Timekeeping and invoicing software has become a crucial resource for businesses aiming to enhance their billing and time management practices. Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business, or a large enterprise, the right software can revolutionize how you track time and handle invoicing. 

Discover the best billing software out there with this guide, which delves into some of the leading timekeeping and invoicing software options available, showcasing their features, ease of use, pricing, and overall effectiveness to assist you in making a well-informed choice.

Software	Starting Price	Average Rating	Trial Period	Free Version
Clockify	₹331/month	4.5⭐	No	No
Refrens	₹100/month	4.9⭐	Yes	Yes
Zoho	₹749/month	4.7⭐	Free	Yes
Apploye	₹207/month	4.8⭐	10 Days	No
Freshbooks	₹630/month	4.5⭐	30 Days	No
My Hours	₹664/month.	4.6⭐	14 Days	Yes
Harvest	₹896/month.	4.6⭐	30 Days	No
Monitask	₹414/month	4.5⭐	No	No
Hub Staff	₹2,884/month	4.4⭐	14 Days	No
Account Sight	₹830/month	4.1⭐	30 Days	Yes

Key Features to Consider While Choosing Time-Keeping and Invoicing Software 

When choosing timekeeping and invoicing software, it’s important to consider a range of features that can help streamline your business operations and improve efficiency. Here are some key features to look out for when learning about invoicing basics and timekeeping solutions

1. Time Tracking: Look for time tracking software that delivers advanced features. This should include the ability to start and stop timers as needed, log hours manually, and track time by project or client.
2. Automated Invoicing: The ability to generate invoices automatically based on tracked time and expenses is crucial. This saves time and reduces errors associated with manual entry.
3. Customization: It’s beneficial if the software allows you to customize invoices and timesheets. This can include adding your company logo, changing the layout, and adjusting what information is displayed.
4. Integration: Good software should integrate seamlessly with other tools you use, such as project management platforms, accounting software, sales CRM software, and payment gateways. This helps in maintaining a smooth workflow.
5. Reports and Analytics: Detailed reports on time spent, expenses, and billing can provide valuable insights into your business operations, helping you make informed decisions.
6. Mobile Accessibility: Ensure the software has a mobile app or is mobile-friendly. This is essential for tracking time and managing invoices on the go.
7. Expense Tracking: The ability to track and categorize expenses, and include them in invoices, is very helpful for maintaining accurate financial records.
8. Security: Since financial and operational data is sensitive, strong security measures and data encryption are essential to protect your information.
9. Support for Multiple Users: If you have a team, the software should support multiple users with different access levels and permissions.
10. Recurring Invoices: For clients with ongoing projects, the ability to set up recurring billing automatically is a time-saver.
11. Payment Reminders: Automated reminders for overdue payments can help improve your cash flow.
12. Compliance: Depending on your location, it’s important that the software complies with local tax regulations and can handle things like GST or VAT.

Evaluating these features based on your specific needs will help you choose the right timekeeping and invoicing software that aligns with your business operations.

Detailed Analysis of Top Timekeeping and invoicing software

1. Clockify

Clockify is a versatile time-tracking and invoice management software designed to cater to businesses of all sizes. It offers a robust set of features including invoicing, scheduling, and extensive reporting, all accessible via desktop and mobile platforms. 

With integration capabilities that connect with over 80 other applications, Clockify enhances workflow efficiency and productivity. The software provides various pricing plans, including a free trial, making it accessible for startups and enterprises alike to streamline their operational processes.

