Best Time Tracking Apps for UK Tradespeople 2026
Most tradespeople undercharge. Not because their prices are too low — but because they're not tracking their time properly. A job you quoted three hours for runs to five, and you eat the difference. Do that a few times a week and it costs you thousands a year.
A decent time tracking app fixes that. Here are the best options for UK tradespeople in 2026.
Do Tradespeople Actually Need a Time Tracking App?
If you charge a fixed price, you still need to know whether your quotes are accurate. If you charge a day rate or hourly, you absolutely need a record of hours worked — both for invoicing and for any disputes with customers.
Time tracking also shows you where your day actually goes. Most tradespeople are surprised when they add it up — travel, admin, and waiting around take far more time than they realise.
Best Time Tracking Apps for UK Tradespeople
1. Tradify — Best All-in-One for Tradespeople
Tradify isn't a standalone time tracker — it's a full job management app with time tracking built in. You log hours against specific jobs, which means your timesheets feed directly into your invoices. No manual transfer, no errors.
For tradespeople who want one app that handles quoting, scheduling, time tracking, and invoicing, Tradify is the strongest option on the market. It's built for the trades, not adapted from a generic business tool.
Try Tradify Free — Use Code PARTNER for 50% Off Your First 3 Months2. Jobber — Strong Option for Growing Trade Businesses
Jobber includes time tracking as part of its job management suite. Particularly useful if you have employees or subcontractors whose hours you need to track separately. The reporting is solid — you can see time spent per job, per team member, and per client.
Try Jobber Free for 14 Days3. Clockify — Best Free Standalone Option
If you just want time tracking without committing to a full job management platform, Clockify is the best free option. You can track time by project, run reports, and export timesheets. The free plan is genuinely useful — not a stripped-back trial.
The downside is it doesn't connect to your invoicing or quoting unless you integrate it with other software. For sole traders who just want to log hours, it does the job.
4. Toggl Track — Simple and Clean
Toggl is popular for a reason — it's dead simple to use. One button to start, one to stop. Strong mobile app, good reporting, and a free tier that covers most sole traders. Like Clockify, it's standalone — you'd need to pull the data across to your invoicing tool manually.
5. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) — Best for Payroll Integration
If you're already using QuickBooks for accounting, QuickBooks Time integrates natively. Good for trade businesses with employees — GPS tracking, shift scheduling, and payroll sync. Overkill for a sole trader, but worth knowing about if you're growing.
What to Look For in a Time Tracking App
Mobile-first
You're not at a desk. The app needs to work properly on your phone — quick to start, easy to stop, minimal faff.
Job-level tracking
Logging hours against specific jobs (not just a general timer) is far more useful for invoicing and reviewing your pricing accuracy.
Reporting
You want to be able to look back and see which jobs took longer than quoted — that's where the real value is. Good reporting turns time tracking from a chore into a business tool.
Integration with invoicing
The best setups let time flow straight into your invoice. Less admin, fewer mistakes.
Our Recommendation
If you're not already using job management software, don't just add a standalone time tracker — you'll end up with two apps doing half a job each. Get Tradify or Jobber and use the time tracking that's already built in. It connects to your jobs, your invoices, and your customer records. That's worth far more than a timer app on its own.
If you're purely after free and standalone, Clockify is the one to start with.
Want to understand how to use your tracked hours to price jobs more accurately? Read our guide on how to price a job as a tradesperson.
Try Tradify Free — Use Code PARTNER for 50% Off Your First 3 MonthsAffiliate disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we'd genuinely point a tradesperson towards.