How to Build Your Own Harvest
Replace Harvest with a custom build. Time tracking and project management for professional services
Build Difficulty: 5/5
Build a working replacement in a weekend with AI tools
Estimated Timeline
Based on 44 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.
Recommended Tech Stack
Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components
PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions
Utility-first styling for rapid UI development
Type-safe ORM for complex relational data models
Key Features to Replicate
Top features across 8 categories. See all 44 features
Billing(10 features)
Create and send multiple invoices to different clients simultaneously.
Set different billable rates per user, project, and role with automatic invoice calculations.
Send invoices and payment reminders directly via email with tracking.
Customize invoice templates with branding, custom fields, and payment terms.
Track invoice payments and mark invoices as paid with payment method recording.
+5 more in this category
Project Management(8 features)
Set up approval processes for timesheets and expenses before billing.
Set project budgets and monitor spending against allocated amounts in real-time.
Archive completed projects to keep workspace organized while maintaining access.
Create and manage projects with task lists, milestones, and team assignments.
Create reusable project templates with predefined tasks and team assignments.
+3 more in this category
Analytics(6 features)
Export time, expense, and financial data in CSV and PDF formats.
Analyze project profitability by comparing revenue against costs.
View all project metrics, budgets, and profitability on a single dashboard.
Generate detailed reports on time, profitability, team utilization, and project performance.
Automatically generate and email reports on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.
+1 more in this category
Time Tracking(6 features)
Automatically pause timers when computer is idle to ensure accurate tracking.
Track time on iOS and Android devices with offline support and GPS location tracking.
Track billable and non-billable time with start/stop timer, manual entry, and mobile apps.
Set automatic rules for categorizing and assigning tracked time to projects.
Send automatic reminders to team members to complete their timesheets.
+1 more in this category
Team Management(4 features)
Create custom roles with granular permission controls for different team functions.
Visualize team workload and identify available capacity for new projects.
Track vacation, sick leave, and other time-off for accurate project staffing.
Monitor user activities and time tracking changes for compliance and auditing.
Expense Management(3 features)
Require approval for expenses before reimbursement or client billing.
Create custom expense categories to organize and track different expense types.
Log and categorize project expenses with receipt uploads and reimbursement tracking.
Client Management(2 features)
Share projects and invoices with clients through a secure, branded portal.
Organize and track all projects and invoices by individual clients.
Integrations(2 features)
Build custom integrations using Harvest's comprehensive REST API.
Track time directly from popular web applications using Harvest browser extensions.
Cost Calculator
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Build It Yourself
Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 44 features at very easy complexity.