Overview

Tick was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in the United States. It is a lightweight online time tracking tool in the productivity space, helping freelancers and small teams record project hours, manage budgets and generate client reports with a clean interface and low onboarding cost.

Tick offers both a timer and manual entry, classifies time by project, client and task, and supports billing and integration through time reports and a RESTful API. Subscriptions run roughly in the $10-20/month range with a free trial, suiting individuals and small teams on a budget that want lightweight time management; see freelance work management tips for complementary practices.

Key Strengths

  • Easy to start: a clean interface with one-click timer start/stop and flexible manual entry needs no complex setup, ideal for freelancers getting started quickly.
  • Project/client/task classification: three-level classification keeps time attribution clear for project cost tracking and client reconciliation.
  • Automatic time reports: multi-dimensional statistics by project, client and member can be used directly for billing and quotes.
  • RESTful API integration: connects with project management and finance tools or custom systems; see remote team toolchain.
  • Lightweight subscription cost: roughly $10-20/month with a free trial, friendlier for small teams than feature-heavy enterprise tools.

Product Ecosystem

Timer and Manual Entry

Core time recording: the timer tracks in real time, and manual entry backfills past hours for meetings, travel and similar situations.

Projects and Clients

Time is organized by project, client and task, with per-project budgets and overrun alerts.

Reports

Hours are aggregated automatically and reported by project, client and member, with export for billing and review.

RESTful API

An API for third-party tools and custom systems enables time data sync and automation.

Mobile and Web Clients

Web and mobile clients let you record and review hours anywhere.

Limitations

  • Lightweight positioning: no invoicing or expense management, so a complete business loop needs additional finance tools.
  • Paid after the free trial: there is no long-term free tier, so budget-sensitive users should weigh the subscription cost.
  • Leaner integration ecosystem: fewer third-party integrations than Harvest or Toggl, which may constrain complex workflows.
  • Basic team features: no approval flows or fine-grained permissions; large organizations should move to a dedicated time and project management platform.

Use Cases

  • Freelancer time management (recommended ★★★★): a lightweight way to record project hours and generate client bills.
  • Small team project accounting (recommended ★★★★): track hours and budgets by project and client to control costs.
  • Integration with finance tools (recommended ★★★★): sync time data to invoicing or finance systems through the API.
  • Fine-grained management in large organizations (recommended ★★): approval and permission capabilities are limited; see remote team management tool comparison for more professional platforms.

Pricing

Plan Price Key Features
Free Trial $0 Full timing and reporting during the trial
Subscription about $10-20/month (range) Timer, project/client classification, time reports, API integration

Note: Prices are public subscription reference ranges; tiers vary by user count and features, so check the official site for the latest quotes.

FAQ

  • What is the difference between Tick and Toggl Track? Tick focuses on hours and budgets classified by project, client and task, while Toggl Track is known for flexible timing and many entry points; both are lightweight, so compare in productivity tool collection.

  • Can Tick invoice automatically? Tick focuses on time recording and reports; invoicing requires syncing hours to finance or invoicing tools through the API, as covered in automated invoicing and billing systems.

  • Does Tick have a mobile app? Yes, Web and mobile clients let you record and review hours anywhere, convenient for travel and off-site work; see remote team toolchain to pair it with other tools.

  • Is Tick suitable for multi-person teams? It suits small teams for project hours and budgets; teams needing approvals and fine-grained permissions should use a dedicated time management platform.