SwiftBill vs Harvest:
Free invoicing vs time tracking suite
Harvest is built around time tracking first — the invoicing flows out of logged hours. At $12/seat/month, you're paying for a timer whether you use it or not. SwiftBill is built purely for invoicing and costs nothing.
$0
SwiftBill — free forever
Invoicing, clients, PDF, public links
$12
Harvest per seat, per month
Time tracking + invoicing suite
Why freelancers choose SwiftBill
- Free forever — not $12/month for features you may not use
- Invoice by project, milestone, or hourly — no time tracker required
- Ready in 60 seconds — no project setup, no timer configuration
- Try the live demo without creating an account
When Harvest earns its $12/month
- →You bill strictly by the hour and need an active timer while working
- →You manage multiple team members whose time you need to track
- →You want project budget warnings when a project nears its estimated hours
- →You need built-in integrations with tools like Asana or Basecamp
Frequently asked questions
What does Harvest have that SwiftBill doesn't?
Harvest is built primarily around time tracking — logging hours against projects and clients, then converting those tracked hours into invoices. It also has expense tracking, project budgets, and team reporting. If you bill by the hour and need a timer running while you work, Harvest's model fits. If you invoice fixed fees or project rates, you're paying for a time tracker you don't need.
Is Harvest worth $12/month just for invoicing?
No. Harvest's $12/seat/month pricing is built around time tracking features. Freelancers who only need to send invoices are paying for the timer, project budget tracking, and team management features. SwiftBill handles invoicing completely free and Pro is $9/month flat for unlimited invoices — cheaper than one Harvest seat.
Can I use SwiftBill if I bill hourly?
Yes. When creating an invoice in SwiftBill, you add line items with description, quantity (hours), and rate. The total calculates automatically. You don't need a built-in time tracker — just log your hours however you already do (notes, spreadsheet, any app) and enter them as line items.
Does SwiftBill have a free trial?
No trial needed — the free plan is genuinely free forever. 5 invoices/month, 3 saved clients, no expiry, no credit card. Try the demo at swiftbill.dev/demo before even creating an account.
Who typically switches from Harvest to SwiftBill?
Freelancers who signed up for Harvest mainly for invoicing, realised they weren't running the timer or using project budgets, and don't want to pay $12/month for features they ignore. If your invoicing process is: open tool → add client → add line items → download PDF, SwiftBill does exactly that for free.
Save $144/year — SwiftBill is free
Professional invoicing without the time tracking overhead. No card, no setup, 60 seconds.