Timely is a popular time-tracking tool that leverages AI to automatically log and track time without you lifting a finger. With 100% automated tracking, detailed reporting, visual timelines, and several integrations, it’s a solid choice for many companies looking to improve productivity.
But is Timely the right fit for you? Some users find its AI-driven automation challenging to adjust to, while others feel it doesn’t actually end up saving them that much time in the end. If you’re curious about what other options, you’re in the right place. Are you and Timely a match made in heaven, or was it just not meant to be? Read on to find out.
Best Timely alternatives at-a-glance
Tool | G2 Rating | Description |
---|---|---|
Toggl Track | 4.6 | A powerful and flexible time tracking tool, best for boosting employee productivity and profitability. |
Clockify | 4.5 | A free time tracking software providing billable and non-billable hour tracking and reporting, best for teams needing a basic solution. |
TimeCamp | 4.7 | Automatic time and billable hour tracking, best for small to medium businesses and freelancers needing seamless integrations with project management tools. |
Time Doctor | 4.4 | A comprehensive real-time time tracking and productivity tool, best for remote teams looking to monitor employee performance and ensure accountability. |
Everhour | 4.7 | Seamless integration with project management tools like Asana and Trello. Best for less tab switching and more deep work. |
Hubstaff | 4.5 | Time tracking with GPS and geofencing, ideal for remote and field teams needing accountability. Best for distributed workforces requiring detailed productivity insights. |
RescueTime | 4.1 | A beast for personal productivity improvement, this automatic time management app tracks time spent on digital activities. It’s best for those wanting to improve focus and build better work habits. |
DeskTime | 4.5 | URL tracking and employee productivity tool, best for a detailed look into where your team’s time goes. |
BigTime | 4.5 | An all-in-one offering project management, time tracking, and billing tools, best for bigger consulting or accounting firms that need streamlined operations. |
Paymo | 4.6 | End-to-end project management with time tracking, invoicing, and task management. Best for small agencies and freelancers requiring a 2-in-1 time and project tracking solution. |
1. Toggl Track

Toggl Track is an easy-to-use time tracking software tool and a top alternative to Timely. Your team can track time using a simple timer, browser extensions, mobile and desktop apps, native integrations, or even add time entries manually.
Its desktop apps also offer automated time tracking. Running in the background, the app tracks your work activities privately (i.e., they’re not shared with your colleagues or manager). Once you’re ready, you can upload selected activities as time entries.
While Toggl Track simplifies time tracking, it also offers powerful and customizable profitability insights and time reports. Using the new Analytics feature, you can slice and dice your team’s time data any way you like using custom charts, tables, and dashboards.
G2: 4.6 (1,571), Capterra: 4.7 (2,404)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
Toggl Track is not only an intuitive time tracker. It’s also a time analytics tool that provides detailed insights into your tracked time. | Toggl Track does not offer any surveillance features—that’s by design. We believe employee monitoring and micromanagement feel invasive and create trust issues without offering any real productivity benefits. |
Toggl Track is best for any type of professional team that wants an easy-to-use time-tracking and reporting tool.
Top features
- One-click timer: Start and stop tracking your work with a single click.
- Automated time tracking: Track time spent on all work activities privately. When you’re ready, upload selected activities as time entries to Toggl Track.
- Calendar view: Visualize your tasks, appointments, and milestones on a calendar and get a clear overview of your day or month at a glance.
- 100+ integrations: Seamlessly connect with over a hundred popular tools and platforms to avoid switching between multiple web, Windows, or Mac apps.
- Project dashboard: Get a centralized hub to monitor all your projects’ progress, estimated vs. actual budget, and labor cost details.
- Insights: Dive deep into analytics and data to understand real-time profitability trends, areas of improvement, and overall performance.
