Most time tracking apps these days are offered as cloud-based solutions. Nevertheless, many companies and freelance professionals are still not quite ready to embrace the cloud.
The choice between a desktop application and a cloud-based one depends on individual preferences, specific requirements, and the convenience and functionality needed for effective time tracking.
Here are several reasons why someone might prefer to use a time tracker for Windows instead of a cloud-based time tracker.
- Privacy and security. Some individuals or organizations may be concerned about storing sensitive data on the cloud for privacy or security reasons.
- Offline access. If you need to track time when you don’t have an internet connection, a Windows-based time tracker can be more convenient.
- Integration with other Windows-based applications. If you primarily work with Windows applications and want seamless integration with your existing tools, a Windows-based time tracker might be more suitable.
What Makes the Best Time Tracker for Windows
When choosing a work hours tracker for Windows, you must ask yourself what you plan to do with the collected information.
For example, you may be tracking project time to substantiate your expenses to clients and get paid for your work, or just answer the question: “Why is this thing taking so long?”
When evaluating the best time trackers, we considered the following criteria:
- Automated and manual input. A good tool should allow you to edit tracked time or manually add time blocks. This feature lets you correct tracked time post-activity, like deducting time if a timer was left running unintentionally. You should also be able to input time retroactively in case you forget to start a timer for a specific task.
- Tracking in real-time. Starting a timer when you begin a task and pausing or stopping it when you’re done is the key to precise time count.
- Cross-Platform compatibility. Even if you plan to track time on your desktop only, initiating timers and logging hours across different platforms such as browsers, desktop apps, or mobile devices would be nice to have.
- Reporting tools. A good time tracker should provide detailed reports for analyzing daily, weekly, or monthly time allocation per project, individual, or client and gaining insights into productivity levels.
Offline Tracking. In case you’re not always connected to the internet, having the ability to track time offline and sync later can be a useful feature. - Privacy and Security. The right software also prioritizes data privacy and security, especially if you track sensitive information related to your work or projects.
1. actiTIME
Key features:
- Time tracking
- Project management
- Powerful reporting
- Billing and payroll
actiTIME is a time-tracking and project management tool. It lets individuals and teams log work hours, manage projects, and analyze productivity.
actiTIME is available as a cloud solution and an on-premise package for both Windows and Unix. Its downloadable edition runs as a web application on the company’s internal server, with users accessing it via their web browsers.
The actiTIME Chrome extension is an additional tool that allows users to track their time directly from their web browser. With the extension, you can start and stop timers, log time entries, and view your timesheets.
The tool fits both companies and self-employed individuals, who can run it on their personal computers. Should the need arise, the data can be safely transferred to the cloud.
Click here to learn more about actiTIME self-hosted version.
We reduced payroll processing to 45 minutes per week
actiTIME is very robust, integrated well into your business process, and most important, helps you focus on your business instead of monkeying around with technology. actiTIME has reduced our payroll processing from 4-6 hours per week to 45 minutes per week.
2. ActiveCollab
Key features:
- Task management
- Time tracking
- Team collaboration
- Email notifications
ActiveCollab is a high-quality tool for Windows time tracking, task management and team collaboration. Its self-hosted version is also an application that runs on a web server. Configure the environment according to the system requirements, install the application, and provide access to the employees. Installation process may seem a bit complicated for those who are not very tech savvy, but ActiveCollab support can install the software for you remotely.
3. ManicTime
Key features:
- Time tracking
- Reporting
- Project management
ManicTime automatically tracks your activity on the computer and creates reports based on the collected data. The app is installed locally on your PC, Mac or Linux machine, syncing your activity data with the server at regular intervals. It can also work offline and send your data to the server as often as you need.
The app is available in both installable and portable packages, so you can put it on a USB and track your time on any machine. You can also easily deploy it on multiple machines within the same domain.
4. Grindstone
Key features:
- Task estimation
- Time tracking
- Performance monitoring
- Client billing
Grindstone provides basic time recording features and allows you to calculate expenses and billable amounts, and generate detailed charts. A system of helpful reminders will inform users on upcoming deadlines, missing time records, unmet time estimates, etc.
The tool also supports a number of billing and invoicing features where you calculate due amounts and charge your clients for the performed work. Grindstone supports manual entry of hourly rates and can calculate them based on fixed amounts and recorded time expenses. Data collected in the app can be easily exported or printed out for future reference.
5. TimeWriter
Key features:
- Leave planning
- Time tracking
- Billing
- Budgeting
TimeWriter is a time tracking tool for Windows and Mac that combines time tracking with some valuable accounting features. It can work equally well for both individual users and teams who bill their clients by the hour. The app features a robust reporting system that’s great for both quick reviews and in-depth assessments of profitability and productivity.
TimeWriter is very easy to install and maintain and does not require a lot of time for user onboarding, so you and your team can get started within a day. Thanks to the mobile app available for iOS and Android, users can track their time even when away from the computer.
6. Paymo
Key features:
- Task management
- Kanban board
- Invoicing
- Employee leave management
Paymo is a time tracking tool for Windows that can solve multiple problems at once. It has a valuable task planning feature that helps to set work priorities and keep everything organized. It includes the Kanban board that allows for easy progress monitoring. Plus, it provides your team members with a convenient space to collaborate on projects, plan days off and review colleagues’ workloads on a beautiful timeline.
