13 Alternatives to Harvest That Fit Your Business

No matter what type of business you are in, time is money.

Growing businesses need easier ways to track time and expenses. Today, instead of using spreadsheets or complicated invoice reporting, managing costs can be simple as opening an app on your phone.

Both Time Tracking and Expense Management software have been instrumental in allowing freelancers and companies of all sizes to track their time, expenses, and analyze resulting profits easily. There is a substantial overlap in these two categories because time and expenses are not mutually exclusive.

Time Tracking software is an instrumental tool for modern workspaces. Remote workers and staff who travel for meetings can sign in from anywhere. Firms that manage multiple projects can analyze how much time is being spent on each task and reallocate if needed. It’s additionally beneficial for the hard working freelancer who shouldn’t give away free hours to developing a project and for the employer who is worried about staff “stealing” time.

Expense Management tools today make expense tracking easier for both employees and companies. Software enables employees to keep track of expenses on the go (like submitting receipt photos from mobile, for example), and gives businesses a more streamlined way to process, pay, and audit expenses handled by employees. With less time going to administrative efforts in managing these costs, companies can put more money into the actual projects at hand.

Harvest is a popular software designed to assist companies of all sizes with time tracking and expense management. It is not the only option though. Continue reading to learn more about Harvest and Top Rated alternatives to see what best fits your business needs.

Harvest 101: Expense and Time Tracking Under One Roof

Harvest is a time tracking, expense management and budgeting tool. The tool automates invoices, estimates, supports multiple currencies, features automated reminders and recurring billing.

For more advanced needs, Harvest seamlessly integrates with many other business tools (like project management, collaboration, and accounting tools). Harvest also allows you to visualize expenses with easy-to-read graphs, to see if your team and projects are running smoothly and plan for future projects.

User reviews consistently praise Harvest for its simple time-tracking and invoicing capabilities. For many, this means getting paid on time without much effort.

“Harvest is easy invoicing at it’s best. We are able to create invoices based on project tracked time and quickly get paid from our clients.”

~ Brian Alonzo | Web Designer and Developer

Other users love that it is very intuitive with no training needed, and can be completely set up in a day. Yet, others appreciate that it integrates with other popular software such as Asana and Trello.

Though many users are satisfied with Harvest, others point out that Harvest could do better with reminder options. Even though Harvest is integrated with other popular software like Quickbooks and Asana, reviewers note the need for better synchronization and communication between them.

Pricing for 1 person with 2 projects is free. For a single person with unlimited projects, the price goes up to $10 per month. For two or more people, the price is $12 per person/per month, which includes unlimited projects.

Alternatives to Harvest

Though Harvest is a simple tool that can help you with your billing needs, it is not for everyone. It is worth your time, of course, to consider other options to find the best fit for your business needs.

Here is a list of 13 other Top Rated expense management and time tracking software. Because Harvest is Top Rated in both expense management and time tracking software, this list alternates between the two types of tools. To be included, each software product must have at least 10 data points (reviews and ratings combined) and an average score of 8.0 or higher.

1. Journyx

Journyx is Top Rated in both categories, like Harvest – so it’s in the #1 spot for alternatives to check out. In addition, this software is a time and expense tracking platform that can be used on mobile devices. Key features include the ability to integrate with other common business software (like Microsoft Dynamics, Quickbooks, and payroll systems), and automated billing and payroll processes for employee hours and costs.

Customer reviews say that Journyx is easy to use and customizable for different business size and needs.

“Although web-based, Journyx is a great time sheet tool that is easy for all employees to use. Searching for jobs by keyword is easy for all employees. It solves the problem of not having paper timesheets for employees and allows access through any internet connection, making late timesheets a thing of the past.”

~ Jason Galati | Corppros Company, Inc.

Pricing is available upon request.

2. TSheets

TSheets is for time tracking, scheduling, and invoicing. Employees can clock in and out from their workspaces across multiple devices. Features include employee scheduling, time tracking, and GPS tracking.