Toggl Track vs. Timely
Feature | Toggl Track | Timely |
---|---|---|
Automation | Provides an Autotracker on the desktop app that runs in the background to record your activity on a timeline. This information is private to each user. | Has a stack of AI tools for tracking logged and idle time. Plus, an AI Assistant for categorizing activities and scheduling work. |
Time tracker | Automatic, manual, or Pomodoro | Automatic in the background |
Integrations | Over 100 integrations with the most popular SaaS tools plus an API | 15 native integrations with project management tools |
Reporting | Reports on business metrics like ROI, projects, profitability, etc. Offers Time Audits to spot tracking inconsistencies, an Insight hub to spot data trends and time sinks, and Analytics to visualize data with custom dashboards. | Reports on user work patterns, logged time, and unbilled hours. Supports custom dashboard |
Why customers love it
One user shared, “I like that I can easily access it on the computer and/or my phone on the app. It is user-friendly. It also helps me stay on track, and I can run reports and categorize what I’ve been working on. I use it every day.”
“I use Toggl Track every working day, and I find it quick and easy to log time to each client throughout the day,” says programmer Mike M.
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 | Personal use |
Starter | $9 per user/month | Teams with basic time tracking need |
Premium | $20 per user/month | Teams needing online and offline functionality for tracking time and profitability |
Enterprise | Custom pricing | Enterprise teams needing custom solutions (we can build it for you!) |

All Toggl Track plans have a free, 30-day trial of Toggl Track Premium.
2. Clockify

Clockify is a simple, easy-to-use time tracking solution. It lets you track projects and tasks across web, desktop, and mobile devices with one simple interface. Clockify is a great choice for those with basic and budget-friendly time tracking needs. Create time sheets or track attendance in just a few clicks.
G2 : 4.5 (173), Capterra: 4.8 (9,115)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
Clockify’s auto tracker tracks websites and apps you use for more than ten seconds and creates personalized records. You can then easily create timesheets based on these activities. | With Clockify’s free plan, you can’t track time off or schedule projects and don’t have access to project templates. Also, Clockify offers surveillance features, including screenshots and GPS tracking. This may feel invasive to some team members. |
Clockify is best for teams who want an affordable but comprehensive tool for tracking time and monitoring employee productivity.
Top features
- Productivity and attendance tracking: Monitor your team’s efficiency and ensure they’re present at work.
- Weekly timesheets: Easily record and access work hours to streamline payroll and accountability.
- Calendar timeline: Get a visual overview of how your team spends time so you can manage resources efficiently.
- Employee monitoring: Timely tracks your team’s location and takes random screenshots when the clock is on.
Clockify vs. Timely
Feature | Clockify | Timely |
---|---|---|
Time tracking | Manual start-stop timer you have to remember to turn on and off yourself | 100% automatic time tracking |
AI features | No | Yes |
Free version | Yes | No |
Employee monitoring | Allows optional screenshots | No spying, but does track activity automatically |
Why customers love it
Bailey E., a small business accountant, said, “It helps me keep track of time and ensure that I am very efficient and do my best work while on the job.”
As another user from the financial services industry put it, “Clockify makes it simple to synchronize our projects and activities across platforms by leveraging integrations with other development tools. Technical support is one area that needs improvement.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Basic | $4.99 per user/month | Solo users with basic time tracking needs |
Standard | $6.99 per user/month | Small teams with more complex time-tracking needs |
Pro | $9.99 per user/month | Teams needing very robust project and time tracking |
Enterprise | $14.99 per user/month | Complex client projects that require advanced time-tracking features |
3. TimeCamp

TimeCamp is designed to eliminate manual work. It does so much more than just tracking time — like managing invoicing, budget management, and profitability analysis. With features like billable hours tracking and one-click invoicing, it simplifies workflows and optimizes project efficiency. TimeCamp stands out with its “time entry approval” feature, ensuring billing accuracy for agencies and freelancers.
G2: 4.7 (335), Capterra: 4.7 (598)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
TimeCamp offers 20+ built-in reports, including attendance, time off, overtime, project budgets, and expense reports. | TimeCamp surveillance features like screenshots and website tracking can feel intrusive to employees and negatively impact their productivity. |
TimeCamp is best for teams seeking an automatic time tracker with profitability and productivity insights.