Key Features:

• Invoicing: Create invoices based on tracked time and expenses, customize them with your company logo, and send them directly to clients as PDFs, streamlining the billing process.
• Time Tracker: Start and stop a timer as you work or manually enter hours, making it easy to keep accurate records of your work time.
• Timesheet: Log weekly activities quickly; use templates to speed up the process and submit for approval to ensure accuracy in reporting.
• Apps: Utilize Clockify through various desktop and mobile apps, available for platforms including Chrome, Firefox, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
• Integrations: Enhance functionality by connecting Clockify with over 80 other apps like QuickBooks, Trello, Asana, and Jira for seamless workflow integration.
• Reports: Generate detailed reports on time, money, and team activities, with options to filter, share, and export data to PDF, CSV, or Excel formats.
• Team: Invite unlimited team members, set hourly rates, and manage permissions and access through groups, enhancing collaborative time tracking.
• Scheduling: Plan and visualize project and team schedules, assess capacity, and manage assignments to align with project timelines and performance metrics.
• Time Off: Manage time off with policies and requests, define holidays for paid leave, and keep track of balances, ensuring proper leave management.
• Approval: Streamline the approval of timesheets and expenses, set approval periods, and send invoice reminders for late payment to maintain compliance and accuracy.
• Expenses: Track project expenses by sum or unit, attach receipts, and generate expense reports for easy management and reimbursement.

These features make Clockify a comprehensive tool for managing timekeeping, reporting, and overall project management effectively across teams

Additional Features:

Clockify streamlines business operations with a comprehensive suite of tools. Features include a PIN-based Kiosk for clock-ins, a Calendar for scheduling, and a Dashboard for monitoring time and activities. It also supports team management, expense tracking, and automated approvals to enhance efficiency across projects.

Pricing:

Clockify offers a variety of pricing plans tailored to meet the needs of different users, starting with a free option and several paid tiers that add more advanced features.

• Basic Plan: ₹331/user/month (billed annually)
• Standard Plan: ₹455/user/month (billed annually)
• Pro Plan: ₹663/user/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise Plan: ₹995/user/month (billed annually)
• Productivity Suite: ₹1,077/user/month (billed annually)

Additional features across plans include unlimited time tracking, project management, various integrations, and customization options. 

Rating:

• Get app: 4.7⭐/5
• G2: 4.5⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.7⭐/5
• Software Advice: 4.5⭐/5

2. Refrens 

Refrens is a prominent online platform used by over 150K businesses across 180 countries. It provides an automated invoicing and time-tracking solution that streamlines financial and time management tasks.

Refrens offers a comprehensive suite of tools that enable users to effortlessly generate professional invoices, monitor payments, and control expenses. Its intuitive interface facilitates a seamless user experience, consolidating all necessary functionalities within a single platform.

Key Features:

• Automated Invoicing: Automatically generate personalized invoices that highlight your brand, leaving a professional impression on your clients.
• Sharing Options: Quickly share invoices via WhatsApp, E-mail, and secure links, or download them as PDFs and take printouts.
• Customization: Customize invoices with a range of invoice and quotation templates, colors, fonts, and layouts. Enhance brand consistency by adding your logo, signatures, and custom headers and footers.
• Recurring Invoices: Automate recurring billing for regular services to save time and ensure timely payments.
• Automatic Payment Reminders: Boost your cash flow with automated reminders for overdue payments sent via WhatsApp and email.
• Secure Cloud Storage: Safeguard your financial data with robust cloud backups, ensuring it’s accessible whenever needed.
• GST Compliance: Easily manage GST filings with features that allow for the creation and management of GSTR-1 reports at a click.

Additional Features:

E-invoicing Software, invoicing software, IRN Generation, Lead Management Software, Auto Conversion of Documents, GST billing software, Inventory and Expense Management Software, Reporting, Accounting Software, Sales CRM Software, Bookkeeping systems and many more

Pricing: 

• Free Plan: free plan for small businesses to create up to 50 documents/year
• Premium Plan: Pricing starts from as low as 1200/year depending on the number of users & features

Rating: 

• Capterra: 4.8⭐/05
• G2: 4.6⭐/05
• Software Suggests: 4.8⭐/05
• Software Advice: 5⭐/5
• Get App: 4.9⭐/5

3.  Zoho 

Zoho Invoice is an intuitive time-tracking and billing software that enables efficient project management and billing. Recognized as the best purchase sales invoice software, it allows users to easily track billable hours, manage expenses, and automate timesheet invoicing. As an invoice management software, Zoho Invoice helps businesses enhance productivity and ensure precise billing for their services.

