Support & FAQ
Contact us
Have a question, found a bug or missing a feature? Write to us:
E-mail: contact@thehardway.pl
We usually reply within 2 business days. When reporting a bug, please include:
- the App version (Freelance Hours menu → About Freelance Hours),
- your macOS version ( menu → About This Mac),
- what you did, what you expected and what happened,
- a screenshot, if possible.
Please don’t send us your backup file unless we ask for it.
General
What is Freelance Hours?
A Mac app for tracking the time you spend on projects. You start the timer from the menu bar, and in the main window you manage clients and projects with hourly rates, fix entries and review monthly reports. It’s built for freelancers and independent professionals.
Why is it called “Czas Pracy” in Polish?
It’s the same app. In Polish it’s sold as Czas Pracy; in English, Spanish and German it’s called Freelance Hours.
What are the requirements?
A Mac running macOS 26 or later.
Which languages does the App support?
English, Polish, Spanish and German. Change the language in Settings → General → Language.
Do I need an account or an internet connection?
No. There are no accounts and the App works offline. The internet is only needed to buy, restore or verify PRO.
Can I use the App to record my employees’ working time?
No. Freelance Hours is for tracking your own work. It is not an employee time-recording system required by labor law.
Tracking time
How do I start the timer?
Click the Freelance Hours icon in the menu bar, pick a project and click “Start timer”. To finish, click “Stop timer”. The entry is saved automatically. You can also start the timer from the “Today” screen in the main window.
I forgot to start the timer. How do I add time manually?
In the main window click “Add entry”, pick a project and enter the start and end time. You can edit any entry later in “Time entries”.
Can I add an entry with Shortcuts or Siri?
Yes. The App provides an “Add time entry” action in Shortcuts, Spotlight and Siri.
How do nudges work?
The App can remind you when the timer has been running for unusually long, or when you haven’t logged any time that day. Turn them on and adjust them in Settings, in the “Nudges” section. If notifications don’t appear, check System Settings → Notifications → Freelance Hours.
Projects, rates and reports
How do I set an hourly rate?
Enter the rate when you create or edit a project. Reports multiply your time by the rate and show the amount for projects that have one.
Does the App calculate taxes or create invoices?
No. Report amounts are the value of your work based on your rates. The PDF report is a timesheet you can attach to an invoice, but it isn’t an invoice.
How do I export my data?
In “Reports”, pick a month and click “Export CSV” (free) or “Export PDF” (PRO). In the export preview you can narrow the file to one client or project and choose whether it includes amounts, then click “Save export”. You can open the CSV file in Numbers, Excel or Google Sheets.
How do I create a report for a single client?
In the export preview, pick the client in the “Client” menu. If the client has several projects, use the “Project” menu to narrow the report to one of them. The file contains only the hours, rates and notes of the selected client or project, and its name includes the client or project name. The choice appears when you worked for more than one client or on more than one project that month.
What happens to a project I no longer use?
Archive it. Archived projects disappear from the active list, and their entries stay in your reports.
PRO and purchases
What’s free and what’s PRO?
Free: one active project, unlimited entries, reports and CSV export. PRO: unlimited projects, PDF report export, and file backup and restore.
What purchase options are there?
- Lifetime access: a one-time purchase that unlocks PRO forever.
- Monthly: a monthly auto-renewable subscription with a 7-day free trial, if you’re eligible on the App Store.
You’ll find current prices on the “Plan PRO” screen in the App.
I bought PRO but the App doesn’t show it. What should I do?
On the “Plan PRO” screen click “Restore purchase”. Make sure you’re signed in to the App Store with the same Apple Account you used to buy, and that you’re online.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Click “Manage subscription” in the App, or open the App Store on your Mac and click your name → Account Settings → Subscriptions. You can also go to apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions. Deleting the App does not cancel the subscription.
How do I get a refund?
Apple handles payments, so request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com. We can’t technically issue refunds.
What happens to my data if PRO ends?
Nothing is deleted. All your projects and entries stay, and you can keep using them. Without PRO you can’t create a new active project beyond the free limit, export PDF or make a backup.
Backup and moving to a new Mac
How do I make a backup?
In Settings → Backup click “Back up now” and choose where to save the file, for example iCloud Drive, an external drive or any other folder.
How do I move my data to a new Mac?
- Make a backup on your old Mac.
- On the new Mac install the App and click “Restore purchase” on the “Plan PRO” screen.
- In Settings → Backup click “Restore from backup” and pick the file.
Note: restoring replaces all data currently stored in the App on that Mac. The App will ask you to confirm.
Does the App sync through iCloud?
Not automatically. Your data is stored locally, and you can keep your backup file in iCloud Drive yourself.
I don’t have PRO. How can I keep my data safe?
Export your reports to CSV regularly. That gives you a copy of your hours outside the App.
Privacy and data
Where is my data?
Only on your Mac, in the folder ~/Library/Containers/pl.thehardway.CzasPracy/. We don’t send it to any server, and the App has no analytics or ads. See the Privacy Policy for details.
How do I delete all my data?
Quit the App, move it to the Trash and delete the folder ~/Library/Containers/pl.thehardway.CzasPracy/ (in Finder: Go → Go to Folder). If you saved export or backup files, delete them yourself.