DeskTime
DeskTime is a fully automated time tracking and productivity software designed to help you manage teams, track project progress, and eliminate manual data entry for improved operational efficiency.
Harvest
Harvest is a cloud-based time tracking and invoicing software that helps teams manage projects, track billable hours, and monitor budgets to ensure profitability across all client engagements.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | DeskTime | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Website | desktime.com | harvestapp.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 30 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Riga, Latvia | New York, USA |
Overview
DeskTime
DeskTime is an automated time tracking platform that helps you understand how your team spends their workday without manual timers. It automatically records the apps and websites you use, categorizing them into productive, unproductive, or neutral categories based on your specific business needs. This gives you a clear picture of where time goes and helps you identify bottlenecks in your daily workflows.
You can manage employee shifts, track project costs, and generate detailed reports for client billing all in one place. Whether you are a freelancer or managing a large remote team, the software provides the data you need to boost accountability and optimize performance. It eliminates the guesswork of manual timesheets, allowing you to focus on high-value tasks while the background app handles the documentation.
Harvest
Harvest helps you bridge the gap between tracking time and getting paid. You can capture every billable minute through a simple interface that works across your desktop, browser, and mobile devices. Instead of chasing down timesheets, you get a clear view of where your team's effort is going and how it impacts your project budgets in real-time.
You can transform tracked hours into professional invoices with just a few clicks and send them directly to clients. The platform integrates with your existing workflow, allowing you to start timers inside tools like Asana or Slack. It is designed for agencies, freelancers, and professional service firms who need to maintain profitability without the administrative headache of manual spreadsheets.
Overview
DeskTime Features
- Automatic Time Tracking Track your work hours automatically from the moment you turn on your computer without clicking start or stop.
- URL and App Tracking See exactly which websites and applications you use throughout the day to identify your biggest productivity killers.
- Document Title Tracking Record the specific names of documents or files you work on to accurately allocate time to different projects.
- Project Tracking Assign your time to specific projects and tasks to see how much effort each client or job requires.
- Shift Scheduling Plan and manage your team's shifts in a visual calendar to ensure you always have the right coverage.
- Invoicing and Billing Convert your tracked project hours into professional invoices automatically to get paid faster by your clients.
- Private Time Option Pause tracking with a single click when you need to handle personal matters to maintain your privacy.
- Offline Time Logging Log time spent away from your computer, like meetings or brainstorming sessions, to keep your records complete.
Harvest Features
- One-Click Time Tracking. Start a timer from your desktop, phone, or browser to capture every billable second without interrupting your workflow.
- Visual Project Reports. Monitor your project budgets and team capacity with live graphs that show you exactly how much time remains.
- Automated Invoicing. Turn your tracked time and expenses into professional invoices and send them to your clients for faster payment.
- Expense Tracking. Snap photos of receipts and log reimbursable expenses on the go to keep your project costs fully documented.
- Team Capacity Monitoring. View your team's bandwidth at a glance to ensure no one is overworked and projects stay on schedule.
- Integrated Payments. Connect with PayPal or Stripe so your clients can pay their invoices instantly online, speeding up your cash flow.
Pricing Comparison
DeskTime Pricing
- 1 User only
- Automatic time tracking
- URL & App tracking
- Mobile app access
- Basic productivity stats
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Unlimited users
- Project tracking
- Productivity calculations
- Idle time tracking
- User integrations
Harvest Pricing
- 1 seat
- 2 active projects
- Unlimited invoices
- Desktop and mobile apps
- Web browser extensions
- Bank-level security
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited seats
- Unlimited active projects
- Custom company branding
- Import data from CSV
- Priority support
Pros & Cons
DeskTime
Pros
- Automatic tracking eliminates the need for manual start/stop buttons
- Detailed reports make client billing and auditing much faster
- Visual dashboard provides an immediate overview of team productivity
- Private time mode ensures employee trust and personal privacy
Cons
- Desktop app must be installed for full tracking capabilities
- Learning curve for setting up custom productivity categories
- Mobile app features are limited compared to the desktop version
Harvest
Pros
- Extremely simple interface requires almost no training
- Excellent mobile app for tracking time on the go
- Seamless integrations with popular project management tools
- Reliable reporting helps keep projects under budget
Cons
- Limited customization options for invoice templates
- Reporting can feel basic for complex enterprise needs
- No built-in scheduling features without separate Forecast integration