# Open source Harvest alternatives for AI agents

3 alternatives to Harvest. 3 have an interface an agent can drive. 3 are open source.

Page: alternatives/harvest.html

## Kimai

Self-hosted team time tracking with invoicing and a Builder-documented JSON API.

- Listing: apps/kimai--kimai.html
- JSON: apps/kimai--kimai.json
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 3 of 9 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-08-31
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Configure timesheet rules, rounding and lockdown; Install plugins from the store; Authenticate with SAML or LDAP
- Use it when: my team bills by the hour and I want timesheets, rates and invoices in one place I run myself
- Use it when: I want my agent to log time and pull project hours through an API instead of a spreadsheet
- Gotcha: AGPL-3.0: modifications to a hosted instance must be shared with its users; some Adopters cannot accept this
- Gotcha: Must run on a subdomain; installing in a subdirectory is not supported
- Gotcha: API tokens are shown once at creation; API attribute order is not stable and DateTime values must use YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss, not ISO 8601
- Gotcha: Leave management, overtime and expenses are paid plugins or Cloud Professional features, not core

## solidtime

Laravel time tracker for freelancers and agencies with a full REST API for entries, projects, reports and invoices.

- Listing: apps/solidtime-io--solidtime.html
- JSON: apps/solidtime-io--solidtime.json
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 9 of 10 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-09-01
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Create API tokens
- Use it when: my studio bills clients by the hour and I want tracked time to turn into reports and invoices without a SaaS seat fee
- Use it when: I want my agent to start timers, file entries against projects and pull weekly reports over a documented API
- Gotcha: AGPL-3.0 copyleft
- Gotcha: PostgreSQL only; PDF output needs a Gotenberg container
- Gotcha: Maintainers auto-close pull requests over 50 lines from unvouched authors and ban AI-generated PRs; plan to keep changes in your fork
- Gotcha: Invoicing, estimates and PDF reports are Professional features on cloud; confirm whether the self-hosted build gates them

## TimeTagger

Tag-based personal time tracker with a documented web API that mirrors the hosted timetagger.app.

- Listing: apps/almarklein--timetagger.html
- JSON: apps/almarklein--timetagger.json
- License: GPL-3.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 6 of 9 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-05-17
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Generate PDF or CSV reports; Pomodoro timer
- Use it when: I'm a freelancer who wants a fast timeline-style tracker on my own box, with tags instead of a project hierarchy
- Use it when: I want my agent to log what I worked on and pull the week's records over a small token-authenticated API
- Gotcha: GPL-3.0 plus a CLA granting the author rights to use contributions in the hosted service
- Gotcha: Built for individuals: no teams, clients or invoicing; multi-user means separate credential entries, not shared data
- Gotcha: Last push 2026-05-17, inside the window but the slowest cadence on this shortlist
- Gotcha: API tokens never expire; reports and exports are not reachable through API

## Questions

### Is there an open source alternative to Harvest?

Yes. All 3 listings here are open source: Kimai (AGPL-3.0), solidtime (AGPL-3.0), TimeTagger (GPL-3.0).

### Which Harvest alternatives have an MCP server?

None of these has an MCP server from its builder on record. The recorded interface is API.

### Which Harvest alternative can an agent do the most with?

solidtime: 9 of 10 recorded jobs reachable. Jobs differ by listing, so read each list before you choose.