The Paymo Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Paymo in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Paymo
The Insider’s Guide
Project management with time tracking and client invoicing
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among project management tools, read from Paymo’s own pages.
Made by Paymo LLC · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Paymo’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Paymo’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade
Paymo combines task and project management with time tracking and invoicing, aimed at freelancers, agencies and other client-service businesses. Work can be laid out as lists, Kanban boards or Gantt charts, tracked time flows into timesheets and invoices, and the top plan adds team scheduling and leave planning. Free and Solo plans cover a single user; the per-user Plus and Pro plans are for teams.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Paymo, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for tracking time and invoicing clients
Paymo is for people who bill clients: you plan the work, track the time and turn the timesheet into an invoice.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5.90 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $5.9 per month, billed annually (Solo, 1 user).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free plan for 1 user: 1 client, 2 projects, unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices, the task list view, desktop and mobile apps, and 1 GB of storage.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 5
Time tracking
Time is logged with a stopwatch, as intervals or in bulk. The Paymo Track desktop app can also record time spent in desktop apps automatically and includes a Pomodoro mode.
- 6
Task views
The task list view is on every plan. Calendar and Kanban views start on Solo, the spreadsheet view and cross-project Meta Kanban on Plus, and the Gantt chart on Pro.
- 7
Invoicing, estimates and expenses
Timesheet data can be turned into invoices, which are unlimited on every plan. Estimates, expenses and recurring invoices are added on Plus.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 of 79
That is against the other project management tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Paymo you could make: tasks, time tracking, invoicing, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Paymo at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5.9 per month, billed annually (Solo, 1 user)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 15-day free trial of a paid plan, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Paymo LLC, since 2007
- Category
- Project Management
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for tracking time and invoicing clients
Paymo is for people who bill clients: you plan the work, track the time and turn the timesheet into an invoice. A freelancer pays $5.9 a month billed annually for 1 user and 5 projects. Teams pay $10.9 a user on Plus, where integrations and the API start, Gantt charts and dependencies only arrive on Pro at $16.9, and monthly billing costs more on every plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Solo is $5.9 a month billed annually, but that's 1 user and 5 projects. The moment you're a team it's Plus at $10.9 a user, past the dear end of this category, and Gantt charts, dependencies and scheduling need Pro at $16.9. Pay monthly and it's $15.9 and $23.9. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free gives one person unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices with the desktop and mobile apps. The caps are the problem: 1 client, 2 projects, 1 GB and the task list view only. Paid plans get a 15-day trial with no card. |
| Features | B | Time logged by stopwatch, in bulk or automatically by the desktop app, then turned into invoices, with tasks as lists, calendars, Kanban, spreadsheets or Gantt charts, plus estimates, expenses, proofing and profitability on Plus and scheduling and leave on Pro. The job and the billing both covered. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Tracked time flowing straight into timesheets and invoices saves real retyping, but you set up the clients, projects and templates yourself, and working out which view sits on which of four plans takes a while. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, which is everything, and a desktop app that tracks time by itself. It connects to Google Calendar, Google Drive, Slack, QuickBooks Online, Zapier, Make and Typeform, though integrations and the API start on Plus. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Paymo is for
- Fits if you're a freelancer billing clients for tracked time, within 3 clients and 5 projects on Solo
- Works for agencies and consultancies that track time and invoice from one tool
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you want Gantt charts, dependencies, team scheduling or leave planning, which are only on Pro at $16.9 a user a month billed annually
- Tight if you're staying free, with 1 user, 1 client, 2 projects, 1 GB and the list view only
- Skip it if you don't bill clients, because the time tracking and invoicing are what you're paying for
- Watch out: adding a teammate means Plus at $10.9 a user, which is also where integrations and the API start
- Watch out: monthly billing costs more, $9.9, $15.9 and $23.9 against $5.9, $10.9 and $16.9 on annual billing
Good to know
Good for
- Freelancers billing clients for tracked time, on the single-user plans
- Agencies and consultancies that track time and invoice from one tool
- Teams that want resource scheduling and leave planning beside their projects
Worth knowing
- Free and Solo are limited to 1 user, with 2 and 5 projects respectively. Adding teammates means moving to Plus or Pro.
- Gantt charts, task dependencies, team scheduling, timesheet approvals and leave management are on the Pro plan only.
- Integrations and API access start at the Plus plan.
- Monthly billing costs more: $9.9, $15.9 and $23.9 against $5.9, $10.9 and $16.9 on annual billing.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.90
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Paymo has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5.9 per month, billed annually (Solo, 1 user).
Free gives one person unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices with the desktop and mobile apps.
Free
$0
1 user, 1 client and 2 projects with unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices, the task list view and 1 GB of storage.
Solo
$5.9
per month, billed annually ($9.9 billed monthly)
1 user, 3 clients and 5 projects. Adds calendar and Kanban task views, flat-rate and retainer projects, guest access, in-app support and 5 GB of storage.
Plus
$10.9
per user / month, billed annually ($15.9 billed monthly)
Unlimited users, clients and projects. Adds spreadsheet view, recurring tasks, timesheet reports, estimates, expenses, proofing, integrations, API access and 50 GB.
Pro
$16.9
per user / month, billed annually ($23.9 billed monthly)
Adds Gantt charts, task dependencies, employee scheduling and workload, timesheet approvals, leave management, priority support and 500 GB of storage.
The free plan
Free plan for 1 user: 1 client, 2 projects, unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices, the task list view, desktop and mobile apps, and 1 GB of storage.
Trying it first
15-day free trial of a paid plan, no credit card required
Read from paymoapp.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Up to 40% off with annual billing
Paymo's pricing FAQ puts the saving from yearly payment at up to 40%. Solo is $5.9 instead of $9.9 a month, Plus $10.9 instead of $15.9 and Pro $16.9 instead of $23.9 per user.
