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Professional Services · head to head

Harvest vs Shortcut

Harvest logo

Harvest

Professional Services

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shortcut logo

Shortcut

Technology

Project management for software teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger; Shortcut limited reporting compared to Jira
  • They diverge on capability: Harvest covers Time tracking, Shortcut covers Stories & epics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Harvest and Shortcut actually diverge.

Attributes where Harvest and Shortcut differ
AttributeHarvestShortcut
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryProfessional ServicesTechnology
Founded20062014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Browser extension
  • Asana

Only in Shortcut

  • Stories & epics
  • Iterations (sprints)
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Reporting
  • Docs
  • API & webhooks
  • GitLab

Both cover

  • Mobile apps
  • GitHub
  • Slack
  • GDPR
  • 2FA

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot Shortcut
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot Shortcut
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot Shortcut
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot Shortcut
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot Shortcut

Shortcut

  • Sprint planningnot Harvest
  • Bug trackingnot Harvest
  • Feature developmentnot Harvest
  • Product roadmappingnot Harvest
  • Team collaborationnot Harvest

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Shortcut

  • Limited reporting compared to Jira
  • Designed specifically for software teams, not general project management
  • Can experience slow loading times with very large projects

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Shortcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Kanban boards
    • Sprints
    • Roadmaps
  • Team$8.5/user/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Advanced reports
    • WIP limits
  • Business$12/user/month
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • OKRs
    • Advanced custom fields
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Volume discounts
    • SSO/SCIM
    • Premier support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Shortcut if

  • You need stories & epics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want iterations (sprints).
Shortcut review

Questions people ask

Is Harvest or Shortcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Harvest starts at Free and Shortcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Harvest or Shortcut?
Harvest starts at Free and Shortcut at Free.
Does Harvest or Shortcut run on more platforms?
Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Shortcut runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Harvest for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Harvest best used for?
Harvest is most often used for time tracking against projects and clients, turning tracked time into invoices, expense capture alongside billable hours, team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plans. Of those, time tracking against projects and clients and turning tracked time into invoices are not what Shortcut is typically brought in for.
What can Harvest do that Shortcut cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets. Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Iterations (sprints), Kanban boards, Roadmaps. Both handle Mobile apps, GitHub, Slack, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut have a free plan?

Yes, Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users with core features like kanban boards, roadmaps, sprints, and reports. Paid plans start at $8.50 per user per month.

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut integrate with GitHub?

Yes, Shortcut has native GitHub integration that automatically syncs pull requests and commits to stories, and includes GitLab and Bitbucket support as well.

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
Shortcut: Can I use Shortcut for non-technical projects?

Shortcut is built for software teams, though you can customize workflows for other use cases. Linear and Asana may be better suited for non-technical project management.

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut support SSO and SCIM?

Yes, SSO and SCIM support are available on the Enterprise plan, allowing centralized identity management for large organizations.

Source
Shortcut: What's the difference between Shortcut and Jira?

Shortcut is lighter and faster with less setup required, while Jira offers deeper customization and enterprise features. Shortcut works better for modern software teams wanting simplicity; Jira suits enterprises needing extensive configuration.

Source
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