Top features
- Keyword-based time tracking: Assign specific keywords to automate time tracking. When you use them, TimeCamp matches your time entry to the right task.
- Task management and project tracking: Generate detailed time records to schedule work and resources efficiently.
- Profitability analysis: Get a clear overview of how profitable your team and projects are.
- Invoicing: Easily create invoices, track billable time, and access historical billing rates.
TimeCamp vs. Timely
Feature | TimeCamp | Timely |
---|---|---|
Customer support | Email, Knowledge base, 24/7 chat | Email, Knowledge base, phone access and FAQ Forum from other users |
Training | Documentation, live online, or in-person options | Email, Knowledge base, phone access, and FAQ Forum from other users |
Free plan | Yes | No, just a 14-day free trial |
Why customers love it
“There isn’t time wasted figuring out how to log my time even when the application or site is updated with new features or a new look—you can get to where you want to go very quickly again,” says Ivan W., an IT Consultant for a small business.
Small business owner Lazar P. echoed the feeling, “Timecamp is easy to use. I use it daily in my work, including various features like reporting. Implementation and integration into the business was fairly seamless.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 per user | Freelancers |
Starter | $3.99 per user | Small teams and start-ups |
Premium | $6.99 per user | Growing teams |
Ultimate | $10.99 per user | Mid-sized teams |
Enterprise | Custom pricing | Large enterprises |
4. Time Doctor

Time Doctor is a robust productivity tool decked out with activity monitoring and distraction alerts. Employers can use the screen monitoring feature and detailed productivity reports to understand where inefficiencies arise in their team’s workday. Time Doctor’s focus on real-time insights and accountability makes it ideal for organizations trying to maximize efficiency.
G2: 4.4 (385), Capterra: 4.5 (532)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
Time Doctor lets you track time per client, task, or project. Choose how you want to log time for more accurate records. | Time Doctor’s approach to employee time tracking comes with a heap of monitoring features like recording random screenshots of the user’s screen and silent tracking. These features can feel invasive and lower team morale. |
Time Doctor is best for teams that need a tool to track time accurately and improve employee productivity. But only if the surveillance features aren’t an issue.
Top features
- Productivity analysis: Get in-depth productivity insights to improve your employee’s work habits.
- Offline tracking: Ensure every activity gets logged, even when not online.
- Automated time logging: Minimize the need for manual data entry so your team can focus on their work.
- Employee monitoring: Time Doctor takes random screenshots and tracks time silently whenever your computer is on.
Time Doctor vs. Timely
Feature | Time Doctor | Timely |
---|---|---|
Time tracking | Manual, less efficient, and accurate | Automatic, more efficient, 100% accurate |
Billing and invoicing | Yes | No |
Offline time tracking | Yes | No |
What customers love it
“100% your best buddy if you have a WFH work setup. Will detect any malicious activity like if an employee is trying to game the system,” —Roxanne Marie V., Brand Operations Manager.
John P., Regional Platforms Lead, says, “It gives us an overview of the whole Customer Service operation in terms of agent performance: productivity, attendance, idle time, and productive hours.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Basic | $6.70 per user/month | Small teams and start-ups |
Standard | $11.70 per user/month | Mid-sized teams with complex tasks |
Premium | $16.70 per user/month | Large hybrid teams |
Enterprise | Custom pricing | Large multinationals |
5. Everhour

Everhour is a project management tool first and a time tracker second. It basically works like an extension that embeds itself into tools like Asana or Trello to measure how much time you spend on different tasks. Everhour also offers comprehensive budget tracking and detailed reporting, making it perfect for teams focused on collaborative project management.
