Instead of “guestimating” time spent on projects for clients to record on invoices, you can manage your time accurately and with less work – the same way you manage your contacts, emails, appointments, and other facets of your business – with your smartphone. ClockIn is a simple and efficient iPhone app that allows you to monitor the time you spend on a project and among multiple clients.

With ClockIn, you can clock in and out of projects the same way you used to “punch the clock” back in the day. Total time on each shift is shown on the main screen and automatically updates live when you clock in or out. You don’t have to leave the app open on your phone to record your time either – ClockIn remembers that you’re punched in even if you close the app to tackle other tasks on your phone. You can also manage multiple clients at one time by saving clients/shifts info (name, website, email, etc.) to quickly refer to them at any time. Export reports in HTML and CSV formats (WiFi only) and email reports directly from ClockIn.

Sure, there are other sophisticated applications that allow you to track time and do all sorts of things, but they can come at a cost and may not be the best way to go if your schedule has you on the road meeting clients, attending conferences, and other business meetings. If you do find the time to work on a client’s project, the ability to whip out your iPhone, open up ClockIn and track your time quickly is worth its $2.99 price tag (OS 3.0 and up).