# BillNotch

> BillNotch is automatic time tracking that bills itself. A desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux records your active window with no timer to start, AI-categorizes the activity into client projects, sums your billable total, and turns it into a PDF invoice. Built for freelancers and small agencies who bill by the hour. The Revenue Leak Finder flags billable time you tracked but never invoiced. Pricing: Pro $9/mo (1 seat), Team $12/seat/mo, both with a 14-day free trial — there is no free plan. Window titles can stay on your device; data is processed on EU servers and never sold.

## Product
- [BillNotch](https://billnotch.com/): automatic time tracking and invoicing overview
- [Automatic time tracker](https://billnotch.com/automatic-time-tracker): how automatic capture works end to end, what the tracker records, and the privacy model
- [Linux time tracking](https://billnotch.com/linux-time-tracking): the native Linux desktop tracker (.deb, .rpm, .AppImage), which Wayland compositors it supports, and how it compares to ActivityWatch and Kimai
- [Freelance invoicing software](https://billnotch.com/freelance-invoicing-software): how tracked hours become a PDF invoice — preview, draft, explicit send — plus what it deliberately does not do
- [Pricing](https://billnotch.com/pricing): Pro and Team plans, 14-day trial
- [Revenue Leak Calculator](https://billnotch.com/revenue-leak-calculator): free no-signup tool estimating billable revenue lost to untracked hours
- [Hours to Decimal Calculator](https://billnotch.com/hours-to-decimal-calculator): free no-signup converter between hours:minutes and decimal hours in both directions (minutes ÷ 60 and back), with reference charts each way, a 1-60 minute chart and billing-increment rounding
- [Billable Hours Calculator](https://billnotch.com/billable-hours-calculator): free no-signup calculator turning hourly rate, hours worked and billable share into weekly, monthly and annual billable value, and pricing the time that never gets logged
- [Timecard Calculator](https://billnotch.com/timecard-calculator): free no-signup weekly timecard — clock in and out each day, deduct unpaid breaks, and get daily and weekly hours plus overtime pay at a configurable threshold and multiplier
- [Time Duration Calculator](https://billnotch.com/time-duration-calculator): free no-signup calculator for the time between two times or two dates, in hours and minutes, decimal hours and total minutes, with overnight spans handled correctly
- [Military Time Converter](https://billnotch.com/military-time-converter): free no-signup two-way converter between 12-hour and 24-hour military time, with the full 24-hour chart, how each hour is spoken, and the ±12 rule
- [Work hours in a year](https://billnotch.com/work-hours-in-a-year): reference tables for work hours and working days in a year, a month and a week — 2,080 standard, 250 working days and 2,000 hours in both 2026 and 2027, a month-by-month 2026 table, plus part-time variants and realistic billable-hour totals
- [Time tracking statistics](https://billnotch.com/time-tracking-statistics): 45 sourced time tracking statistics with the study and year on every row — billable-hours leakage (38% of billable time lost a year, $110,000 per employee, $7.4 billion a day across the US economy), law-firm utilization and realization, freelance rates and independent-workforce size, the planning fallacy and interruption research, payroll and timesheet error costs, remote-work tracking adoption, and time-tracking market size
- [Timesheet templates](https://billnotch.com/timesheet-templates): four free CSV timesheet templates (freelance hourly, weekly, biweekly, consultant) with the columns explained and direct downloads, plus what a timesheet is and how it differs from a timecard
- [About](https://billnotch.com/about): why BillNotch exists and what it believes
- [For agencies](https://billnotch.com/for/agencies): agency time tracking with per-seat team plans, utilization reports, and built-in client invoicing
- [For consultants](https://billnotch.com/for/consultants): consultant time tracking that captures billable hours automatically and turns them into PDF invoices
- [For freelancers](https://billnotch.com/for/freelancers): automatic time tracking for freelancers who bill by the hour — no timer to start, invoicing built in

## Comparisons
- [BillNotch vs Toggl Track](https://billnotch.com/compare/toggl)
- [BillNotch vs Harvest](https://billnotch.com/compare/harvest)
- [BillNotch vs Clockify](https://billnotch.com/compare/clockify)
- [BillNotch vs Timely](https://billnotch.com/compare/timely)
- [BillNotch vs Rize](https://billnotch.com/compare/rize)

## How it works
BillNotch runs a three-step loop. Capture: the desktop app records the active window second by second, with no timer to start. Categorize: deterministic keyword rules map activity to client projects automatically, and optional AI handles the ambiguous cases. Bill: the billable total is ready to send as a PDF invoice or export as CSV. The Revenue Leak Finder then scans for billable work that was tracked but never invoiced.

## Why BillNotch
- Passive capture: unlike Toggl, Clockify, or Harvest (manual timers), BillNotch records work without any user action.
- Automatic categorization: keyword rules plus optional AI sort activity into client projects with no clicking.
- Built-in invoicing: a PDF invoice is generated from the tracked billable total, with no third-party tool.
- Revenue Leak Finder: surfaces billable time that was tracked but never made it onto an invoice.
- Native Linux app: the desktop tracker runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux (Toggl has no Linux app).
- Privacy by default: window titles can stay on your device, and data is processed on EU servers and never sold.

