Costlocker vs TimeLog (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Costlocker grades higher than TimeLog: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Costlocker grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Costlocker
Time and cost tracking that shows profit per project for agencies
TimeLog
Professional services software with time tracking and invoicing
Which one is for you
Pick Costlocker if
- Fits if you run an agency and want project profit next to the hours
- Makes sense if you only pay for the people who actually log time
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $20 against $12 on a yearly plan
- Skip it if you are a freelancer, as one plan means no cheaper tier for light use
- Not for you if you need ready-made integrations, as only the API and Make.com are listed
- Watch out: it is aimed at agencies and may carry more than a small team needs
Pick TimeLog if
- Fits if you run a consultancy that wants hours, projects and invoices in one place
- Makes sense if you work in euros
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are a small team, as the cheapest plan is €14 a user
- Tight if you stay on Starter, which has no integrations or API
- Watch out: prices are in euros and the page does not say whether they assume annual billing
- Watch out: Starter support is email only, through your TimeLog contact
How we grade them
| 2.0GPACostlockerFair | 1.8GPATimeLogWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$12 per active user a month billed yearly, or $20 monthly. The dearest tenth of time tracking starts at $12. | D€14 a user a month on Starter, roughly $16 against a time-tracking middle of $6.67; Growth is €34.50. The billing basis is not stated. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan. | D14-day free trial, but no card detail on record, and no free plan. |
| Features | CTime, costs, expenses and budgets in one plan, but integrations are limited to the API and Make.com, per the listing. | CTime, expenses, projects and invoicing, but integrations and the API are not on Starter and salary administration needs Growth. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Projects, clients and budgets have to be built before the profit view is any use. | CNo store rating on record. Projects, rates and finance settings are built before use. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Mac, Windows and iPhone apps with an API; no Android app on record and only the API and Make.com for integrations. | BWeb with an API and 6 integrations on record, and no desktop or phone apps. |
| Best for | agency profitability with time tracking | time, projects and invoicing for consultancies |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Costlocker and TimeLog. How we grade
Price against what you get
Costlocker starts at $12 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TimeLog starts at about $15.64 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Costlocker starts $3.64 a month lower. Of the other time tracking apps on the chart, 31 score higher than Costlocker for less, and 31 score higher than TimeLog for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- TimeLog also covers Gantt & timelines, invoicing, expense tracking and time off.
At a glance
| Costlocker | TimeLog | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $12 per active user / month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly) | €14 per user / month, billing basis not stated |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | 14-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Costlocker | TimeLog |
| Price read from | costlocker.com | timelog.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Costlocker
- There is a single plan, so no free tier and no cheaper tier for light users.
- The $12 price needs yearly billing; monthly billing is $20 per active user.
- Integrations are limited to the API and Make.com; no native apps by name are listed.
- Aimed at agencies, so it may carry more than a freelancer needs.
TimeLog
- Prices are shown in euros per user per month, and the page does not say whether they assume annual or monthly billing.
- Integrations and APIs are not on Starter; they begin on Growth.
- Starter has no salary administration and only email support for the designated TimeLog responsible.
Key features
Costlocker
- Profitability insights
- Compares projects, clients and teams on revenue against cost, so unprofitable work shows up and high-value clients stand out.
- Time tracking
- Logs billable and non-billable hours per project, with apps for Mac, Windows and iOS alongside the web app.
- Cost and expense tracking
- Records labor costs, subcontractors, overhead and other expenses next to the hours, not only time.
- Budget control
- Sets a budget per project and compares it with actual cost as work is logged, to catch overruns early.
- Active-user billing
- Only active users are billed. A deactivated user keeps their data, and unused prepaid time becomes credit on the next invoice.
- API and Make.com
- Connects to other tools through its developer API and through Make.com.
TimeLog
- Time and expense tracking
- Log time on mobile, web and desktop, register expenses with receipts, record absences and flex, and route hours through approval.
- Project management
- Gantt charts, budgets by project, task and employee, and work breakdown structures that go up to five levels on higher plans.
- Resource planning
- A resource planner with a utilization heatmap, booking by competence and availability, kept in step with project plans and logged time.
- Invoicing and finance
- Price lists, multi-currency invoicing, automated invoice suggestions and accounting periods that lock data for revenue follow-up.
- Integrations and API
- Connects to more than 25 finance and salary systems, with single sign-on through Google Workspace or Microsoft Entra ID.
Plans
Costlocker
All-Inclusive Plan$12
per active user / month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly)
One plan with unlimited projects and clients, desktop apps, API access and chat and email support.
TimeLog
Starter€14
per user / month, billing basis not stated
Time and expense logging, project management features, invoicing for time spent and fixed rates. No integrations or APIs.
Growth€34.50
per user / month, billing basis not stated
Adds project and organization management, salary administration, travel logging, multi-currency invoicing, integrations and APIs.
Professional€53
per user / month, billing basis not stated
Adds income logging, retainers and prepaid deals, KPI reporting, automated invoicing and advanced salary administration.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds licensed invoicing support, advanced contract management and rate indexing. Sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
Costlocker
- Annual discount
40% off with yearly billing
The pricing page states a 40% discount on the yearly plan compared with monthly billing.
TimeLog
- Nonprofit
Discounted rate for NGOs
TimeLog's solutions menu describes a discounted rate for NGOs and non-profit organisations.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Costlocker or TimeLog?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Costlocker is cheaper to start with: $12 a month for each person, against about $15.64 a month for each person for TimeLog. Costlocker starts at $12 per active user / month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly), and TimeLog starts at €14 per user / month, billing basis not stated.
Which has a free plan, Costlocker or TimeLog?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Costlocker nor TimeLog has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Costlocker and TimeLog run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Costlocker lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.