Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time?

Posted by psteinweber on Thursday August 29, 2013 @10:29PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Dear HN,

I've been on quite a journey finding a proper time tracking solution. I'm looking for a simple 'tool' (can be web based, but preferably with OSX client) which allows me to track time for several clients. Some kind of timesheet export would be good. But I don't need a whole business management software with it.

https://www.toggl.com doesn't look too bad, but recurring $5 for a start/stop button? I'm not sure. Maybe if the interface would be awesome.

http://www.flamebrain.com/download-watchme/ is a great little (!) windows app which I have been using a few years back. something like that with timesheets, and for OSX would be it.

http://www.getklok.com/ is horrible UI wise. the features are quite interesting though, but I don't wanna use it.

Aren't there some nice, contemporary open source projects out there? I couldn't find any...

What are you using?

( 13 comments | 7 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by ndcrandall on Friday August 30, 2013 @01:37AM (#6300427)

I like http://freshbooks.com it can also track business expenses, invoice, etc. It's nothing ground breaking but I believe they are a strong company and will be around for a long time.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by MattBearman on Friday August 30, 2013 @05:20AM (#6300858)

+1 for freshbooks, I use it for all my time tracking and invoicing.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by ljoshua on Thursday August 29, 2013 @11:17PM (#6300068)

I love Harvest because it takes that recorded time and pops it into an invoice. I wouldn't call it "a whole business management" solution, but it does a great job.

http://www.getharvest.com/ http://try.hrv.st/1nxt (ref link, $10 off first month)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by zachlatta on Friday August 30, 2013 @03:48AM (#6300676)

I also use Harvest. The interface is a little clunky and unintuitive at times, but it's the best out there by far.

It'd be great if we could style our invoices with CSS though.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by psteinweber on Saturday August 31, 2013 @11:25AM (#6307012)

Harvest looks really great. Love the slickness of the invoicing feature. The credit card payments with Stripe are simply great.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by 97-109-107 on Friday August 30, 2013 @06:24AM (#6300999)

It's not web based and has the xls export feature as a premium feature, but it's pretty flexible and unobstrusive. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rauscha.ap...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by dorsiak7 on Friday August 30, 2013 @08:48AM (#6301390)

We implemented http://www.paymo.biz in our company and we're happy with it. They have mobile apps and desktop apps for Win and Mac.

The design is a little out dated, but they're launching a new version so that's sorted.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by dylanhassinger on Thursday August 29, 2013 @10:48PM (#6299974)

I like Freckle - http://letsfreckle.com/

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by psteinweber on Saturday August 31, 2013 @11:30AM (#6307029)

I wonder about their site's conversion rate. They don't show much, at least not visually, before a credit card trial gate.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by olie_h on Monday September 02, 2013 @11:58AM (#6315703)

+1 for Freckle. I use it everyday for my time tracking.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by scottmey on Sunday September 01, 2013 @11:58PM (#6313395)

'On the job' for OSX. Create clients, jobs for client and easily create invoices. Love it.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by stephenr on Thursday August 29, 2013 @11:34PM (#6300117)

Billings from Market Circle - timekeeping and invoicing all in one. Has a companion iPhone app too.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Freelancers, how do you track your time? by lifeisstillgood on Saturday August 31, 2013 @04:45PM (#6308022)

Google selfspy on GitHub - tracks literally everything

[ Parent | on HN ]