Automated invoicing is another prominent feature in Paymo. With its assistance, you will create invoices in merely a few clicks, export them in multiple formats and get paid faster thanks to payment gateway functionality. And as you may guess, Paymo has a free desktop widget that you can download on Windows to run automatic timers in the background while working.
7. Hubstaff
Key features:
- Billing
- Team management
- Performance reports
- Budget management
Hubstaff is a multifunctional time tracker that informs business decision-making and helps to boost productivity. You can apply it to track employees’ progress and see how effectively they utilize their working time. With Hubstaff, it’s also possible to set project budget limits and collect data for client billing in a streamlined and error-free way.
Apart from that, Hubstaff contains robust reporting functionality that lets you see how well you dispose of various resources, how profitable your business is, and whether your team meets the defined time estimates.
To install the Hubstaff app for Windows, you need to have an active account. Single users can subscribe to Hubstaff for free, while teams will have to pay at least $7 per user a month.
8. OfficeTime
Key features:
- Cost tracking
- Time tracking
- Billing and invoicing
OfficeTime is an easy app with basic time tracking and billing functionality that runs on Windows and Mac. You track your time with a simple timer that is quickly accessible from the system tray. The app automatically detects idle time and offers several options on how to process it.
You can add expenses to your projects, keep track of billable amounts, and generate invoices for your customers. If you need to save your records for a specific period, you always export them as a spreadsheet or create a chart.
9. Timely
Key features:
- Task planning
- Time tracking
- Simple reports
Timely is a time tracking solution for Windows and Mac that helps employees and managers keep track of their time expenses and project budgets. All entered hours are automatically organized in a clear timeline by a module called Memory. All tasks performed within a week are displayed as a simple and easy to read overview, with time totals and planned hours.
The app offers several features that make planning and entering time a bit more convenient. You can copy repeating tasks from one day to another, and export your scheduled meetings and other plans to Outlook, Office 360 or Google Calendar.
10. Chrometa
Key features:
- Time tracking
- Integration with accounting tools
- Simple reports
This tool offers automatic timekeeping for Windows and Mac. It runs in the background and captures the time you spend in different apps, so there’s no need to enter anything manually or start and stop timers. The app automatically categorizes your activities by keywords, which is especially convenient if you need to know which portion of your time went to specific types of tasks or activities.
Chrometa can integrate with multiple project management and accounting tools to help you avoid re-entering your data. According to the developers, using the app can increase your billable time by up to 20% while actually reducing your working hours.
11. Monitask
Key features:
- Employee monitoring
- Website tracking
- Task management
- Data reports
Monitask is a time tracking tool for Windows that allows employers to understand when their employees commence and end their work days. It includes functionality for task tracking and lets you see how much time is spent on every assignment. Moreover, it keeps a record of users’ website and app activities and can be set to take screenshots of employee workstations.
12. Toggl Track
Key features:
- Time tracking
- Task tracking
- Reminders
- Idle time detection
Toggl Track is an automated time tracker for Windows 10 that helps you see how productive you are and analyze your efficiency in-depth. It includes Pomodoro timers and an idle time detector. It captures your desktop activities and reports on them via a beautiful timeline chart. And the best part of all, this software can be downloaded on Windows for free. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8 and 10.
13. Klok
Key features:
- Time tracking
- Invoicing
- Powerful reports
Klok is a time tracking tool for Windows 10 designed to help you master project management and resource allocation, regardless of whether you work alone or as part of a team. It lets you track working hours and create highly accurate invoices. It also includes insightful reports that foster effortless productivity analysis, support you in task estimation and inform your business decision-making.
Klok offers both the free and paid versions. The former is best suitable for individual users who need a straightforward time tracker, while the latter is appropriate for any team that wants to streamline accounting, collaborate on projects and simplify progress tracking.
14. Clockify
Key features:
- Powerful reports
- Time tracking
Clockify is a free time tracking app for Windows 10 with a strong focus on ease of use, and extensive reporting capabilities. It features a very clean and intuitive interface with a dashboard view and highly customizable reports that you can export to multiple formats or share with others via a link.
It’s available as an online desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux that supports offline mode, and as a self-hosted solution that you can deploy on your company servers for better security, privacy and legal compliance.
15. Harvest
- Timer
- Task tracking
- Time logs
Harvest is a free time tracking app for Windows 10 that you can download from the Microsoft Store. The software has a look of a small window with a task list and their timers. You can switch between the days and review your time tracking history. Hotkey will help you minimize clicks and start a timer from any place, browser tab and software. Harvest also records idle time that you can remove from the log in a few clicks.
16. DeskTime
- Automatic time tracking
- Activity tracking
- Productivity reports
DeskTime is a time tracking app for Windows that automatically records your activity across apps and software. The good news is that DeskTime detects idle time, providing you with the most accurate productivity reports. The bad news is that the software may feel as privacy-invasive, especially if you use it for team tracking, because productivity is not about mouse clicks and keyboard taps, which DeskTime also tracks, but about the work output.
