Softwr

Professional Services · head to head

BigTime vs Harvest

BigTime logo

BigTime

Professional Services

The all-in-one solution for growing, single-entity firms

From
$20/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest logo

Harvest

Professional Services

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Harvest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BigTime advanced and Premier pricing not specified; requires contacting sales; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigTime and Harvest actually diverge.

Attributes where BigTime and Harvest differ
AttributeBigTimeHarvest
Starting price$20/user/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Professional Services).

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

  • Professional services time trackingnot Harvest
  • Project-based billingnot Harvest
  • Multi-team resource managementnot Harvest

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

  • Advanced and Premier pricing not specified; requires contacting sales
  • Specific feature costs for optional modules not disclosed

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

$20/user/month
  • Essentials$20/user/month
    • Time tracking
    • Invoicing
    • Expense management
  • Advanced$null/user/month
    • Multi-currency expense management
    • Custom reporting center
    • Project templates
  • Premier$null/user/month
    • Multi-currency invoicing
    • Custom cost and rate management
    • Project budgeting
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Multi-entity, multi-currency
    • Optional modules for Services CPQ and Resource Management

Harvest

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 seat
    • Time tracking
    • Invoicing
  • Teams$9/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Team reporting
    • Accounting integrations (Stripe, QuickBooks, Xero, Deel)
  • Enterprise$14/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Unlimited custom reports
    • Profitability reporting

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.

BigTime review

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.
Harvest review

Questions people ask

Is BigTime or Harvest better?
Neither clearly leads. BigTime starts at $20/user/month 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 $20/user/month 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 $20/user/month.
What is BigTime best used for?
BigTime is most often used for professional services time tracking, project-based billing, multi-team resource management. Of those, professional services time tracking and project-based billing are not what Harvest is typically brought in for.
What can BigTime do that Harvest cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BigTime: What is BigTime's starting price per user?

BigTime's Essentials plan starts at $20 per user per month and includes time tracking, invoicing, expense management, and payments.

Source
Harvest: How much does Harvest cost?

Harvest offers a free plan for 1 user and Teams plan starting at $9/seat/month (billed annually at $108/seat for 20% savings). Enterprise plan starts at $14/seat/month.

Source
BigTime: What features are included in BigTime's Essentials tier?

Essentials includes time and expense tracking, project portfolio management, billing and invoicing, automatic reconciliation, QuickBooks integration, and AI Assistant.

Source
Harvest: Is there a free version of Harvest?

Yes, Harvest's free plan includes 1 seat with time tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, and 2 projects.

Source
BigTime: What additional capabilities does the Premier plan add?

Premier adds multi-currency invoicing, custom cost and rate management, project budgeting, and multi-level approvals to all Advanced features.

Source
Harvest: What is included in the Enterprise plan?

The Enterprise plan includes unlimited custom reports, profitability reporting, timesheet approvals, activity logs, and SAML-based SSO at $14/seat/month.

Source
BigTime: What modules are available as add-ons in BigTime?

BigTime offers three optional modules: Services CPQ (BigTime Quotes), Resource Management, and Data Hub available for additional fees.

Source
Harvest: Does Harvest offer a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% discount, reducing the Teams plan to $108/seat/year and Enterprise plan to $168/seat/year.

Source
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