Clerq
Clerq: A free open-source back-office tool with timers, invoicing and reporting. Ranked #25 of 31 in Time Billing Software by our editors (6.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source users wanting free invoicing and timers.
At a glance
- Editor score6.6 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source users wanting free invoicing and timers
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Invoice generationYes
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free cloud and self-hosted options with full data export
- Combines timers, timesheets, invoicing, expenses and reporting
- Supports multi-currency invoices, VAT treatments and recurring schedules
Where it doesn't
- No integrations beyond its documented API and MCP server
- Access centers on web, self-hosted deployment and API use
- Self-hosting requires managing your own infrastructure
Our verdict on Clerq
Clerq is an open-source back-office application for freelancers and small development studios. It brings client, contact, project and task management together with time capture, invoicing, expenses, payment records and profit reporting. Users can run a live task-based timer or enter billable time manually, then turn unbilled entries into invoices. The product also supports recurring invoice schedules, receipt uploads, branded PDFs and signed invoice links, making it suited to service businesses that want time billing and basic financial administration in one application.
Pricing is straightforward. Clerq Cloud costs £0 per month during its open beta and includes managed hosting, automatic updates, backups and uptime, small-team support with roles, and full data export. The Self-host plan costs £0 forever and provides the same product on your own infrastructure under the AGPL-3.0 license, with community support on GitHub. The choice is therefore mainly operational: Cloud reduces infrastructure responsibilities, while Self-host gives teams control over deployment. Both options include the core application rather than splitting timers, invoices or reporting across paid tiers.
Clerq’s feature breadth is a central advantage for users who want more than a basic timer. It covers weekly timesheets, billable rates, multi-currency invoicing with VAT treatments, recurring invoices, expenses and cash reporting. Its documented MCP server includes 61 tools for automating time and invoicing workflows through connected AI assistants. The trade-off is ecosystem fit: there are no integrations, and access is centered on web, self-hosted deployment and API use. Choose Clerq if free ownership, open-source licensing and combined time-to-invoice workflows matter most. Choose an alternative if established integrations or broader client-platform coverage are essential.
Your product? Our editors can test Clerq in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Clerq pricing
All 2 Clerq plans and prices →
Clerq fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Invoice generation | Yes |
| Time capture | Mixed |
| Billable rates | Yes |
| Time approval | Not verified |
| Expense billing | Not verified |
| Recurring invoices | Yes |
| Client portal | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | GDPR |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | useclerq.net |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Clerq
- ScoroA broad time-billing and professional services suite for end-to-end financial control.9.2
- FreshBooksA strong invoicing-led choice with time tracking, payments, and client collaboration.9.0
- HarvestA focused time-billing suite with broad tracking, reporting, and invoicing coverage.8.8
Used Clerq? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Clerq for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
Clerq is listed in our Time Billing Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/clerq/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/clerq.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update