7 Best Time Tracking Software Apps For Developers (2025 Comparison)

The average worker wastes 1.51 hours per day, amounting to a whopping 360 hours of lost productivity each year. This is huge for developers, who need to optimize their development cycles and launch effective, workable products that hit the mark with their target audience. They don’t have time to waste.

Time tracking tools are a popular way for development teams to unlock real-time efficiency. Whether connecting your code to project management targets, keeping team members focused on the right things, or optimizing your client invoicing process, accurate time tracking offers many benefits.

This article provides the full rundown on time tracking for development agencies and their workers, covering the key points to consider when looking for a tool and the seven best time tracking software apps for developers.

The best time tracking software for software developers at a glance

Short on time? Here’s what each of our seven top-rated tools does best.

Tool	G2 Rating	Best for
Toggl Track	4.6	Best for a stunning UI that makes time tracking simple and easy for absolutely everyone
Harvest	4.3	Best for large organizations looking for a solid all-rounder
Clockify	4.5	Best for clean and simple time tracking with a feature-filled free plan
TimeCamp	4.7	Best for development teams looking to boost productivity
Hubstaff	4.5	Best for connecting large distributed software development teams
Timely	4.8	Best for AI-backed time tracking with detailed productivity insights
Time Doctor	4.4	Best for detailed time monitoring and productivity analysis

Common misconceptions of time tracking for software developers

Unfortunately, time tracking sometimes gets a bad rap in the software development community. Some developers feel that time tracking can be:

• Disruptive: It might add unnecessary tasks, such as creating timesheets, that distract from their core development workflows.
• Controlling: Depending on the flexibility of the employer, it removes the autonomy to work in different ways and at different times to get the job done.
• Burdensome: The task of tracking time can make them less productive, which, in turn, impacts key project timelines and damages their own time management.
• Invasive: In some company cultures, employees may believe time tracking is a covert way for management to monitor them, leading to a lack of trust, a poor culture, and a belief that time tracking is bad.

But, done well, time tracking has the opposite effect. Good time tracking tools actually help developers:

• Automate work: Time tracking tools save manual tasks such as updating project management software or creating invoices by automatically capturing time and work-related information.
• Simplify processes: User-friendly and intuitive tools help users identify areas for improvement while saving unnecessary management updates.
• Collaborate with others: It’s easy to gain visibility into what others are working on, helping to build collaboration, share ideas, and overcome blockers.
• Make more money: Time tracking and invoicing go hand-in-hand, with many time tracking solutions helping developers optimize their hourly rates and boost profitability.

The best time tracking tools for software developers compared

Now you know why time tracking tools are great for developers, it’s time to go through our roundup of the best seven options on the market.

To create this list, we’ve used our years of time tracking insights and direct feedback from our customers to compare the features developers really need to excel with time tracking!

Harvest

Best for small businesses and large organizations looking for a solid all-rounder.

Thanks to developer-ready features such as automated tracking, productivity reports, and system-system integrations, Harvest makes it easy for developers to simplify their workflows and keep their projects on track. The simple UI makes for a quick learning curve, with all the functionality freelancers need to turn hours into invoices.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• Accurate time tracking down to the minute across different clients and projects
• Native and browser-based integrations connect to the platforms developers already use
• Alongside a desktop app, there are also handy iPhone and Android mobile versions

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• The simple user interface makes it easy to get started with Harvest quickly
• Tracking time from browser, desktop, and mobile apps
• Easily visualizing team capacity to manage workload and re-prioritize tasks

Unfortunately, users struggle with:

• Limited ability to customize the system, leading to lost insights across the team
• Reports lacking depth, especially for financial use cases

💰 Pricing

Harvest offers three pricing options.

Plan	Cost
Harvest	$0
Harvest Pro	From $11 per user/mo
Harvest Premium	From $14 per user/mo

Clockify

Best for clean and simple time tracking with a strong free plan.

For developers who need clean and simple time tracking, Clockify is a great solution with a core focus on accurate timesheets, automatic tracking, and detailed analytics. Clockify has a range of implementation options, including desktop, browser, and mobile apps, and has decent invoicing functionality for freelancers, too.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• A clean user interface means it’s easy to start tracking employee time
• Flexibility across devices with desktop, browser, and mobile apps
• For those on a budget, Clockify’s free plan is one of the best on the market

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Simple time tracking that gets straight to the point
• Easily linking time records to projects, clients, and expenses
• Solid reporting capabilities to uncover productivity gaps and improve ways of working

Unfortunately, users struggle with:

• The mobile app’s user interface is a little outdated compared to the desktop version
• The support from Clockify can be patchy, making it difficult to navigate FAQs and knowledge articles

💰 Pricing

Alongside Clockify’s famous free offering, there are tiers for the following four categories:

Plan	Cost
Basic	From $3.99 per user/mo
Standard	From $5.49 per user/mo
Pro	From $7.99 per user/mo
Enterprise	From $11.99 per user/mo

Toggl Track

Best for a stunning UI that makes time tracking simple and easy for everyone.

