Best Free Time Tracking Tool: Top 2025 Recommendations

Explore the best free time tracking tools of 2025 for freelancers, remote teams and small businesses — full feature comparisons + tips for choosing the right one.

Why you might look for the “best free time tracking tool”

There was a time when time tracking software was only used by large companies or payroll departments, but that’s changed. Remote work, flexible schedules, and freelancing have increased the need for premium time tracking software. As one recent overview states, the online time tracking market is expected to be worth $2.5 billion by 2025.

What makes a free tool compelling? Some common expectations:

• Quick sign up. Users want ease in setup. Free software that requires too much effort to sign up will be abandoned.

• Essential time tracking features must be included. Users will want at least a start/stop timer and manual entry to log hours.

• Timesheets or reports are expected. Users need to see where time went in order for the tracking to be useful.

• Team and project support, even limited, is a must in the free tier.

• The software should be available on different devices, especially mobile, or access through the web.

• The upgrade path should be obvious. Users should be able to see that advanced features will be available for a paid option.

These features are expected of the best free time tracking tool used in small teams or freelancing.

How it compares to other free or premium tools

To determine if Open Time Clock is the best free option or to assess its quality in a relative sense, other tools and the greater market must be included in the evaluation.

Market context

• As one article on time tracking software for 2025 states, free plans have too many limitations to be useful in most cases.

• The survey of “9 Best Free Time Tracking Software” mentions Clockify as one of the best tools because it provides unlimited users in the free tier.

Comparison highlights

Tool	Free-tier strengths	Where Open Time Clock stands out
Clockify	Unlimited users, tasks/projects, detailed reporting, and even a free tier.	Open Time Clock also promotes unlimited users and strong clock-in methods; simpler, more focused on attendance/time-clock rather than full project time tracking.
General top lists (all tools)	Many free time trackers support timer start/stop, manual entry, and basic reports.	Open Time Clock delivers core time tracking but may not have as many specialized integrations or advanced “project” features as some.
Niche/remote-work focussed tools	Some offer automatic tracking, mobile/desktop apps, and integrations.	If your use case is simpler (attendance + time logs) rather than full project billing + automatic tracking + integrations, Open Time Clock may hit the sweet spot.

Use-cases where Open Time Clock is a strong pick

• Time tracking, along with attendance and timesheet management for lightweight needs not incorporating complex project/task tracking.

• Organizations with unlimited free accounts, including non-profits and schools. The government or non-profit organizations are eligible for the free NPO plan as mentioned on the site.

• Small businesses or teams with lightweight needs and no requirement for deeper integrations.

Use cases for which you might look for other options.

• Freelancers and agencies looking for detailed time tracking, billing, and multiple integrations at the client/task level may want to consider Clockify or Toggl Track.

• Teams needing advanced mobile apps, background automatic tracking of documents or tasks, and offline capabilities.

• Organizations needing timesheet approvals, budget forecasting and resource utilization with advanced project management will be disappointed.

Feature-deep dive: What does Open Time Clock offer and how well?

Key feature areas will determine how well Open Time Clock performs.

1. Clock-in/Out & Attendance

• Multiple methods for clocking in, including PIN, face recognition, barcode, and RFID.

• Every device with a browser will allow web-based access.

• As reviewers mentioned, it is versatile for both office and field/team scenarios.

Verdict: Very solid for attendance/time-clock needs; one of the strong suits of the tool.

2. Timesheets, Reporting & Exports

• User reports illustrate how customizable reports for payroll save time.

• Limitations imposed on the free tier, as previously described, does apply to printing or exporting.

Verdict: Great features; however, if you plan to do advanced reporting or exports on the free plan, you will want to check what is included in the free plan exactly.

3. Team & User Management

• Supports setting up users, departments, and schedules. These functionalities get reviewer mentions.

• An important aspect of a free plan is unlimited users, a big advantage for bigger teams on a budget.

Verdict: From a support standpoint, the free tier in attendance and time-clocking context support is robust because the team is strong.

4. Mobile & Remote Capability

• Web-based means access from device and browser, and there are mobile apps, see the Apple App Store listing for more information.

• Some users caution about the need for reliable connectivity in remote and field settings.

Verdict: Like most cloud tools, reliable connectivity is necessary, and in most scenarios, the tool performs well.

5. Project/Task Tracking & Integrations

• The website mentions "Projects and Jobs" features, as well as video tutorials.

• We appreciate that many free plan time trackers lack deep task level tracking auto-billing, and other billing features which are standard in the paid tiers.

• From user reviews and third-party comparisons, the focus of the Open Time Clock is more on attendance and time-clocking.

Verdict: We commend the tool for basic project and time job tracking, but heavy project management features and task tracking might require a different tool.

6. Cost & Upgrade Path

• For advanced features, a paid version is available and is priced to include 100 users for a flat monthly cost.

Verdict: The free and paid tier offers are seamless to navigate and understand. This is a great candidate for “free integrated time tracking tools”.

Strengths you’ll like

1. Simplicity of the interface leads to easy adoption by teams.

2. Having unlimited users offered on the free tier is a rarity among time-trackers.

3. Good for hybrid/field teams with varied options to clock-in using face recognition, barcode, and RFID.

4. Basic reporting available with the free account is satisfactory.

5. Exceptional value for budget-constrained organizations, inclusive of non-profits.

Things to check

Under certain conditions, advanced project and task tracking, billing, and integrations might hit your free tier limits.

• If your team operates with no Internet connectivity or from low-connectivity regions, filling web-based systems can pose challenges.

• Always compare the features of free and paid plans. Some features such as report printing and exporting, might only be offered in the paid plans.

Conclusions

Choosing the best free time tracking tool in 2025 depends on your specific needs whether you’re a freelancer, small business owner, or managing a remote team. Tools like Clockify and Toggl Track shine for their simplicity and generous free plans, while MyHours and TimeCamp offer strong reporting and task management features. Connecteam, on the other hand, is ideal for mobile or field-based teams. The key is to pick a tool that’s intuitive, integrates smoothly with your existing workflow, and provides reliable insights into how time is spent.

Free time tracking tools today are powerful enough to boost productivity, improve project accuracy, and streamline client billing without costing a cent. Start with a free plan, test its usability, and upgrade only if your team outgrows the limitations. With the right tool, you’ll save time, stay organized, and gain valuable clarity on your work habits.

FAQs

What is the best free time tracking tool in 2025?

Clockify is widely regarded as the best free time tracking tool for most users due to its unlimited projects and users.

Are free time tracking tools secure?

Yes, most reputable tools use encryption and secure cloud storage, though you should always review each platform’s privacy policy.

Can I use these tools offline?

Some, like Toggl Track and TimeCamp, offer offline tracking that syncs automatically once you’re online again.

Do free time tracking tools support integrations?

Yes, popular tools like Clockify and Toggl integrate with Slack, Asana, Trello, and other productivity apps.

Which time tracking tool is best for remote teams?

Connecteam and TimeCamp are great for distributed or remote teams, offering real-time monitoring and attendance management features.