You finished a project. The client asks for an invoice. You look back and think: "How long did that actually take?"
If you don't have a clear answer, you're guessing. And freelancers who guess their hours almost always guess low. Studies suggest freelancers without time tracking lose 10-20% of their billable time—hours worked but never billed.
Here's how to track time properly and actually capture what you earn.
Why Time Tracking Matters
You Bill for All Your Work
Without tracking, it's easy to forget the research you did, the emails you answered, the revisions you made. All that time adds up. Tracking ensures you bill for everything you actually did.
You Know Your Real Hourly Rate
Think you make $100/hour on that client? If you're spending unbilled hours on admin, revisions, and communication, your effective rate might be $60. Time tracking reveals the truth.
You Price Future Projects Better
Fixed-price project that took longer than expected? Without time data, you'll make the same mistake next time. With it, you can quote accurately.
You Spot Problem Clients
Some clients take more time than they're worth. Time tracking makes this visible. That "easy" project with endless revisions? You'll see the real numbers.
You Justify Your Invoices
Clients occasionally question bills. Time logs provide documentation. "Here's exactly what I worked on and when" ends most disputes.
Time Tracking Methods Compared
Pen and Paper
Write down what you worked on and for how long.
Pros:
- No software to learn
- Works anywhere
- No cost
Cons:
- Easy to forget to write things down
- Hard to total up at the end of the week
- No backup if you lose the paper
- Difficult to analyze patterns
Best for: Occasional tracking or very simple work arrangements.
Spreadsheets
Create an Excel or Google Sheets document to log time.
Pros:
- Familiar interface
- Can create formulas for totals
- Customizable to your needs
- Free (mostly)
Cons:
- Requires manual entry
- No timer functionality
- Easy to fall behind on updates
- Separate from invoicing
Best for: Freelancers who already use spreadsheets and want a simple starting point.
Dedicated Time Tracking Apps
Tools like Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest focus specifically on time tracking.
Pros:
- One-click timer start/stop
- Reports and analytics
- Mobile apps for tracking anywhere
- Reminders to track
Cons:
- Another tool to manage
- Monthly subscription costs
- Separate from invoicing (data export needed)
- Some are feature-bloated for solo freelancers
Best for: Freelancers who need detailed tracking and don't mind multiple tools.
Integrated Time Tracking (In Invoicing Software)
Time tracking built into the same tool that generates invoices.
Pros:
- No data transfer between systems
- Track time, create invoice in one place
- No "tool sprawl"
- Time entries become invoice line items directly
Cons:
- May have fewer advanced tracking features than dedicated apps
Best for: Freelancers who want efficiency and hate managing multiple tools.
Best Practices for Accurate Tracking
Start the Timer Immediately
The moment you open a project, start tracking. Don't tell yourself "I'll remember to log it later." You won't. Or you'll underestimate.
Track Everything
Not just "design work" or "coding," but:
- Client calls and emails
- Project-specific research
- File organization and setup
- Revisions and feedback rounds
- Administrative work for that client
All of this is work. If you don't bill for it, you're giving it away.
Be Specific in Notes
Bad: "Website work — 3 hours"
Good: "Designed hero section and navigation for homepage — 3 hours"
Specific notes make invoices clearer and help you remember what you did when creating them.
Review Daily, Not Weekly
At the end of each day, review your time entries. Did you forget anything? Is everything categorized correctly? Catching gaps daily is much easier than reconstructing a week.
Set Minimum Increments
Quick email that took 8 minutes? Still takes mental energy and context switching. Common increments:
- 15 minutes — Simple, rounds easily
- 6 minutes (0.1 hour) — Standard in legal and consulting
Whatever you choose, be consistent.
Separate Clients and Projects
Track time by client, and within clients, by project. This lets you see:
- Which clients take the most time
- Which projects were profitable vs. not
- Where your time actually goes
Track Fixed-Price Projects Too
Even when you've quoted a flat rate, track your time. Why?
- Know if you priced correctly — If a $2,000 project takes 40 hours, you made $50/hour. Is that what you wanted?
- Quote better next time — Similar projects will have similar time requirements
- Spot scope creep — When "one small change" becomes ten, you have numbers to discuss
- Justify change orders — "This is 8 hours of additional work" is more persuasive with data
From Time to Invoice
Time tracking is only useful if it becomes revenue. The workflow matters.
The Manual Way
- Export time entries from tracking tool
- Open invoicing software
- Manually create line items based on time data
- Check math and totals
- Send invoice
This works but creates friction and opportunities for error.
The Integrated Way
- Track time in the same tool that creates invoices
- Select time entries to bill
- Generate invoice with one click
- Review and send
Less friction means invoicing happens faster, which means you get paid faster.
Common Time Tracking Mistakes
- Only tracking "real work" — Emails, calls, and admin are work too. Track them.
- Reconstructing time at the end of the week — Memory is unreliable. Track in real-time.
- Using too many tools — Timer in one app, invoicing in another, project management in a third. Data gets lost.
- Not tracking fixed-price work — You can't improve what you don't measure.
- Forgetting to stop the timer — Left it running over lunch? Now your data is wrong.
- Tracking but not reviewing — Data without analysis is useless. Look at your numbers.
- Being too detailed — "9:00-9:02: read email. 9:02-9:07: replied to email..." is overkill. Group by task.
What to Look for in Time Tracking Tools
If you're choosing software, consider:
- Ease of starting/stopping — If it takes more than two clicks, you won't use it
- Client/project organization — Can you categorize time properly?
- Reporting — Can you see where your time goes?
- Invoice integration — Does it connect to how you bill?
- Cost — Monthly fees add up; consider one-time purchase options
- Simplicity — Do you need 50 features or 5 that work well?
IronBase includes time tracking built into the invoicing workflow. Start a timer, categorize by client, and turn tracked time directly into invoice line items. No subscription—$79 once, works offline, keeps your data local. Simple by design.
Your Time is Your Inventory
As a freelancer, time is your only inventory. Every hour you work but don't bill is revenue lost. Every hour you spend on a project affects its profitability.
Time tracking isn't about surveillance or micromanagement. It's about knowing what your time is worth, charging for all of it, and making smarter decisions about where to spend it.
Key Takeaways
- Freelancers without time tracking lose 10-20% of billable hours
- Track everything—calls, emails, admin—not just "real work"
- Start tracking the moment you begin work
- Review daily; don't try to reconstruct at week's end
- Fixed-price projects need tracking too (for better future pricing)
- Integrated time-to-invoice tools reduce friction
- Simple beats complex—use a system you'll actually stick with
The best time tracking system is the one you actually use. Pick something simple, build the habit, and stop giving away hours you've already worked.