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Can I code Harvest?

Timer tracking is the easy part, same as Toggl. Harvest adds invoicing straight from tracked hours and expense tracking on top, which is a genuinely reasonable weekend rather than an evening, but still well within reach.

VIBE SCORE 95/100

how this is worked out

Why CanICodeThis says Borderline

  • The timer and project-tagging core is identical, simple work to Toggl's
  • Generating an invoice from a date range of tracked time is a query plus a PDF template
  • Basic expense line items attached to a project are ordinary CRUD

Read before building

  • Their forecasting/resource-planning module (who's available for new work next month) is a separate, deeper feature
  • Approval workflows for team timesheets add a small workflow layer beyond solo tracking
  • Payment collection on the invoice (accept a card) needs a real payment integration if you want it

Bill of materials

The parts this build actually needs, each rated on its own — the average is the Vibe Score above.

Landing page99
CRUD database95
User login92

The build spec

Build me a time tracker with invoicing: start/stop timers tagged to clients and projects, plus manual expense entries. Generate a PDF invoice from a date range of tracked time and expenses, with billable rates per project. Track invoice paid/unpaid status. SQLite behind a small API, single-user login.

Standard Parts/Free Alternatives

Don't feel like building it? These are already made, open-source, and free.

categorytime tracking
time to codea weekend
Borderline
their price$13.75/mo · $165/yr
last checked2026-08 · source ↗

Questions

Can I code Harvest?

Borderline. Timer tracking is the easy part, same as Toggl. Harvest adds invoicing straight from tracked hours and expense tracking on top, which is a genuinely reasonable weekend rather than an evening, but still well within reach.

How much does Harvest cost?

Harvest costs $13.75/mo (about $165/yr) as of 2026-08. That's what a working rebuild would save you.

What do I lose by building it myself?

Their forecasting/resource-planning module (who's available for new work next month) is a separate, deeper feature Approval workflows for team timesheets add a small workflow layer beyond solo tracking Payment collection on the invoice (accept a card) needs a real payment integration if you want it

Is there a free alternative to Harvest I don't have to build?

Yes — Kimai are open-source options worth trying before you build your own. Details are in the standard parts section on this page.