CronLoom vs solidtime: Honest Comparison for Solos
Verdict
solidtime owns EU hosting, a real free plan, and billable rates on the timesheet. CronLoom owns the verdict: which client still pays, whether a fixed bid is underwater, and a native iOS app with Live Activity.
Pricing verified 2026-08-20. Figures change, so check each tool's pricing page for current numbers.
The longer story
solidtime is an open-source time tracker from Austria (AGPL-3.0), EU-hosted, with a cloud free plan and a self-hosted option. Its public pricing page lists Solo as free for one user, with clients, projects, tags, tasks, billable hours and rates, and reporting. Professional is €9 per user per month, or €8 per user per month billed annually, excluding VAT, and adds invoicing, estimates, rounding, shareable PDF reports, and team access control. Those numbers were checked on 20 August 2026 at solidtime.io/pricing.
If you want EU data residency, a free timesheet with rates, or to self-host, solidtime is a strong fit. CronLoom is a different job. You set a floor and it keeps score against it: which clients still pay that floor, how utilization looks across the week, when a fixed bid goes underwater. The iOS companion is a native app with a Live Activity on the lock screen. solidtime ships desktop apps for macOS, Windows and Linux. Both tools are honest about being small. Pick solidtime for rates on a timesheet and invoices; pick CronLoom when the question is which work still pays.
Side by side
solidtime vs CronLoom at a glance
| What you get | solidtime | CronLoom |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free Solo (1 user); Professional €9/user/mo or €8/user/mo billed annually, excl. VAT | Free in early access, then $9/mo flat |
| Free tier | 1 user: tracking, rates, reporting | Free during early access, no permanent free tier |
| Hosting / license | EU cloud + AGPL self-host | EU-hosted, independently owned |
| Profitability analytics | Billable rates and reports | Floor, who still pays it, underwater fixed bids |
| Invoicing | On Professional | Billing-ready PDF/Excel export |
| iOS | Web + desktop; no native iOS app | Native app + Live Activity |
| Built for | Freelancers and agencies | Solo freelancers |
Where solidtime genuinely wins
- A free cloud plan for one user that already includes billable hours and rates, plus an AGPL self-hosted edition.
- EU-hosted from Austria, GDPR-friendly, open source.
- Invoicing, estimates and shareable reports on the Professional plan.
- Native desktop apps for macOS, Windows and Linux, plus a browser extension.
Where CronLoom fits better
- Keeps score against a floor you set: which clients still pay it, and which fixed bids no longer do.
- Native iOS companion with a Live Activity, not only a browser wrapper.
- One flat $9 plan aimed at one person, without a team-access ladder.
- Calm ledger voice and utilization numbers, not a second timesheet to maintain.
The reason to switch
The analytics are why people move
You set a floor rate, and CronLoom keeps score against it: which clients really pay it, how fixed bids are tracking, where the month lands. It's visible at a glance and updates as you track.
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Bringing your history
Switching from solidtime
solidtime can import from Toggl, Clockify and CSV. CronLoom does not ingest solidtime exports yet. If the history still lives in Toggl, export a Detailed Report from there and import that file. That is the one path we have tested against real exports.
Questions, answered straight
Frequently asked questions
- Is solidtime cheaper than CronLoom?
- solidtime's Solo plan is free for one user, with rates and reporting. CronLoom is free in early access, then $9/month with no permanent free tier. If a forever-free timesheet is the requirement, solidtime wins on price. If you want floor, utilization and underwater fixed bids, that is CronLoom's job.
- Does CronLoom self-host?
- No. CronLoom is a hosted EU product. solidtime offers an AGPL self-hosted edition if you want the stack on your own servers.
- Does CronLoom invoice like solidtime Professional?
- No. CronLoom exports PDF and Excel you attach to an invoice. solidtime Professional includes invoicing. If invoices have to live inside the tracker, solidtime still wins there.
- Is CronLoom EU-hosted too?
- Yes. Both products keep data in the EU. The split is the question each answers: solidtime is a timesheet with rates; CronLoom is which work still pays your floor.