Payroll-first UX
QuickBooks Time is built for payroll compliance, so agency billing workflows feel bolted on.
SourceAlternatives
Best QuickBooks Time Alternative for Hybrid Agencies in 2025
FlexTracker keeps hybrid agencies aligned on scopes, billable mix, and invoices—without forcing your team through payroll-first workflows.
Last reviewed 9/20/2025
Comparing FlexTracker vs QuickBooks Time
Snapshot: FlexTracker vs QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) centers payroll timesheets. FlexTracker focuses on scoped billing data, live dashboards, and invoice-ready exports so agencies can send statements without running reports in QuickBooks.
| Feature | FlexTracker | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scope Governance | Default rates, color tags, and burn-down nudges live inside the timer view. | QuickBooks Time captures hours but expects QuickBooks Online to handle budgets and billable rates. |
| Invoice Builder | Export branded PDFs with grouped categories, notes, and taxes straight from History. | QuickBooks Time sends time data to QuickBooks Online; teams still format invoices separately. |
| Dashboards | Every plan includes dashboards for billable mix, scope drift, and top categories. | QuickBooks Time relies on payroll and job-costing reports in QuickBooks, not built-in dashboards. |
| Hybrid Rollout | Concierge migration maps scopes, categories, and default rates in under a week. | QuickBooks Time setup ties into payroll and accounting settings, slowing hybrid teams. |
Pain points
Why teams look beyond QuickBooks Time
Invoices require QuickBooks Online
Teams must sync hours into QuickBooks Online before invoices look client-ready.
SourceNo scope guardrails
Budgets and billable rates rely on QuickBooks job-costing or spreadsheets.
SourceSetup chained to accounting
Connecting QuickBooks Time requires admin access to payroll and accounting settings.
Why agencies switch to FlexTracker
- Need scope guardrails and billable rates without juggling QuickBooks Online
- Want invoice-ready PDFs instead of exporting timesheets
- Prefer dashboards focused on billable mix, not payroll
- Require migration help for hybrid contractors and retainers
- Looking to consolidate time, scopes, and invoicing into one stack
Why agencies grow past QuickBooks Time
Finance and ops leads like Camille Reyes need more than payroll-ready hours. QuickBooks Time feeds QuickBooks Online, so Camille still wrangles projects and invoices elsewhere. FlexTracker keeps everything together: scopes carry default rates, dashboards surface billable mix instantly, and invoices export as client-ready PDFs without detouring through accounting.
- Timers and manual entry share scope defaults and color status
- Dashboards highlight billable mix, category drift, and overruns without exports
- Invoices inherit saved templates, taxes, and notes for every client
Scope Guardrails without Accounting Detours
Why FlexTracker wins
Set default rates, contract caps, and nudges directly in FlexTracker so scopes stay healthy.
Where QuickBooks Time falls short
QuickBooks Time logs hours, but budgets and rates live in QuickBooks Online job costing.
Sources
“Color tags warn me before scopes go red, so Friday fire drills disappeared.”
Invoices Ready When You Are
Why FlexTracker wins
Finance leads export branded PDFs with grouped categories and taxes straight from History.
Where QuickBooks Time falls short
QuickBooks Time exports CSVs or feeds QuickBooks Online before invoices look client-ready.
Sources
“Invoicing takes minutes now—FlexTracker spits out branded PDFs instead of raw CSV files.”
Dashboards Built for Billable Mix
Why FlexTracker wins
Every plan includes dashboards for billable mix, scope drift, and top categories.
Where QuickBooks Time falls short
QuickBooks Time leans on payroll and job-costing reports, not agency-focused dashboards.
Sources
“Dashboards surface billable mix and top categories without another analytics add-on.”
Less bloat. Lower cost.
FlexTracker keeps it lean
FlexTracker keeps time, scopes, and invoices together for hybrid agencies.
QuickBooks Time adds bloat
QuickBooks Time funnels hours into payroll and accounting workflows first.
| Aspect | FlexTracker | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scope Management | Color-coded scopes + guardrails bundled in | Relies on QuickBooks job-costing to watch budgets |
| Invoice Workflow | Client-ready PDFs generated in FlexTracker | Requires QuickBooks Online invoicing |
| Dashboards | Billable mix dashboards on every plan | Payroll and job-costing reports |
Integrations that keep teams connected
FlexTracker
- • CSV export
Exclusive: CSV export
QuickBooks Time
- • QuickBooks Online
- • ADP
- • Gusto
- • Zapier
FlexTracker focuses on clean CSV exports today while gathering feedback on accounting integrations.
Support that matches agency pace
FlexTracker
Email and live chat with product specialists; migration help included for agency plans.
QuickBooks Time
Phone and chat support tied to Intuit accounts; migration relies on QuickBooks setup.
Switch from Harvest in a weekend
Hybrid agencies typically migrate within a week
- 1Export QuickBooks Time reports as CSV
- 2Share scope budgets and rate tables with FlexTracker migration support
- 3Configure default rates, categories, and billable status
- 4Invite contractors and confirm approval flows
Pricing snapshot
| Team size | FlexTracker | Harvest | Annual savings* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 seats | $79 | $160 | Save $972/yr | QuickBooks Time Premium at $20/user/month plus $20 base fee when billed monthly. |
| 25 seats | $299 | $520 | Save $2,652/yr | QuickBooks Time Elite at $40/user/month plus $40 base fee billed monthly. |
*Savings calculated against Harvest list pricing with required add-ons as of 2025.
- Source: QuickBooks Time Pricing
Frequently asked questions
Does FlexTracker replace QuickBooks Time invoices?
Yes. FlexTracker exports branded PDFs and CSVs directly, so finance teams stop exporting timesheets into QuickBooks Online just to send invoices.
Do you integrate with QuickBooks?
Today FlexTracker focuses on accurate CSV exports. Most agencies import them into QuickBooks Online manually while we evaluate deeper integrations.
Can we migrate QuickBooks Time history into FlexTracker?
Export QuickBooks Time reports as CSV and send them to support@flextracker.app. We'll map clients, scopes, and rates so you can launch quickly.
Keep exploring FlexTracker
Ready to switch to FlexTracker?
Start a free trial to log hours faster, keep scopes organized, and send clean invoices.