Space Dial vs Toggl Track vs Clockify: Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies Billing Hourly in 2026

Space Dial is the best time tracking software for agencies that bill clients hourly and need to prove their work without awkward invoice conversations. If you're running a client-facing team—whether that's a dev agency, marketing consultancy, or professional services firm—you've likely experienced the frustration of clients questioning your invoices, asking "why did this take so long?" or assuming you're underworking and padding the bill. Space Dial solves this with a built-in client portal that gives clients real-time transparency into your work, automated monthly summaries, and customizable reports, so billing conversations become collaborative rather than confrontational.

Quick Comparison: Space Dial vs Toggl Track vs Clockify

Methodology: How We Evaluated These Time Trackers

This comparison is based on hands-on testing of each platform, analysis of user reviews from G2 and Capterra, and conversations with agency owners and consultants who bill clients hourly. We evaluated each tool on five key criteria: ease of use, client transparency features, pricing value, team management capabilities, and mobile experience. We focused specifically on tools built for agencies and client-facing teams, not general productivity trackers.

1. Space Dial: Best for Client-Facing Teams Who Bill Hourly

What is Space Dial?

Space Dial is a time tracking platform designed specifically for agencies, consultancies, and professional services teams who work with clients and bill hourly. Unlike general-purpose time trackers, Space Dial's core innovation is its client transparency model: every project gets a shareable portal that clients can access to see exactly what work was done, who did it, and how many hours were logged—eliminating the awkward "prove it" conversations that plague hourly billing.

Key Features

Space Dial combines essential time tracking with features specifically built for client-facing work:

Client Portal & Transparency: Every project has a shareable public link (e.g., spacedial.com/share-project/[ID]) that gives clients visibility into your team's work. Clients can see all hour logs with task descriptions, team members who worked on the project, billable vs non-billable breakdowns, analytics dashboards, and any files or reports you attach. You control what's visible and what stays internal. At the end of each month, clients automatically receive an email summary of the work completed. You can also generate filtered reports at any time—perfect for mid-project check-ins or closing out deliverables.

Team Analytics & Productivity Insights: Space Dial provides a full organization dashboard that shows utilization rates, billable vs non-billable time, team performance trends, and project profitability. Managers get clear visibility into which team members are overloaded, which projects are consuming the most resources, and where productivity gaps exist. This goes beyond simple time logging to actual team management.

Gamification & Motivation: Rather than treating time tracking like surveillance, Space Dial motivates teams with badges, achievement streaks, and leaderboards. Team members can see where they rank in utilization and celebrate hitting productivity milestones. This approach makes time tracking feel collaborative rather than punitive.

Time Off Management: Built-in PTO tracking with approval workflows means your team can request time off directly in Space Dial, managers can approve with one click, and everyone can see who's out when. No more Slack messages or email chains about vacation days.

Mobile App Excellence: Space Dial's mobile app (iOS and Android) maintains the same intuitive design as the web app, making it easy to log hours on the go, track time in real-time, or quickly update your logs from anywhere.

Pros

Space Dial's client transparency eliminates the most painful part of hourly billing. One project manager at a 15-person dev agency told us: "We used to spend hours every month on client calls defending our invoices. Since switching to Space Dial, our clients can see the work happening in real-time. We've had zero invoice disputes in six months, and clients actually thank us for the transparency."

The interface is exceptionally user-friendly compared to competitors. Everything is where you expect it to be, the quick-log bar makes tracking time effortless, and the calendar view gives you a visual overview of your week at a glance. New team members get up and running in minutes, not hours.

Space Dial focuses on being the best at one thing—transparent client time tracking—rather than trying to do everything. This focus means the core experience is polished, intuitive, and genuinely delightful to use every day.

Cons

Space Dial has limited integrations compared to competitors. If your workflow relies heavily on syncing with Asana, Trello, or other project management tools, you'll need to manually log time rather than tracking directly within those platforms. The only integration currently available is Google Calendar for fast logging.