G2: 4.7 (174), Capterra: 4.7 (426)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
Everhour’s free plan includes unlimited time tracking, projects, and reports. In addition, the paid plans offer team management features for resource planning, time off, and expense management. | It’s not built with different time zones in mind, which makes it challenging for distributed teams. |
Teams using Asana needing seamless time tracking built into the project management and collaboration tool.
Top features
- Budgeting and forecasting: Helps manage budgets and predict future costs.
- Invoicing and payroll: Automatically creates invoices and calculates payroll.
- Task and project management: Organizes tasks within projects for easy tracking.
- Team availability tracking: Monitors who’s available and who’s not.
Everhour vs. Timely
Feature | Everhour | Timely |
---|---|---|
Platforms supported | Only available as a web page | Available as a desktop and mobile time tracking app on iOS and Android |
Billing and invoicing | Yes | No |
Native task and project management | Yes | No |
Why customers love it
“Everhour is a well-designed, easy-to-use, powerful time-tracking tool that has one of the most unique integrations with several key SaaS productivity tools. It seamlessly flows into the UI of apps like Asana and Notion in ways that enhance the experience for both apps,” says DJ C., a small business founder.
Fellow founder Joel S. agrees, “If you are an Asana user, just get this tool. It will vastly simplify your life!”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 per user | Freelancers and small teams |
Team | $10 per user | Mid to large teams with complex time-tracking requirements. |
6. Hubstaff

Hubstaff Time is part of a larger suite of SaaS tools, including a hiring and project management tool. It is the ultimate employee monitoring software, offering both URL and screenshot tracking, as well as automated time entries. It’s an easy-to-use time tracking solution that gives employers lots of visibility — perhaps too much in our opinion (as we mentioned, we’re very anti-surveillance).
G2: 4.5 (1,275), Capterra: 4.6 (1,504)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
Automatic timesheet approval, lots of integrations, and built-in payroll for seamless billing | Real-time tracking feels intrusive, and there is no free plan, just a 14-day free trial. |
Hubstaff is a decent option for smaller teams looking for a low-admin employee monitoring tool.
Top features
- Real-time tracking: Measures time and productivity metrics with screenshots, app usage, and activity rates.
- GPS and geofencing: Ideal for mobile teams who work between the field and the office.
- Payroll and invoicing: Built-in payroll integrations for simplified payments and invoicing.
- Project management: Task management and budgeting tools to streamline projects.
Hubstaff vs. Timely
Feature | Hubstaff | Timely |
---|---|---|
Overtime calculation | No | Yes, it’s one of the key features! |
Employee monitoring | Yes, via both URL and screenshot tracking | No, no spyware here |
Offline time tracking | Yes | No |
Why customers love it
Marketing strategist Diana P. is a big fan, “It’s the most reliable tool to maintain transparency between remote workers and employers. I love it!!! I wish I had it in my older jobs, it’s so easy to use!”
Agatha C., who works in customer success, finds it helps her stay productive, “I like Hubstaff because it makes tracking time and productivity so efficient, helping me keep projects organized and ensuring accountability.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 | Freelancers |
Starter | $7 per user/month | Start-ups |
Grow | $9 per user/month | Fast-growing small teams |
Team | $12 per user/month | Mid to large teams with complex needs |
Enterprise | Contact Hubstaff for prices, starting at $25 per user/month | Enterprise organizations |
7. RescueTime

RescueTime focuses on personal productivity. It tracks how you spend your time on devices, identifying inefficiencies and giving you actionable insights. It stands out with its real-time focus alerts and goal-setting options that help you stay on track. RescueTime is quite unique — it prioritizes personal growth, making it great for those who want to improve focus and work habits.
G2: 4.1 (90), Capterra: 4.6 (139)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
There’s no need to fuss with starting or stopping, as RescueTime does the tracking independently. Unlike other tools that offer time tracking features, RescueTime focuses on improving productivity. | RescueTime is only available via the web page at the moment. No desktop or mobile app can make the experience feel more limiting than with other tools. |
RescueTime is best for individuals looking to improve their work habits and productivity.
