Best Project Management Tools for Agencies With Time Tracking (2026)
Agency project management is only useful if it protects margin. The right tool should connect tasks to tracked time, budgets, retainers, utilisation and client billing, not just move cards across a board. We ranked this list using the fixed AgencySoftware index, then filtered for project-management tools that matter when time tracking is part of the operating model. ClickUp leads this set on index score and value, Asana is the cleaner structured-work option, and Teamwork is the strongest fit when client work, budgets and billing sit at the centre of delivery. Harvest is worth considering alongside these tools if your project system is already working. It is a time tracking and invoicing layer, not a full project-management replacement.
Reviewed by Marcus Taylor · how we score · Last updated 2026-06-30 · compare tools · affiliate disclosure
At a glance
| Tool | Index | Ease | From | Free | Best for |
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Choosing the right tool
Start with the billing workflow, not the task view. If time has to become an invoice, check whether entries attach to projects, tasks, clients and billable rates before you look at dashboards.
Do the plan-limit maths. ClickUp is strong value from $7, but advanced time tracking and timesheet approvals are gated by plan and usage. Teamwork starts higher at $10.99, but its paid tiers are built around billable work, budgets, retainers and invoicing.
Be honest about Asana’s time-tracking fit. It is clean and reliable for structured delivery, but Personal and Starter lean on integrations or add-ons for time and budget tracking. Native estimated-versus-actual time sits higher up the plan ladder.
Treat Harvest as a layer, not a replacement. It is a good fit if your team likes its current PM tool but needs stronger time capture, invoicing, expenses, payments and reporting. The catch is extra process if time data has to live in two places.
Check client and capacity reporting before rollout. Agencies need to see which clients are profitable, which retainers are over-serviced, and where people are overbooked. A tidy task list does not answer those questions on its own.
Watch payment and usage fees. Harvest can connect invoicing and payments, but Stripe and PayPal fees still apply, and Harvest says some extra invoices, projects, clients and tasks may be billed based on usage.
FAQ
What is the best project management tool for agencies with time tracking?
ClickUp is the best first pick if you want the highest-index project-management tool in this set, with tasks, docs, dashboards and native time tracking from a low starting price. The trade-off is setup time, plus plan and usage limits around advanced time tracking and approvals.
Is Teamwork better than ClickUp for agency time tracking?
Teamwork is better if your main problem is connecting client projects to billable time, budgets, retainers, invoices and profit reporting. ClickUp ranks higher overall in the AgencySoftware index and is better value for flexible PM, but Teamwork is more purpose-built for client-service operations.
Does Asana include native time tracking?
Asana’s Personal and Starter plans reference time tracking through integrations, while Advanced includes native time tracking for estimated versus actual time. Starter users can also use a Timesheets and Budget Add-On, so Asana is strongest when you value task clarity and are willing to pay or integrate for deeper time tracking.
Should agencies use Harvest with a project management tool?
Use Harvest if your PM tool handles delivery well but billing, expenses, payments and time reporting are weak. It includes time tracking across all plans and invoicing on its Free plan, but it is not a full project-management system and can create duplicate time data if the process is unclear.
How are the tools in this ranking scored?
We score tools on ease of use, feature depth, how well they scale with client work, and price and value. The same underlying tool data powers our reviews, rankings and comparison pages.