Toggl Track’s beautiful UI, automatic time tracking, and detailed data insights make it a great tool for developers looking to improve their workflows. With options to track on desktop, browser, and mobile, simple billing, integrations, and a strong anti-surveillance stance, it’s a powerful option for big businesses, small teams, and freelancers alike.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• Multi-platform time tracking from your desktop, phone, or the web, alongside a handy Chrome browser extension to track time from inside other workplace tools
• Smart integrations with 100+ other platforms, such as Slack, OneDrive, and Quickbooks
• Tracking reminders, alerts, and required fields cuts down admin work and helps automate your end-to-end billing workflow

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Features designed to create a more focused, productive, and aligned development team
• Detailed analytics for flexible, customized, easily shared and easily visualized data analysis
• Support that’s fast and humane, helping you maximize the value you receive from Toggl Track

Unfortunately, users can struggle with:

• Functionality variations between the app and the full web version
• Lack of employee monitoring features (that’s because Toggl Track is firmly anti-surveillance; we believe in trusting employees and respecting their privacy)

💰 Pricing

Alongside a free plan for up to five users, Toggl Track offers three additional tiers:

Plan	Cost
Starter	$9 per user/mo
Premium	$18 per user/mo
Enterprise	Custom pricing for unlimited users (book a demo to learn more!)

TimeCamp

Best for development teams looking to boost productivity.

If you want deep insights into your team’s productivity, TimeCamp is a great choice. With a strong focus on productivity and profitability, TimeCamp’s automatic timer, project dashboards, and customizable billing help software managers deliver a strong ROI.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• For managers, website and app monitoring identify where time is wasted day-to-day
• Trigger timer start/stop with keywords, workflows, and manual intervention
• Over 100 integrations with platforms such as Asana, Trello, Jira, and GitHub

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Detailed insights into productivity and process improvement opportunities.
• Integrations with lots of other developer tools.
• Strong billing and invoicing capabilities help developers get paid.

Unfortunately, users struggle with:

• Weak offering when it comes to mobile apps and flexibility across different devices
• Limited reporting features make it difficult to get detailed time tracking insights

💰 Pricing

Alongside their free plan, TimeCamp also offers:

Plan	Cost
Starter	$2.99 per user/mo
Premium	$4.99 per user/mo
Ultimate	$7.99 per user/mo
Enterprise	For $11.99 per user/mo

Hubstaff

Best for connecting large distributed software development teams.

Hubstaff’s USP is its focus on connection and collaboration, with strong project, task, and reporting capabilities integrated with slick time management. With many options for tracking across Windows, Linux, and Mac, Hubstaff Tasks is an agile project management package that helps to ship more releases with sprints, stand-ups, and Gantt charts.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• One of the few packages that includes a dedicated Linux app
• Integration with Hubstaff Tasks creates a full software development package
• Detailed workload tracking helps managers spread the load across the team

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Individualized reporting templates help managers break down their employee’s time
• Integrations with lots of other software development and project management tools
• Strong billing and invoicing capabilities help developers get paid
• Powerful, enterprise-level billing and invoicing for managing client financials

Unfortunately, users struggle with:

• Features such as screenshot monitoring feel like surveillance and can erode employee’s trust
• The user interface is a little dated, meaning it’s not as slick as other tools on the market

💰 Pricing

Hubstaff’s app has a free plan for one seat in one workspace only. After that, you’ll need:

Plan	Cost
Starter	From $7 per user/mo
Grow	From $9 per user/mo
Team	From $12 per user/mo
Unlimited	From $25 per user/mo

Timely

Best for AI-backed time tracking with detailed productivity insights.

Timely helps you unlock business insights using automated time and activity tracking. The platform tracks your activities as automatic ‘memories’, helping developers understand how they spend their time without any manual intervention.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• AI-backed tracking creates timesheets automatically
• ISO27001 compliance and AWS data centers ensure Timely is fast and secure
• Lots of native developer integrations, including AzureAD, Bitbucket, and GitLab

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Automatic, AI-based time tracking on a desktop device without starting or stopping timers
• Detailed insight and analytics to manage billings and boost developer productivity
• A sleek, modern user interface

Unfortunately, they struggle with:

• Pricing is high compared to competitors, especially for freelancers and small businesses
• While some integrations work well, users report challenges and the need for workarounds

💰 Pricing

Timely offers a free trial but no free plan. Instead, it has three tiers:

Plan	Cost
Starter	From $9 per user/mo
Premium	From $16 per user/mo
Unlimited	From $22 per user/mo

Time Doctor

Best for detailed time monitoring and productivity analysis of development teams.

Time Doctor’s mission is all about helping teams unlock performance and boost profits. To that end, their time tracking integrates with various other employee monitoring and productivity analysis tools to better understand how developers spend their time. Sync the data back to tools you already use thanks to Time Doctor’s 100+ integrations.