Top features
- Automated and manual time tracking: Get flexibility in both automatic tracking and manual input and log work hours accurately.
- Daily summaries: Each workday, you get a recap that shows your team’s main tasks and time spent to keep you in the loop.
- Third-party integrations: RescueTime works with many other tools to help your workflows run smoothly. Third-party apps include project management and communication apps.
- Focus time: Set Focus Time sessions for as long as you need to block distracting websites and improve productivity.
RescueTime vs. Timely
Feature | RescueTime | Timely |
---|---|---|
Customer training | None | Documentation, webinars, live online, in person |
Project cost management | No | Yes |
Employee monitoring | Yes | No |
Why customers love it
“Rescue time has evolved a lot over the years. Along the way, their support and focus on making my workday more efficient have been consistent and outstanding.” —Geoffrey T., Senior CS Manager
“I can track my time in every app and also category what type of software I am using and set a target for a week. Every weekend, I get a proper mail regarding how I utilized my time in the previous week and tips for the next week.” —Jamruddin S., IT Trainer
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Lite | $0 per user | First-time time tracking tool users |
Premium | $12 per user | Teams with tight deadlines |
8. DeskTime

DeskTime is a time-tracking and productivity tool designed to enhance efficiency and work-life balance. It offers automatic time tracking and features like productivity analysis and employee scheduling. DeskTime’s Pomodoro timer comes with break reminders to protect well-being and prevent burnout. It’s ideal for any team that wants to cultivate a healthy work environment.
G2: 4.5 (321), Capterra: 4.6 (526)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
It makes time tracking a breeze, improves efficiency, and is helpful and easy to use while promoting wellbeing at work. | Software bugs have been reported, along with inaccurate tracking after a certain period of time. App performance has also been criticized, requiring refreshes after being left idle. |
DeskTime is best for teams that want an all-in-one employee monitoring tool with many time management features and affordable forms.
Top features
- Automatic time tracking: No manual input is required for tracking work hours.
- Productivity analysis: Generates reports showing productive versus unproductive time.
- Project tracking: Teams can assign tasks and monitor time spent efficiently.
- URL tracking: Automatically tracks all computer activity. With higher-tier plans, employers can also get access to screenshot features that allow them to see their employees’ screens.
DeskTime vs. Timely
Feature | DeskTime | Timely |
---|---|---|
Free plan | Yes | No |
Attendance tracking | Yes | No |
Billing and invoicing | Yes | No |
Offline time tracking | Yes | No |
Why customers love it
Vikesh A. says, “Writing this after using two years of continuous services, this feature helps you stay organized and easily track time spent. They should have more dashboards or analytics related to monitor the absence or presence of team members.”
Laura G., accountant and project manager, says, “Desktime organizes your work schedule and evaluate which are your most productive hours, so in the future you can control your time better.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 | Freelancers |
Starter | $7 per user/month | Start-ups |
Grow | $9 per user/month | Fast-growing small teams |
Team | $12 per user/month | Mid to large teams with complex needs |
Enterprise | Contact Hubstaff for prices, starting at $25 per user/month | Enterprise organizations |
9. BigTime

BigTime is the Swiss army knife of time trackers. It covers time tracking, billing, project management, and resource management and is best suited to larger professional service companies like accounting, consulting, or IT firms. Its real strength lies in its ability to provide granular insights into project profitability and resource allocation. The cherry on top? Its integrations with QuickBooks make end-to-end financial management seamless.
G2: 4.5 (1,405) , Capterra: 4.6 (647)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
BigTime is really good at eliminating a lot of the manual work associated with project and expense tracking. | Unfortunately, it is not available on Linux and comes with a steep learning curve. |
As the name (sort of) suggests, BigTime is better-suited for big firms with complex and comprehensive workflow needs encompassing time tracking, project management, and finances.
Top features
- Time tracking: Measure both billable and non-billable hours or customize your timesheet.
- Expense tracking: Keep tabs on mileage and other expenses thanks to handy alerts and notifications.
- Full-cycle project management: resource allocation, payment processing, and reporting all in one!
- Integrations: With several common SaaS tools like Salesforce, Jira, Slack, and more.
BigTime vs. Timely
Feature | BigTime | Timely |
---|---|---|
Public API | Yes | No |
24/7 live support | Yes | No |
Available on Chromebook | Yes | No |
Why customers love it
“I’ve been using BigTime software to streamline my billing, invoicing, and time tracking, and it has truly been a game changer. What was once a major headache is now handled effortlessly.” —Baris R., Project manager for civil engineers.
“It strikes an excellent balance of being clean, simple, and intuitive—while being highly customizable, thorough, and detailed. The implementation team was incredible. The whole process was incredibly professional—we were very impressed.” —Anon employee at a small architecture business
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Essential | $20 per user/month | Simple, smaller teams |
Avanced | $35 per user/month | Anyone managing international currencies |
Premiere | $45 per user/month | Larger teams with multi-level approvals |
Foresight | Custom pricing | Complex enterprise clients |
10. Paymo

Paymo is an intuitive 3-in-1 combo of task management, time tracking, and invoicing, making it ideal for teams managing multiple projects. Paymo boasts a Gantt chart feature, which offers a clear visual of project timelines and dependencies. It also supports resource scheduling and client collaboration, making it perfect for creative agencies and freelancers.
G2: 4.6 (588), Capterra: 4.7 (690)
✅ What we like | ❓What’s missing |
---|---|
It offers a user-friendly interface while maintaining comprehensive project management tools and invoicing & budgeting features. Plus, you get big discounts if you pay annually! | Paymo has fewer integrations than other tools. There’s also no offline mobile access, and users complain about limited features. It can get quite expensive for larger teams. |
Paymo is a great alternative to Timely (and other time tracking tools) if you’re a freelancer or small team looking for essential financial and invoicing features.
Top features
- Invoicing: Customizable invoices with expense tracking for billing clients.
- Project management: Comprehensive tools for planning, scheduling, and managing tasks.
- Task tracking and management: Organize tasks with deadlines, priorities, and assignments.
- Mobile apps: Track time and manage projects on the go with mobile access.
Paymo vs. Timely
Feature | Paymo | Timely |
---|---|---|
Public API | Yes | No |
Project management functionality | Offers Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and project management, planning, and tracking features | No |
Overtime calculation | No | Yes |
Why customers love it
“I like the way Paymo has been designed. With its straightforward menu sidebar, it’s easy to access everything your business needs quickly and easily,”—Jamie Lee J., Sales Manager
Charlie H. echoes the sentiment, “Paymo is very easy to use and easy to set up, it’s a time savior spent on my different clients, perfect price/quality ratio, and its customer support is great and very helpful.”
Pricing
Plan | Cost | Best for |
---|---|---|
Free | Free | Small teams starting out with time tracking |
Starter | $3.90 per user/month | Small teams needing collaboration tools and basic time management |
Small Office | $6.90 per user/month | Small companies with project management needs |
Business | $10.90 per user/month | Medium-sized businesses needing full Gantt chart functionality |
How we chose this list of Timely alternatives
This list didn’t manifest out of thin air. We hand-picked the best Timely alternatives based on several different time tracking criteria. We then compared each tool against some of the best employee time tracking software available today to ensure a balanced review. How?
- We combed through hundreds of software user reviews and feedback to see what real people had to say.
- We double-checked each tool to see how the time-tracking features stack up against each other. For example, ease of use, native integrations, scalability, manual vs. automated tracking, pricing, etc.
- We even tested them ourselves to experience them firsthand in different use cases and check if they really align with the best practices in time tracking.
Why do users switch from Timely?
Timely itself is a solid time tracking tool. It is AI-powered, and automatically tracks and logs your work activities. This is great since it eliminates the need for manual entries, increasing accuracy and giving you one less thing to think about during a busy workday.
