Quick Overview
- 1#1: BigTime - Comprehensive professional services automation software for tracking time, expenses, and materials with T&M billing.
- 2#2: Accelo - All-in-one platform automating time tracking, expense management, and invoicing for service-based T&M billing.
- 3#3: Kantata - Enterprise PSA tool for resource planning, time tracking, and materials management in professional services.
- 4#4: Harvest - Simple yet powerful time tracking and invoicing software optimized for T&M client billing.
- 5#5: Scoro - Integrated business management software with robust time, expense, and T&M invoicing features.
- 6#6: Paymo - Work and time management app that tracks time, tasks, and expenses for accurate T&M billing.
- 7#7: FreshBooks - Cloud accounting solution with time tracking and automated T&M invoicing for small businesses.
- 8#8: QuickBooks Time - Mobile time tracking software integrated with QuickBooks for T&M payroll and project billing.
- 9#9: Toggl Track - Visual time tracker supporting project time logs and expense entries for T&M reporting.
- 10#10: Clockify - Free unlimited time and expense tracker suitable for basic T&M project monitoring.
We ranked these tools by evaluating key factors including depth of time/expense/materials tracking capabilities, T&M billing functionality, ease of implementation, scalability, and overall value, ensuring the list prioritizes practicality and performance for diverse professional services contexts.
Comparison Table
Discover how top time and materials tracking software—including BigTime, Accelo, Kantata, Harvest, Scoro, and more—measures up against one another. This comparison table details key features, pricing structures, and ideal use cases, empowering readers to select tools that suit their project management and billing needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BigTime Comprehensive professional services automation software for tracking time, expenses, and materials with T&M billing. | enterprise | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Accelo All-in-one platform automating time tracking, expense management, and invoicing for service-based T&M billing. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 3 | Kantata Enterprise PSA tool for resource planning, time tracking, and materials management in professional services. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 4 | Harvest Simple yet powerful time tracking and invoicing software optimized for T&M client billing. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 5 | Scoro Integrated business management software with robust time, expense, and T&M invoicing features. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 6 | Paymo Work and time management app that tracks time, tasks, and expenses for accurate T&M billing. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 7 | FreshBooks Cloud accounting solution with time tracking and automated T&M invoicing for small businesses. | specialized | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.0/10 |
| 8 | QuickBooks Time Mobile time tracking software integrated with QuickBooks for T&M payroll and project billing. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 9 | Toggl Track Visual time tracker supporting project time logs and expense entries for T&M reporting. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.0/10 |
| 10 | Clockify Free unlimited time and expense tracker suitable for basic T&M project monitoring. | other | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 |
Comprehensive professional services automation software for tracking time, expenses, and materials with T&M billing.
All-in-one platform automating time tracking, expense management, and invoicing for service-based T&M billing.
Enterprise PSA tool for resource planning, time tracking, and materials management in professional services.
Simple yet powerful time tracking and invoicing software optimized for T&M client billing.
Integrated business management software with robust time, expense, and T&M invoicing features.
Work and time management app that tracks time, tasks, and expenses for accurate T&M billing.
Cloud accounting solution with time tracking and automated T&M invoicing for small businesses.
Mobile time tracking software integrated with QuickBooks for T&M payroll and project billing.
Visual time tracker supporting project time logs and expense entries for T&M reporting.
Free unlimited time and expense tracker suitable for basic T&M project monitoring.
BigTime
enterpriseComprehensive professional services automation software for tracking time, expenses, and materials with T&M billing.
End-to-end time-to-cash automation that converts tracked time and materials into client-ready invoices with one click
BigTime is a comprehensive professional services automation (PSA) platform specializing in time and materials tracking for billable work in industries like consulting, accounting, engineering, and architecture. It enables seamless capture of time entries via web, mobile app, or kiosk, along with expenses and material costs, which are automatically linked to projects for accurate T&M invoicing. Advanced reporting, forecasting, and resource management tools help firms optimize utilization and profitability while ensuring compliance with client billing requirements.
Pros
- Highly accurate time and expense tracking with mobile accessibility and GPS verification
- Seamless integration with accounting tools like QuickBooks and Xero for automated billing
- Robust analytics and profitability reporting tailored for T&M projects
Cons
- Pricing can escalate quickly for larger teams or advanced features
- Initial setup and customization require some learning curve
- Limited options for non-professional services industries
Best For
Mid-sized to large professional services firms needing integrated time, materials, project management, and billing for T&M contracts.
Pricing
Tiered plans starting at $10/user/month (Starter), $20/user/month (Team), up to $40+/user/month (Elite), billed annually with custom enterprise options.
Accelo
enterpriseAll-in-one platform automating time tracking, expense management, and invoicing for service-based T&M billing.
Automated profitability tracking that calculates real-time margins from time, materials, and overhead data
Accelo is a comprehensive professional services automation (PSA) platform designed for agencies and consultancies, with robust time tracking and materials/expense management capabilities. It enables teams to log billable hours against projects and tasks in real-time, track materials via expense logging, and generate accurate time & materials invoices automatically. The software provides detailed profitability reports and resource forecasting to optimize billing and operations.
