A Harvest alternative built for Xero Projects.
Harvest sends invoices to Xero, not time entries. If you bill from Xero Projects, Punchcard pushes your hours straight onto its tasks.
Harvest's Xero integration is one-way. When you send an invoice from Harvest, a copy goes to Xero, and payments can be copied too. Time entries and Xero Projects aren't part of it. Your hours live in Harvest.
Price: Free for 1 seat and 2 projects (no Xero); Xero integration from US$9 per seat per month (Teams, billed annually)
A Mac menu bar timer. Clock on with one click or a global shortcut, review your entries, then push them to Xero Projects as time entries on their tasks. Every entry is saved on your Mac first, and failed pushes retry automatically. No server in the middle.
| FEATURE | PUNCHCARD | HARVEST |
|---|---|---|
| Creates time entries in Xero ProjectsOn the project's tasks, ready to invoice. | Yes | NoSends invoices, not time |
| Xero stays the only record of your timeNo second system to reconcile. | Yes | No |
| Timer in the Mac menu bar | YesPlus a global shortcut | YesHours stay in Harvest |
| Entries saved locally before any network callNothing lost to a dropped connection or a switched task. | Yes | n/aStored in Harvest |
| Uses only Xero's official API | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing | In XeroFrom Xero Projects | In HarvestCopied to Xero |
| Cost | LicenceFounding price at launch | From US$9Per seat / month |
When Harvest is the right call
Harvest is a good fit if you want time tracking, budgets and invoicing all in Harvest, and only need Xero for the accounting side.
Where Punchcard fits
If you quote, track and invoice in Xero Projects, Harvest becomes a second system holding the real hours. Punchcard does the one job Xero's own timer doesn't do well, fast desktop tracking, and leaves everything else in Xero.
Questions, answered.
Does Harvest push time entries into Xero?
No. Harvest's Xero integration copies invoices, and optionally payments, from Harvest to Xero. It doesn't create time entries in Xero Projects.
Which Harvest plan includes the Xero integration?
The Xero integration is on Harvest's paid plans (Teams and up). The free plan doesn't include it.
Should I use Harvest or Xero Projects for job costing?
If you want Xero to be the single place for quotes, time, costs and invoices, use Xero Projects and a timer that writes to it, like Punchcard. If you prefer Harvest's reports and invoicing, Harvest plus its invoice sync works.
Also comparing Punchcard vs Xero timer or Punchcard vs Toggl Track? Or see every option side by side.
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