Standout features include its ease-of-use and Memories (an AI that runs in the background, logging all your tasks, apps, websites, and documents to build a detailed record of your day with zero manual input).
Timely offers three pricing plans without a free version:
- Starter: From $10 per user/mo
- Premium: From $20 per user/mo
- Unlimited: From $28 per user/mo
Pros: Easy to use, automatic tracking, detailed reporting
Cons: Higher cost for bigger teams, limited manual time entry, can take time to adjust to its automation
G2: 4.8 (419), Capterra: 4.7 (702)
With such great community scores, what makes people want to break up with their Timely subscriptions? According to our research, there are a few reasons that keep coming up:
- Firstly, it is simply too expensive for many solo freelancers with simpler timekeeping needs, especially with other more affordable options on the market.
- Tracking time against tasks in Timely costs extra. Users must purchase a $5 per user per month add-on to access a task timer.
- It has fewer integrations than tools with similar pricing, such as Toggl Track or Clockify. Also, some integrations are only available on higher price tiers.
- You can’t create custom charts and dashboards to analyze tracked time data in Timely.
- To generate invoices with Timely, you must pay $20 per user per month for the QuickBooks Online integration.
- Automatic tracking is great, but limited flexibility isn’t. It would be nice to have the option to include a manual track with a stop/start timer (time spent on client phone calls, for example) or to override something if it goes wrong.
- Some users have claimed they saw their timesheet reporting become less accurate with Timely, with one person saying, “We saw, in a systematic (larger) way, that our timesheets became, in fact, less accurate. Some people in our organization started slacking on writing the timesheets because they felt they had all the historical data in Timely and could do it whenever, even months later. What we observed is that when using Timely, you end up leaving it up to an AI model that doesn’t really know what you did to create your timesheets. At some level, it becomes random.” —Simen A. W. O., CEO.
- A few users have also commented their Memories are not getting logged when they should be, which causes issues if they forget to manually check their logs at the end of the day (defeating the purpose of an automatic timer…). As one user put it, “Some team members experience glitches with the memory feature that tracks what we’re doing. We’ve realized that depending on the amount of tabs you have open, it may not track accurately becasue of it’s overload. We do wish there was a feature for limits of individual team members’ hours for projects.”
What to look for in a Timely alternative
This will depend on your specific needs. You may need to track task time, generate invoices, or access lots of integrations. Here are some general things to look out for:
- Cost: Look for alternatives that fit your budget. Whether you want a free version, a one-time purchase, or a low monthly fee, make sure it offers good value for the price.
- Features and integrations: The alternative should offer all the features you need. Check for integrations with other apps or software you regularly use.
- User experience: Look for software with good reviews about its ease of use and minimal technical glitches.
- Time-saving: You want to make sure your time tracker is actually, you know, saving you time!
Get started with a free time tracking tool
Toggl Track is the best Timely alternative, offering more functionality at a better price, with the same simplicity.
Firstly, track time as you please, with automatic time tracking, start/stop timer, and manual time entry options. This flexibility empowers employees to manage their time however suits them best. Timely, on the other hand, forces automatic time tracking, which is only possible on desktop apps.
With 100+ integrations and a browser extension, Toggl Track lets employees track time in any app on any device. Entries sync in real-time, enabling you to keep track on the go.
Time tracking goals make it easy to improve accountability and cultivate a time tracking habit, which helps newbies get into the swing of things. Employees can set the goals themselves, or their team lead can set them for them.

Comprehensive and customizable reports and analytics give managers deep insights into employee productivity, engagement, and accountability without any surveillance monitoring.
Go on… cheat on your regular, and sign up for a free account with Toggl Track. What’s the harm in taking a peek?
Julia is a freelance writer and fierce remote work advocate. While traveling full-time, she writes about the intersection of technology and productivity, the future of work, and more. Outside work, you can find her hiking, dancing, or reading in a coffee shop.