Customers are voicing their frustrations after a popular time-tracking and invoicing app significantly increased its fees, with some reports of price hikes reaching an astonishing 1500%. Affected individuals have described the situation as “daylight robbery.”
Richard Haldenby, the director of the UK consultancy firm Salentis, revealed to the BBC that his monthly bill skyrocketed from $130 (£95.50) to an eye-watering $2,110.
Many users have taken to online platforms to share similar experiences, with one anecdote from the US noting that an annual fee surged from $2,800 to $23,000.
The BBC has reached out to Harvest, the company behind the app, for a response regarding these price increases.
After being acquired by the Italian tech firm Bending Spoons in 2025, Harvest altered its pricing model the following year.
Businesses that typically pay annually are just now discovering the steep raise in costs as their renewal periods approach.
Haldenby, whose company employs up to 15 staff members in the UK and has sister organizations in the US and Australia, expressed his astonishment upon receiving an email outlining the pricing changes.
“We have utilized Harvest across our three companies for at least 15 years, and have been loyal and enthusiastic advocates,” he stated. “However, accepting this increase would mean we would have to double our IT expenditure for the year, which is absolutely unsustainable.”
Previously, companies paid a flat monthly fee for each user, allowing them to adjust the number of users based on staffing needs and pay only for those requiring access.
Under the new usage-based pricing model, businesses will now face charges related to the number of active projects, clients, and tasks, in addition to the revenue billed through the platform.
Editor’s Take
This significant shift in pricing strategy raises concerns for businesses that rely on app-based solutions for essential operations. The steep fees could force companies to reconsider their software choices, ultimately impacting productivity and budget allocations. Users may be incentivized to seek alternative platforms with more stable and transparent pricing models, shaping market dynamics in the tech industry.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
