Project accounting software UK for time you actually bill.
SwiftBooks Pro is project accounting software for UK agencies on Business and above: Time Tracking → Projects, Tasks and Timesheet. Log billable hours in the browser, invoice unbilled time, set budget hours. Not Asana. Not Solo.
What is project accounting software?
Project accounting software tracks time and money against a job, not only the company as a whole. UK agencies and consultancies use it so billable hours do not live in a spreadsheet next to the books.
In SwiftBooks Pro that is Time Tracking: Projects, Tasks and Timesheet. You log minutes, mark billable, see logged versus budget hours, then create a VAT invoice from unbilled time. It is not a full project-management suite.
Projects sit on Business and above(£39/month ex VAT), not Solo. Native apps are not live — use the browser. Filing VAT or ITSA is
From scoped budget to billable invoice.
Set up the project, log hours, then invoice unbilled time. VAT on the invoice stays in the ledger.
Built for UK agencies, consultancies & freelancers.
Agencies and consultancies on Business+. Sole traders on Solo do not get Projects — upgrade, or stay on invoices only.
Time tracking & billable hours
Log time in the browser against a project and task. Timer or typed minutes. Mark billable. Invoice unbilled rows. Native apps are not live. Business+.
Learn more → ★ BudgetsProject budgets on the project screen
Set budget hours, cost budget and revenue budget on the project. The hours bar shows logged versus budget. There is no email alert engine.
Learn more → ★ MarginProject hours and budget bars
Project screen: hours this week, billed and unbilled. Insights → Reports → Project Summary and Performance. Not a custom KPI builder.
Learn more → ★ RetainersRetainer & fixed-fee projects
Billing method Fixed Cost for Project plus budget hours. For a monthly retainer use Sales → Recurring Invoices. There is no separate allowance engine.
Learn more → ★ ExpensesReimbursable project expenses
Key the expense in the browser. Tick billable to a customer— it appears on that customer’s next invoice. No camera OCR. The expense form does not tag a project like a timesheet does.
Learn more → ★ InvoicingConvert time to VAT invoice
Create Invoice from the project or selected timesheet rows. VAT on the lines.
Learn more →Project accounting that catches loss-makers early.
SwiftBooks Pro is a timesheet in the books, not a standalone PM app. Hours and invoices live in the same login. Project reports sit under Insights. Expenses marked billable go to the customer invoice — they are not OCR-tagged to the project.
- ✓ Budget hours vs logged hours
- ✓ Unbilled hours on the project
- ✓ Project Summary / Performance reports
- ✓ Timesheet profitability report
- ✓ Recurring invoices for retainers
- ✓ Multi-currency on Business+
- ✗ No email overrun alerts
- ✗ Not Asana / not native apps
- ✗ Filing
Time tracking, invoicing & reporting — joined up.
Time Tracking sits next to Sales. Log hours, invoice unbilled time, keep VAT invoices in the ledger. Projects are Business+.
Project accounting software UK — honest competitor view.
Benchmarked against leading UK cloud accounting brands. Project tracking and time billing are uneven across entry tiers — treat pricing as indicative and confirm on each vendor's site.
| Feature | SwiftBooks Pro | Xero | QuickBooks | Sage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan for sole traders | £15 Solo ex VAT after trial | ✗ | ✗ | Basic only |
| Starting price (per month) | £15 Solo ex VAT | £16 Ignite | £15 Simple Start | £15 Start |
| Native project tracking | ✓ Business+ | Xero Projects add-on | Premium plans | Paid plans |
| Time tracking included | ✓ Business+ | Projects add-on (£7/user) | Premium plans | Paid plans |
| Billable hours & rates | ✓ | Projects add-on | Premium plans | Paid plans |
| Real-time profitability dashboards | ✗ Hours + reports | Projects add-on | Premium only | Paid plans |
| Retainer & fixed-fee support | Fixed cost + recurring inv | Workaround only | Premium only | Paid plans |
| Tag bills & expenses to projects | ✗ Billable to customer | Projects add-on | Premium plans | Paid plans |
| Multi-currency project billing | ✓ Business+ | Premium only | Premium only | Paid plans |
| Convert time to VAT invoice | ✓ | ✓ (add-on) | Premium plans | Paid plans |
| Per-user add-on fees | None | Yes (Projects) | n/a | n/a |
Prices correct as of May 2026, excluding VAT. SwiftBooks Pro Projects and Timesheet are on Business and above, not Solo, with no per-seat fee. Native apps are not live. Feature availability subject to change. See our full comparison →
What Time Tracking actually does.
Create the project, add tasks, log time with the timer or typed minutes. Mark billable. That is the timesheet in this login.
Create Invoice from the project, or pick unbilled rows and Create Invoice. Recurring invoices cover a monthly retainer. Not Asana.
Projects are not on Solo. Business is £39/month ex VAT, unlimited users, no per-seat fee.
Project accounting software UK — FAQs for agencies.
What Time Tracking actually does on Business+ — and what it does not.
What is project accounting software?
It tracks time and money against a job. In SwiftBooks Pro that is Time Tracking → Projects, Tasks and Timesheet.
Is this Asana or Monday?
No. There are tasks on a project and a timesheet. It is not a Gantt board, sprint tool or client portal.
Can I track billable hours in SwiftBooks Pro?
Yes, on Business and above. Log time in the browser, mark billable, then invoice unbilled entries. Native apps are not live.
Does SwiftBooks Pro show project profitability?
The project screen shows logged, billable, billed and unbilled hours, plus budget hours. Insights → Reports has Project Summary and Performance. There is no auto email when you overrun.
Can I assign expenses to projects?
Mark an expense billable to a customer. It appears under Unbilled billable expenses on that customer’s next invoice. The expense form does not tag a project the way a timesheet entry does.
Does SwiftBooks Pro support retainers and fixed-fee projects?
Pick billing method Fixed Cost for Project, set budget hours, and use Sales → Recurring Invoices for a monthly retainer. There is no separate retainer-allowance engine.
Does project accounting support Making Tax Digital (MTD)?
Invoices from a project stay in the ledger.
Which plan includes projects?
Business at £39/month ex VAT, Multi-Company and Practice. Not Solo. No per-seat fee. 30-day trial, no card.
Project accounting software UK agencies bill clients with.
Projects and timesheets on Business and above. Log hours in the browser, invoice unbilled time. 30-day trial, no card. Then Business at £39/month ex VAT.