Harvest vs Kimai
Comprehensive comparison for 2026: features, pricing, and expert recommendations
By Shyft Research TeamUpdated Apr 11, 2026
TL;DR
- Both tools is our recommended choice for most users
- Compare ratings, features, and pricing below
- See detailed pricing comparison below
- Best for: Small agencies and consulting firms that need expense tracking alongside time tracking and want a ready-to-use solution with support.
Harvest Rating
N/A
Kimai Rating
N/A
Harvest Price
$12/mo
Kimai Price
Free
When comparing Harvest and Kimai, the choice often comes down to specific needs around invoicing, reporting, and data sovereignty. Harvest is a well-established tool with strong invoicing and reporting features, making it ideal for teams that need detailed project tracking and billing. Kimai, on the other hand, is an open-source solution that offers EU data hosting, making it a suitable choice for teams prioritizing data sovereignty and EU compliance.
Quick Verdict
Harvest offers a polished commercial solution with built-in expense tracking and premium support for $12/month, while Kimai provides similar core functionality as a free open-source alternative. The main trade-off is between Harvest's convenience and professional features versus Kimai's zero cost and customization potential.
Choose Harvest
Pick Harvest if you want expense tracking integration, professional customer support, and prefer a hosted solution without technical setup requirements.
Best for: Small agencies and consulting firms that need expense tracking alongside time tracking and want a ready-to-use solution with support.
OR
Choose Kimai
Pick Kimai if you want to avoid monthly subscription costs, need full control over your data and hosting, or require extensive customization capabilities.
Best for: Budget-conscious teams, tech-savvy organizations comfortable with self-hosting, and businesses requiring custom time tracking workflows.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Harvest
Kimai
Category
productivity
productivity
Rating
No rating
No rating
Starting Price
$12/mo
Free
Free Tier
What it Does
Time tracking and invoicing for teams and freelancers
Effortless Time Tracking for Teams
Key Features
- Time tracking with timers and manual entry
- Invoicing with customizable templates
- Expense tracking and reporting
- Project management with task assignments
- Team scheduling and workload management
- Open-source time tracking
- Team and project management
- Invoice generation from time data
- Detailed reporting and analytics
- API for custom integrations
Top Integrations
Slack, Trello, Asana, Zapier, QuickBooks9+ total
Zapier, Slack, Trello, Asana, QuickBooks8+ total
Best For
- Freelancers
- Small to medium-sized teams
- Project managers
- Freelancers
- Small to medium-sized businesses
- Project managers
API
SSO
MCP Server
Compliance
GDPR SOC2 HIPAA
GDPR SOC2 HIPAA
Frequently Asked Questions
For teams that need robust invoicing and reporting features, Harvest is the better choice. However, if your team is based in the EU and data sovereignty is a priority, Kimai offers a solid alternative. Both tools have their strengths, but the decision ultimately depends on your specific requirements.
Our Expert Verdict
“Harvest offers a polished commercial solution with built-in expense tracking and premium support for $12/month, while Kimai provides similar core functionality as a free open-source alternative. The main trade-off is between Harvest's convenience and professional features versus Kimai's zero cost and customization potential.”
Pros
- • Harvest: Established solution
- • Kimai: Established solution
Recommendation: We recommend harvest for most use cases.
Verdict: Harvest vs Kimai
Winner: harvest
Harvest offers a polished commercial solution with built-in expense tracking and premium support for $12/month, while Kimai provides similar core functionality as a free open-source alternative. The main trade-off is between Harvest's convenience and professional features versus Kimai's zero cost and customization potential.
Common Questions: Harvest vs Kimai
Both Harvest and Kimai are strong productivity tools. Harvest and Kimai. The best choice depends on your team size, budget, and specific feature requirements. Both offer ways to try before you buy.