Tracking time is a crucial aspect of any business. It helps in evaluating employee productivity, analyzing project profitability, and improving overall efficiency. Toggl and Harvest are two popular time tracking tools used by businesses worldwide. Both have unique features that make them stand out in the market. In this article, we will compare Toggl and Harvest in-depth, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
Overview
Before diving into the comparison, let’s get an overview of both tools.
Toggl
Toggl is a cloud-based time tracking tool that allows users to track time on the go. It is an easy-to-use tool that provides real-time data and helps businesses increase productivity. Toggl has a user-friendly interface and can integrate with several third-party applications.
Harvest
Harvest is another cloud-based time tracking tool that helps businesses track time and expenses. It provides insights into project budgets, billable hours, and team utilization. Harvest can integrate with over 100 business applications, making it a versatile tool for businesses of all sizes.
Features
Both Toggl and Harvest offer a range of features that help businesses track time and increase productivity. Let’s compare their features in detail.
Time Tracking
Both Toggl and Harvest allow users to track time spent on tasks. However, Toggl provides a more detailed time tracking experience. It has a desktop app that can track time even when the internet is not available. Toggl also provides a feature called “Autotracker,” which automatically tracks time spent on different applications and websites.
Harvest, on the other hand, provides time tracking through a web app and a mobile app. It also has a desktop app, but it only tracks time when the internet is available.
Project Management
Toggl offers basic project management features such as project tracking and task management. However, it lacks advanced project management features such as project budgeting and resource allocation.
Harvest provides robust project management features such as project budgeting, expense tracking, and resource allocation. It also provides project insights such as project profitability and team utilization.
Invoicing
Both Toggl and Harvest offer invoicing features. Toggl allows users to create and send invoices directly from the app. However, it lacks advanced invoicing features such as recurring invoicing and online payment options.
Harvest provides advanced invoicing features such as recurring invoicing and online payment options. It also allows users to customize invoices to match their brand.
Integrations
Toggl and Harvest both offer integrations with several third-party applications. Toggl integrates with over 100 business applications, including Asana, Trello, and QuickBooks. Harvest also integrates with over 100 business applications, including Xero, Zendesk, and Slack.
Pricing
Pricing is an essential factor to consider when choosing a time tracking tool. Let’s compare the pricing of Toggl and Harvest.
Toggl
Toggl offers three pricing plans:
- Free: Allows users to track time for up to 5 users.
- Starter: Costs $10 per user per month and allows users to track time for unlimited projects.
- Premium: Costs \$20 per user per month and provides advanced features such as project tracking and time estimates.
Harvest
Harvest also offers three pricing plans:
- Free: Allows users to track time for up to 2 projects.
- Pro: Costs \$12 per user per month and provides advanced features such as expense tracking and project budgeting.
- Business: (No longer available) Costs $25 per user per month and provides advanced features such as team timesheets and project insights.
Ease of Use
Both Toggl and Harvest have
user-friendly interfaces that make them easy to use. However, Toggl’s interface is more streamlined and simpler than Harvest’s. Toggl’s design is minimalistic, and its dashboard is easy to navigate, making it a more suitable option for smaller businesses or teams.
Harvest, on the other hand, has a more extensive interface with more features, making it a more suitable option for larger teams or businesses. It has a steep learning curve, and new users may take some time to get used to its interface.
Customer Support
Customer support is an essential aspect of any software or tool. Let’s compare the customer support provided by Toggl and Harvest.
Toggl
Toggl provides customer support through email, live chat, and a knowledge base. Its customer support team is responsive and provides quick solutions to user queries.
Harvest
Harvest provides customer support through email, phone, and live chat. Its customer support team is knowledgeable and provides prompt solutions to user queries.
Security
Data security is crucial when using any cloud-based tool. Let’s compare the security features offered by Toggl and Harvest.
Toggl
Toggl encrypts all data in transit and at rest. It also has a secure backup system to prevent data loss.
Harvest
Harvest also encrypts all data in transit and at rest. It has a secure backup system and provides daily backups to prevent data loss.
Comparison Table
Features |
Toggl |
Harvest |
Time Tracking |
Detailed time tracking with desktop app and “Autotracker” feature |
Web and mobile app for time tracking |
Project Management |
Basic project tracking and task management |
Robust project management features, including budgeting and resource allocation |
Invoicing |
Basic invoicing features with no recurring invoicing or online payment options |
Advanced invoicing features, including recurring invoicing and online payment options |
Integrations |
Integrates with over 100 business applications |
Integrates with over 100 business applications |
Pricing |
Free, Starter, and Premium plans |
Free and Pro plans |
Ease of Use |
Minimalistic and streamlined interface |
Extensive interface with a steep learning curve |
Customer Support |
Email, live chat, and knowledge base |
Email, phone, and live chat |
Security |
Encrypts all data in transit and at rest with secure backup system |
Encrypts all data in transit and at rest with daily backups |
Conclusion
Toggl and Harvest are both excellent time tracking tools, but they have different features and pricing plans that make them suitable for different business needs. Toggl is more suitable for smaller businesses or teams that require a simple and streamlined time tracking tool. Harvest, on the other hand, is more suitable for larger teams or businesses that require robust project management and invoicing features.
In summary, businesses should evaluate their needs and budget before choosing between Toggl and Harvest.