5 Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies in 2026

“We worked on it” does not always mean “we got paid for it.” For many agencies, hours disappear into scope creep, Slack messages, and client revisions that never make it onto invoices. Here are the 5 tools helping agencies recover profitability and visibility.

5 Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies in 2026

Untracked time is one of the biggest profit leaks in agency work. Hours spent on revisions, internal meetings, admin tasks, and scope creep often go unbilled, even though the work was done. The problem goes beyond lost revenue, it also distorts future estimates because agencies end up scoping projects using incomplete time data. 

This article compares the 5 best agency time tracking software to help fix that by connecting hours directly to clients, projects, tasks, billing, and reporting.

Compare:

  1. TMetric
  2. Timely
  3. My Hours
  4. Harvest
  5. Toggl Track

How we evaluated the best time tracking software for agencies

Agency teams need more than a timer. The agency time tracking software below were evaluated on how well they handle billable work, project tracking, reporting, invoicing, integrations, and day-to-day agency operations.

Evaluation area What was tested
Time tracking Timers, manual entry, idle detection, mobile reliability
Client and project structure Tracking by client, project, and task
Billable tracking Billable rates and non-billable separation
Reporting Utilisation, profitability, budgets, exports
Billing workflows Invoicing and accounting integrations
Integrations PM, accounting, calendar, and communication tools
Pricing Free plans, per-seat cost, and scalability

Quick comparison table: Best time tracking tools for agencies

Use this table to narrow your shortlist before reading the full reviews. The columns reflect the decisions that matter most for agencies: billing support, reporting depth, project management coverage, and which agency type each tool fits best.

Tool Best for Auto
tracking
Invoicing Profitability
reports
PM
features
Free
plan
Best fit
agency type
TMetric Billing, budgeting, and agency operations Yes Native Yes Tasks, budgets, workload visibility Yes — up to 2 users Marketing, creative, service agencies
Timely AI-powered automatic tracking AI-powered Native Yes Capacity planning and dashboards No Boutique agencies, consultants
My Hours Simple billing and project tracking No Native Yes Basic project tracking Yes — up to 5 users Freelancers, small agencies
Harvest Invoicing and utilization tracking No Native Yes Project budgets and utilization Yes — solo plan Digital and creative agencies
Toggl
Track
Lightweight tracking with utilization reporting Yes Native Yes Resource planning and project tracking Yes Freelancers, agencies, consultancies

5 Best time tracking apps for agencies

Here are best time tracking solutions for agencies selected to cover different agency needs: lightweight tracking, billing-first workflows, automatic capture, project-management-heavy setups, and full agency operations platforms. TMetric leads as the strongest balance of tracking depth, billing support, and ease of adoption for professional client-facing teams.

1. TMetric

Rating: 4.6/5 (G2)

TMetric is a time tracking and billing tool for agencies managing client work, billable hours, and projects. It combines tracking, budgeting, invoicing, and reporting in one platform, making it popular with marketing, creative, and service teams.

Category Detail
Best for Agencies managing billable work, budgets, and client invoicing
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Browser extensions Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari
Key integrations Jira, Asana, QuickBooks, Trello, Slack, HubSpot, Google Docs
Billing support Billable rates, invoicing, budgeting, expense tracking
Free trial 14-day fully featured trial
Key Features
Billable time tracking and invoicing workflows
Project budgeting and profitability monitoring
Team timesheets and workload visibility
Customizable reports for clients and internal planning
Productivity insights and activity tracking
PTO and time off management
50+ integrations with project management and agency tools
Cross-platform apps for desktop and mobile tracking
Pros
Combines tracking, budgeting, invoicing, and reporting in one platform
Strong visibility into billable and non-billable work
Flexible reporting for agencies and client services teams
Monitoring features are optional rather than always-on
Easy onboarding compared to heavier PSA-style systems
Cons
Advanced workforce features require higher-tier plans
Larger agencies may still need dedicated resource planning tools
Pricing
Free plan available for up to 2 users.
Paid plans start at $7 per user per month, all including a fully featured 14-day free trial.

User reviews (G2)

💡
“Tmetric is super easy to use, it is cheap and helps to track the efficiency of my team's work”G2

Try TMetric

2. Timely

Rating: 4.8/5 (G2)

Timely is an AI-powered time tracking tool for agencies and consultants that want automatic time tracking instead of manual timers. This tool captures activity across apps, meetings, and calendars, then builds timesheets users can review before sharing.