User reviews say this software’s strengths are great customer support and GPS tracking.

“For clients that are service based this is an excellent way to track employees. You want to know if employees are truly working their route in a timely fashion.”

~ Rebecca Neilson | Neilson Bookkeeping & Tax Services Inc.

For a small business with 2-99 employees, the service is $2.50 per active user/per month plus a $10 base fee per month. For over 100 employees, the cost remains at $2.50 per user/per month, but with a $50 per month base fee.

3. Xero

Xero is an online accounting software designed for small businesses. It includes invoicing with quotes, purchase order and expense management, bank reconciliation, and other accounting capabilities.

Users love that Xero makes accounting, invoicing, and reporting easy. Others appreciate that it is cloud-based.

“Estimates, invoices, statements, and electronic payments. Their invoicing system is extremely robust and integrates with a variety of payment gateways. Recurring invoices, statements, and reminders to clients help me see all my AR at a glance, and make collecting super simple.”

~ Malcolm Colman-Shearer | Co-founder | Optimi Ltd.

Pricing starts at $9 per month for a Starter package. For the Standard edition, Xero costs $30 per month. Lastly, the Premium plan is $70 per month.

4. TeamWork Projects

Teamwork Projects is a project management software with time tracking capabilities built in. It features task management, milestones, and reports in addition to time tracking.

User reviews highlight the quality of the dashboard for task management, client communication, and the time tracker to create accurate billing statements.

“You can create a very detailed task, assign team members to the task, upload images, and there’s a time tracker which is really useful when billing clients per hour.”

~ Daniela Belevan | Marketing Coordinator | DecoGraphic, Inc.

Pricing for teams up to 5 members is free. Additionally, the Pro plan is $9 per member/per month and premium costs $15 per member/per month. If you’re interested in the Enterprise plan, contact TeamWork Projects directly for a quote.

5. Expensify

Expensify focuses on automating expense tracking, billing, and reimbursement. Features include uploading receipts, generating receipts from online sales and automated expense reports.

User reviews point out the convenience of using Expensify, especially with its receipt scanning capability and automated reports. As a result, companies that reimburse for travel find Expensify particularly easy to use and reliable.

“Expensify has a user-friendly interface. Receipts can be easily uploaded onto the platform through multiple methods. Users can also download the app so, which is particularly useful while they are on travel.”

~ Lisa Shapiro | Payroll Manager | The Motley Fool

Pricing is available upon request.

6. HotSchedules

HotSchedules is a platform for scheduling, labor, and communication management in the restaurant and hospitality industry. In short, it allows employers to create schedules and send scheduling updates to employees within the platform, while employees can use HotSchedules to check their schedule, switch shifts, and clock in. HotSchedules also provides reporting for employers to see an overview of labor costs.

Overall, users love that it is easy to use for everybody involved and helps with organizing shift changes and communication.

“Well suited for any staff especially restaurants or larger than 20 staff members. Makes all digital- Notes, messages and goes right to their email or phone whichever they have set up.”

~ Nathan Miller | Operating Partner |CentraArchy Restaurants

The starting point price is $2 per employee/per month. The Plus package is $4 per employee/per month. For more advanced options, consult with HotSchedules directly.

7. Concur Expense

Concur Expense is an expense management tool that automatically categorizes expenses from receipt images, credit cards, and select suppliers. It features streamlined expense management, policy enforcement tools, and reporting.

User reviews highlight how simple Concur Expense is to operate. They also said with Concur Expense reimbursements are made quicker, and analysis of expenses is made easier with every expense compiled in one platform.

“Concur is convenient and handy. The employee’s profile can store credit card numbers, loyalty membership numbers with airlines, hotels, ride-hailing companies, car rental companies etc. All this information can be auto-populated saving time and effort.”

~ Shiva Krishna | Oracle Applications Functional Consultant | BGIS

Receive a quote directly with SAP Concur.

8. Toggl

Toggl is a simple time tracker that utilizes a one button timer that works across devices. It features reporting on productivity and integration with many other tools and plug-ins for accessible time tracking.