Pros
- Integrated time tracking with projects, tickets, and CRM for seamless workflow
- Precise expense and materials tracking with receipt uploads and categorization
- Advanced profitability analytics and automated T&M invoicing
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users due to extensive feature set
- Higher pricing tiers required for full advanced tracking capabilities
- Mobile app has limited functionality compared to desktop version
Best For
Mid-sized service agencies and consultancies needing end-to-end time and materials tracking within a full PSA suite.
Pricing
Starts at $39/user/month (billed annually) for Essentials, up to $169/user/month for Enterprise plans.
Kantata
enterpriseEnterprise PSA tool for resource planning, time tracking, and materials management in professional services.
Skills-based resource matching with real-time capacity planning for optimal T&M allocation
Kantata is a professional services automation (PSA) platform designed for agencies and consultancies, offering robust time tracking, expense management, and materials tracking to support Time and Materials (T&M) billing. It enables teams to log hours and expenses against projects in real-time, monitor resource utilization, and generate accurate invoices based on tracked data. The software provides deep insights into project profitability and forecasting, making it ideal for service-based businesses managing complex T&M engagements.
Pros
- Comprehensive time and expense tracking with mobile app support
- Advanced resource scheduling and utilization forecasting
- Seamless T&M invoicing and profitability reporting
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Custom pricing can be expensive for small teams
- Overkill for simple time tracking needs
Best For
Mid-to-large professional services firms handling complex T&M projects with resource-intensive billing.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; starts around $39/user/month for Essentials plan, scaling up for Advanced and Enterprise tiers.
Harvest
specializedSimple yet powerful time tracking and invoicing software optimized for T&M client billing.
Automatic invoice generation from time entries and expenses, ensuring precise time-and-materials billing without manual data entry
Harvest is a user-friendly time tracking and invoicing platform tailored for freelancers, agencies, and teams managing billable hours. It excels at logging time against projects, tracking expenses as proxies for materials costs, and generating invoices directly from tracked data. With strong reporting tools and integrations like QuickBooks, Asana, and Slack, it streamlines time and materials billing workflows for service-based businesses.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with quick time entry via desktop timer, mobile app, or browser extension
- Seamless invoicing and expense tracking that directly ties to time logs for accurate T&M billing
- Robust project budgeting and reporting with exportable insights
Cons
- Limited native support for detailed materials inventory or procurement tracking beyond basic expenses
- Reporting customization is somewhat rigid compared to enterprise tools
- Per-user pricing can become costly for large teams
Best For
Small to mid-sized agencies and freelancers who prioritize simple, integrated time and expense tracking for client billing.
Pricing
Free Lite plan for solo users; Pro at $12/user/month (billed annually) for full features; Elite custom pricing for enterprises.
Scoro
enterpriseIntegrated business management software with robust time, expense, and T&M invoicing features.
Automated 'quotes-to-cash' workflow that converts tracked time and materials directly into accurate invoices and profitability insights
Scoro is an all-in-one business management platform that provides robust time tracking capabilities integrated with project management, CRM, and billing for service-based teams. It enables detailed timesheet entry, real-time timers, and task-level time logging, while also supporting expense and materials tracking through customizable quotes and invoices. The software offers comprehensive reporting on billable hours, costs, and profitability, making it suitable for time and materials (T&M) billing workflows. However, its broad feature set can make it more than needed for pure T&M tracking.
Pros
- Seamless integration of time tracking with projects, tasks, and invoicing
- Real-time dashboards and profitability reports for time and materials
- Mobile app for on-the-go time and expense logging
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to extensive features
- Higher cost may not suit small teams or simple T&M needs
- Expense/materials tracking less specialized than dedicated tools
Best For
Mid-sized professional services firms and agencies needing integrated T&M tracking within full business operations.
Pricing
Starts at $26/user/month (Basic, billed annually) up to $49/user/month (Ultimate); custom enterprise pricing available.
Paymo
specializedWork and time management app that tracks time, tasks, and expenses for accurate T&M billing.
Profitability tracking that automatically calculates project margins by integrating tracked time, expenses, and invoice data
Paymo is a comprehensive work management platform designed for agencies and teams, offering robust time tracking, task management, and invoicing capabilities tailored for time and materials (T&M) billing. Users can log time via timers or timesheets, track expenses, and automatically generate invoices based on billable hours and materials. It includes resource planning, profitability reports, and integrations to streamline project workflows and financial oversight.
Pros
- Seamless integration of time tracking with invoicing and expense management for accurate T&M billing
- Intuitive interface with visual timelines and workload planners for efficient resource allocation
- Detailed profitability reports that combine time, costs, and revenue for better financial insights
Cons
- Advanced features like Gantt charts require higher-tier plans, limiting free users
- Reporting customization can feel limited compared to dedicated analytics tools
- Per-user pricing scales quickly for larger teams
Best For
Small to mid-sized agencies and freelancers needing an all-in-one solution for time tracking, expense logging, and T&M invoicing.
Pricing
Free for up to 5 users; paid plans start at $9.95/user/month (billed annually) for Small Office, up to $24.95/user/month for Ultimate.
