Let’s be honest, when you introduce time tracking to an agency, your creatives feel like the Eye of Sauron is watching their every move.
But in a marketing agency, where projects shift and client demands evolve, knowing where your team’s time goes makes the difference between profitability and burnout. The challenge? Keeping your team happy while proving your value to clients.
Most time tracking tools miss the mark, some disrupt creative workflows, others lack the flexibility you need. So, I did the work for you. Here are 11 time tracking software for agencies that actually help your agency work, not hinder it.
Top 11 time tracking software for agencies in 2025
Before we get into the list, here’s the central idea around this list: a time-tracking tool should fit into your agency’s workflow, not fight against it.
It should be easy enough that your team actually uses it, detailed enough to give managers the insights they need, and transparent enough to show clients where their budget is going.
Let’s take a look at the best options.
1. 5day.io
If time tracking tools were superheroes, 5day.io would be Batman: silent, efficient, and always in control.
Most time tracking tools need an integration with other project management software to work effectively. Which means your team goes to one tool for getting work, and on another to track how much time the spent doing that work.
5day.io is the best time tracking software for agencies that want to work without a context switch.
It brings all the projects and tasks in one place along with timesheets. Track your work and time in the same place so managers and team members can both do and track their work without worry.
Best 5day.io features
Let’s see the top timesheet management features of 5day.io
Time tracking
Easily track work hours in real-time with an auto timer or manually log time entries for accurate records.
Timesheet submission
Submit daily, weekly or monthly timesheets with a few clicks so your teams can log their work hours consistently without friction.
Timesheet approval
Managers can review, approve, or request changes to submitted timesheets for a more accurate record of their team’s work.
Billable and non-billable work
Differentiate between billable client work and internal tasks so you can maintain accurate invoicing and improve business profitability in the long run.
Overtime
Track overtime on tasks or projects based on each employee’s work schedule to track efforts accurately.
Internal and time-off tracking
Add and track internal work hours, leaves, and holidays based on your company policy for better project planning and execution.
Pros and cons of 5day.io
Pros | Cons |
Complete work management for agencies | GPS or screenshot feature not available |
Easy to export timesheet reports | Lacks team management feature |
Client management for higher transparency |
|
24*7 support |
|
5day.io Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$0 | Time tracking. |
$8 | Time submission. Approvals. Overtime. Timesheet reminders. Time off and internal time. |
2. Toggl
Source: Toggl
Toggl is the Flash of time tracking. Just hit start and it keeps up with your pace, no friction.
It’s a time tracking software that focuses on helping freelance and agency individuals without friction. It has a start/stop auto timer that will keep tracking your work in the background while you jump between tasks and assignments.
It’s a very low commitment tool that requires almost no set up and you can dive into it right away.
Best Toggl features
- Automated time tracking
- Offline time tracking
- Idle detection
Pros and cons of Toggl
Pros | Cons |
Best for freelancers | Difficult to manage complex projects |
Basic features are simple to use | Unintuitive user experience |
Free for up to 5 users | Confusing navigation |
| Limited support |
Toggl Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$0 | Exportable reports. Google and Outlook calendar integration. |
$10 | Billable rates. Project templates. |
$20 | Timesheet approvals. Time tracking reminders. |
Enterprise | Dedicated customer support. |
3. RescueTime
Source: PCMag
RescueTime is a time management and productivity tool that runs in the background, records apps, and blocks websites you select during the selected time.
It is great for creatives who want to improve their focus and productivity and avoid distractions to get in a state of create flow.
Best RescueTime features
- Detailed reports
- Website and app blocking
- Focus sessions
Pros and cons of RescueTime
Pros | Cons |
Advanced auto time tracker | Outdated interface |
FocusTime feature is great to reduce distractions | No advanced timesheet management features available |
Complete insights into your everyday work |
|
RescueTime Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$12 | Automatic time tracking. |
$9 | Timesheet and project tracking. |
4. Hubstaff
Source: Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a time monitoring tool that offers a lot more than time tracking. It provides employee monitoring, screenshot tracking, URL tracking and analysis of mouse and keyboard activity. It is ideal for agencies that need intensive oversight for client projects.
Best Hubstaff features
- GPS tracking
- Activity monitoring
- URL tracking
- Productivity calculation
Pros and cons of Hubstaff
Pros | Cons |
Mouse and keyboard monitoring is smooth | Employee privacy concerns |
Frequent screenshots and activity tracking for high confidentiality projects | Weak Geofencing; employees can still track time outside job sites |
Easy mobile and desktop app | Can often promote micromanagement |
Hubstaff Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$7 | Activity levels. Limited screenshots and URL tracking. |
$9 | Tasks. 1 integration. Idle timeout. |
$12 | Insights. Payments and payroll. Unlimited integrations. |
$25 | Locations. Corporate app. |
5. Clockify
Source: Clockify
Clockify is a free time tracking tool for agencies to track as many entries for as many people as they want. It has a generous plan that lets you add unlimited users in a free plan, has auto tracker, lets you create reports and export that data, all for free.