Key Features:

• Automatic Time Tracking: Start timers from any device, ensuring no billable hours are missed.
• Timesheet Billing: Automatically compile logged hours and expenses into invoices with a single click.
• Role-Based Team Access: Assign tasks and give team members access based on their roles to facilitate collaborative work.
• Comprehensive Overviews: View project statuses at a glance, comparing logged versus budgeted hours and billed versus unbilled hours.
• Client Engagement: Share project updates and allow clients to make advance payments through a self-service portal.
• Versatile Invoicing Options: Offers multiple project billing types and supports bulk time entries for efficient management.
• Detailed Estimates: Easily provide your customers with detailed breakdowns of service costs, enhancing transparency and helping them make informed decisions.
• Payment Reminders: Set up automatic reminders for unpaid invoices to ensure timely payments without the hassle.
• Secure Online Payments: Offer multiple trusted payment gateways for secure and effortless transactions, ensuring your billing is as smooth as your services.
• Custom Fields: Add custom fields to your estimates to capture additional costs, tailoring the billing to each customer’s needs.
• Multi-Currency Support: Enable seamless global transactions by accommodating multiple currencies for international clients.
• Mobile Accessibility: Manage your invoicing and payments on the go with Zoho’s mobile-friendly features, making it easier to handle business anywhere.

Additional Features:

Inventory Management, Quotation making, Customization, Reporting, Expense management, Accounting and more

Pricing :

The platform is completely free with no hidden fees, ads, or contracts, supporting a hassle-free user experience.

Rating:

• G2: 4.1⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.3⭐/5
• Get app: 4.3⭐/5
• Software Advice: 4.5⭐/5

4. Apploye 

Apploye offers a seamless time tracking and online invoicing solution that enables you to monitor billable hours and generate invoices effortlessly. Speed up your payment process by automating your invoicing with Apploye.

Key Features: 

• Simple Invoicing: Easily create invoices by adding client details, selecting projects, and specifying billing methods. Review and send invoices directly to clients.
• Project Management: Easily set up projects, add tasks, and switch between them with a single click.
• Timesheets: Generate daily to monthly timesheets, review task durations, and optimize future tasks.
• Manual Time Adjustments: Add missed time manually with explanations for discrepancies.
• Pomodoro Tracker: Stay fresh with regular breaks using the Pomodoro technique.
• Advanced Reports: Obtain detailed reports on timesheets, app usage, and manual entries; share with clients transparency.

Additional Features:

Apploye offers integrated time tracking and employee monitoring, including a RemoteTrack feature for managing remote staff productivity. Its project management tools allow for efficient tracking, budgeting, and scheduling similar to Google Calendar. 

The platform also supports comprehensive task and client management, enabling invoicing and client database creation. Administrative functions are centralized for streamlined team and attendance management. 

Additionally, advanced reporting and mobile support ensure accessibility and performance monitoring from anywhere.

Pricing:  Free 10-Day Trial

• Standard Plan: ₹207/user/month
• Elite Plan: ₹290/user/month

Rating: 

• Get App: 4.8⭐/5
• G2: 4.5⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.8⭐/5

5. Freshbooks 

FreshBooks stands out as a user-friendly option for freelancers and small businesses seeking invoicing and time-tracking software. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to manage your billable hours and create invoices, streamlining the process from project start to getting paid.