In essence, user reviews point to how simple and well organized Toggl is. Freelancers especially enjoy Toggl because it allows them to organize their projects without much effort and eases the billing load.

“It’s just easy to use. Click, add a couple notes, and you’re done.”

~ Benjamin E. Jerew | Senior Content Manager | One Car Payment, Inc

Contact Toggl to get an accurate estimate for your business needs.

9. Chrome River EXPENSE

Chrome River EXPENSE is another expense management tool that can be used on any device, anywhere, and at any time. It features automated reporting, real-time spend policy compliance monitoring and approval routing.

Users like the digital nature of Chrome River EXPENSE and the firm compliance rules and approval routing.

“Chrome River EXPENSE is built with the modern business traveler in mind. Having the ability to snap and send images of receipts while on the road is incredibly useful.”

~ Jesse Rudolph | Financial Analysis Manager | GrayRobinson, P.A

As a tool for larger organizations, pricing for Chrome River EXPENSE is available upon request.

10. Time Doctor

Time Doctor is a time tracking and productivity app that eliminates distractions. It features webpage and application monitoring, screen monitoring, and more than 30 integrations with many accounting, project management, and task management software.

User reviews appreciate that Time Doctor is effective at curbing distractions. This is really helpful for freelancers trying to maximize their time, and for employers trying to monitor remote employee productivity:

“We have assistants that work remotely. We have had issues in the past with them logging many hours that should have not been “on the clock” hours. Time Doctor allows accountability for remote work and the screenshots that let me know that they are really staying on task.”

~ Hillary Smith | Licensed REALTOR® | The Smith Team Texas Ally Real Estate Group, LLC

Time Doctor costs $9.99 per user per month.

11. Coupa

Coupa Unified Spend Suite is a cloud-based expense management software designed specifically for the business traveler to upload travel costs to the finance team. In particular, features include receipt photo capture, credit card integrations, voice expensing, mileage tracking, and 300+ travel integrations.

User reviews consistently describe Coupa as an easy to use digital tracking program that helps track and regulate business expenses.

“Coupa is a great resource for tracking spend and monitoring costs. The user-friendliness is an added benefit.”

~ Verified User | Project Manager in Finance and Accounting Internet Company

Contact Coupa to learn more about pricing.

12. TimeCamp

TimeCamp is a time tracker with many productivity support features, invoicing capabilities, and distraction inhibitors. All in all, it features one-click visual time tracking, graphical timesheets, estimates vs. actuals, analysis of websites visited, and integration with other tools like calendars and Trello.

User reviews claim that TimeCamp is a well-designed software that is more affordable than comparable time tracking options.

“TimeCamp is not trying to get money from you like other software.”

~ Wera Michalska | Marketing | Capneo

A single person can use TimeCamp for free. A basic package costs $5.25 per month/per user (billed annually). Lastly, the Pro packages cost $7.50 per person per month (billed annually).

13. Abila MIP

Abila MIP is an accounting and expense management service exclusively for nonprofits and government agencies. It features time tracking, expense management, cash management and more.

Users love that this software is functional and robust for the unique needs of nonprofits and government agencies. They also like its competitive pricing.

“We use Abila MIP for grant budgets and reports, making the preparation of financial backup for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting quick and easy.”

~ Maryann Freepartner | Accounting Manager | Peninsula Community Health Services

Pricing for Abila MIP is available upon request.

Finding the Right Time & Expense Tracking Tool For Your Business

To track time, manage expenses without manual effort, reduce administrative hours and increase time spent in production, businesses need to significantly invest in the right software. Whether you are managing travel costs, curbing distractions among staff, or managing shift changes, there are digital tools that cater to your needs. You ultimately just need to find the right fit. Check out customer reviews of the products you’re interested in to get authentic information from businesses like yours. Real life experience from other people like you can help narrow things down, so you can choose the best time & expense tracking tool for your use case.

To explore more Harvest alternatives, visit the Harvest alternatives and competitors page.