Category Detail
Best for Boutique agencies, consultants, and knowledge-worker teams
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Browser extensions Chrome
Key integrations Jira, Asana, ClickUp, Trello, Monday.com, QuickBooks, Google Calendar, Zapier
Billing support Billable rates, invoices, project budgeting, profitability tracking
Free trial Trial available, no free plan
Key Features
AI-powered automatic time tracking across apps and calendars
AI-generated timesheets with one-click approval
Private memory tracker with user-controlled sharing
Project budgeting, utilization, and profitability tracking
Team capacity and people dashboards
Invoices, billable rates, and project reporting
Integrations with agency and project management tools
Pros
Eliminates most manual timesheet admin work
Strong privacy-first and anti-surveillance positioning
Excellent visibility into utilization and profitability
Works especially well for consultants and creative teams
Cons
Higher pricing than many traditional trackers
Less suited for monitoring-heavy or compliance-focused teams
Teams used to strict manual task tracking may need adjustment time
Pricing
No free plan. Paid plans start at $9 per user per month. Premium starts at $16 per user per month and Unlimited at $22 per user per month, both billed annually. Free trial available on all paid plans.

User reviews (G2)

💡
“I’m really enjoying the new autosheet feature. It gives a much cleaner timeline view and makes batch editing so much easier, especially when managing multiple projects.”

Explore Timely

3. My Hours

Rating: 4.6/5 (G2)

My Hours is a time tracking and billing tool for freelancers, consultants, and small agencies that want simple projects and billable-hour tracking. It focuses on timesheets, reporting, and invoicing without adding employee monitoring or unnecessary complexity.

Category Detail
Best for Freelancers, consultants, and small agencies
Platforms Web, desktop, mobile
Browser extensions Available
Key integrations Accounting, ERP, CRM, and project management integrations
Billing support Billable rates, budgeting, payroll exports, invoicing workflows
Free trial Free plan available
Key Features
Client, project, and task-based time tracking
Billable and non-billable hour tracking
Flexible billing rates by task, project, or team member
Timesheet approvals and submission workflows
Budgeting and profitability tracking
Payroll and billing exports in XLS and PDF
Detailed reporting by client, project, task, or team
Pros
Very easy to set up and use
Strong reporting and profitability visibility for small teams
No employee monitoring or surveillance features
Good balance between simplicity and billing functionality
Cons
No AI-powered or automatic time tracking
Limited operational depth for larger agencies
Advanced resource planning may require additional tools
Pricing
Free plan available for teams of up to 5 users.
Paid plans start at $4 per user per month. Pro plans start at $8 per user per month billed annually, with a 14-day free trial available.

User reviews (G2)

💡
“I like the ability to enter different projects and allocate tasks so that members of staff can complete their hours.”

Explore My Hours

4. Harvest

Rating: 4.3/5 (G2)

Harvest is a time tracking and invoicing tool for agencies and service teams that bill by the hour. It combines tracking, project budgets, invoicing, and utilization reporting in a simple workflow built for client-facing work.

Category Detail
Best for Digital agencies, creative teams, and service businesses
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Browser extensions Chrome, Firefox
Key integrations Asana, Jira, Trello, GitHub, QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe, PayPal
Billing support Invoicing, billable rates, project budgets, utilization tracking
Free trial Free trial available
Key Features
Timer and manual time tracking by client, task, and project
Utilization and billable-hours reporting
Project budget tracking with real-time alerts
Invoice generation from tracked time and expenses
Online payments through Stripe and PayPal
Integrations with project management and accounting tools
Day, week, and calendar views for time management
Pros
Strong visibility into billable hours and utilization
Clean invoicing and payment collection workflow
Mature integration ecosystem with agency tools
Easy adoption across client-service teams
Cons
No AI-powered or automatic time tracking
Advanced operational analytics are lighter than PSA-style platforms
Per-user pricing can become expensive for larger agencies
Pricing
Free plan available for solo users.
Paid plans start at $9 per user per month. Enterprise plans start at $14 per user per month billed annually. A 30-day free trial is available on all paid plans.

User reviews (G2)

💡
“This product is great for time tracking and invoicing. The interface is simple but still effective.”

Explore Harvest

5. Toggl Track

Rating: 4.6/5 (G2)

Toggl Track is a time tracking tool for agencies that want simple tracking, utilization visibility, and flexible billing workflows without too much operational overhead. It combines project tracking, reporting, budgeting, and invoicing in a clean, easy-to-adopt platform.