Key Features:

• Quick Invoicing: Automatically generate online invoices from your tracked time with a single click.
• No Credit Card Needed: Start without financial commitment and cancel anytime.
• Automated Timer: Start the timer when working on tasks and FreshBooks handles the rest, creating accurate time logs ready for invoicing.
• App Integration: Seamlessly works with Asana, Basecamp, Trello, and Teamwork, ensuring you capture every billable minute.
• Comprehensive Overview: Easily view how your team spends their time and monitor completed tasks to foresee potential issues.
• Team Time Keeping: Record and manage time for your entire team, enhancing coordination and productivity.
• Client-Specific Logging: Assign time logs directly to clients for precise billing.
• Enhanced Notes: Add detailed notes to time entries to keep thorough records of work done.
• Direct Billing: Automatically bill for tracked hours, reducing administrative tasks and improving accuracy.
• Time Overview: Access weekly and monthly views of tracked time to maintain clarity and oversight
• Built-in Timer: Use the easy-to-operate timer on both desktop and mobile platforms for consistent time tracking.
• Flexible Views: Break down tracked hours daily for individual or team assessments.

Additional Features:

Additional features include invoicing, payments, time tracking, accounting software, expense and receipts, reports, mileage tracking app, bookkeeping, projects, proposals, estimates, payroll, team management, Appstore, and more.

Pricing: 

• Trail Period: 30 days 
• Lite: $7.60/month
• Plus: $13.20/month
• Premium: $24.00/month
• Select: Contact for the pricing 

Rating:

• Capterra: 4.5/⭐5
• Software Advice: 4.5⭐/5
• G2: 4.5⭐/5
• Get app: 4.5⭐/5
• Software Suggest: 4.7⭐/5

6. My hours

My hours streamline employee and contractor time tracking, project monitoring, timesheet collection, and budget management with real-time insights.

Key Features:

• Effortless Invoice Creation: Automatically generate invoices based on tracked hours. No more manual calculations or data entry.
• Customization: Create professional-looking invoices with your branding and personalize them for each client.
• Multiple Delivery Options: Send invoices electronically via email or download them as PDFs for printing or sharing.
• Seamless Data Sharing: Export your time data with a single click for use in other accounting or payroll software.
• Automated Billing: Set billing methods for projects and tasks so billable amounts calculate automatically.
• Flexible Time Tracking: Choose between a timer or a weekly timesheet for tracking time, both offering options to add descriptions, expenses, and mileage.
• Customizable Reporting: Generate reports tailored to your specific needs and export them to PDF, XLS, or send them via email.
• Task Management: Streamline workflows with assignment capabilities and budget estimations for tasks. Create templates for repetitive tasks to save time.
• Data Integrity: Lock time logs to prevent unauthorized editing and maintain accurate records. Download audit log reports for comprehensive data tracking.
• Invoicing Integration: Simplify invoice creation by generating them directly from logged hours. My Hours also integrates with popular invoicing software.
• Anywhere, Anytime Access: My Hours is a cloud-based solution, accessible from any web browser or mobile device.
• Security & Uptime: Your data is secure in Microsoft’s Azure cloud with guaranteed 99.95% uptime and ongoing security measures.

Additional Features:

Some additional features include flexible tools for all types of organizations such as billing methods for clients while prioritizing profitable projects. Efficiently manage team attendance and track project time with analytics for informed decisions.

Pricing: 

• 14-day free trial available
• Free Plan available with basic features
• Pro Plan: ₹664/month.

Rating: 

• Get App: 4.8⭐/5
• Software Advice: 5⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.8⭐/5
• G2: 4.6⭐/5 

7. Harvest 

Harvest offers more than just time tracking. It simplifies project time tracking, generates instant reports, facilitates seamless invoicing and payments, and integrates smoothly with your team’s favorite tools.

Key Features:

• Time Tracking: Effortlessly track time across all devices with 1-click functionality and receive daily reminders.
• Invoicing & Payments: Generate invoices quickly, enable direct client payments, and automate invoice reminders. Integrates with Xero and QuickBooks.
• Reporting: Create instant reports covering project budgets, task allocation, team capacity, expenses, etc.
• Budget Monitoring: Set and monitor project budgets in real-time, receiving alerts when nearing limits.
• Cost Tracking: Track expenses for clients and projects, including billable hours and materials, with easy receipt upload.

