Log billable hours after the work, not by remembering to hit "start". For freelancers who hate timer apps.
The core difference
Every timer app on the market — Toggl, Clockify, Harvest, Hubstaff — has the same fatal flaw: you have to remember to start the timer. When you don't, you undercharge.
TimeChat fixes this with a different paradigm: log hours after the work, in Telegram, in 4 seconds.
Real HN comment: "I tried to use Freckle but I always forgot to start the timer or to stop it." — every freelancer ever.
How TimeChat works
Add the Telegram bot, link it to your account
After any work block, message 1.5 acme bug fix
Bot stores: 1.5h, client = Acme, note = "bug fix"
End of month, bot generates a PDF invoice per client and emails it
You get paid. You did not open a timer.
Side-by-side
Feature
TimeChat
Toggl Track Premium
Starting price
$7/mo
$18/user/mo
Free tier
1 client, 30 entries/mo
5 users, basic
Logging UX
Telegram (already on your phone)
Web app + browser ext + mobile app
Forgot-to-start problem
Doesn't exist — log after the work
Yes, frequent
Auto-generated invoices
PDF, emailed to client (Pro)
Manual export (Premium $18+)
Hourly rate per client
Yes
Yes (paid tiers)
Multi-user (agency)
Team $19/mo total
$18/user/mo
Setup time
60 seconds
10-30 min
When Toggl is still right for you
You bill in 1-minute increments and audit-grade time precision matters
You're tracking 10+ team members with complex project hierarchies
You need deep Jira/Asana/Trello integration
You actually remember to start timers (some people do)
When TimeChat wins
Solo freelancer or 2-3 person agency
Bill in 15-min or 30-min blocks
You use Telegram daily anyway
You've forgotten to start a timer at least once this month
Your monthly invoicing currently involves scrolling email or guessing
Migrating from Toggl
Export your Toggl entries: Reports → Detailed → Export CSV
Click the button below — we'll import it manually for the first 50 customers (free)
Add the TimeChat Telegram bot, link your account
Cancel Toggl. Save ~$11/month per seat.
Import from Toggl — free for first 50
Drop your email + brief notes below. We'll reply within minutes asking you to forward your Toggl CSV export. Then we import it manually (24h turnaround).
✓
Got it — check your email
We just sent you a follow-up. Reply to that email with your Toggl CSV attached. Migration done within 24h.
Free tier, no card needed
1 client, 30 entries/month. Test on a real project this week before committing to anything.