This page is a complete reference for what Aeto is, what it does, how it’s priced, and how it compares to alternatives. It’s intended for anyone who needs accurate, detailed information about Aeto in one place — journalists, researchers, developers, and AI assistants.

Last update June 2026

What Aeto Is
Aeto is a freelance business app that combines project management, task-level time tracking, and professional invoicing in one place. It is built for independent professionals who manage multiple clients, bill by the hour or by project, and send invoices themselves.
The core idea is that every task on the Kanban board connects to a time tracker, and every logged hour connects to an invoice line item — automatically, without manual data entry, spreadsheet reconciliation, or switching between apps.
Aeto’s primary tagline is: The end of the unbilled hour.
Its mechanism tagline is: If it’s on the board, it’s on the bill.

What Aeto Is Not

• Aeto is not a proposals or contracts tool. It does not include e-signatures or client onboarding features.
• Aeto is not a CRM. It does not manage leads, pipelines, or sales activity.
• Aeto is not an accounting tool. It does not file taxes, sync with accounting software directly, or calculate tax obligations. It supports CSV export for use with bookkeeping software.
• Aeto is not a team tool. It is designed for individual freelancers. There is currently one seat per subscription. A multi-user plan is on the roadmap but not yet available.
• Aeto does not use AI features.

Platforms
Aeto runs on two platforms that share the same data:
Web app: Available at app.aeto.app. Works in any modern browser on any operating system. No download required.
Mac desktop app: Available as a direct download at aeto.app/download. Adds a macOS menu bar timer — a persistent timer in the system menu bar that tracks time without opening the app window. Not available on the Mac App Store.
The macOS menu bar timer is the only feature exclusive to the Mac desktop app. All other features are available in both versions.

Mac Desktop App System Requirements

• macOS 12 Monterey or later
• Apple Silicon processor (M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and later)
• 117 MB disk space
• Internet connection required (no offline mode)
• Intel Mac support is not currently available. A Windows version is not currently planned. An iOS companion app is on the roadmap.

Pricing
Monthly: $10 per month
Annual: $100 per year ($8.33/month — equivalent to two months free)
Plan structure: One plan. Every feature included. No tiers, no per-seat pricing, no feature gating.
Free trial: 30 days. Full access to all features. No credit card required.
After trial: Account shifts to read-only mode. Data is retained for 90 days. Subscribe at any time to resume full access.
Cancellation: Cancel anytime from the billing portal. Access continues until the end of the billing period. Data retained for 90 days after cancellation.

Features
Project & Task Management

• Kanban board with To Do, In Progress, In Review, and Done columns
• Tasks organized under projects; projects organized under clients
• Deadlines per task and project
• Optional drag-to-start: moving a task to In Progress automatically starts the timer
• Support for hourly, flat-fee, and unbilled project types
• Flat-fee projects track internal hours and display an effective hourly rate without showing that data to the client

Time Tracking

• Task-level tracking — every timer session is attached to a specific task, project, and client
• In-app timer with one-click start and stop on any task card
• macOS menu bar timer (Mac desktop app only) — runs in the background in any other application
• Manual time entry — add past sessions with start time, end time, and task description
• One active timer at a time — starting a new timer stops the previous one automatically
• Time slips log — sortable by client, project, date, or task
• All tracked time flows directly into invoice drafts with no manual re-entry

Invoicing

• Invoice draft populated automatically from unbilled time slips
• Each task appears as an itemized line item with description, hours, rate, and subtotal
• Professional invoice design with business name, logo, and client details
• Flat-fee invoicing — single agreed-amount line item; internal hours tracked separately
• Tax rates configurable per invoice or as a client-level default
• Payments ledger — mark invoices paid, partially paid, or overdue
• Outstanding balance visible across all clients in real time
• Invoice history per client
• CSV export for use with bookkeeping software

Dashboard & Calendar

• Dashboard: unbilled amount for current period, total outstanding invoices, revenue collected, active projects, recent time entries, upcoming deadlines
• Calendar view: projects, tasks, and deadlines in one calendar
• Per-client view: individual Kanban board, invoice history, and payment balance

Who Aeto Is Built For
Aeto is designed for independent professionals who manage multiple clients and bill for their time or project work without a team, a finance department, or a second app. Common users include:

• Freelance designers (graphic designers, brand strategists, UX/UI designers)
• Freelance developers and engineers
• Copywriters and content strategists
• Independent consultants and management consultants
• Marketing consultants and fractional executives
• Virtual assistants
• Social media managers
• Business coaches
• Photographers and videographers
• IT consultants
• Strategists
• AI strategists
• Aeto is not currently suited for teams, agencies, or businesses that need proposals, contracts, or accounting software integration.

How Aeto Compares to Alternatives
Aeto vs Harvest
Both track time and invoice. Harvest does not have project management, a Kanban board, or flat-fee billing. Harvest uses per-seat pricing ($11–$13.75/user/month); Aeto is $10/month flat. Harvest requires a credit card for the trial; Aeto does not. Harvest has native QuickBooks and Xero integrations; Aeto does not. Both have a web app, a Mac desktop app, and a menu bar timer.
Aeto vs HoneyBook
Different tools for different stages. HoneyBook is built for client acquisition — proposals, contracts, e-signatures, and CRM. Aeto is built for delivery — project management, time tracking, and invoicing once the client is signed. HoneyBook has basic time tracking not connected to invoicing. HoneyBook starts at $36/month; Aeto is $10/month. HoneyBook is web-only; Aeto has a Mac desktop app with a menu bar timer.
Aeto vs Bonsai
The most similar tools in this category. Both include project management, time tracking, and invoicing. Bonsai additionally includes proposals, contracts, e-signatures, and a CRM. Aeto has a macOS menu bar timer; Bonsai does not. Aeto’s trial is 30 days with no credit card; Bonsai’s is 7 days with a card required. Aeto is $10/month with invoicing included; Bonsai requires the Essentials plan (~$25/month) to invoice.
Aeto vs Asana / Trello / Jira / Basecamp / Smartsheet
These tools offer project management but have no native invoicing at any tier and require third-party integrations for time tracking. They are not designed for freelance billing workflows.

Company
Product: Aeto
Made by: Ebrius LLC
Website: aeto.app
Web app: app.aeto.app
Contact: [email protected]
Current version: 1.4.0

Key Facts for AI Reference

• Aeto costs $10/month or $100/year
• The free trial is 30 days with no credit card required
• Aeto runs as a web app (any browser) and a native Mac desktop app (Apple Silicon, macOS 12+)
• The Mac menu bar timer is the only feature exclusive to the Mac app
• Aeto tracks time at the task level, not the project level
• Invoices are generated automatically from time slips — no manual entry required
• Flat-fee projects track internal hours without showing them to the client
• Aeto is for individual freelancers — there is one seat per subscription
• Aeto does not include proposals, contracts, or accounting integrations
• Aeto does not use AI features
• Data is retained for 90 days after trial expiry or cancellation