## Guides
- [Time Tracking for Freelancers: The Billing-First Guide](https://billnotch.com/blog/time-tracking-for-freelancers): Time tracking for freelancers is a billing problem: what to record, manual vs automatic capture, turning hours into invoices, and where money leaks.
- [Billable Hours Tracker: 6 Compared on 5 Criteria](https://billnotch.com/blog/billable-hours-tracker): How we evaluated six billable hours trackers — on capture, invoicing, pricing shape, platforms and privacy — plus the trade-off each one makes.
- [Time Tracking Statistics 2026: Which Ones Hold Up](https://billnotch.com/blog/time-tracking-statistics): The time tracking statistics worth citing in 2026, each with a named source, plus the famous time-theft and lost-hours figures that quietly fall apart.
- [How Much to Charge as a Freelancer: A Real Formula](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-much-to-charge-as-a-freelancer): How much to charge as a freelancer: add income, expenses and tax, then divide by your real billable hours — not the 2,080-hour myth that underprices you.
- [Invoice Payment Terms Explained: Net 30, Deposits & More](https://billnotch.com/blog/invoice-payment-terms-explained): What invoice payment terms like Net 30 and 2/10 Net 30 mean, the early-payment discount math, and which terms get freelancers paid sooner.
- [How to Invoice a Client: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-to-invoice-a-client): How to invoice a client, step by step: what to include, how to number invoices, who to send them to, choosing Net terms, and getting paid on time.
- [Time Tracking for Developers: What Actually Works](https://billnotch.com/blog/time-tracking-for-developers): Time tracking for developers fails when it relies on start/stop timers. Why they break, what automatic capture must record, and how to bill the hours.
- [Best Time Tracking Software for Linux (2026)](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-time-tracking-software-for-linux): Time tracking software for Linux is a short list. Which tools run natively, which are web-only, and which combine automatic tracking with invoicing.
- [Best Time Tracking Software for Consultants (2026)](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-time-tracking-software-for-consultants): Time tracking software for consultants, compared on capture, billable rates, invoicing and price — Toggl, Harvest, Clockify and BillNotch.
- [Best Time Tracking Software for Agencies (2026)](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-time-tracking-software-for-agencies): The best time tracking software for agencies in 2026, ranked by team utilization reporting and revenue-leak visibility — Harvest, Toggl and more.
- [Rize Alternatives in 2026: Tracking + Invoicing](https://billnotch.com/blog/rize-alternatives): Rize tracks time automatically but hands off invoicing-ready data instead of the finished invoice, and skips Linux. Honest Rize alternatives, compared.
- [Best Toggl Alternatives in 2026: 6 Honest Picks](https://billnotch.com/blog/toggl-alternatives): The best Toggl alternatives in 2026, compared fairly: BillNotch, Clockify, Harvest, RescueTime, Timely and Memtime — tracking, Linux, invoicing and price.
- [Best Clockify Alternatives in 2026: 5 Honest Picks](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-clockify-alternatives-2026): The best Clockify alternatives in 2026 after the free plan was capped: Toggl, Harvest, TimeCamp, My Hours and BillNotch, compared fairly.
- [Toggl vs Clockify in 2026: Price, Free Tiers & Linux](https://billnotch.com/blog/toggl-vs-clockify): Toggl vs Clockify in 2026: how they compare on price, free plans after Clockify’s April changes, invoicing and Linux — sourced, no winner forced.
- [Freelance Timesheet Template (Free CSV Download)](https://billnotch.com/blog/freelance-timesheet-template): A free freelance timesheet template: download the CSV, see how to fill it by client and project, total billable hours, and turn it into an invoice.
- [Clockify Free Plan Changes in 2026: What to Know](https://billnotch.com/blog/clockify-free-plan-changes-2026): Clockify capped its free plan at 5 users in 2026 and moved invoicing and exports to paid. What actually changed, who’s affected, and your options.
- [Harvest Price Increase in 2026: What Actually Changed](https://billnotch.com/blog/harvest-price-increase-2026): Harvest’s pricing changed after the Bending Spoons deal: the per-seat rate held, but usage-based fees now stack on top. What it means and your options.
- [Automatic Time Tracking With Invoicing: The Rare Combo](https://billnotch.com/blog/automatic-time-tracking-with-invoicing): Most automatic time trackers don’t invoice, and most invoicing tools need manual timers. Why the combo is rare, and what to look for if you want both.
- [Best Harvest Alternatives in 2026: 5 Honest Picks](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-harvest-alternatives-2026): The best Harvest alternatives in 2026, after Bending Spoons added usage-based fees. BillNotch, Toggl, Clockify, Timely and My Hours, compared fairly.
- [What Is Passive Time Tracking? (vs Manual Timers)](https://billnotch.com/blog/what-is-passive-time-tracking): Passive time tracking records your work automatically, with no timer to start. How it works, how it compares to manual timers, and who it is for.
