Best Free Time Tracking Software UK 2026
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Introduction: Stop Guessing Where Your Time Goes
If you’re running a small business or working as a sole trader, time is literally money — but most free tools make you jump through hoops before you realise they’re not quite as free as the marketing page implies. You hit a user cap, find reports locked behind a paywall, or discover that billable rates require an upgrade.
This article cuts through that with the actual limits, verified against each vendor’s current pricing. Two findings worth putting up front, because together they reframe the category. None of the main free time trackers supports more than five users. And only one free plan lets you set billable rates — Harvest’s, which caps you at a single user and two projects. If you’ve read otherwise about either, that guidance is out of date.
What to Look for in Free Time Tracking Software
Free tiers vary wildly, and the differences that matter aren’t always the obvious ones:
- User caps — every option here has one, and they’re tighter than commonly reported
- Billable rates — can you set hourly rates and produce client-ready summaries, or is that paid?
- Export — can you get your data out as CSV or PDF for invoicing or your accountant?
- Reporting — are detailed reports behind a paywall?
- Project limits — some tools cap active projects hard
- Billing currency — none of these bills UK customers in pounds, which affects your real cost
That last one deserves flagging early. Clockify prices in euros. Toggl Track and Harvest both price in US dollars. Comparison articles routinely present all three in sterling, which understates or overstates the cost depending on the rate and ignores any foreign transaction fee your business account charges.
The Best Free Time Tracking Software for UK Businesses in 2026
1. Clockify — Best Free Tier for Features, Capped at Five Users
Free plan: €0 for up to five users · unlimited tracking · timesheets · auto tracker · calendar · mobile and desktop apps · Pomodoro timer · idle detection and reminders · tracking integrations · team activity · reports included
Clockify remains the strongest free tier here on features. Reports and timesheets on a free plan is more than most competitors give away, and the tracking works across web, desktop and mobile with a live timer or manual entry.
But the free plan is capped at five users, not unlimited. This matters because a great deal of published guidance — including articles that specifically address the question — still states otherwise. Clockify’s own pricing page reads “For up to 5 users”. If you’re onboarding a team of six, the free plan is not an option.
Where it falls short: two features freelancers usually need are on the paid side. Billable rates and export and share data both sit on the Basic tier at €3.99 per seat per month (€4.99 billed monthly). So the free plan is excellent for understanding where your time goes and poor for charging for it, and you can’t get your data out to your accountant without paying.
Paid pricing (per seat, per month, in euros): Basic €3.99 annual / €4.99 monthly · Standard €5.49 / €6.99 · Pro €7.99 / €9.99 · Enterprise €11.99 / €14.99. Invoicing arrives at Standard.
Best for: Teams of up to five who want the most capable free tracker and don’t need billable rates or export straight away.
2. Toggl Track — Polished, But Billable Rates Are Paid Here Too
Free plan: Up to five users · time tracking on web, desktop and mobile · integration with 100+ tools via browser extension · Google and Outlook Calendar integrations · productivity reports
Toggl Track’s free plan carries the same five-user cap as Clockify, and Toggl describes it as free forever rather than a trial.
Billable rates are not on the free plan. They arrive at Starter, listed under “Everything in Free, plus”. This is worth stating clearly because Toggl free is frequently described as including billable rates, and it doesn’t — so on the one feature that matters most to a freelancer billing clients, Toggl and Clockify are in the same position. Neither gives it away.
The interface is clean and fast, the browser extension makes it easy to track across other apps without switching windows, and the calendar integrations are genuinely useful on a free tier.
Where it falls short: the five-user cap is firm, and free reporting is limited to productivity reports — revenue analysis, project estimates and team collaboration all sit at Starter.
Paid pricing (per licence, per month, in US dollars): Starter $9 annual / $12 monthly · Premium $14 annual / $20 monthly, though our records indicate the $14 is a first-year rate rising to $18 — check what it renews at · Enterprise custom. Annual billing carries a “3 months free” offer, and paid plans come with a 30-day trial.
Best for: Freelancers and micro-agencies of five or fewer who want the most polished interface and calendar integrations, and who don’t need billable rates until they’re paying anyway.
3. Harvest — Tightest Free Plan, But It Includes Invoicing
Free plan: 1 seat · 2 projects · billable rates · basic reporting
Harvest’s free plan is by far the most restricted here, and it’s worth being blunt about it: one user, two active projects. But what it does include is unusual — billable rates and basic invoicing from inside the platform, plus integrations with Xero and QuickBooks, which matters if those already handle your Making Tax Digital obligations.
Where it falls short: two projects is a hard constraint. Work with three clients at once and you’re either archiving projects constantly, which creates reporting gaps, or upgrading.
Paid pricing (per seat, per month, in US dollars): Teams $9 annual / $11 monthly · Enterprise $14 / $17.50.
One thing to check carefully before choosing Harvest for its invoicing: since its acquisition by Bending Spoons in 2025, Harvest has applied usage-based fees on top of the seat price, charged against invoices, projects, clients and tasks. The seat cost is not the whole cost, and for a business drawn to Harvest specifically because invoicing is built in, that’s exactly where the extra charges land. Model your actual invoice volume before committing.
Best for: Sole traders with one or two regular clients who want time tracking and basic invoicing in one place — after checking what the usage fees add.