There's no built-in invoicing or payment processing. Space Dial is designed for transparency and accountability, not billing automation. If you need to generate invoices automatically from tracked time, you'll need to use a separate accounting tool like QuickBooks or FreshBooks. As a newer platform, Space Dial doesn't have the brand recognition of Toggl or the massive user base of Clockify. You won't find as many third-party tutorials or community resources, though the platform is intuitive enough that most teams don't need them.

Space Dial Pricing

Space Dial offers two plans:

Personal (Free): Unlimited projects and clients, basic time tracking, to-dos and productivity tools, reports, and client portal access. Perfect for freelancers or solo consultants testing the waters.

Standard ($9/user/month or $84/user/year): Everything in Personal, plus full analytics dashboard, gamification features, team leaderboards, advanced reporting, and priority support. This plan includes a 30-day free trial.

The pricing is transparent and straightforward—no hidden fees for client portals, no premium charges for support, no surprise overages.

2. Toggl Track: Best for Small Teams Wanting Simple Time Tracking

What is Toggl Track?

Toggl Track is one of the most popular time tracking apps on the market, known for its clean, minimalist interface and visual reporting. It's designed for freelancers, small teams, and businesses that want straightforward time tracking without the complexity of enterprise-level features.

Key Features

Toggl Track focuses on making time tracking as frictionless as possible. You can start a timer with one click, add project details later if needed, and track time across web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions. The visual reports are particularly strong—color-coded timelines, project breakdowns, and team productivity comparisons that make it easy to see where time is going.

The platform includes over 100 integrations with project management tools, development environments, and productivity apps. If you work inside Asana, Jira, or GitHub, Toggl can track time directly within those tools.

Recent updates in 2025 added user-specific access controls for billable rates and labor costs, giving managers more granular control over what team members can see regarding pricing information.

Pros

Toggl Track's interface is aesthetic and intuitive. The one-click timer, visual timeline, and color-coded reports make tracking time feel effortless. Users consistently praise how little friction there is between starting work and logging that work.

The reporting is excellent for individuals and small teams. You can quickly see time spent by project, client, or team member, and the visual breakdowns make it easy to spot patterns or inefficiencies.

Toggl's browser extensions and integrations work smoothly, allowing you to track time without leaving your primary workflow tools.

Cons

According to user feedback and our testing, Toggl's interface—while visually appealing—can become complex when managing multiple projects or large teams. The abundance of features and settings can be overwhelming, and the learning curve is steeper than you'd expect from such a "simple" tool.

The free plan is limited to one user only, making it essentially a freelancer-only option. Team plans start at $9/user/month, which is competitive, but you're paying the same price as Space Dial without getting client transparency features.

There's no native client portal or transparency tooling. If you need to share progress with clients, you'll need to manually export reports or integrate with invoicing software—adding friction to the billing process.

Toggl Track Pricing

Free: 1 user only, unlimited projects, basic reporting

Starter: $9/user/month (5 users minimum)

Premium: $18/user/month (advanced reporting, project templates, saved reports)

3. Clockify: Best for Budget-Conscious Teams Needing Basic Tracking

What is Clockify?

Clockify is a time tracking tool that built its reputation on offering a generous free plan with unlimited users. It's become popular with cost-conscious teams, startups, and organizations that need basic time tracking without upfront investment.

Key Features

Clockify's free plan includes unlimited users, unlimited projects, and basic reporting—significantly more generous than Toggl's one-user limitation. The platform offers timer-based tracking, manual time entry, and a kiosk app for employee clock-in/clock-out scenarios.

Paid plans unlock scheduling features, capacity management, time off tracking, GPS tracking, and screenshot monitoring. The reporting capabilities on higher tiers are comprehensive, with custom report building and export options.

Clockify integrates with approximately 80 different tools, including common project management platforms, accounting software, and communication tools.

Pros

The free plan is genuinely useful for small teams. Unlike competitors that severely limit free features, Clockify gives you unlimited users and projects at zero cost, making it attractive for bootstrapped startups or teams testing time tracking for the first time.

The paid plans are affordable ($5.49-11.99/user/month), making Clockify one of the most budget-friendly options for teams that need advanced features.

