Hour Cap - Time tracking and billing for retainer clients

4 min read Original article ↗

I needed a time tracker that handled retainers, let me write proper multi-line descriptions, and pushed everything straight to Xero as invoices. Nothing did all three. So I built one.

JB

Jonathan Bird

Freelance Web Developer · Creator of Hour Cap

Write once.
Bill with it.

Most time trackers give you a single line. Hour Cap lets you write detailed, multi-line descriptions on every entry. When you push to Xero, those descriptions become your invoice line item text.

No rewriting. No copy-pasting. No filling in details from memory weeks later.

  • Rich multi-line descriptions per entry
  • Manual entry or start/stop timer
  • Descriptions flow straight onto Xero invoices

Description

Redesigned the header navigation to support mobile breakpoints.

Tested on iOS Safari and Chrome Android. Fixed z-index layering issue with the dropdown menu.

Redesigned the header navigation to support mobile breakpoints.

Tested on iOS Safari and Chrome Android. Fixed z-index layering issue with the dropdown menu.

1.75 hrs × $150.00 $262.50

Retainer

Monthly · Feb 1 - Feb 28, 2026

6.5 / 8.0h 11 days remaining

81.3% used 1.5h remaining

Budgets that fit your workflow

Recurring retainers that auto-reset every billing period. Fixed-price budgets for scoped projects. Or no budget at all. Hour Cap tracks usage automatically and shows visual progress with configurable alert thresholds.

  • Retainer budgets that auto-reset each period
  • Fixed-price budgets for scoped projects
  • Or skip the budget and just track time
  • Visual progress bars with alert thresholds

Weekly Fortnightly Monthly Quarterly Custom

Push straight to Xero

Sync your contacts from Xero, then push tracked time as invoice line items complete with hours, rates, and the full descriptions you wrote. Review, adjust if needed, and send from Xero.

Your existing Xero workflow stays exactly as it is. Hour Cap just fills in the gap between tracking your time and getting it onto an invoice.

Built for teams

Invite members to your organisation. Everyone tracks their own time, managers review and approve timesheets, and Hour Cap resolves the right billable rate automatically.

  • Role-based access control
  • Cascading billable rates
  • Timesheet approvals before invoicing
  • Everyone tracks time, managers see it all

Review before you bill

Team members submit weekly timesheets for review. Managers approve or reject with a reason. Only approved time gets invoiced, so nothing goes out the door until someone's checked it.

  • Weekly timesheet submissions
  • Manager approve or reject with reason
  • Full audit trail of who approved what

Timesheet Review

MR

Matt Rivera

Feb 10 – 16 · 32.5h

Pending

SK

Sarah Kim

Feb 10 – 16 · 28.0h

Approved

JB

Jonathan Bird

Feb 10 – 16 · 36.0h

Approved

Built for service businesses that bill hours

Whether you run retainers, deliver fixed-price projects, or bill by the hour, Hour Cap keeps you on top of every hour and every dollar.

Freelancers & Contractors

Solo billing made simple. Track, describe, and invoice in one flow.

Agencies & Consultants

Manage retainer budgets across multiple clients and projects.

IT & Software Development

Sprint-by-sprint tracking with transparent billing for ongoing contracts.

Law Firms

Detailed time records with descriptions that stand up to client scrutiny.

Trades & Maintenance

Log hours on the go and push detailed job summaries to Xero.

Accountants & Bookkeepers

Track advisory hours and compliance work across your client base.

Switching from another tool?

See how Hour Cap compares.

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Know where your time goes and what it's worth

Time and revenue reports broken down by client, project, and month. See total hours, revenue, and average rates at a glance. Filter by period, client, or project.

February 2026

Monthly Summary

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