There are several tools needed to run a successful virtual assistant business. Having a great time tracking tool is one of the essential ones!
Because there are so many time tracking apps out there, it can be quite overwhelming to know which ones to try out. In addition, most of them charge a fee, so I wanted to share some great free options you can give a whirl.
I recently came across this gem that is super easy to use. It's a time tracker and timesheet app that has a great interface and is free - no matter how many users or projects you have. It was created by a company who was tired of paying fees for time tracking software and was frustrated with how complicated the other tools were. Although it does not have an invoicing feature, you can export your billable hours and use that to create your own invoice.
If you need help with productivity, this is a unique iPhone app to check out. It helps you to battle distractions and practice mindfulness. Reviewers with iPhone addictions say it has helped them quite a bit.
This is a great option is you want a clean interface and need to simply track your hours. The free version includes the ability to add an unlimited number of clients, projects, tasks, and tracks. However, there are fees to add additional users and to use their invoicing feature.
Paymo is free for one user and was mainly built for project management. However, it includes great time tracking and invoicing features that are worth checking out. One thing to keep in mind is that you can only create, add, and store a maximum of three invoices using the free plan. Another item to keep in mind is that there is a decent learning curve.
This tool is great for time tracking. However, the solo version is the only free option and all you have access to is that feature - invoicing and their other elements are only offered in their upgraded versions.
Timer Tab is great if you need a simple timer. (Perhaps you are in the flow of a project, but want to make sure you don't join a dial-in call late? Or you only have a few minutes left to work on a task before you go over your client's allowed time budget?) It allows you to set a countdown, alarm, or stopwatch and even has a Chrome extension.
This tool is totally free and can be used from any device. The key features are the option to use hotkeys and how it records your activity regardless of the device you are using. It recently added an invoicing and payment feature, but your client has to also be a user of Top Tracker in order for you to use it.
If you tend to be on the go, you can use this tool on any of your devices. It's totally free and gives access to all features for solo users. Some features include time tracking, invoicing, overtime alerts, detailed reporting, and access to app integrations.
What is your favorite time tracking tool? Please share in the comments below!
