Best Free Timesheet Software for Small Consultancies (2026)
Small consultancies need timesheet software that captures hours, supports approval workflows, and connects to invoicing, all without blowing the budget. The best free timesheet software for small consultancies in 2026 goes beyond basic time tracking: it should handle the full billing cycle from submission to sign-off to invoice. This roundup compares six tools, four with genuinely free tiers and two available only on trial, and is honest about which is which.
The short answer: several tools track time for free, and none of them approve it and invoice from it for free. If your workflow ends at reporting hours, Clockify or TimeCamp will cover you indefinitely at no cost. If it ends at an invoice someone has formally signed off, you will be paying for something. This roundup is about knowing which of those two you are.
A disclosure, since we make one of these tools: TimeSubmit is not free. It gives you two months, then costs $39 a month. By the criteria below, that makes it a trial rather than a free tier, and we have listed it as one.
Quick Summary: Free Timesheet Software Compared
| Tool | Best For | Free Tier | Invoicing | Approval Workflows | Dedicated Approver Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TimeSubmit | Small consultancies (end-to-end) | No. Two months, then $39/mo | Yes, from approved timesheets | Yes | Yes, and it never sees billing rates |
| Toggl Track | Simple time logging | 5 users, unlimited projects | No | No | No, nothing to approve with |
| Clockify | Unlimited free users | Unlimited users | Add-on (paid) | Limited (paid) | No, admins approve |
| Harvest | Solo freelancers | 1 seat, 2 projects | Yes | No (paid only) | No, managers approve |
| TimeCamp | Basic time tracking | Unlimited users, projects | No | No | No |
| Everhour | Asana/Trello users | 14-day trial only | Yes (paid) | Yes (paid) | No, admins approve |
Competitor pricing and plan limits verified 31 July 2026.
1. TimeSubmit, for the full billing cycle (trial only)
We build TimeSubmit, so treat this section with the scepticism it deserves and check the others first.
TimeSubmit covers the part most free tools stop short of: a consultant submits a timesheet, an approver approves or rejects it with a reason, and an invoice generates from the approved hours. For consultancies that cannot bill until the hours are signed off, that is the whole job rather than a nice extra.
It is not free, and by this roundup's own criteria it does not belong in the free column. The Practice plan gives you two months at no cost with 1 client, 1 project, 2 consultants and 2 approvers, which is enough to run the cycle end to end. From month three it is $39 a month. A card is required to start. We used to have a free tier that stayed free, and we stopped, for the reason any small SaaS stops: consultancies that fit inside it never had a reason to pay.
Time tracking uses structured timesheets rather than running timers, which matches how consultancies typically report to clients. Approval workflows are built in on every plan. Invoicing supports PDF export, custom templates, VAT, and multi-currency (GBP, USD, EUR, and more).
What the two months include:
- 1 client, 1 project, 2 consultants, 2 approvers
- Weekly and monthly multi-project timesheets
- Approval and rejection with reasons, and admin override
- Approvers hold accounts and count as members, and never see billing rates
- One-click invoice generation from approved timesheets
- Real-time dashboard with utilisation metrics
- Everything exports to CSV, including after the trial ends
Pricing: Practice $39/mo for up to 5 people, after two months free. Core $42/mo covering 3 members, then $14 for each additional member, or $33/mo billed annually. Margin $110/mo covering 5, then $22 each. Verified 31 July 2026.
Best for: Consultancies that need formal sign-off before invoicing and have accepted they will pay for it. Not for anyone who needs a tool that stays free.
2. Toggl Track, for simple free time logging
Toggl Track offers a clean, popular time tracking experience with a free tier that supports up to 5 users and unlimited projects. The one-click timer, calendar view, and reporting make it easy to see where time goes. For small consultancies that only need to log and report hours, with no approval or invoicing step, Toggl Track is a strong choice.
The limitation for consultancies is what the free plan does not include. There are no approval workflows. Managers cannot formally approve or reject timesheets within the platform. There is no invoicing module, and no separate approver role. If your workflow requires hours to be signed off before you invoice, you will need additional tools.
Toggl Track works well as a free timesheet tool for internal visibility and reporting. For consultancies that need the full billing cycle, it is a starting point rather than a complete solution.
Pricing: Free (5 users) / Starter $9/seat/mo / Premium $18/seat/mo.
Best for: Small teams that only need time tracking and reporting without approval workflows or invoicing.
3. Clockify, for unlimited free users
Clockify provides one of the most generous free tiers in the market: unlimited users, unlimited projects, time tracking, timesheets, reporting, and a shared calendar. For consultancies with many consultants and tight budgets, this is appealing. The platform is straightforward to set up and use.
For consultancy billing workflows, Clockify falls short. Approval features exist only on paid plans (Standard and above), and even then they lack the structured submit-review-approve flow consultancies need. Approving is something an admin does rather than a role with its own restricted view. Invoicing is available as an add-on on higher plans but is not integrated into an approval-first workflow.