Category Detail
Best for Agencies, consultancies, and client-service teams
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Browser extensions Chrome, Firefox
Key integrations Asana, Jira, Trello, ClickUp, Xero, Gmail, Basecamp, Zapier
Billing support Billable rates, invoicing, project budgets, profitability tracking
Free trial Free plan available + 30-day Premium trial
Key Features
One-click time tracking across web, desktop, and mobile
Automated and passive time tracking options
Billable rates and project profitability tracking
Invoicing and accounting integrations
Utilization, workload, and productivity dashboards
Timesheet approvals and tracking reminders
Resource management and project planning tools
Milestone alerts, recurring budgets, and project estimates
Pros
Very easy for teams to adopt consistently
Strong visibility into utilization and project profitability
Good mix of tracking, planning, and reporting features
Large integration ecosystem for agency workflows
Cons
Advanced operational features require higher-tier plans
Less suited for payroll-heavy workflows
Can become expensive for larger agencies on per-user pricing
Pricing
Free plan available with core tracking features.
Paid plans start at $9 per user per month. Premium plans start at $18 per user per month. Enterprise pricing is custom.

User reviews (G2)

💡
“It makes time tracking simple and easy without feeling intrusive. It’s quick to use and very straightforward.” 

Explore Toggl Track

What features to look for in time tracking tools for agencies

Agencies need more than a simple timer. The right tool should support billing, reporting, planning, and day-to-day project work.

Client, project, and task tracking

Time should be tracked by client, project, and task so agencies can bill accurately and understand where hours are going.

Billable and non-billable hours

Good tools make it easy to separate client work from internal work like meetings, admin, or revisions. This gives better visibility into profitability.

Reporting and utilization

Agencies need reports that break down time by team member, client, project, and billable status. Budget and utilization tracking also matter.

Invoicing and budgets

Tools with invoicing, billable rates, and project budgets reduce manual billing work and make revenue tracking easier.

Integrations

Strong integrations with PM tools, accounting software, calendars, and communication apps help reduce duplicate admin work.

How to choose the right time tracking software for your agency

Popularity rankings don't determine fit. Your billing model, team structure, and workflow requirements do. Use the framework below to narrow your shortlist before choosing the best time tracking app for agencies.

Billing model

Hourly, retainer, and fixed-price work all need different tracking workflows. Make sure the tool supports the way your agency bills clients.

Team size

Small agencies usually need simple tracking and invoicing, while larger teams often need approvals, utilization reporting, and resource planning.

Standalone vs all-in-one

Some tools focus only on time tracking, while others combine tracking with PM, budgeting, and operations features. The right choice depends on how much of your workflow you want in one platform.

Reporting and client visibility

Agencies need clear reporting on billable hours, budgets, utilization, and project profitability. Client-ready reports can also reduce billing disputes.

Integrations

Check whether the tool connects properly with your PM, accounting, calendar, and communication tools before committing.

Takeaway

The right tool depends on how your agency works. Timely is strong for automatic tracking, while Toggl Track keeps things simple for smaller teams. Agencies that need stronger invoicing and utilization tracking may lean toward Harvest, while My Hours works well for freelancers and small teams that want straightforward billing.

For agencies that need tracking, invoicing, budgeting, and reporting in one place, TMetric is the strongest all-round option. It covers the full billing workflow without the cost or complexity of larger agency platforms, and the 14-day trial is fully featured with no credit card required.

FAQ

What features should agencies look for in time tracking software?

The best time tracking tools for agencies should support billable-hour tracking, invoicing, budgeting, reporting, utilization visibility, and integrations with PM and accounting tools.

What is the best time tracking software for marketing agencies?

TMetric, Harvest, and Toggl Track are some of the strongest time tracking tools for marketing agencies because they combine tracking, reporting, billing, and project visibility.

Which tools are best for small agencies?

Toggl Track, My Hours, and TMetric are among the top agency time tracking tools for small teams because they are easy to adopt and don’t require heavy setup.

Which time tracking tools work well with project management software?

Most modern time tracking and billing systems for agencies integrate with Jira, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and other PM platforms. TMetric, Timely, Harvest, and Toggl Track all support major integrations.

Can TMetric help agencies monitor team workload and productivity?

Yes. TMetric includes workload visibility, utilization tracking, productivity insights, and optional activity tracking features, making it useful in an agency time tracking software comparison.