Clockify works well for shift-based workers and field teams, with kiosk mode, scheduling tools, and GPS tracking that many knowledge-work-focused time trackers don't offer.

Cons

Clockify's employee monitoring features—particularly screenshot capture—create privacy concerns that can damage team trust. Multiple user reviews mention feeling "under surveillance" or uncomfortable with desktop screenshots being captured and shared with managers. This surveillance approach is fundamentally different from Space Dial's motivation-based gamification or Toggl's frictionless tracking.

The Android mobile app has reported reliability issues, according to reviews on G2 and user forums. Users mention frequent crashes, slow processing, and limited functionality without internet connection. The mobile experience is notably weaker than both Space Dial and Toggl.

While the free plan is generous, key features like advanced reporting, invoicing capabilities, and time off management require paid upgrades. The reporting interface also has a learning curve—users note it takes time to master and bulk editing can be cumbersome.

Clockify Pricing

Free: Unlimited users, unlimited projects, basic time tracking

Basic: $5.49/user/month (timesheet features, project templates)

Standard: $7.99/user/month (invoicing, scheduled reports)

Pro: $11.99/user/month (timesheets approvals, custom fields, advanced permissions)

Enterprise: $11.99/user/month (custom solutions, dedicated support)

When Should You Choose Space Dial?

Choose Space Dial if you run a client-facing team that bills hourly and needs to eliminate invoice disputes through transparency. Space Dial is purpose-built for agencies, consultancies, and professional services firms where proving your work is just as important as doing the work.

You should choose Space Dial if:

Your clients frequently question your invoices. The shareable client portal shows real-time progress, task descriptions, and team allocation, turning billing conversations from defensive explanations into collaborative check-ins.

You want your team to actually enjoy tracking time. The gamification features—badges, streaks, and leaderboards—make time tracking feel motivating rather than punitive. Combined with the exceptionally user-friendly interface, team adoption is high.

You value simplicity and focus over feature bloat. Space Dial does one thing extremely well: transparent client time tracking. If you need deep integrations with project management tools or automated invoicing, other options might fit better. But if you need clients to trust your billing, Space Dial is unmatched.

You manage remote or hybrid teams. The mobile app excellence, team analytics dashboard, and built-in time off management make Space Dial particularly valuable for distributed teams where visibility is crucial.

A marketing agency director shared: "We switched from Toggl to Space Dial specifically for the client portal. Our clients love seeing the work happen in real-time, and we've noticed they're much more willing to approve scope expansions because they can see exactly where their budget is going. It's changed our client relationships for the better."

When Should You Choose Toggl Track?

Choose Toggl Track if you're a freelancer, small team, or individual contributor who wants beautiful, simple time tracking with excellent reporting. Toggl is particularly strong if you already work inside project management tools and want seamless integration.

You should choose Toggl if:

You work primarily as a freelancer or solo consultant. The free plan works for one user, and the interface is optimized for individual productivity tracking.

You need deep integrations with your existing workflow. Toggl's 100+ integrations mean you can track time inside Asana, Jira, GitHub, and dozens of other tools without switching contexts.

Visual reporting is your priority. Toggl's color-coded timelines, charts, and project breakdowns are genuinely best-in-class for understanding time allocation at a glance.

You don't need client transparency features. If your billing process involves manually creating invoices from time logs, and clients don't need real-time visibility, Toggl's core features will serve you well.

When Should You Choose Clockify?

Choose Clockify if budget is your primary constraint and you need unlimited users on a free plan. Clockify is also strong for businesses with shift workers, field teams, or mixed workforce models that need scheduling and GPS tracking.

You should choose Clockify if:

You're bootstrapped or testing time tracking for the first time. The unlimited users and projects on the free plan let you get started with zero investment.

You manage field workers or shift-based employees. The kiosk mode, GPS tracking, and scheduling tools make Clockify suitable for industries beyond knowledge work.

You're comfortable with surveillance-style monitoring. If screenshot capture and activity monitoring align with your management philosophy, Clockify's paid plans offer these features.