Clockify excels as a free time tracker with no user limits. For small consultancies that need approval before invoicing, it remains a tracking tool rather than a billing platform.
Pricing: Free (unlimited users) / Basic $4.99/user/mo / Standard $6.99/user/mo / Pro $9.99/user/mo.
Best for: Teams that need free, unlimited time tracking with basic reporting and no approval or invoicing requirements.
4. Harvest, for solo freelancers on a free plan
Harvest combines time tracking and invoicing in one product, and its free plan includes both. That makes it one of the few free options that can generate invoices directly from tracked time. The interface is polished, and integration with accounting tools is strong on paid plans.
The free tier is tightly limited: 1 seat and 2 projects. That suits solo freelancers or very small operations, but it excludes consultancies with even two consultants. Approval workflows are not available on the free plan and require the paid Teams plan. There is no separate approver role at any tier.
For a single consultant with one or two clients, Harvest's free plan can work. For small consultancies with multiple consultants and a formal approval step, the limits are too restrictive.
Pricing: Free (1 seat, 2 projects) / Teams $9/seat/mo (unlimited projects, approvals on paid only).
Best for: Solo freelancers who need free time tracking and invoicing without approval workflows.
5. TimeCamp, for free unlimited projects
TimeCamp offers a free forever plan with unlimited users, unlimited projects, timesheets, and web/desktop/mobile apps. For small consultancies that need to track time across many projects at no cost, it is a solid option. The reporting and project structure are adequate for basic visibility.
What TimeCamp's free plan does not include: invoicing, approval workflows, or a separate approver role. Time stays in the platform for reporting only. To turn tracked time into invoices or to add approval steps, you need a paid plan (Starter at $3.99/user/mo or higher).
TimeCamp works as a free timesheet and time tracking tool. For consultancies that need to move from tracked time to approved, billable invoices, it is only half of the workflow.
Pricing: Free (unlimited users, projects) / Starter $3.99/user/mo / Premium $6.99/user/mo.
Best for: Small consultancies that need free, unlimited time tracking and project reporting without approval or invoicing.
6. Everhour, for Asana and Trello users (trial only)
Everhour integrates deeply with Asana, Trello, and other project management tools, embedding time tracking directly into task views. For consultancies that already run on those platforms, it can feel seamless. The product includes timesheets, approval workflows, and invoicing on paid plans.
The catch for small consultancies on a budget is that Everhour does not offer a permanent free tier. The free plan is a 14-day trial. After that, you must pay (starting around $5.75/user/mo) or stop using it. For this roundup of free timesheet software, that disqualifies it as a long-term free option.
If you are evaluating tools and use Asana or Trello, Everhour is worth a trial. For a lasting free solution, look elsewhere.
Pricing: 14-day free trial / Team $5.75/user/mo (annual) / Enterprise custom.
Best for: Teams using Asana or Trello who want a trial before committing; not a permanent free option.
How We Evaluated
We compared tools on three criteria: a free tier with no time limit, support for the full consultancy billing cycle from submission through approval to invoice, and fit for teams of roughly 2 to 10 consultants.
Applying the first criterion honestly disqualifies both Everhour and our own product, which is worth stating plainly because it is the finding of the piece: no tool in this category currently gives away approvals and invoicing indefinitely. Time tracking is free from several vendors. The billing cycle is not free from any of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there really free timesheet software with approval workflows?
Not on a permanent free tier, as of July 2026. Clockify and TimeCamp track time for free indefinitely and put approvals behind a paid plan. Toggl Track has no approval feature at all. TimeSubmit and Everhour both include approvals and both are trial-only. If a vendor tells you otherwise, check whether the approval step is a real gate or a status field someone updates by hand.
What is the difference between time tracking and timesheet software?
Time tracking software typically focuses on capturing hours via timers or manual entry. Timesheet software structures submission (e.g. weekly or monthly), often supports approval workflows, and may connect to invoicing. For consultancies that need formal sign-off before billing, timesheet software with approval gates is the right fit.
Can small consultancies get approval workflows for free?
Not on an ongoing basis. Most free time trackers have no approval step at all, and the ones that do put it on a paid plan. TimeSubmit approvers hold their own accounts and never see billing rates, but they count as team members on your plan, and the plan itself is paid after two months. Whichever tool you pick, the approval step is the part you end up paying for.
What should small consultancies look for in free timesheet software?
Prioritise: approval workflows so time is not billable until approved, invoicing from approved timesheets so nobody re-keys anything, a clear count of how many people the plan actually covers once approvers are included, and a clear answer on what happens to your data when a trial or a subscription ends. That last one is the question people forget to ask and regret later.
Need the full cycle rather than just a timer? TimeSubmit gives you two months to run it end to end, then $39 a month. If you only need to log hours, one of the genuinely free tools above will serve you better.