FreshBooks
specializedCloud accounting solution with time tracking and automated T&M invoicing for small businesses.
One-click invoice generation from tracked time entries and logged expenses
FreshBooks is a user-friendly cloud-based accounting platform designed primarily for small businesses, freelancers, and service providers, with robust time tracking and expense logging capabilities for time and materials billing. It enables users to track billable hours on projects via desktop, mobile, or browser timers, categorize expenses including materials with receipt uploads, and generate invoices directly from tracked time and costs. While it integrates T&M tracking seamlessly into its invoicing and accounting workflow, it is not a dedicated T&M tool and lacks depth in advanced project management or resource allocation.
Pros
- Intuitive time tracking with project and client assignment
- Seamless integration of time, expenses, and invoicing
- Mobile app for on-the-go time and receipt capture
Cons
- Limited advanced T&M reporting and analytics
- Pricing scales quickly for teams or higher usage
- Less suited for complex multi-resource projects
Best For
Freelancers and small service-based teams needing straightforward T&M tracking combined with invoicing and basic accounting.
Pricing
Lite ($19/mo, basic invoicing), Plus ($33/mo, adds time tracking), Premium ($60/mo, unlimited clients/expenses); billed annually for 50% off, with Select custom enterprise pricing.
QuickBooks Time
specializedMobile time tracking software integrated with QuickBooks for T&M payroll and project billing.
Real-time GPS tracking with geofences to automatically clock in/out at job sites
QuickBooks Time is a robust cloud-based time tracking platform designed for businesses to monitor employee hours via mobile apps, web timers, or kiosks, with GPS location verification for accuracy. It supports job costing, project tracking, and expense logging for materials, enabling seamless invoicing and payroll through deep integration with QuickBooks Online and Desktop. Ideal for service-based teams, it provides detailed reports on time and costs to streamline billing for time and materials projects.
Pros
- Precise GPS-enabled time tracking with geofencing for mobile workers
- Seamless integration with QuickBooks for automatic invoicing and job costing
- User-friendly mobile app for easy time entry, expenses, and mileage logging
Cons
- Materials tracking limited to basic expense entries without advanced inventory management
- Pricing includes a base fee that adds up for small teams
- Advanced reporting and custom fields require the higher-tier Elite plan
Best For
Contractors, field service teams, and QuickBooks users needing accurate time tracking combined with simple material expense logging.
Pricing
Premium: $8/user/month + $20 base (billed annually); Elite: $10/user/month + $20 base; 14-day free trial available.
Toggl Track
specializedVisual time tracker supporting project time logs and expense entries for T&M reporting.
One-click timer with idle detection for precise, effortless time capture
Toggl Track is a straightforward time tracking tool designed for individuals and teams to log hours via a one-click timer, categorize time by projects, clients, and tasks. It provides detailed reports on billable time, productivity insights, and basic expense tracking for materials in paid plans, supporting time and materials billing workflows. With strong integrations and mobile apps, it streamlines tracking for freelancers and agencies.
Pros
- Exceptionally intuitive one-click timer and mobile app for quick time entry
- Powerful reporting and export options for billable time analysis
- Automatic idle detection and timeline view for accurate retrospective tracking
Cons
- Expense tracking for materials is basic and limited to paid plans
- Lacks native invoicing or advanced cost/materials management tools
- Some advanced reporting features require higher-tier subscriptions
Best For
Freelancers and small teams seeking simple, accurate time tracking with light expense logging for time and materials billing.
Pricing
Free plan for basics; Starter $9/user/mo, Premium $18/user/mo, Business $25/user/mo (billed annually).
Clockify
otherFree unlimited time and expense tracker suitable for basic T&M project monitoring.
Unlimited free tracking for unlimited users, ideal for scaling teams without cost barriers
Clockify is a user-friendly time tracking tool that allows manual or timer-based logging of hours across projects, tasks, and clients. It supports expense tracking for materials, enabling users to categorize costs and generate detailed reports combining time and expenses. The software also facilitates invoicing directly from tracked data, making it viable for Time and Materials billing workflows.
Pros
- Unlimited free plan for unlimited users and projects
- Intuitive timer and manual entry for effortless time tracking
- Integrated expense tracking and customizable invoicing
Cons
- Expense features are basic, lacking advanced inventory or material management
- Reporting can be cluttered for complex multi-team setups
- Some integrations require paid plans
Best For
Freelancers and small teams needing simple, cost-effective time and basic expense tracking for billable work.
Pricing
Free forever plan; Pro at $3.99/user/month; Unlimited at $5.49/user/month; Enterprise custom pricing.
Conclusion
After reviewing the top 10 time and materials tracking tools, BigTime clearly leads as the best choice, offering comprehensive automation for time, expense, and T&M billing. Accelo and Kantata follow as strong alternatives—Accelo for all-in-one service automation, Kantata for enterprise resource planning. The range of tools meets diverse needs, but BigTime's well-rounded features make it the top recommendation.
Don't miss out on streamlining your T&M tracking—try BigTime today to experience its robust capabilities and enhance your professional services workflow.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
Referenced in the comparison table and product reviews above.