Best Timesheet Apps for UK Small Business (2026)
Compare the 7 best timesheet apps for UK small businesses in 2026. Side-by-side pricing, features, and real pros/cons to help you choose the right one.
Finding the right timesheet app saves hours each week and ensures you're paying correctly. We tested the top options for UK small businesses. If you're still using spreadsheets, read our guide on when to switch from Excel to a timesheet app.
Quick Summary
Built for UK SMEs. Simple weekly timesheets, approval workflows, and payroll export.
From £2/employee/month
Unlimited free users. Good for basic tracking, but limited approval workflows.
Free / Paid from £4.99/user
Excellent project tracking and reporting. Better for billable hours than standard timesheets.
Free / Paid from £9/user
What to Look For
For UK small businesses, the essentials are:
- Easy time entry — Employees should log hours in under a minute
- Manager approval — Required for HMRC compliance and payroll accuracy
- UK payroll export — Xero, QuickBooks UK, or CSV
- Mobile access — For remote workers and site-based staff
- GDPR compliance — UK/EU data storage
Detailed Comparison
TimeTally
Built specifically for UK SMEs who need simple weekly timesheets with proper approval workflows. No complex project tracking or timer features — just straightforward timesheet submission and approval.
Pros
- • Purpose-built for UK employment
- • Weekly timesheet format
- • Built-in leave management
- • Exports to UK payroll software
- • £2/employee — no per-admin fees
Best for: UK businesses (5-50 staff) who need standard timesheets without project complexity.
TimeTallyThe UK Timesheet App Built for Small Business
Purpose-built for UK employers — weekly timesheet format, HMRC-compliant records, and direct export to Xero or QuickBooks.
Free for 14 days • No credit card required
Clockify
The most popular free option. Unlimited users on the free tier with basic time tracking. Good for bootstrapped startups but you'll hit limitations as you grow.
Pros
- • Unlimited free users
- • Project and task tracking
- • Timer and manual entry
- • Good reporting
Cons
- • Limited approval workflows on free tier
- • No built-in leave management
- • US-focused (limited UK payroll integration)
- • Paid plans get expensive
Best for: Freelancers and very small teams who need basic tracking and can live without approval workflows.
Toggl Track
Excellent for consultants and agencies tracking billable hours by project. More sophisticated than basic timesheet apps, but the complexity isn't needed for standard employment scenarios.
Pros
- • Beautiful interface
- • Powerful project reporting
- • Browser extensions and integrations
- • Team comparison features
Cons
- • Overkill for simple timesheets
- • No weekly timesheet view
- • Expensive per-user pricing
- • US company (support timezone)
Best for: Professional services firms tracking billable hours by project.
TimeTallyStop Chasing Timesheets — Automate the Whole Process
TimeTally sends automated reminders, collects submissions in 60 seconds, and routes them straight to manager approval.
Free for 14 days • No credit card required
Others Worth Mentioning
Harvest — Similar to Toggl but includes invoicing. Good for freelancers billing clients directly. £10.80/user.
Deputy — Shift scheduling with timesheet features. Better for hospitality/retail than office workers. From £4/user.
Hubstaff — Includes employee monitoring (screenshots, activity tracking). Useful for remote agencies but feels invasive for most UK workplaces.
Making Your Decision
Ask yourself:
- Do you track projects/tasks or just hours worked? — If just hours, simpler is better.
- Do you need manager approval before payroll? — Essential for most UK employers.
- What's your UK payroll software? — Check export compatibility.
- Do you need leave management too? — Some apps include it, others don't.
Most apps offer free trials. Test with a few employees before committing.