Stated on paymoapp.comOther savings
Reduced first 3 months on monthly plans
A Special Autumn Offer gives accounts created after September 25, 2026 up to 40% off the first three months of monthly billing: $5.9 Solo, $10.9 Plus and $16.9 Pro. The page gives no end date.
Stated on paymoapp.comEducation
Half price for schools and universities
Paymo offers universities, colleges and schools its plans at half price. The offer is activated by contacting the company after signing up and cannot be combined with other promotions.
Stated on paymoapp.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Project management with time tracking and client invoicing. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines, Pomodoro timer, time tracking, invoicing.
Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, which is everything, and a desktop app that tracks time by itself.
- Time tracking
- Time is logged with a stopwatch, as intervals or in bulk. The Paymo Track desktop app can also record time spent in desktop apps automatically and includes a Pomodoro mode.
- Task views
- The task list view is on every plan. Calendar and Kanban views start on Solo, the spreadsheet view and cross-project Meta Kanban on Plus, and the Gantt chart on Pro.
- Invoicing, estimates and expenses
- Timesheet data can be turned into invoices, which are unlimited on every plan. Estimates, expenses and recurring invoices are added on Plus.
- Team scheduling and leave
- The Pro plan adds employee scheduling, a workload view, automatic ghost bookings and employee leave management.
- Project profitability and templates
- From the Plus plan, projects can be created from templates and their profitability tracked. Flat-rate and retainer project types start on Solo.
- File proofing and versioning
- Files can be reviewed and versioned inside Paymo from the Plus plan, which also raises storage to 50 GB.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- Slack
- QuickBooks Online
- Zapier
- Make
- Typeform
- Pomodone
Paymo is made by Paymo LLC, and has been around since 2007.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/79
Other project management tools it is graded above
Paymo's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 54 of 79) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5.90 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 20 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 project management tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Paymo’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 79
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 79
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 79
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 79
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 54 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 project management tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Paymo is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Paymo you could make: tasks, time tracking, invoicing, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 38 of the 79 other project management tools grade higher. It costs $70.80 a year.
What you could make
- Tasks, time tracking, invoicing, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and Pomodoro timer: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Google Calendar, Google Drive and Slack among them, and has an API.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Paymo’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Teamwork.com, Avaza, Harvest, Productive and ActiveCollab
The 5 tools Paymo is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Teamwork.com
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Project and resource management for client service teams.
- Only Paymo lists a Linux app.
- Only Teamwork.com lists a browser extension.
- Paymo also covers Pomodoro timer.
- 2.4GPA
Avaza
Free plan · from $9.96/mo
Project management with timesheets, expenses and invoicing.
- Only Paymo lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Paymo also covers tasks and Pomodoro timer.
- Avaza also covers team chat and reports.
- 2.6GPA
Harvest
Free plan · from $9/mo
Time tracking that turns logged hours into client invoices.
- Only Paymo lists a Linux app.
- Only Harvest lists a browser extension.
- Paymo also covers tasks, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and Pomodoro timer.
- 2.4GPA
Productive
Free trial · from $10/mo
Projects, resourcing and finances for agencies and consultancies.
- Paymo has a free plan. Productive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Paymo lists a Linux app.
- Paymo also covers Pomodoro timer.
- 2.6GPA
ActiveCollab
Free trial · from $12.50/mo
Project workspace with time tracking and invoicing for service teams.
- Paymo has a free plan. ActiveCollab does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Paymo lists a Linux app.
- ActiveCollab is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Paymo free?
Paymo has a free plan. Free plan for 1 user: 1 client, 2 projects, unlimited tasks, time tracking and invoices, the task list view, desktop and mobile apps, and 1 GB of storage.
How much does Paymo cost?
Paymo lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Paymo work on?
Paymo is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Paymo offer any discounts?
Paymo publicly lists the following: Up to 40% off with annual billing; Reduced first 3 months on monthly plans; Half price for schools and universities.
Is Paymo open source?
Paymo is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Paymo have an API?
Yes. Paymo offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Paymo integrate with?
Paymo's listing names Google Calendar, Google Drive, Slack, QuickBooks Online, Zapier, Make, Typeform and Pomodone.
Does Paymo have a student discount?
Half price for schools and universities. Paymo offers universities, colleges and schools its plans at half price.
Does Paymo have a free trial?
Yes. 15-day free trial of a paid plan, no credit card required.
Who makes Paymo?
Paymo is made by Paymo LLC. It dates from 2007.
What are the alternatives to Paymo?
The closest alternatives to Paymo in our directory are Teamwork.com, Avaza, Harvest, Productive and ActiveCollab.
How does Paymo compare with other project management tools?
Paymo's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 79 other project management tools we grade, and level with 21.
Is Paymo good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Paymo D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5.90 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 20 of the 74 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Paymo?
The plain part of Paymo you could make: tasks, time tracking, invoicing, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and Pomodoro timer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Paymo’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Paymo's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-10.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Paymo LLC. Prices change, so check paymoapp.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Paymo, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/paymo
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Paymo: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/paymo
Know someone choosing between project management tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/paymo/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded project management tools after Paymo, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Project Management Insider's GuideEvery one of the 80 project management tools we grade, compared
- GitHub Issues Insider's GuideIssue tracking and project planning built into GitHub3.4 GPA
- Freedcamp Insider's GuideProject management suite with a free plan for unlimited users3.2 GPA
- Huly Insider's GuideOpen-source project management with chat, docs and video calls3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Paymo’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Paymo is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Paymo LLC. Prices and plans change: check paymoapp.com before you buy.