Software · head to head
BigTime vs Harvest
BigTime
Software
The all-in-one solution for growing, single-entity firms
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Harvest
Software
Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Harvest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: BigTime essentials plan starts at $20 per user per month and the Enterprise tier requires contacting sales for pricing; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BigTime and Harvest actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in BigTime
Nothing recorded that Harvest does not also cover.
Only in Harvest
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Invoicing
- Project budgets
- Team capacity
- Detailed reports
- Mobile apps
- Browser extension
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BigTime
No use cases recorded yet. See the BigTime review.
Harvest
- Time tracking against projects and clientsnot BigTime
- Turning tracked time into invoicesnot BigTime
- Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot BigTime
- Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot BigTime
- Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot BigTime
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BigTime
- Essentials plan starts at $20 per user per month and the Enterprise tier requires contacting sales for pricing
- AI features Time Agent, Expense Agent and Flexible Reporting are listed as coming soon rather than shipped
Harvest
- The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
- Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
- Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
- SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
- QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan
Pricing, plan by plan
BigTime
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the BigTime review.
Harvest
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Harvest review.
Which should you pick?
Choose BigTime if
Nothing in the data separates BigTime from Harvest on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Harvest if
- You need time tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
- You also want expense tracking.
Questions people ask
- Is BigTime or Harvest better?
- Neither clearly leads. BigTime starts at On request and Harvest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BigTime or Harvest?
- Harvest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BigTime and Free for Harvest.
- Does BigTime or Harvest run on more platforms?
- BigTime runs on Web. Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Harvest for free?
- Yes. Harvest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BigTime starts at On request.
- What can BigTime do that Harvest cannot?
- Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets.