FunctionFox has been serving creative agencies for over two decades, and its staying power in a crowded project management market says something. It does time tracking exceptionally well, particularly for small creative teams that bill by the hour. But time tracking alone doesn’t make a complete project management tool, and FunctionFox’s lack of integrations, limited advanced features, and tiered feature gating leave it positioned as a specialized niche product rather than a full-service solution.
If you run a small graphic design shop, PR firm, or ad agency with fewer than 25 people and your primary pain point is tracking billable hours accurately, FunctionFox deserves a close look. If you need robust task dependencies, automation workflows, or connections to your existing tech stack, you’ll hit walls quickly.
What Is FunctionFox?
FunctionFox is a cloud-based time tracking and project management application built specifically for creative professionals. The company was founded in 2000 by FunctionFox Systems Inc. in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and has been operational since 2001. It was acquired by Volaris Group in May 2023. The platform is used by over 100,000 creative professionals across 120+ countries, primarily in advertising, graphic design, marketing, public relations, and multimedia industries.
The product was originally designed by people working in advertising agencies, and that heritage shows. It prioritizes timesheets, billable hour tracking, and project budgeting over the kind of complex task orchestration you’d find in general-purpose PM tools. It’s available only in English and runs entirely in the cloud with no on-premise option.
FunctionFox Key Features
Time Tracking with Built-In Stopwatch
Time tracking is FunctionFox’s strongest capability. The built-in stopwatch timer lets you start and stop tracking as you work, with times automatically logged to the correct project and task. You can also enter time manually or use batch timesheet entry for logging multiple entries at once. Both billable and non-billable hours are tracked separately, which is essential for agency billing accuracy.
The ease-of-completing-timesheets score is among the highest in its category. The system supports unlimited clients and projects across all plans, so you never have to worry about hitting a cap as your client roster grows.
Project Management and Scheduling
FunctionFox offers task assignment, scheduling, milestones, and deadline tracking. However, Gantt charts and project scheduling tools are only available on the Premier plan and above, not on the entry-level Classic plan. This is a significant limitation for teams on a budget who need visual project planning.
The platform does not support task dependencies, sprint management, or Kanban board views. If your workflow requires understanding which tasks block other tasks, or if you follow agile methodologies, FunctionFox will feel incomplete. A recent update added recurring actions for Premier and In-House plans, addressing one previous gap, but automation remains minimal overall.
Reporting and CEO Desktop
FunctionFox includes a suite of out-of-the-box reports covering tasks, personnel, clients, productivity, estimates, expenses, and project overviews. Custom reports can incorporate up to 10 custom fields. The CEO Desktop feature provides a high-level dashboard with detailed estimates and cost breakdowns, giving agency owners a quick snapshot of profitability across projects.
That said, the reporting is better suited for time and budget analysis than for complex project health metrics. If you need detailed resource utilization analytics or automated project status dashboards, the reporting engine may feel basic compared to tools like Wrike or Monday.com.
Estimates and Invoicing
The estimates feature lets you build project estimates and then compare them against actual tracked time and expenses in real time. This estimates-vs.-actuals workflow is particularly valuable for agencies that need to monitor project profitability as work progresses, not just after the fact.
FunctionFox can also generate and send invoices directly from the platform. The invoicing workflow pulls from tracked time and expenses, reducing manual data entry. However, without integrations to accounting software (more on that below), invoices created in FunctionFox exist in isolation from your financial systems.
Resource Management and Availability
Available on Premier and In-House plans, the resource management module includes an Availability tool for capacity planning and Traffic reports that show employee workloads at a glance. The schedule overview uses visual cues to flag when team members are overbooked or have open capacity, which helps with workload balancing and identifying bottlenecks before they cause missed deadlines.
This is one of FunctionFox’s genuinely useful differentiators for small agencies that struggle to distribute work evenly across their team.
Calendars and Collaboration
The platform offers shared group calendars, project-specific calendars, and personal calendars. Events, milestones, and deadlines are visible across these views. The Project Blog feature (Premier and In-House plans only) provides a communication channel for team discussion tied to specific projects.
The Classic plan has no built-in communication features at all, which means your cheapest-tier users will need to rely entirely on external tools for project discussions. This is a notable gap for an entry-level plan.
Expense Tracking and Retainers
Expense tracking lets you log project-related costs alongside time entries, giving you a complete picture of project spend. Retainer management is also built in, allowing you to track work against retainer agreements and monitor remaining balances. For agencies that manage ongoing client retainers, this saves the hassle of maintaining separate spreadsheets.
Project Request Forms (In-House Plan)
The In-House plan adds custom job intake forms with email alerts for new requests, an advanced report builder, unlimited custom job fields, and marketing-specific reports. These features are designed for in-house marketing departments that handle a high volume of internal project requests and need a structured intake process.
FunctionFox Pricing and Plans
FunctionFox does not publicly list specific pricing on its website. Instead, it directs prospective customers to “Connect with an expert.” However, third-party sources and the vendor’s own purchasing documentation provide some guidance on the pricing structure. The platform offers three tiers: Classic, Premier, and In-House.
| Plan | First User (Monthly) | Additional Users | Key Features Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | ~$35/month | ~$5/user/month | Timesheets, stopwatch timer, unlimited clients/projects, budget tracking, expense tracking, retainer tracking, basic reports |
| Premier | ~$50/month | ~$10/user/month | Everything in Classic plus: to-do lists, job calendar, Gantt charts, project blog, availability/traffic reports, recurring actions, resource management |
| In-House | ~$150/month | ~$20/user/month | Everything in Premier plus: custom job intake forms, advanced report builder, unlimited custom fields, email alerts, marketing-specific reports |
Important pricing notes: The figures above are compiled from third-party review platforms and the vendor’s purchasing page, and they may reflect older rates. Some recent sources list per-user pricing as $10/user/month (Classic) and $15/user/month (Premier) when billed annually, with higher monthly billing rates. We recommend contacting FunctionFox directly for current pricing. Annual billing discounts are available, and all plans include customer support and regular upgrades at no additional cost.
Standard plans support up to 25 users; larger teams need to contact sales for custom arrangements. Storage starts at 10GB, with additional storage available for an extra fee. FunctionFox previously offered a free plan, but it has been discontinued. Non-profit and academic institution discounts are available.
A 14-day pre-populated demo is available for exploration, and you can request a 30-day free trial after scheduling a demo with an Account Consultant. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee on purchased plans. There is no self-serve free trial; you must engage with the sales team first.
Integrations
This is FunctionFox’s most significant weakness. The vendor’s own FAQ states plainly: “We don’t offer integrations at this time, however, we are continuously upgrading and improving our product.” There is no published API, no Zapier or Make connector, and no app marketplace.
One third-party source mentions a QuickBooks Online integration, but the vendor’s own website does not confirm this. The lack of QuickBooks integration is, in fact, one of the most frequently cited complaints among FunctionFox customers. If accounting software connectivity exists, it is not prominently documented or widely available.
FunctionFox does include its own built-in tools that partially compensate: Flink file sharing for document exchange, Project Blog for team communication, and calendar functionality. But if your agency relies on tools like Slack, HubSpot, Adobe Creative Cloud, or any accounting platform, you’ll need to manage data transfer manually through exports or duplicate entry. For many modern teams, this is a dealbreaker.
Customer Support
If there’s one area where FunctionFox consistently earns top marks, it’s customer support. Support is available via phone (toll-free at 1.866.369.8463), email (service@functionfox.com), live chat, and a Help Centre with a knowledge base and FAQs. Hours are Monday through Friday during business hours (Pacific time).
Each customer is assigned a dedicated Account Consultant who provides personalized onboarding, free training sessions, and periodic account reviews. Response times are fast; support inquiries are typically addressed within one hour. Free training is available on an ongoing basis, not just during onboarding.
The support team is described as genuinely exceptional by nearly every source we reviewed. In-app help guides are thorough and well-written. The company also provides case studies, eBooks, and white papers as supplementary resources. One notable limitation: changes to account configuration (such as adding new features or modifying certain settings) sometimes require intervention from a FunctionFox representative rather than being self-serve, which can be inconvenient for teams that prefer full administrative control.
Pros and Cons
FunctionFox’s strengths and weaknesses are sharply defined. It excels at its core competency of time tracking for creative teams, but its limitations become apparent quickly when you need capabilities beyond that scope.
Pros
- Excellent time tracking with a built-in stopwatch timer, manual entry, and batch timesheet capabilities that make logging billable hours fast and accurate
- Outstanding customer support with dedicated Account Consultants, fast response times (typically under one hour), and free ongoing training
- Low learning curve and clean interface that makes onboarding straightforward for non-technical creative teams
- Unlimited clients and projects on all plans, eliminating caps that could restrict growing agencies
- Strong estimates-vs.-actuals reporting that gives real-time visibility into project profitability
- Resource management tools (Premier+) with visual workload indicators help balance team capacity effectively
Cons
- No third-party integrations and no API; the vendor explicitly states integrations are not available, creating data silos with accounting, CRM, and communication tools
- Essential project management features like Gantt charts, project communication, and resource management are locked behind higher-tier plans
- No task dependencies, automation workflows, Kanban boards, or sprint management, limiting its usefulness for complex projects
- Mobile experience is browser-based only with limited functionality compared to the desktop version; no dedicated native app for full PM
- Available only in English with no multi-language support
- Interface appears dated and visually dull compared to modern project management tools
- Some account configuration changes require contacting a FunctionFox representative rather than being self-serve
Who Should Use FunctionFox?
FunctionFox is best suited for small creative agencies and studios with 2 to 25 employees, particularly those in graphic design, advertising, marketing, and public relations. If your primary operational challenge is tracking billable hours accurately and understanding project profitability, FunctionFox addresses that need cleanly and without unnecessary complexity.
It’s a strong fit for agencies transitioning from paper timesheets or spreadsheets to their first dedicated time tracking tool. The minimal learning curve and excellent onboarding support make adoption straightforward even for non-technical teams. In-house marketing departments that handle structured project request workflows will benefit from the In-House plan’s intake forms and marketing-specific reports.
FunctionFox is not the right choice for teams that need extensive third-party integrations, organizations larger than 50 people, agencies using agile or sprint-based methodologies, or anyone who requires task dependencies and automation. It’s also a poor fit for multilingual teams, as the platform is available only in English. If your tech stack includes tools like Slack, HubSpot, QuickBooks Online, or Adobe Workfront, and you expect your PM tool to connect with them, look elsewhere.
FunctionFox Alternatives
Paymo
Paymo targets a similar audience of small agencies and freelancers, but offers more integrations (including Slack, Google, and Zapier connectivity), Kanban board views, and task dependencies. Its time tracking is comparable to FunctionFox’s. Paymo is a better choice if you need integration capabilities alongside agency-focused time tracking, though its reporting may not match FunctionFox’s depth for creative-specific workflows.
Workamajig
Workamajig is a more comprehensive agency management platform that includes project management, resource planning, accounting, and media management in a single system. It’s significantly more complex and expensive than FunctionFox, but it eliminates the integration problem by handling accounting and project management under one roof. Choose Workamajig if your agency has outgrown simple time tracking and needs end-to-end operational management.
Wrike
Wrike is a general-purpose project management tool with strong automation, custom workflows, task dependencies, and a wide integration ecosystem. It’s more powerful than FunctionFox for complex project orchestration, but it’s also more complex to set up and learn. Wrike suits agencies with 20+ employees that need advanced PM features and are willing to invest in configuration.
BigTime
BigTime focuses on professional services firms and excels at time and expense tracking, invoicing, and project accounting. It offers deeper financial management capabilities than FunctionFox, including integration with QuickBooks and other accounting platforms. BigTime is a better fit for firms where billing accuracy and financial reporting are the top priorities, though its interface is less streamlined for pure creative workflows.
Basecamp
Basecamp offers simpler, flat-rate pricing and stronger built-in collaboration tools (message boards, campfires, automatic check-ins). It doesn’t have built-in time tracking at the same level as FunctionFox, but its communication and file-sharing capabilities are superior. Basecamp is a better choice for teams that prioritize team collaboration over detailed billable-hours tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FunctionFox offer a free plan?
No. FunctionFox previously offered a free plan, but it has been discontinued. The platform now requires a paid subscription. However, you can access a 14-day pre-populated demo and request a 30-day free trial after scheduling a demo with an Account Consultant. A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available on purchased plans.
Does FunctionFox integrate with QuickBooks or other accounting software?
FunctionFox’s own website states that it does not currently offer integrations. One third-party source references a QuickBooks Online connection, but this is not confirmed on the vendor’s site. The lack of accounting software integration is one of the most common complaints. We recommend contacting FunctionFox directly to confirm the current state of any QuickBooks connectivity.
Is there a FunctionFox mobile app?
FunctionFox does not have a dedicated native mobile app with full functionality. The platform is mobile-browser optimized and works on Android, iPhone, and iPad devices. Mobile time tracking works well, but project planning and management features are limited on mobile compared to the desktop browser experience.
What is the difference between Classic, Premier, and In-House plans?
Classic covers core time tracking, timesheets, expense tracking, and basic reporting. Premier adds project scheduling, Gantt charts, resource management, the Project Blog, and recurring actions. In-House adds everything in Premier plus custom job intake forms, an advanced report builder, unlimited custom fields, and marketing-specific reports. Key project management features like Gantt charts and team communication are not available on the Classic plan.
How many users can FunctionFox support?
Standard plans support up to 25 users. For teams larger than 25, you need to contact FunctionFox’s sales team for custom pricing and arrangements. The platform is primarily designed for small to mid-sized creative teams.
Is FunctionFox available in languages other than English?
No. FunctionFox is currently available only in English. There is no multi-language support, which limits its suitability for international teams operating in non-English-speaking regions.
What happened when FunctionFox was acquired by Volaris Group?
FunctionFox was acquired by Volaris Group in May 2023. Since the acquisition, the platform has continued to receive updates including custom week start days, reporting improvements, recurring actions, in-app notifications, and advanced timesheet management with batch entries. The free plan was discontinued around the same period, and the product continues to operate under the FunctionFox brand.
The Bottom Line
FunctionFox does one thing very well: time tracking for small creative teams. The stopwatch timer, timesheet management, and billable-hours reporting are genuinely excellent, and the customer support is among the best we’ve encountered in this category. For a five-person design studio that needs to stop losing billable hours to spreadsheet chaos, it’s a smart, focused choice.
But FunctionFox’s limitations are real and growing more consequential as the project management landscape evolves. The complete absence of third-party integrations is its most critical flaw. In 2025, a project management tool that can’t connect to your accounting software, communication tools, or CRM creates data silos that cost you time and accuracy. The gating of essential features like Gantt charts, project communication, and resource management behind higher-tier plans also means the affordable Classic plan feels incomplete for anything beyond basic timesheets.
We rate FunctionFox a 3.7 overall. It earns that score on the strength of its time tracking, ease of use, and outstanding support, but loses ground on integrations, advanced PM capabilities, and feature accessibility across pricing tiers. If you’re a small creative agency with straightforward time tracking needs and minimal integration requirements, FunctionFox delivers where it counts. If your needs extend beyond that, Paymo, Workamajig, or Wrike will serve you better.