4. Timery — Honourable Mention for Apple Users
If you’re an Apple user working solo, Timery is a beautifully designed app for iPhone, iPad and Mac that connects to a free Toggl Track account. It doesn’t add functionality beyond what Toggl’s free tier allows, but the interface is considerably more pleasant on Apple devices. A genuine quality-of-life improvement if you’re already on Toggl.
5. Time Tracking Built Into Broader Tools
Several business platforms include basic time tracking within their free plans. These aren’t purpose-built trackers, but they can suffice if tracking is a secondary need.
ClickUp includes a native time tracker on its free plan, reportedly including billable hours and estimates. If you already use ClickUp to manage work, the built-in tracker may remove the need for a separate tool — check the current free-tier capability, as ClickUp revises its plan contents regularly.
Notion allows manual time logging via databases, but requires manual setup and isn’t automatic or reliable enough for billing.
Clockify also integrates with ClickUp, and tracking integrations are available on Clockify’s free plan, so combining the two free tiers is a legitimate approach — bearing in mind you still can’t export from Clockify without paying.
Free Plan Comparison
| Clockify | Toggl Track | Harvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| User limit | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Projects | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2 |
| Billable rates on free | No — Basic tier | No — Starter tier | Yes |
| Export on free | No — Basic tier | Verify | Verify |
| Calendar integrations on free | Calendar view | Google and Outlook | Verify |
| Reports on free | Yes, basic | Yes, basic | Yes, basic |
| Timesheets on free | Yes | Verify | Verify |
| Invoicing on free | No | No | Basic |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paid from | €3.99/seat | $9/licence | $9/seat, plus usage fees |
| Billing currency | Euros | US dollars | US dollars |
If You Have More Than Five People
This is the question the category can’t answer for free. Clockify caps at five, Toggl caps at five, Harvest caps at one. There is no free tier here for a team of six.
The cheapest confirmed route is Clockify Basic at €3.99 per seat per month, which also brings billable rates and export — the two things its free plan withholds. For six people that’s roughly €24 a month before currency conversion. Toggl Starter at $9 per user works out more than twice as much.
What About Making Tax Digital?
Making Tax Digital relates to financial records, not time tracking, and none of these tools is MTD-compliant accounting software.
That said, accurate time records feed your invoicing and income figures, which then flow into MTD-compliant software like Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent. Harvest’s Xero and QuickBooks integrations are useful here. Clockify has tracking integrations on its free plan, though remember that exporting your data requires the Basic tier — worth factoring in if handing figures to your accountant is part of your routine.
If you bank with NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank or Mettle, note that FreeAgent comes free with those accounts and includes time tracking alongside full MTD-compliant bookkeeping. For a UK sole trader who qualifies, that’s worth pricing against paying for a standalone tracker at all.
FAQ
How many users does Clockify’s free plan support?
Five. This is the single most misreported fact in this category — a lot of guidance, including articles that specifically address the question, still says unlimited. Clockify’s pricing page states “For up to 5 users”.
Which free time tracker works for a team of more than five people?
None of them. Clockify and Toggl both cap free at five users, and Harvest at one. Above five you’re paying, and Clockify Basic at €3.99 per seat is the cheapest confirmed option.
Can I set billable rates on a free plan?
Only on Harvest, and its free plan limits you to one user and two projects. Clockify puts billable rates on Basic at €3.99 per seat, and Toggl Track puts them on Starter at $9 per licence. So if billing clients at an hourly rate is the point of tracking your time, the genuinely free options are Harvest’s single-seat plan or nothing.
Do any of these bill in pounds?
No. Clockify prices in euros; Toggl Track and Harvest price in US dollars. Factor in the exchange rate and check whether your business account adds a foreign transaction fee, since it applies every month.
Can I use free time tracking software for a UK limited company?
Yes. Nothing prevents a limited company using free time tracking, whether for director hours, a small employed team, or billable client time. You’ll hit the limits fairly quickly if you need role-based access, team dashboards or payroll integration.
Will time tracking software help with my self-assessment?
Indirectly. Accurate time records help you calculate income and can support claims for things like home office use. The software won’t prepare or file your return. Export your data regularly and share it with your accountant — remembering that on Clockify, export requires a paid tier.
Conclusion: Our Recommendation
The honest headline is that free time tracking in 2026 means five users or fewer, whichever tool you pick.
Clockify’s free plan is the most capable on features — timesheets, reports, auto tracking, idle detection and integrations, all at €0 for up to five people. It’s the right default if you want to understand where your time goes. Just know that billable rates and data export both require Basic at €3.99 per seat, so it’s a time-understanding tool rather than a client-billing one until you pay.
Toggl Track matches Clockify on the five-user cap and doesn’t give away billable rates either — they sit at Starter, $9 per licence. What free Toggl does offer that Clockify doesn’t is Google and Outlook Calendar integration, which matters if your work is calendar-driven.
Harvest suits a sole trader with one or two regular clients who wants invoicing in the same tool — provided you’ve checked what its usage-based fees add on top of the seat price.
And if you bank with NatWest Group or Mettle, price FreeAgent before paying for any of them. Free time tracking plus MTD-compliant accounts is hard to beat.
Start with Clockify if you’re unsure. It’s the safest default, and the upgrade cost is modest — just budget in euros rather than pounds.
Pricing and features correct at time of writing. Plans and capabilities are subject to change — always confirm current details on the provider’s website before purchasing.