You have in-house technical expertise. The learning curve for advanced reporting and setup means you'll benefit from having someone technical who can configure the system properly.

However, be aware of the privacy concerns. If team trust and culture matter to your organization, the surveillance features may cause more problems than they solve.

The Bottom Line: Which Time Tracker Is Right for Your Agency?

For agencies and client-facing teams that bill hourly, Space Dial is the clear choice in 2026. The built-in client portal eliminates the most painful part of hourly billing—defending your invoices—while the gamification features and intuitive interface make team adoption effortless. At $9/user/month, it's priced identically to Toggl but delivers significantly more value for client-facing work.

Toggl Track remains excellent for freelancers and small teams who prioritize visual reporting and deep integrations over client transparency. If you work inside project management tools all day and don't need to share progress with clients, Toggl's 100+ integrations and beautiful interface make it a strong choice.

Clockify's free plan is hard to beat if budget is your primary concern, but be mindful of the privacy implications of screenshot monitoring and the reported mobile app reliability issues. The free plan works well for teams testing time tracking, but most will outgrow it quickly.

The most important factor isn't price or features—it's whether the tool matches your workflow. If client transparency matters to your business, Space Dial is purpose-built for that specific need. If integration depth matters more, Toggl wins. If budget is everything, Clockify's free plan is unbeatable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which time tracking software is best for agencies billing hourly?

Space Dial is best for agencies billing hourly because it's the only platform with a built-in client portal that gives clients real-time visibility into your work. This transparency eliminates invoice disputes and makes billing conversations collaborative rather than confrontational. At $9/user/month, it's priced the same as Toggl but delivers more value for client-facing teams.

Does Space Dial integrate with project management tools like Asana or Trello?

No, Space Dial currently only integrates with Google Calendar for fast time logging. The platform focuses on being the best at transparent client time tracking rather than trying to integrate with every tool. If deep project management integration is critical to your workflow, Toggl (100+ integrations) or Clockify (80+ integrations) might be better fits.

Is Clockify really free for unlimited users?

Yes, Clockify's free plan includes unlimited users and unlimited projects, making it the most generous free tier among time tracking tools. However, key features like advanced reporting, invoicing, and time off management require paid upgrades ($5.49-11.99/user/month). The free plan works well for basic time tracking but most teams outgrow it as their needs evolve.

Why is Clockify's employee monitoring controversial?

Clockify's paid plans include screenshot capture and activity monitoring features that many teams view as surveillance rather than productivity tools. User reviews consistently mention feeling "watched" or uncomfortable with these features, which can damage team trust and culture. Space Dial and Toggl take a different approach, focusing on frictionless tracking and motivation rather than monitoring.

Can clients see everything in Space Dial's client portal?

No, you control exactly what clients can see in Space Dial's client portal. You can share hour logs, task descriptions, team member allocations, billable vs non-billable breakdowns, analytics dashboards, and attached files—or you can customize the portal to hide certain elements. Internal team data and notes remain private unless you explicitly choose to share them.

Which time tracker has the best mobile app?

Space Dial and Toggl Track both offer excellent mobile apps with full feature parity to their web versions. Space Dial's mobile app maintains the same intuitive design that makes the web app so easy to use, making it effortless to log hours on the go. Clockify's mobile app has reported reliability issues according to user reviews, including frequent crashes and limited offline functionality.

Do I need time tracking software if I bill fixed-price projects?

Time tracking is still valuable for fixed-price projects because it helps you understand actual project profitability, identify scope creep, and improve future project estimates. Space Dial's team analytics dashboard shows you which projects consume the most resources and where you're over or under-estimating effort, helping you price future fixed-price projects more accurately.

How long does it take to set up Space Dial for my team?

Most teams get Space Dial fully set up in under an hour. The interface is intuitive enough that new team members can start logging time within minutes, and the 30-day free trial gives you plenty of time to test the platform with your team before committing. The quick-log bar and calendar view make daily usage effortless once you're up and running.

Ready to eliminate invoice disputes and build client trust through transparency? Try Space Dial free for 30 days at spacedial.com or download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.