Getting Started with RateRun

If you are a freelancer juggling clients, tracking hours in spreadsheets, and chasing late invoices, you already know how messy the admin side of freelancing can get. RateRun was built to sort all of that out — in one place, without the faff.

Here is a quick walk-through to get you up and running.

What is RateRun?

RateRun is an all-in-one tool for freelancers and small agencies. It covers:

• Time tracking — start/stop timer or log hours manually
• Client management — store contact details, currencies, and tax settings
• Project management — organise work by client with custom hourly rates
• Invoicing — generate invoices from tracked time or manual line items, then email them as PDFs
• Expense tracking — log costs and attach receipts
• Income logging — record cash payments and offline income

All of it lives inside a clean, dark-themed dashboard that works on desktop and mobile.

Step 1: Create your free account

Head to raterun.net/app and register. The Free plan gives you access to the timer, client management, and basic invoicing — no card required.

Once you are in, you will land on the Dashboard. This is your financial health overview: hours worked today, billable value, income received, and a daily progress ring to keep you on track.

Step 2: Add your first client

Head to Clients in the left sidebar. Tap the + button and fill in your client’s name, email, and preferred currency. If they are VAT-exempt, flip the toggle — RateRun will remember it when you invoice them later.

Step 3: Create a project

Go to Projects and create a project linked to your client. Set the hourly rate and pick a colour label so you can spot it at a glance. You can have multiple projects per client — perfect if you are doing design work at one rate and dev work at another.

Step 4: Start the timer

The timer lives in the right sidebar (or at the bottom of the screen on mobile). Select your client and project, then hit Start. You will see your earnings ticking up in real time based on your hourly rate.

Finished a session? Hit Stop and it gets logged to your history. Forgot to start the timer? No worries — you can add sessions manually too.

Pro tip: Use the PiP button to float the timer on top of other apps. Handy when you are switching between tools.

Step 5: Send your first invoice

When it is time to bill, go to Invoices. You have got two options:

• Unbilled Time — pull in your tracked sessions and let RateRun calculate the total
• Line Items — manually add services and amounts

Add a title, check the tax and totals, then email the PDF straight to your client. Done.

Step 6: Track your expenses

Head to Expenses to log business costs. Pick a category (Software, Hardware, Travel, Marketing, or Other), enter the amount, and optionally upload a receipt. This keeps your profit calculations accurate and makes tax time a breeze.

What comes next?

That covers the basics. As you settle in, explore the Income Log for tracking cash payments, the Dashboard filters for weekly/monthly breakdowns, and the Settings page for customising your account.

If you work with clients who need to find you, check out the RateRun Directory — it is a free business listing platform where potential clients can discover freelancers by category, location, and skillset.

Got questions? Drop us a message through the in-app Support page. We are here to help.

Create your free account and start tracking your first session today.