A Toggl Track alternative for consultants
Last checked: 2026-10-20
This page is written by Portime, so we're not neutral. We've tried to be fair and link our sources. Prices and features change, so check each vendor's own page before you decide. Toggl Track is a trademark of its owner, named here only to identify the product.
The short version
- Pick Toggl Track if you want a free plan, native apps on every device, automatic tracking, or a large integration catalogue. It's a mature, widely used tool.
- Pick Portime if you bill clients through intermediaries (client → sub-client → project → task), want client-ready Markdown/PDF reports, and want to log time from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Grok through MCP. A small team (up to 5 people) pays one flat $29/month on Pro.
Comparison table
| Portime | Toggl Track | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid pricing | Starter $15/month (1 seat). Pro $29/month (up to 5 seats included). Monthly billing in USD. | Starter $9/user/month billed annually ($12 monthly). Premium $16/user/month annually ($24 monthly). Enterprise on request. |
| Free plan | No | Yes, free forever for up to 3 users |
| Trial | 7 days on Starter. Card required. Pro has no trial. | 30-day trial, no credit card required |
| Structure | Client → sub-client → project → task | Client → project → task (no sub-client level shown on the pages we checked) |
| Timer | Timer and manual entry. Several timers can run at once, with pause and resume. | Real-time timer, manual entry, calendar/list/board views. Automatic desktop activity tracking. Idle detection. Pomodoro. |
| Reports / PDF | Monthly reports in Markdown and PDF. Pro adds filters (billable, billed, project, person), charts and custom PDF reports. | Summary and Time Logs reports. PDF, CSV and XLSX export. Report sharing and scheduled emails on paid plans. |
| Invoicing | No invoices. Reports are built to support your invoicing. | No native invoices. Toggl says to export CSV/PDF into your invoicing tool. Billable rates from Starter. |
| Team seats | Starter: 1. Pro: up to 5. More seats not available yet. | Free up to 3 users. Paid plans are per user. |
| Integrations | MCP server. Google and Microsoft sign-in. | Toggl describes "hundreds of integrations": calendars, browser extension, API. Jira and Asana on Premium. |
| AI assistant / MCP | In-app assistant (100 requests/month on Starter, 500 on Pro). HTTP MCP server on paid plans with a personal access token. Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Grok and other MCP clients. | Official MCP server and CLI on all plans, including Free. Works with Claude, Cursor, Codex and others. |
| Mobile / desktop apps | Web app. Portime Recap menu-bar app for macOS (meeting → tasks you confirm). No native mobile apps; the web app works in a mobile browser. | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, browser extension |
| French | Interface and site in English and French | Mobile apps in French. Web app: Toggl's help pages differ (the Track help article says English only; the newer Toggl app lists French). |
Where Toggl Track is better
- It's free to start. The free plan covers up to 3 users with timers, calendar integrations and simple planning. Portime has no free plan.
- The trial is easier. It's a 30-day trial with no card. Portime's is 7 days and needs a card.
- It runs on every device. There are native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, plus a browser extension. Portime is web-first, with a Mac-only Recap app.
- It can track automatically. Desktop activity tracking and calendar auto-tracking help if you forget timers.
- It integrates widely. That includes Jira and Asana on Premium, calendars, and an MCP server and CLI on all plans.
- It's mature. Toggl has been around for years, with a large user base and public reviews. Portime is new: it launched in 2026.
- It plans and manages compliance. Timeline, capacity, approvals, SSO and SOC 2 Type II / ISO 27001 are all on Toggl's pricing page.
Where Portime fits
- You work through intermediaries. Example: an agency hires you for its end client. Portime keeps a sub-client level between client and project, and reports group entries by client and sub-client.
- You send a monthly activity report. Reports export as Markdown or PDF, grouped by client and project, with a billed/unbilled status on entries.
- You're a small team on a budget. Pro is $29/month flat for up to 5 seats. Five people on Toggl Starter billed monthly would be 5 × $12 = $60/month. The features aren't identical, so compare what you need.
- You'd rather type a question than build a filter. Ask the in-app assistant "What did I work on for Acme last month?" Or log time from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Grok through MCP.
- Your meetings turn into tasks. On a Mac, Recap listens to a meeting from the menu bar. Afterwards you confirm the proposed tasks in Portime, and nothing is created until you accept.
- You want French. The interface is in English and French.
FAQ
Is Portime free like Toggl Track? No. Portime has no free plan. Starter has a 7-day trial and needs a card. You can cancel during the trial without being charged.
Can I import my Toggl Track data into Portime? No. Portime has no importer today, from Toggl Track or from a CSV file. You'd set up your clients and projects again.
Does either tool send invoices? No. Both give you billable hours and reports to use in your invoicing tool.
Do both work with Claude and Cursor? Yes. Toggl's MCP server is on every plan. Portime's MCP needs a paid plan and a personal access token.
Does Portime have mobile apps? No native ones. Portime is a web app that works in a mobile browser. The Recap companion is a macOS menu-bar app (macOS 13 or later). Windows isn't supported yet.
Try Portime
Start the 7-day Starter trial on getportime.com. A card is required, and you can cancel during the trial without being charged.