TimeSubmit vs Harvest: Which Is Better for Consultancies?
If you manage a consultancy and need timesheet software that handles approvals and invoicing without bolting on extra tools, TimeSubmit vs Harvest is a comparison worth examining closely. Both platforms offer time tracking and invoicing, but they serve different audiences. TimeSubmit is purpose-built for consultancies with end-to-end approval workflows and client-facing approver roles, while Harvest is a general-purpose time tracker used across freelancers, agencies, and internal teams.
This article breaks down where each platform excels so you can choose the right fit for your consultancy.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | TimeSubmit | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Built for consultancies | Yes — purpose-built | No — general time tracker |
| Time tracking | Weekly/monthly multi-project timesheets | Timer-based and manual entry |
| Approval workflows | Single and sequential multi-level | Enterprise plan only |
| External client approvers | Yes — free, no paid seat required | No native feature (requires third-party integration) |
| Invoicing from timesheets | One-click from approved timesheets | Basic invoicing included |
| Multi-project timesheets | Yes — log across engagements in one submission | Separate entries per project |
| Free tier | Yes — 2 consultants, 1 client, 1 project | Yes — 1 seat, 2 projects |
| Starting price | $47/mo (5 consultants) | $9/seat/mo (billed annually) |
| Multi-currency | GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, CAD, NZD, ZAR | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD |
| GDPR compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time dashboards | Yes — live updates, no refresh | No — periodic refresh |
| Audit log | Yes (Professional+) | Enterprise only |
How Does Time Tracking Compare?
Harvest offers a flexible timer-based approach to time tracking. Consultants can start and stop timers throughout the day, or manually enter hours against specific projects and tasks. It works well for individuals and teams who track time in short bursts across many tasks. The interface is clean and widely liked for its simplicity.
TimeSubmit takes a different approach, built around the consultancy workflow. Consultants complete weekly or monthly timesheets that span multiple projects in a single submission. Each entry captures the project, date, hours worked, billable or non-billable status, and a description. This structure mirrors how most consultancies actually report time to clients — not as a running timer, but as a submitted timesheet ready for review.
For consultancies billing by the hour across multiple client engagements, TimeSubmit's multi-project timesheet entry removes the friction of switching between projects and timers. Harvest's timer model may be preferable for freelancers or teams who prefer real-time tracking.
What About Approval Workflows?
This is where the two platforms diverge significantly.
Harvest includes timesheet submission and reporting features, but structured approval workflows — where managers or clients formally approve or reject timesheets — are reserved for the Enterprise plan. For teams on the standard Teams plan, approval requires manual review or third-party integrations via Zapier.
TimeSubmit includes approval workflows across all plans. Consultancy admins configure approvers at the project level, and timesheets follow a structured submit → review → approve/reject flow. Rejected timesheets include comments explaining why, and consultants can revise and resubmit. Admins can also perform overrides with a mandatory reason, maintaining a full audit trail.
The standout differentiator is TimeSubmit's external client approver role. Clients can approve timesheets without a paid seat and without seeing financial information like billing rates. This is critical for consultancies where the end client must sign off on hours before invoicing. Harvest has no native equivalent — achieving this requires building a workflow through Zapier and ApproveThis, adding cost and complexity.
How Does Invoicing Work?
Harvest provides built-in invoicing that lets you create invoices from tracked time and expenses. You can customise invoice appearance, set payment terms, and send invoices directly from the platform. It integrates with QuickBooks and Xero for accounting sync.
TimeSubmit's invoicing is tightly coupled to the approval workflow. Once timesheets are approved, consultants generate invoices with a single click — or batch multiple approved timesheets into one invoice. PDF invoices support custom templates with your logo, payment terms, footer text, and bank details (sort code, IBAN, SWIFT, routing number). Tax support includes VAT and custom tax percentages with registration numbers.
The key difference: TimeSubmit enforces the consultancy billing cycle. You cannot invoice unapproved time. This prevents billing errors, disputes, and revenue leakage — problems that cost consultancies real money. Harvest allows invoicing at any time regardless of approval status, which offers flexibility but introduces risk.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | TimeSubmit | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0 — 2 consultants, 1 client, 1 project | $0 — 1 seat, 2 projects |
| Entry | $47/mo — 5 consultants, 1 client, 3 projects | $9/seat/mo — unlimited projects |
| Mid-tier | $97/mo — 25 consultants, 5 clients, 15 projects | $9/seat/mo (same plan, more seats) |
| Enterprise | Custom — unlimited everything | Custom — 50+ seats, SSO, approvals |
| Annual discount | 20% | ~18% (annual vs monthly) |
Harvest's per-seat pricing can scale quickly. A 15-person consultancy pays $135/mo on Harvest's Teams plan (annual billing), compared to $97/mo on TimeSubmit's Professional plan — which also includes approval workflows, external approvers, invoicing, and an audit log. For consultancies specifically, TimeSubmit's flat-rate plans often deliver better value.
Both platforms offer free tiers with no credit card required.
Who Should Choose TimeSubmit?
- Consultancies that need client-facing timesheet approvals without giving clients access to billing rates
- Firms that want timesheet-to-invoice in one platform with enforced approval gates
- Teams that submit weekly or monthly timesheets across multiple project engagements
- UK-based consultancies needing GBP, sort codes, IBAN support, and British English throughout
- Organisations wanting real-time dashboards with utilisation metrics and live approval queues
- Small to mid-size consultancies looking for flat-rate pricing rather than per-seat costs
Who Should Choose Harvest?
- Freelancers and solo consultants who prefer timer-based tracking
- Agencies and creative teams that need a simple, lightweight time tracker with broad integrations
- Large organisations already using Harvest across departments who need consistency
- Teams that primarily need time tracking and basic invoicing without complex approval chains
- Businesses that rely heavily on QuickBooks or Xero integrations for their accounting workflow
Verdict
For consultancies that bill clients for time and need approvals before invoicing, TimeSubmit is the stronger choice. It eliminates the gap between tracking time and sending invoices by enforcing a structured workflow — submit, approve, invoice. The external approver role alone solves a problem that most competitors ignore entirely.
Harvest remains an excellent general-purpose time tracker. If your primary need is simple time logging with accounting integrations, and you don't require formal approval workflows, Harvest is a solid option. But if you're running a consultancy, TimeSubmit is built specifically for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Harvest handle external client approvals like TimeSubmit?
Not natively. Harvest does not include an external approver role. To achieve client-facing approvals, you would need to integrate Harvest with a third-party tool like ApproveThis via Zapier. TimeSubmit includes this as a core feature — clients approve timesheets without a paid seat and without seeing financial data.
Is TimeSubmit cheaper than Harvest for a small consultancy?
For most consultancies, yes. TimeSubmit's Starter plan costs $47/mo for up to 5 consultants. The equivalent on Harvest would be 5 seats at $9/seat/mo ($45/mo billed annually), but without approval workflows or the external approver role. Adding those capabilities on Harvest requires the Enterprise plan at custom pricing.
Can I switch from Harvest to TimeSubmit easily?
TimeSubmit is designed for quick setup. You can create your organisation, add clients and projects, invite consultants, and configure approvers within minutes. While there is no automated data import from Harvest, the free tier lets you trial the full workflow — no credit card required — before committing to a migration.
Ready to see how TimeSubmit handles your consultancy's timesheet workflow? Get Started Free — no credit card required.