Additional Features:

Harvest offers streamlined time tracking, insightful reporting, and automated invoicing, and integrates with popular tools like Asana and Slack. It also provides desktop and mobile apps for easy access.

Pricing:

• 30-Day Free Trial
• Free Plan Available
• Harvest Pro: ₹896 per month.

Rating:

• Get App: 4.6⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.6⭐/5
• G2: 4.3⭐/5

8. Monitask

Monitask is a versatile time-tracking and invoicing solution designed for freelancers. It offers professional and user-friendly invoicing features with customization options to align with your brand. 

Additionally, Monitask enables remote team productivity tracking, making it a valuable tool for entrepreneurs of all sizes, from startups to established businesses.

Key Features: 

• Timers and Time Logging: Allows users to run timers or log time for projects, making it easier to bill clients accurately for project hours.
• Track Billable Hours: Enables users to keep track of hours spent on a project that can be charged to the client based on an agreed hourly rate.
• Unbilled Hours and Expenses Tracking: Keeps a proper record of unbilled hours and expenses incurred during project execution.
• Automatic Invoice Generation: Automatically generates invoices based on billable hours, reducing the need for repetitive data entry.
• Customizable Invoices: Freelancers can customize invoice templates to better match the services delivered to clients, enhancing professional presentation.
• Employee and Project Monitoring: Offers tools for employers to monitor the working hours of their team or freelancers, which helps in assessing productivity and performance.
• In-depth Reporting: Maintains detailed reports of total work hours billed on a project daily, aiding in project management and budgeting.
• Data-driven Management: Provides data essential for making accurate project estimates and resolving issues related to resource and personnel management.
• Manual or Automatic Time Entries: Offers the flexibility to choose between manual time entries or using an automatic tracker, catering to different project needs.
• Performance Tracking: Helps in tracking hours worked by task, project, or employee, which can be used to quickly assess overall performance and project progress.
• Timesheet Reports: Generates timesheets that summarize tasks worked on during a specific period, highlighting tasks with enabled time tracking and any flagged or manually added tasks.

These features make Monitask a robust tool for freelancers, teams, and businesses aiming to improve productivity and streamline invoicing processes.

Additional Features: 

Additional features include clock-in and clock-out, employee attendance software, online timesheet, computer monitoring, employee productivity software, remote employee monitoring, and more. 

Pricing: 

• Pro Plan: ₹414/user/month
• Business Plan: ₹580/user/month
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

Rating: 

• Get App: 4.8⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.9⭐/5
• G2: 4.5⭐/5
• Software Advice: 5⭐/5

9. Hub Staff 

Hubstaff is a versatile platform that seamlessly combines time tracking and invoicing functionalities. Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or part of a larger team, Hubstaff streamlines administrative tasks, enhances productivity, and ensures accurate payments.

Key Features:

• Automated Time Tracking: Team members can log hours automatically using the Hubstaff desktop or mobile app. Alternatively, they can add hours manually with notes.
• Billable Hours Management: Set hourly pay rates or fixed salaries for each team member. Use these tracked hours for invoicing clients and paying your team.
• Customizable Invoices: Impress clients with professional invoices. Customize templates by adding your logo, address, tax information, and other relevant details.
• Easy Invoicing Process: Create invoices based on hours worked. Hubstaff generates line items automatically, and you can send invoices directly from the app or export them in various formats (PDF, HTML, or email).
• Invoice Status Tracking: Keep an eye on your invoices’ status, record payments, and maintain clear records for better accounting.

Additional Features:

Client Billing, Project Costing, Team Payroll, Time Analytics

Pricing Plans:

• Free trial for 14 days 
• Premium Plan: ₹34,611 per user per year.

Rating: 

• G2: 4.4⭐/5
• Software Advice: 4.5⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.6⭐/5
• Get App: 4.5⭐/5

10. Account Sight: Timekeeping and invoicing software

AccountSight stands out as the ultimate all-in-one solution in the cloud, offering time tracking, expense management, and invoicing tailored for professional services and managed service organizations, all at an affordable price.

