I'm currently freelancing part-time in development and keeping track of my hours for invoices is becoming a real headache. I've been using Clockify, but it feels too complicated for my needs. All I want is something super simple where I can hit 'start' when I begin working and 'stop' when I'm done. Does anyone have recommendations for easy-to-use tools, ideally a desktop application, so I'm not stuck with another browser tab open?
5 Answers
I create a Google Sheet for each client. I log the date, activity, start time, and end time. This way, I can manage everything and just create an invoice from that sheet—it might take a little extra effort, but it offers great control over what I bill.
I've been using Toggl for years, and it’s been great for me. It’s lightweight and doesn’t have the overwhelming features that some other tools have. Plus, it tracks time easily. I recommend trying it out!
Is it desktop-only or can you use it in a browser too?
I personally use Harvest. It may feel a bit pricey, but it syncs with Quickbooks and allows you to send invoices directly. It’s not the simplest, but it definitely streamlines everything if you need to manage projects efficiently. You could give it a shot!
I’ll check it out! It looks like there aren’t many options for desktop apps, though.
I’ve used Clockify for a long time now, and it works just like you want—click to start and stop. It may feel a bit bloated, but for tracking hours, it does the trick. The user interface can take some getting used to though!
What do you think about the UI? Is it user-friendly?
One straightforward approach is just to write down the start and end times manually. It’s old school, but it gets the job done! You’ll need to calculate the hours worked at the end, but it’s quick and easy.
And what about the invoice? How do you handle that?
Sounds interesting! How do you format your invoices?