It can be great for agencies just starting out who do not want to invest in a time tracking tool right off the bat, but still need to track their work.
Best Clockify features
- Calendar mode
- Shared Kiosk
- Desktop and mobile app
Pros and cons of Clockify
Pros | Cons |
User friendly interface | Hidden limits on free plan to force upgrade |
No complex setup needed | Minor bugs like difficulty in searching projects |
Automated time tracking |
|
Clockify Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$0 | Unlimited tasks and users. Pomodoro timer. Auto tracker. |
$4.99 | Add time for others. Historical rates. Import time. |
$6.99 | Time off. Approval. Attendance and overtime. Reminders. |
$9.99 | GPS tracking. Screenshots. Forecasting. |
$14.99 | Custom subdomain. Audit log. |
6. Harvest
Source: Harvest
Harvest is a good advertising agency time tracking software for small and mid-sized teams. It provides all necessary time management tools like invoicing, reporting, and basic projects to get started for free.
Additionally, you can easily get started with the time tracking tool thanks to its user-friendly interface.
Best Harvest features
- Custom reminders
- Flexible time tracking
- Invoice scheduling
Pros and cons of Harvest
Pros | Cons |
Solid invoicing features for small scale startups | Only good for time tracking, lacks depth in project management |
Great support | Platform design is outdated and can reduce user experience |
Integrations with all project management tools |
|
Harvest Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$0 | Time tracking. Invoicing. |
$11 | Team reporting. Accounting integrations. Payment integrations. |
$14 | Profitability report. Activity log. Timesheet approval. |
7. Everhour
Source: Everhour
Everhour is an agency timesheet software built for teams that want a tracker with complex features that integrates with their current system.
The software provides integrations with all the major project management tools, so if you are a marketing agency already using a tool to manage projects and just need something to track time, Everhour is a great pick.
Best Everhour features
- Budget tracking
- Timesheet templates
- Resource planning
Pros and cons of Everhour
Pros | Cons |
Integrations with almost all popular project management tools | No visual reports |
Great template selection to get started | Steep learning curve |
| On the pricier side for small teams |
Everhour Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$0 | Time tracking. Reports. |
$8.50 | Billing and budgeting. Time approval. Screenshots. |
8. Timely
Source: Timely
Timely is a great time tracking tool with AI to make time tracking efficient. It focuses on automated time tracking to free up creative focus in teams, so they can work on projects without worry.
It is an employee time tracking app that provides accurate data for teams that jump between projects often. You can also get real-time workload management data and capacity planning numbers to improve your operational efficiency with Timely.
Best Timely features
- AI timesheets
- GPS tracking
- Reporting
- Team management
Pros and cons of Timely
Pros | Cons |
Good for teams that shift between multiple projects | Only a 2-week trial is not enough |
Great customer service | Higher learning curve |
AI makes time tracking easy |
|
Timely Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$11 | Automatic time tracking. AI time categorization. |
$20 | Team management. Budget and cost management. |
$28 | Capacity management and reporting. |
Enterprise | Dashboard and reporting support. Tailored onboarding. |
9. Apploye
Source: Apploye
Apploye is a time tracking tool fit for organization with complex time tracking needs across multiple projects. It has features like idle time detection, remote tracking, live feed and instant screenshot detection.
Although the tool claims to have payroll solutions, it is more of a record of payments rather than making payment from the tool or integrations with payroll apps.
Best Apploye features
- Employee monitoring
- Advance scheduling
- Customizable timesheets
Pros and cons of Apploye
Pros | Cons |
Pomodoro time for focused work | Employee privacy concerns around extensive tracking |
Multiple ways to track time | Limited integrations with project management tools |
Time and activity reports for accurate reporting |
|
Apploye Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$5 | Client and invoice. Projects and budgeting. |
$7 | Screenshot monitoring. URL tracking. |
10. ClickTime
Source: Everhour
ClickTime is more than a simple time tracking tool. It focuses on resource management, capacity planning, and project budgeting for employees.
It integrates with your calendar, provides auto time tracker, and tracks project expenses to keep your client happy.
