A Retainerkit alternative built for solo freelancers.
Retainerkit is a capable tool — but it’s built for agencies. Client account management, team seats, per-user billing. If you’re a solo consultant or a 2-person studio, most of that is friction you don’t need. HourTab is the retainer tracker that fits the way you actually work: CSV import from your time tool, one public URL per client, and pricing that makes sense at solo scale.
Free forever for your first retainer · no credit card.
Three reasons freelancers leave Retainerkit for HourTab
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Client login requirements mean most clients never actually log in.
You invite your client to Retainerkit. They create a password, check the portal once, forget the login by month two, and email you for a status update anyway. HourTab skips the account entirely: each retainer gets a unique public URL your client bookmarks once and uses forever — no account, no password, no onboarding email.
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Retainerkit’s pricing is calibrated for agencies, not solo consultants.
If you have 3-8 retainer clients, you don’t need enterprise features or a team-seat model. HourTab’s Solo plan is $9/mo for up to 10 active retainers. The Free plan covers your first retainer indefinitely. You pay for what you need when you need it — nothing more.
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CSV import beats manual entry every time.
HourTab imports directly from Toggl, Harvest, Clockify, FreshBooks, and Hubstaff via CSV. No API keys to configure, no OAuth flows to authorize. Export from your time tool, paste into HourTab, done. The retainer tracker updates in seconds.
How switching from Retainerkit to HourTab works
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1
Create your retainers in HourTab. Enter the hours cap, reset date, and client name for each retainer. Each one gets a unique public URL immediately. Takes about 2 minutes per client.
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2
Import your current-cycle hours. Export a per-client CSV from your time tracker and paste it in. HourTab calculates hours used, hours remaining, and populates the work log. Your tracker is live.
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3
Send each client their new URL. One message: “I’ve switched tracking tools. Here’s your new hours page — bookmark it.” No account needed. No migration for your client to do. Just a new bookmark.
After setup, your weekly workflow is: export CSV → import into HourTab → done. The tracker updates, the client sees it next time they open their bookmark. No further action required.
“The best client portal is one your client doesn’t need to log in to.”
— Freelancer community thread on client communication tools
That’s HourTab in one sentence.
Common questions
How is HourTab different from Retainerkit?
Retainerkit requires clients to create accounts to see their retainer status. HourTab uses a public URL — no client login needed. Retainerkit is priced for agencies; HourTab’s Solo plan is $9/mo for up to 10 retainers. HourTab imports CSVs from Toggl, Harvest, Clockify, FreshBooks, and Hubstaff; no manual entry required.
Can I import my existing time entries into HourTab?
Yes. Export a CSV from your time tracker and paste it into HourTab. As long as the export has date, description, and duration columns, the import works. No API setup, no OAuth, no configuration.
Does HourTab require my clients to create accounts?
No. Each retainer gets a unique public URL. Your client bookmarks it and checks it without any account. No forgotten passwords, no access reset emails, no onboarding. This is the key difference from tools like Retainerkit.
Is HourTab cheaper for solo freelancers?
For most solo consultants, yes. Free: 1 retainer. Solo ($9/mo): up to 10 retainers. Studio ($19/mo): unlimited. There’s no per-seat pricing, no agency tier, no overage fees.