Clockify and Harvest both sit in the time tracking category, which is the first thing to note about this comparison: the head-to-head is about which tool earns the seat. On the 8020 rubric, Clockify scores 88 against Harvest at 71. The gap is meaningful on some dimensions and narrow on others — the rest of this page explains exactly where.
What's the real difference between Clockify and Harvest?
Clockify is built for teams that need free time tracking for unlimited members. Harvest is built for agencies and consultancies billing clients by the hour. The tools overlap on surface features but diverge on the workflow each is designed around — Clockify optimises for free unlimited users and unlimited tracking with no time cap, while Harvest optimises for time tracking with project and task structure tied to billable rates.
Clockify's positioning: Clockify offers full time tracking for unlimited users completely free, then layers billable rates and admin features into paid tiers starting at $3.99 — the lowest cost of entry in the category by a wide margin.
Harvest's positioning: Harvest is the only mainstream time tracker that bundles billable-rate tracking, project profitability reporting, and built-in invoicing with online payments — so agencies go from logged hours to a paid invoice without leaving the tool.
The 8020 rubric weighs four things — value for money (30%), depth and power (30%), time to results (25%), and ecosystem (15%). Clockify scores 90/88/89/97 on those dimensions; Harvest scores 70/71/71/76. The biggest spread is on ecosystem — see the table above.
When should you pick Clockify?
Pick Clockify when teams that need free time tracking for unlimited members is the job that has to be done well. Its free tier covers teams that need free time tracking for unlimited members without a credit card, and the 8020 Score of 88 reflects how well it executes against its rubric.
Clockify is the right call when:
- Teams that need free time tracking for unlimited members.
- Budget-conscious agencies and startups.
- Freelancers who want billable rates without a high monthly cost.
- You want to evaluate it before committing budget — the free tier is real, not a teaser.
- Your stack already includes one of the 6 platforms it integrates with.
Clockify's standout capabilities — verified per the vendor's published specs (May 2026) — include free unlimited users and unlimited tracking with no time cap, one-click timer plus manual entry across web, desktop, and mobile, billable rates and project budgets for client invoicing. These are the features that earn the Essential tier on the rubric.
When should you pick Harvest?
Pick Harvest when agencies and consultancies billing clients by the hour is the job that has to be done well. Its free tier covers agencies and consultancies billing clients by the hour without a credit card, and the 8020 Score of 71 reflects how well it executes against its rubric.
Harvest is the right call when:
- Agencies and consultancies billing clients by the hour.
- Teams tracking project budgets and profit margins.
- Businesses that want time tracking and invoicing in one tool.
- You want to evaluate it before committing budget — the free tier is real, not a teaser.
- Your stack already includes one of the 6 platforms it integrates with.
Harvest's standout capabilities — verified per the vendor's published specs (May 2026) — include time tracking with project and task structure tied to billable rates, built-in invoicing that converts tracked hours into client invoices, online payments through stripe and paypal directly from invoices. These are the features that earn the Strong tier on the rubric.
How much do Clockify and Harvest cost?
Clockify starts at $3.99 per user per month on a freemium (free tier + paid plans) model. Harvest starts at $9 per user per month on a freemium (free tier + paid plans) model. Clockify has the lower entry price. Pricing verified May 2026.
Clockify: Free tier available. Lowest paid plan: $3.99/user/mo. Pricing model: freemium (free tier + paid plans). Harvest: Free tier available. Lowest paid plan: $9/user/mo. Pricing model: freemium (free tier + paid plans).
Entry pricing only tells you where the meter starts. Real spend scales with seats, usage limits, and the plan tier where the features you actually need become available. Check each vendor's pricing page for the tier that matches your team size — and verify it matches our last-verified date before signing.
Clockify — strengths and trade-offs
What Clockify does well, where it falls short. Both lists draw from our hands-on testing against the Essential criteria. The full review is on the Clockify profile.
Strengths
- Genuinely free for unlimited users — the most generous in the category
- Cheapest paid tiers start at $3.99/user/month
- Full feature set across web, desktop, mobile, and browser extension
- Kiosk mode suits on-site and shift-based teams
- Strong integrations with project and accounting tools
Trade-offs
- Free tier excludes billable rates and advanced reporting
- Interface is denser and less polished than Toggl's
- No built-in client invoicing — exports to accounting tools instead
- Optional screenshot tracking raises employee-monitoring concerns
- Advanced admin controls require the higher Enterprise tier
Harvest — strengths and trade-offs
What Harvest does well, where it falls short. Both lists draw from our hands-on testing against the Strong criteria. The full review is on the Harvest profile.
Strengths
- Invoicing and payments built in — track time and bill from one tool
- Project profitability reporting is the best in the category
- Budget alerts prevent overruns before they eat the margin
- Clean integrations with Asana, Trello, GitHub, and accounting tools
- Free tier covers one person with two active projects
Trade-offs
- More expensive than Toggl and Clockify — Teams starts at $9/seat/month billed annually
- Free tier is limited to a single user
- No automatic or passive tracking — every entry is manual
- Forecast resource planning is a separate paid add-on
- Reporting can feel heavy for solo freelancers who just need hours
What are the alternatives to Clockify and Harvest?
If neither Clockify nor Harvest is the right fit, the closest alternatives are the other tools in the time tracking category. Both lists are ranked by 8020 Score — start with the top of the relevant category and work down.
Clockify alternatives we cover: Toggl Track, Harvest.
Harvest alternatives we cover: Toggl Track, Clockify, RescueTime.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clockify or Harvest better overall?
Neither is strictly better — they serve different jobs. Clockify takes the 8020 composite (88 vs 71) on the rubric, while Harvest earns its tier (Strong) when its specific strengths match your situation. The decision turns on the four dimensions in the table above.
How much do Clockify and Harvest cost?
Clockify starts at $3.99 per user per month on a freemium (free tier + paid plans) model; Harvest starts at $9 per user per month on a freemium (free tier + paid plans) model. Clockify has a free tier; Harvest has a free tier. Pricing verified May 2026.
Does Clockify integrate with the same tools as Harvest?
Clockify lists 6 verified integrations in our directory; Harvest lists 6. Both connect to the major platforms most teams already use. Specific integration availability depends on plan tier — see each tool profile for the full integration list.
Can Clockify replace Harvest?
Only if your use case maps to Clockify's strengths. Clockify offers full time tracking for unlimited users completely free, then layers billable rates and admin features into paid tiers starting at $3.99 — the lowest cost of entry i… If Harvest's specific job is your primary need, it earns its seat.
Which has the better free tier, Clockify or Harvest?
Both Clockify and Harvest ship a free tier. Clockify's free tier suits teams that need free time tracking for unlimited members; Harvest's suits agencies and consultancies billing clients by the hour. Specific limits are listed on each vendor's pricing page.
