timeghost vs Timely (2026): which should you pick?

Pick timeghost if

• Fits if your company already lives in Microsoft Teams
• Makes sense if you want working-hours checks against legal rest limits

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't use Microsoft 365, since sign-in goes through it
• Pricey if you want dollars: prices are in euros per user and exclude VAT
• Tight if you are staying free, because there's no free plan after the 14 days
• Too light for invoicing, as it covers hours and budgets but not billing

Pick Timely if

• Fits if you bill by the hour and would rather approve a drafted timesheet than run timers
• Works for managers who follow project budgets and team capacity, from Premium up

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a free plan, because a subscription is needed once the 14-day trial ends
• Tight if you're on Starter and growing, since it stops at 5 users and 20 projects, and Premium at 50 users
• Pricey if you need budgets or integrations, which start on Premium at $16 a user, or $20 billed monthly
• Watch out: Timely's handbook says the iOS and Android apps are no longer actively developed
• Not for you if you work on Linux or an older computer, as Memory needs macOS 14 or Windows 10 or later

timeghost

• Prices are in euros, per user and exclude VAT; no dollar price is listed.
• It is built around Microsoft 365 and Teams, so it suits companies outside that ecosystem less well.
• There is no free plan; after the 14-day trial both plans are paid per user.
• Sign-in is through Microsoft 365 single sign-on, so users need a Microsoft account.

Timely

• There is no free plan: a subscription is needed once the 14-day trial ends.
• Starter is capped at 5 users and 20 projects, and Premium at 50 users.
• Timely's handbook says the iOS and Android apps remain available but are no longer actively developed.
• Memory apps are offered for macOS 14 or later and Windows 10 or later; no Linux app is listed.

timeghost

Check-in, break and check-out

Records working hours with one click in Teams and checks maximum work hours and rest periods against legal limits.

Project time and budgets

Books time to projects and tasks, with budgets and hourly rates per project for cost and profitability views.

Time suggestions from Microsoft 365

Turns Teams calls, Outlook appointments and Planner tasks into suggested entries that the user confirms.

Teams group sync and sign-in

Teams groups sync automatically, and new or departing employees are added or deactivated with single sign-on through Microsoft 365.

Reports and export

Reports for work time and project time, exportable to Excel, CSV or PDF with configurable columns.

Mobile app

Tracks work and project time on iOS and Android, aimed at mobile teams and field workers.

Timely

Memory tracker

The Memory app for Mac and Windows records your work automatically to a private timeline, so there are no timers to start and stop. A manual timer is also available.

AI timesheets

AI drafts a timesheet from the recorded activity and sorts it into projects, leaving the user to review and approve the entries.

Projects and budgets

A project dashboard shows team and budget activity as it happens, with billable rates and time or money budgets. Recurring budgets need Premium or Unlimited.

Planning and capacity

Premium lets managers plan work for their teams. Unlimited adds capacity management and reporting along with overtime and undertime tracking.

Reports and invoicing

Reports export as PDF, CSV or XLS and can be shared as live or snapshot links. Invoices are built from tracked time and can be sent to QuickBooks Online.

Tasks add-on

An optional add-on for assigning, scheduling and tracking progress on deliverables, available on any plan from $5 per person.

timeghost

• Annual Plan€7.90

  per user / month, billed annually (€8.90 billed monthly)

  Work and project time tracking, reports, mobile app, Microsoft 365 activity capture and unlimited projects and clients. Prices exclude VAT.

• Monthly Plan€8.90

  per user / month, billed monthly

  The same features as the annual plan, cancellable monthly. Prices exclude VAT.

Timely

• Starter$9

  per user / month, billed yearly ($11 billed monthly)

  Up to 5 users and 20 projects, with automatic time tracking, AI categorization, billable hour reports and API access.

• Premium$16

  per user / month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly)

  Up to 50 users and unlimited projects. Adds project management and accounting integrations, team management, budgets and costs, and planning.

• Unlimited$22

  per user / month, billed yearly ($28 billed monthly)

  Unlimited users and projects. Adds capacity management and reporting, overtime and undertime, Azure user management and 50+ currencies.

• EnterpriseCustom

  All Unlimited features plus tailored onboarding, team training, monthly or quarterly reviews and priority support.

timeghost

• Annual discount

  Save over 10% with the annual plan

  The vendor lists the annual plan at 7.90 euros per user a month, against 8.90 euros on monthly billing.

Timely

• Annual discount

  Up to 22% off with yearly billing

  Timely's pricing page lists savings of up to 22% for a yearly subscription: Unlimited is $22 per user a month yearly against $28 monthly, and Starter is $9 against $11.

• Education

  Student discount on request

  The pricing FAQ offers student discounts through support chat or email to people with a valid student ID and student email address. No amount is stated.