Harvest, a software platform used by businesses to track timesheets and generate invoices, has implemented substantial price increases that have generated considerable backlash from its customer base. According to reports, some customers have experienced bill increases of up to 1500%, with specific cases cited including one UK consultant whose monthly charges rose from $130 to $2,110, and another customer in the US reporting an annual increase from $2,800 to $23,000.
The price changes stem from a shift in Harvest’s business model following its acquisition by Bending Spoons, an Italian technology company, in 2025. The company transitioned from a flat monthly fee per user to a usage-based pricing structure in the following year. Under this new system, customers are charged not only for individual user access but also based on the number of active projects, clients, tasks, and the amount of revenue invoiced through the platform.
Harvest’s company representatives stated that customers operating on older legacy plans—some of which date back to 2011—would face larger increases as the product has become more capable and feature-rich. The company indicated that customers receive notification 30 days and again 10 days before their renewal dates and have the ability to switch plans or seek assistance identifying alternative pricing options. However, many annual-paying customers are only now discovering the increases as their renewal dates approach.
Industry analysts and affected customers have criticized the implementation. Mark Peacock, a pricing strategy consultant, characterized the approach as failing transparency standards, noting that customers cannot predict their costs until receiving monthly bills. He emphasized that reported tenfold cost increases were unacceptable. Damian Foks, another industry consultant, characterized the shift as evidence of the company prioritizing revenue extraction over customer retention, a pattern he attributed to the change in ownership.
Bending Spoons has a documented history of raising prices following acquisitions of major technology companies, including Evernote, Vimeo, and WeTransfer. These firms have experienced price increases and reduced free service offerings following their respective acquisitions.
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