Why did Harvest invoicing software just raise its prices as much as 2,000%?

Harvest, a time-tracking and invoicing software, has changed its pricing structure, which has resulted in customers reporting “outrageous” hikes ranging from 29% to over 2,000%, according to a BBC article and Reddit users.

The increase is credited to a new model that the company adopted that charges usage-based rates in addition to existing base fees, following an acquisition by Italian technology company Bending Spoons in 2025.

The scale of the increase seemingly differed from customer to customer. A BBC article noted one LinkedIn user said their annual bill had jumped from $2,800 to $23,000. The BBC also reported that Richard Haldenby, head of UK consultancy Salentis, saw his monthly bill increase from $130 (£95.50) to $2,110.

Harvest users on Reddit have reported similar increases too. While one on the platform user noted that their agency’s monthly bill was set to increase from $80 to a proposed $1,900 (a 2275% increase) under the new pricing model, another UK-based commenter reported a minimum annual increase of 480%.

Previously, Harvest charged businesses a flat monthly base fee for each user, with its Teams plan starting at $9 per seat per month when billed annually, while its Enterprise Plan starts at $14 per seat per month.

Under the old structure, businesses could add or remove users as staffing needs fluctuated, paying only for employees who required access.

Under the new model, “your base rate includes core features. As your team grows, additional invoices, projects, clients, and tasks are billed based on what you use, so you’re never overpaying,” Harvest explains on its pricing page.

How Harvest’s New Pricing Model Works

In addition to the base fees, under Harvest’s new pricing model, usage-based fees incurred are determined based on two billing options:

• Flex: You pay for your seats plus whatever you have used. Harvest looks at your activity from the previous billing period – active projects, clients, tasks and invoicing – and bills you for that. Each plan includes a free usage allowance, so you’re only charged above it. A busy month means a bigger bill, while a quiet month will result in a smaller bill – this also means your costs are harder to predict in advance.
• Unlimited: You pay for your seats plus a fixed usage fee and it doesn’t matter how much you actually use Harvest, the amount stays the same. Harvest doesn’t publish the fixed fee, so you’ll need to contact them for a quote.

How Users Have Responded to Harvest’s New Pricing Structure

Harvest’s apparent pricing overhaul seems to have drawn criticism online, including on Reddit and G2, where customers who identify themselves as the software’s users appear to be blunt about the scale of the increases.

A Reddit user who said they’d been on the platform since 2012 called the change “ridiculous,” writing that he was “either really misunderstanding their new prices, or they’re [Harvest] actually trying to increase the price by almost 800% to $1,158/yr.” Even though Harvest offers a cheaper option, he noted, it still amounted to “a 29% increase” and Harvest doesn’t move customers onto it automatically. That, he argued, was the real problem i.e. the company appears to “hope you don’t notice the 800% increase,” which he called “terrible business practice.”

He wasn’t alone. Another Reddit commenter flagged that “the most frustrating part is that they seem to hide the actual pricing on their website.”

One G2 reviewer said Harvest’s price had increased by 600% overnight, adding that the minimum cost to “use the product now with “unlimited” usage of the app is $1,500 per month, plus $14/mo/user.”

What Harvest Has Said

A Harvest spokesperson told the BBC that customers receive email notifications 30 days and again 10 days ahead of their renewal, adding that customers could also change plans “in one click” or contact Harvest for assistance in finding a better-priced option.

The spokesperson also reported that customers on “outdated” legacy plans, including those from 2011, were seeing larger price increases as Harvest had become “a significantly more powerful” tool.

What Happens Next for Harvest Customers

Increases of this magnitude can stand out in the software market, but they appear to be only part of what is driving the reaction.

Opacity also seems to have played a role for customers navigating the price change, with some existing users struggling to understand what the new pricing could mean for their internal processes and data.

According to the BBC’s report, Haldenby reported contacting the company and receiving an offer for a discount for the following year, other customers who described themselves as Harvest users reported on Reddit that they have reached out to the company directly and also received discounts or clarification about the increases. Meanwhile, some also have declared they are considering leaving the platform.

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