Key Features

• Time Tracking App: A flexible web and mobile-based time tracker offering insights to management from any location.
• Easy Resource Planning: Real-time resource allocation aids managers in workload balance, capacity planning, and staffing needs.
• Integrations: Seamlessly integrated with QuickBooks Online & QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, PayPal, and Foxit eSign for enhanced connectivity.
• Customizable Dashboard: Intuitive dashboard enabling objective and key results tracking and measurement.
• Workflow-based Approvals: Multi-level invoice approval workflows including Timesheets, Time-Off, and Expenses, facilitating thorough review of billable hours.
• Expense Tracking: Efficiently track expenses including receipts, invoices, and operational costs for precise profit and loss assessment.
• Accurate Invoicing: Personalized invoicing with automated reminders for timely payments, ensuring smooth financial transactions.
• Real-time Reporting: Customized versatile reporting aids informed decision-making through real-time insights.
• Features of Time Management: Effective time tracking and timesheets for productivity, attendance, and billable hour monitoring.
• One-click Timer: Start, pause, or stop timers with a single click, simplifying task duration tracking.
• Project Management: Visual organization of work hours, task progress monitoring, and timely completion of tasks.
• Project Estimates: Set budgets and track expenses to ensure project profitability.
• Define Tasks: Group activities by customer, project, and task for enhanced organization.
• Profit and Loss Analysis: Determine hourly rates, profits, expenditures, and earnings for insightful financial analysis.
• Team Management: Streamlined project planning, timeline focus, and work hour logging for effective team management.
• Approval Workflow: Well-defined roles and approval workflows ensure smooth processes.

Additional Features:

AccountSight offers an integrated solution for Time Tracking, Resource Planning, Expense, and Invoicing, suitable for SMBs, SMEs, and Large Enterprises. With robust features like Online Time Tracker, Resource Management, Reporting, and seamless integration for DCAA Compliance and DOL Timesheets, it ensures efficiency. Top-notch customer support via email, live chat, online ticketing, and phone adds to its appeal.

Pricing: 

• Free plan available 
• Basic: ₹830/user/month
• Small Group: ₹747/user/month (for 2-5 users)
• Enterprise: ₹664/user/month (for 6-20 users)
• Large Enterprise: Custom pricing (for 21-100 users)

Rating:

• G2: 4.8⭐/5
• Capterra: 4.9⭐/5
• Get App: 4.9⭐/5

Conclusion:

In today’s fast-moving world, managing time and handling payments efficiently is key for any business, big or small. This guide has taken a close look at different timekeeping and invoicing software options to help you find the right one for your needs. Tools like Refrens stand out with great features that are easy to use, helping businesses make smart choices that fit their daily operations. As technology keeps improving, using these tools can really change how businesses track time and manage money, helping them grow and stay competitive. Understanding common invoicing problems and solutions can also enhance your ability to handle payments effectively, ensuring smoother financial operations.

FAQs 

1. What is time and billing software?

Time and billing software is a tool that helps businesses track the amount of time spent on tasks and projects and efficiently manage billing for that time to clients. It often includes features for creating invoices, reporting, and expense tracking.

2. What software is used for invoices?

Refrens is used for creating, customizing, and managing invoices, offering options for integration with other financial tools.

4. What is timekeeper software?

Timekeeper software is a type of application designed to record and manage the amount of time employees spend on various tasks and projects. It’s essential for accurate payroll and project management, helping businesses ensure efficiency and accountability.

5. How to track time in Excel?

To track time in Excel, you can create a spreadsheet with columns for dates, tasks, start and end times, and duration. Use formulas to calculate durations and sum up the total time spent on tasks. Excel also supports templates that can streamline this process.

6. What is a time-tracking software?

Time tracking software is a digital tool that records the time spent on tasks and projects. It helps in monitoring productivity, managing work hours for payroll, and ensuring projects stay on budget and schedule.