- [What Is a Revenue Leak? Find & Fix Unbilled Time](https://billnotch.com/blog/what-is-a-revenue-leak): A revenue leak is billable work you did but never invoiced. Where freelancers lose unbilled hours — and how to find and fix yours for good.
- [How to Track Billable Hours Accurately (No Timer)](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-to-track-billable-hours): Why manual timers leak revenue, what actually counts as billable, and how automatic time tracking captures the hours you would otherwise forget to bill.
- [How to Calculate Billable Hours: Formula & Examples](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-to-calculate-billable-hours): How to calculate billable hours: the formula, a worked example, decimal-hour conversion, and the tracking mistakes that quietly cost freelancers money.
- [Billable Utilization Rate: Formula & Benchmarks](https://billnotch.com/blog/billable-utilization-rate): Billable utilization rate is the share of your hours you can bill. The formula, healthy benchmarks, and how freelancers can measure and improve it.
- [Billable vs Non-Billable Hours: What Actually Counts](https://billnotch.com/blog/billable-vs-non-billable-hours): Billable vs non-billable hours explained: what counts, the grey areas to settle up front, and how to track both without the overhead.
- [Time Tracking Without Timers: The Complete Guide](https://billnotch.com/blog/time-tracking-without-timers): Time tracking without timers logs your hours automatically — no start/stop. The three approaches (passive, calendar, rules) and who each suits.
- [How to Stop Losing Billable Hours: a Revenue Audit](https://billnotch.com/blog/stop-losing-billable-hours): Stop losing billable hours: run a 30-minute revenue audit on one week, find the gap between time worked and time billed, and close it for good.
- [Why Freelancers Forget to Start Timers (and the Fix)](https://billnotch.com/blog/why-freelancers-forget-to-start-timers): Forgetting to start the timer is a structural problem, not a discipline one. Why it happens, why the usual patches fail, and the capture-first fix.
- [How Many Billable Hours Per Week Is Realistic?](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-many-billable-hours-per-week): How many billable hours per week is realistic? Most freelancers bill 20–30 of a 40-hour week. Benchmarks by role and how to find your real number.
- [Billable Hours Best Practices: 7 Rules That Pay Off](https://billnotch.com/blog/billable-hours-best-practices): Seven billable hours best practices that help freelancers keep more of what they earn — track in real time, bill the edges, round honestly, audit leaks.
- [Freelance Timesheet: How to Build One That Actually Pays You](https://billnotch.com/blog/freelance-timesheet): A freelance timesheet needs date, client, description, duration and a billable flag — filled as you work. What to include and how to stop losing hours.
- [How to Invoice Clients From Your Time Tracker (Step by Step)](https://billnotch.com/blog/how-to-invoice-from-time-tracking): How to invoice from time tracking in six steps: filter by client, keep billable entries, total to decimal hours, apply your rate, and export a PDF.
- [Automatic Time Tracking Software in 2026: Compared](https://billnotch.com/blog/automatic-time-tracking-software): Automatic time tracking software ranges from genuinely passive to “automatic” in name only. The three kinds, how the tools compare, and how to choose.
- [Best Freelance Time Tracking Apps With Invoicing (2026)](https://billnotch.com/blog/best-freelance-time-tracking-with-invoicing): The best freelance time tracking apps with built-in invoicing in 2026 — the tools that capture hours and turn them into an invoice, compared fairly.
- [Freelance Billing Software: What to Look For Before You Buy](https://billnotch.com/blog/freelance-billing-software): Freelance billing software, judged on what matters: automatic capture, billable handling, native PDF invoices, catching unbilled time, and pricing.
- [PDF Invoice Generator for Freelancers: Automatic vs Manual](https://billnotch.com/blog/pdf-invoice-generator-freelancers): PDF invoice generator for freelancers: a blank template vs generating the invoice straight from tracked, billable-flagged time — and why retyping costs.
- [Toggl vs Harvest: Which Is Right for Freelancers in 2026?](https://billnotch.com/blog/toggl-vs-harvest): Toggl vs Harvest for freelancers in 2026: activity-review tracking vs a manual timer, how each invoices, platforms and free tiers — and a third option.
- [How Active-Window Time Tracking Works (Not Spyware)](https://billnotch.com/blog/active-window-time-tracking): How active-window time tracking works: what it records (app, window title, duration), what it doesn’t (no screenshots or keystrokes), and the privacy line.

## More
- [Pricing (machine-readable)](https://billnotch.com/pricing.md): plans, prices, trial terms and cancellation as plain markdown
- [Full text](https://billnotch.com/llms-full.txt): the complete markdown text of every page on this site
- [All guides on the blog](https://billnotch.com/blog)
- [Sitemap](https://billnotch.com/sitemap.xml)
- Contact: support@billnotch.com