Harvest alternatives: 3 free & open-source picks
Compare recorded free and open-source options, their capabilities and operating requirements. Source dates are shown below; licenses, hosted limits and project activity can change.
Timesheets become invoices cleanly; unfortunately the replacement arrives attached to an entire ERP and its operations manual.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installManaged Frappe Cloud signup, or the supported Frappe Docker/Bench deployment
dataSelf-hosted companies live in MariaDB site databases with site files and attachments on the server; managed-hosting data lives in the selected Frappe Cloud site.
the catch vs HarvestERPNext can turn timesheets into invoices, but its ERP-sized setup and interface are much heavier than Harvest's fast timers, approvals, native apps, and project reporting.
setupSelf-hosting is an ERP deployment rather than a desktop install: Docker or Bench, MariaDB, Redis, workers, a reverse proxy, backups, upgrades, and country-specific accounting setup.
facts verified 2026-08-11
Harvest is in there somewhere, behind an entire ERP; the price is zero and the setup vocabulary is not.
licenseGPL-3.0+
runsyour server
installDoliWamp, DoliDeb, DoliRPM, Docker, or a conventional PHP web-server installation
dataBusiness records live in MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL, while uploaded and generated documents live in Dolibarr's documents directory or mounted volume.
the catch vs HarvestDolibarr buries a simple timer-to-invoice job inside an ERP and lacks Harvest's focused timer experience, polished native apps, reminders, approvals, and integration breadth.
setupA packaged desktop-style installer exists on some platforms, but a durable deployment still needs a web server or Docker, database, HTTPS, backups, updates, and localization.
facts verified 2026-08-11
Timesheets, rates, reports and invoices are all there; approvals need its free plugin and the server still needs an adult.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour server
installOfficial Docker Compose stack
dataUsers, projects, activities, rates, and timesheets live in MySQL or MariaDB; plugins, configuration, and generated files live in persistent server volumes.
the catch vs HarvestKimai matches timesheets and billing well, but its native-client, offline-mobile, approval, integration, and zero-administration experience is less polished than Harvest's.
setupA non-expert needs Docker, a domain and TLS, database and application secrets, email configuration, backups, upgrades, and optional plugins for some workflows.
facts verified 2026-08-11
latest recorded source check 2026-08-11 · check current terms at the source
Invoice Ninja FreeIt turns time into invoices, but the free plan stops at five clients and the code is Elastic-licensed, not open source.
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERPNext | GPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 35,700 | 2026-08 |
| Dolibarr | GPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, windows, linux, self-hosted | 7,500 | 2026-07 |
| Kimai | AGPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 4,900 | 2026-08 |
People still pay for Harvest because the timer is simple, but people pay for frictionless capture and a history they trust enough to invoice or change habits from. The recurring cost buys idle detection, permissions, app metadata, privacy, notifications, sync, reports, integrations, and backups, not just the visible interface. The recorded subscription totals $132 a year before any costs of an alternative.
Questions about these alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Harvest?
Yes: ERPNext, Dolibarr, Kimai. These are recorded free or open-source options. Compare their feature limits, licenses, hosting costs and current availability before choosing.
Should I just build my own Harvest?
Our verdict is KINDA. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Harvest, track project time, turn approved entries into simple invoices, and export reports. The hard boundary is team timesheets, integrations, invoicing, reminders, support, and reliability, plus ubiquitous capture, coaching, and team workflow. Review the scope, implementation prompt and trade-offs in the Harvest build guide.