🌟 Standout features for software developers

• User-controlled, silent, and offline time tracking makes it easy to log timesheets
• Client login access helps technology companies create transparency for customers
• A range of interfaces, including Zendesk, Wrike, and Redmine

⚖️ Pros and cons

Developers love:

• Clear insights into project progress and productivity
• Creating a level playing field for remote, home-based, and hybrid workers
• Work-life balance metrics help management manage and distribute workloads fairly

Unfortunately, users struggle with:

• Some of Time Doctor’s features, such as taking screenshots without the user knowing, cross the line into employee monitoring, creating mistrust and privacy concerns

💰 Pricing

After a 14-day free trial, Time Doctor has four pricing tiers:

Plan	Cost	Best for
Basic	$7 per user per month	Individual users with minimal time tracking needs
Standard	$10 per user per month	Teams with more complex time-tracking needs
Premium	$20 per user per month	Large teams who need advanced time-tracking features

What to look for when choosing time tracking software for developers

While everyone from lawyers to administrators uses time tracking tools, developers need some specific features to help them manage the software development process.

Now that you know what a few of your top options are, let’s take a look at some of the most important functionalities to consider when choosing time tracking software for developers.

🦾 Automation

Developers are busy people who don’t have free time to waste. They need time tracking tools to automate and streamline their processes while still capturing accurate time entries.

Automation is a key part of most time-tracking apps, so look for tools with an automatic time clock, customizable notification flows, and clock-in/clock-out reminders to keep developers on track throughout the day.

🔌 Integrations

Whether it’s Slack, QuickBooks, Trello, or GitHub, your developers are likely already using several tools to manage their day. If you’re going to add another to the mix, it needs to slide right in and create a complete end-to-end workflow.

Look out for integrations with other project management tools, design platforms, or invoicing packages to ensure everything stays in sync. These may be direct, native integrations or open, configurable APIs.

🪄 Customization

No two development teams are the same, so you need a tool you can easily customize for big businesses, small teams, or individual freelancers.

Look for common customizations, such as adaptable project templates, detailed reports, or the ability to calculate billable hours rates, to ensure your chosen tools adapt to your way of working.

🧰 Project management

While many teams may use project management tools such as Asana or Basecamp, every time tracking tool needs to be able to track project time, assign specific tasks, and report on the team’s progress against a plan.

As a software development manager, these task management features will also aid you with task allocation, deadline management, and resource planning, providing you a holistic view of your software development pipeline.

💱 Financial management

For many developers, especially freelance developers, time really is money. Any time tracking tool worth its salt should boost your profitability by turning work hours into cash in the bank.

Alongside time management, look for tools that offer expense tracking, invoice creation, and the ability to bill clients for the hard work you’ve put in.

⚡ Cross-platform capabilities

Developers work across different devices, so look for a tool that does the same. While most tools offer a native web app, perfect for MAC, Chrome, and Windows users, look for those who also have a handy mobile app (for iOS and Android) to support developers who work in diverse environments and need flexibility.

🔐 Privacy and security

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, you need to find a time tracking tool that takes employee monitoring and security seriously.

Tips for integrating your time tracking app into a development workflow

Once you’ve got a time tracking tool in mind for your development team, how do you go about integrating it into your workflow? Here are some tips to manage your implementation:

• Ensure team buy-in. Like all good workplace changes, no project will succeed without buy-in. Before implementing a tool, talk to your team about the benefits of time-tracking to gain support.
• Get onboarding support. While time tracking tools aren’t the most complex tools in the world, having some support from your provider can maximize some time tracking best practices. Partner with a customer success manager or a dedicated supplier-side project manager to support your implementation.
• Start with a pilot phase. Time tracking implementations work best when they start small and grow over time. Pick a group of ‘early users’ and start them off as part of a pilot group. You’ll gain essential feedback before moving forward with a larger roll-out.
• Leverage integrations. When it comes to implementing time tracking tools, ease of use is the key, and integrations are a great way to achieve this. If you can simplify workflows and automate data sync between systems, your team will likely love their new time tracking tool.

Track time with Toggl Track

Development teams often have a lot to do and not enough time to do it. So, finding ways to optimize their time is essential for success.

While many people (wrongly) believe time tracking is an invasive and time-consuming task, it’s actually a great way to identify productivity gains, boost collaboration, and improve billing and invoicing.

Sounds good, right? Here are just some of the time tracking features our Toggl Track customers use to boost their software development process:

• Timeline: This program records your activity timeline privately on your computer and allows you to upload selected activities as time entries whenever you’re ready.
• Autotracker: Helps you set rules and automatically track time for specific activities.
• Integrations with Google Calendar, Outlook, Jira, and Asana to automatically sync time spent on meetings and project work.
• Billable and non-billable time: Identify how much of your time is spent in admin work and how much value-adding coding you need to bill clients for.