants starts with hands-on testing. Nearly every tool on this list, from Toggl Track to Bonsai, offers a free trial or a free-forever plan for individuals.
- Shortlist Your Top 3: Based on your answers above, select two or three applications that seem most aligned with your needs.
- Run a Real-World Test: Use the free trials to track a small, real client project for at least one week. Don't just play with the features; use the app as you would in your daily routine.
- Evaluate the Workflow: Did the app add friction or remove it? Was it easy to generate an invoice? Did the reports provide valuable clarity?
The right app will feel less like a chore and more like a trusted business partner. It will fade into the background while providing the critical data you need to price your services confidently, protect your time, and scale your consulting practice effectively. The small investment of time you make in this evaluation process will pay significant dividends in the long run.
Ready to experience a time tracker that works for you, not against you? If you're a macOS consultant who values privacy, automation, and effortless insights, Chronoid was built for your workflow. See how its intelligent, on-device tracking can help you capture every billable minute without lifting a finger. Discover Chronoid today.
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