Businesses Face Over 1,000% Price Hikes After Harvest Software Acquisition

Businesses utilizing Harvest time-tracking and invoicing software are reeling from dramatic price increases, some exceeding 1,000%, following the platform's acquisition by Italian tech firm Bending Spoons in 2025 and a subsequent pricing restructuring implemented in 2026. Many small and mid-sized companies, particularly those on older legacy plans, are only now discovering the substantial hikes as their annual renewal dates arrive, leading to widespread frustration and a scramble for alternative solutions.

The price shock stems from a shift in Harvest’s pricing model after the acquisition. Previously, businesses typically paid a flat monthly fee per user, offering predictability and flexibility to scale staff up or down as needed. However, the new structure has led to bills that bear little resemblance to previous charges, with some users reporting increases over 1,000 times their prior rates. Richard Haldenby, head of the UK consultancy firm Salentis, whose business operates with up to 15 staff and has sister companies in the U.S. and Australia, told the BBC his monthly bill soared from $130 to $2,110. Another user on Reddit reported their monthly charge jumping from $12 to approximately $116, while a U.S. user cited an annual increase from $2,800 to $23,000.

For many small and mid-sized businesses, such unexpected and substantial increases in essential operational software can be devastating. We've seen firsthand how quickly seemingly minor shifts in vendor pricing can disrupt carefully balanced budgets and force difficult decisions. This isn't just about a software bill; it's about the stability of a company's financial planning and its ability to maintain critical operations without interruption. At C&S Finance Group LLC, we often guide clients through these kinds of unforeseen challenges, emphasizing proactive financial risk management to identify potential vulnerabilities before they become crises. We help businesses assess vendor contracts, forecast operational expenses, and develop contingency plans to mitigate the impact of such shocks. You can learn more about how we assist with these complex scenarios at csfinancegroup.com.

The Italian software company Bending Spoons, known for acquiring established apps, restructuring their pricing, and running them at scale, completed its acquisition of Harvest in 2025. This business model has drawn criticism from digital advocacy nonprofit ResetTech, which labeled Bending Spoons’ approach as “exploitative.” ResetTech pointed to similar price increases across 10 of Bending Spoons’ properties, including well-known brands like Evernote and WeTransfer. Other legacy brands in Bending Spoons' portfolio include Vimeo, AOL, and Netscape.

Bending Spoons, in its pre-IPO filing, acknowledged that its revenues could be impacted by emerging consumer protection laws or app store rules requiring clearer opt-in features for price increases or simpler cancellation processes for recurring fees. Despite this, a Harvest spokesperson defended the changes, stating that customers on “outdated” legacy plans, some dating back to 2011, faced larger price increases because the product has evolved into a “significantly more powerful” tool. The company also noted that customers are notified by email 30 days and then 10 days before their renewal date, with options to switch plans or request assistance in finding a better price.

However, many affected businesses argue that the new pricing structure lacks transparency, with the public pricing page for Harvest’s “Teams” and “Enterprise” plans only listing a “base rate” starting at $9 or $14 per seat per month, respectively, when billed annually. Actual bills, users report, can be far higher, making it difficult to understand the true cost until a renewal notice or bill is received. One engineering consultancy with 20 seats, for example, reported their annual cost jumping to over $20,000 after the acquisition, a 600% increase.

The outrage among users has been palpable across online forums and social media. Many have described the situation as “insane” and “daylight robbery,” expressing shock that a loyal, long-term advocacy for the product could result in such an astronomical increase. For some, like Salentis, accepting the new price would double their annual IT spend, rendering it “completely unaffordable.”

In response to the increases, many businesses are actively exploring alternatives. Users have reported that migrating their data from Harvest, a web-based tool offering time-tracking, invoicing, and other features, to similar offerings has been relatively easy. Some alternative platforms, such as Productive.io, are even offering migration discounts to attract former Harvest users. A web developer interviewed by Bloomberg noted he was able to replicate the necessary features from Harvest into his own application using Anthropic’s Claude Code, highlighting the availability of custom solutions.

While migrating data can seem daunting, the current situation with Harvest underscores the importance of regularly evaluating all software vendors and understanding their long-term pricing strategies. We advise our clients that operational efficiency isn't just about the tools themselves, but also the agility to adapt when those tools no longer serve the business effectively. Sometimes, a forced change can lead to discovering more integrated or cost-effective solutions that better align with a company's strategic goals.

As businesses continue to grapple with these unexpected costs, the coming months will likely see a significant wave of migrations away from Harvest. The incident highlights the critical need for companies to scrutinize the stability and long-term pricing strategies of their essential software providers, especially in an environment of increasing consolidation within the tech industry.