Best ClickTime features
- Project budget tracking
- Custom reporting
- Capacity planning
Pros and cons of ClickTime
Pros | Cons |
Detailed reporting capabilities | Higher cost per user |
Good integrations with other tools | Lack of advanced features |
Advanced features for complex projects | Basic interface |
ClickTime Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$12 | Time tracking. Email reminders. |
$15 | Time off management. Approval workflows. |
$27 | Resource management. Project budgeting. |
Enterprise | Custom integrations. |
11. Productive.io
Source: Productive.io
Productive.io is a tool built to manage an agency’s resources, projects, and finances. It’s a time tracking tool that links all your budgets with time tracked in real time to give you insights into where your money is going.
Best Productive.io features
- Resource scheduling
- Time management
- Task management
- Automation
Pros and cons of Productive.io
Pros | Cons |
Not just a time management tool, it also has task management features | Steep learning curve |
Great integrations with other project management tools | Constraints with customization |
Client portal for high transparency |
|
Productive.io Pricing
Price: user/month | Key features |
$11 | Time tracking. Time off management. Budgeting. |
$28 | Billable time approvals. Rate cards. |
$39 | HubSpot integration. Scenario builder. Expense approvals. |
Why is it necessary to get a time tracking software for agencies?
Missed deadlines and overworked teams: one of these things often become a norm in marketing agencies. These problems are quite fundamental to the agency life, but can be avoided with the right, intuitive tool.
Without a time tracking software for agencies, you’re relying on guesswork to bill clients and keep your projects on track.
So, here’s why it’s important to invest in a good agency time tracking software.
Prevent revenue leakage
Most agencies underestimate the time they spend on client work, specifically when handling revisions or ad-hoc requests. Without a proper tool tracking their time, billable hours slip through the cracks and reduce business profitability over time.
With a time tracking tool you can account for every minute of work your agency does and charge clients accurately and fairly.
Protect your team from burnout
Creative professionals thrive on focus, but juggling multiple campaigns and last-minute client demands along with tight deadlines can quickly lead to burnout.
Time tracking software helps managers see work patterns for every team members, so no one member is stretched too thin. This improves employee well-being and maintains the quality of work.
Spot scope creep before it affects profitability
Scope creep is inevitable in agency life, when a one-hour revision turns into a full-day overhaul. Or a minor campaign tweak evolves into a new strategy altogether.
With proper time tracking, you’ll know exactly when a project is expanding beyond its original agreement. This makes it easier to push back or renegotiate terms before unpaid work eats into your margins.
Increase internal efficiency
Which tasks take the longest? Where do projects get stuck? Which clients consume the most time for the least return?
Without time tracking data, agencies rely on assumptions. A time tracking software helps pinpoint inefficiencies and spot gaps, so teams spend less time on admin and more time delivering high-impact work.
How to choose the right agency time tracking software?
Not all agency time tracking tools are built the same. Some feel like chaos, others lack the flexibility to match the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of client work.
Here’s some questions to ask yourself when you look for the best time tracking software for your agency:
- Does this tool align with how our agency works? (Hourly, project-based, or retainer-based billing)
- Will my team use this, or will it feel like extra admin work?
- Does it integrate with our existing project management software?
- Can we track both billable and non-billable hours easily?
- Does it provide clear reports that help us analyze time spent and not just record it?
- Can it help us prevent scope creep and track client requests effectively?
- Will it support our remote or hybrid team members without friction?
- How easy is it to set up and onboard the team?
- Does it support auto time tracking, manual entries, and timers?
- Does it have flexible pricing plans that make sense for our agency’s size and growth?
What is the difference between a time tracking software and a timesheet software?
At first glance, time tracking and timesheet software might seem interchangeable as they both deal with recording work hours. But the difference lies in how they function and what they help you achieve.
Time tracking software primarily helps agencies monitor time spent by their team on work. It provides insights into individual and team productivity, and billable work. The best employee time tracking apps will help you understand how time is spent to make smarter decisions.
While timesheet software is more about recording work hours for payroll and compliance. It focuses on documenting hours for HR and payroll.
So, which one is the right choice for your agency?
If you want to track efficiency, spot scope creep, and improve profitability, go for time tracking for marketing agencies. If you just need to log hours for payroll, timesheets will do the job.
How is 5day.io an ideal fit for your agencies’ time tracking needs?
Most project management and time tracking tools treat time tracking as an afterthought and add just a simple timer. 5day.io’s project management capabilities go much further.
It’s a time tracking software for agencies that consolidates everything agencies need: time tracking, approvals, billable hours, overtime tracking, and reminders, all tied to your client projects. It removes the hassle of stitching together three different tools just to manage one project.
And it’s not just about logging hours. With 5day.io, teams can track time against specific tasks, track accurate client billing, and keep projects on schedule without disrupting their workflow. One tool, built for the way agencies actually work.
