UK business hit by 'daylight robbery' 1500% price hike for invoicing software
Businesses are expressing outrage after the invoicing and timesheet app Harvest, acquired by Bending Spoons, implemented price hikes of up to 1500% under a new usage-based model. Many long-term customers are now facing unaffordable bills, prompting accusations of "dayligh…
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
The invoicing software Harvest, a long-standing tool for many businesses, has drastically increased its prices following its acquisition by Italian tech firm Bending Spoons. The shift from a flat-rate to a usage-based pricing model has led to bills skyrocketing by as much as 1500%, causing significant financial strain and prompting customers to seek alternative services.
Imagine a company that helps grown-ups keep track of their work and send bills. For many years, they charged a simple fee, like paying for a video game once. But then, a new owner took over and changed the rules, making the price jump way up, like that video game suddenly costing 15 times more just because you played a lot of levels or had many characters. Now, many small businesses are really upset because they can't afford the new, much higher price.
Analysis
Harvest
Harvest, a widely used application for timesheets and invoicing, has been at the center of a major controversy following a dramatic overhaul of its pricing structure. For over 15 years, businesses like Salentis, a UK consultancy firm, relied on Harvest's straightforward, flat monthly fee per user. This predictable model allowed companies to scale their usage efficiently, paying only for active staff members.
The recent changes, however, have introduced a complex usage-based model that charges not only per user but also based on active projects, clients, tasks, and even the revenue invoiced through the platform. This shift has resulted in staggering price increases, with some users reporting their bills soaring by up to 1500%. The lack of transparency in this new model has made it difficult for customers to anticipate costs, leading to widespread frustration and accusations of "daylight robbery."
Bending Spoons
The drastic price adjustments at Harvest are directly linked to its acquisition by the Italian tech company Bending Spoons in 2025, with the new pricing structure implemented the following year. Bending Spoons, founded in 2013, has a notable history of acquiring over 50 major tech firms, including well-known names like Evernote, Vimeo, and WeTransfer. This acquisition strategy appears to be characterized by a clear shift from prioritizing growth to maximizing monetization.
Previous acquisitions by Bending Spoons have shown a similar pattern of aggressive price hikes and tighter restrictions on free services. Following its 2022 takeover of Evernote, for instance, the note-taking app saw sharp subscription price increases alongside significant layoffs. Similarly, Vimeo and WeTransfer have faced stricter limits on their free tools, with legacy users often compelled to upgrade to more expensive tiers. This consistent approach suggests a deliberate business strategy focused on extracting higher revenue from acquired user bases.
Richard Haldenby
Richard Haldenby, the head of UK consultancy firm Salentis, exemplifies the profound impact of Harvest's price hike on loyal, long-term customers. Having used Harvest across his three companies for at least 15 years, Haldenby was a dedicated advocate of the service. He expressed being "in shock" when his monthly bill suddenly jumped from $130 to $2,110, an increase he deemed "completely unaffordable" as it would double his firm's annual IT spend.
Haldenby's experience highlights the dilemma faced by many businesses: either absorb exorbitant new costs or undertake the disruptive process of migrating to a new service. Although offered a temporary discount, Haldenby viewed it as merely delaying the inevitable and is now planning to switch to a different, albeit "less good," service. His sentiment, describing the situation as a "classic example of corporate greed over valuing customers," resonates with many other affected users online and underscores the erosion of trust between the software provider and its long-standing clientele.
Key points
- Harvest, a popular invoicing and timesheet app, has increased its prices by up to 1500% for some users.
- The price hike follows Harvest's acquisition by Italian tech company Bending Spoons in 2025.
- The new pricing model is usage-based, charging for users, projects, clients, tasks, and invoiced revenue, replacing a flat-rate fee.
- Businesses, like UK consultancy Salentis, are calling the increases "daylight robbery" and finding them unaffordable.
- Bending Spoons has a history of raising prices and tightening free tool limits on other acquired companies like Evernote, Vimeo, and WeTransfer.
The aggressive pricing strategy by Bending Spoons risks alienating a loyal customer base, forcing many small and medium-sized businesses to incur significant costs and disruption by migrating to alternative software. This could lead to a loss of market share for Harvest and foster widespread distrust in software providers, particularly those undergoing acquisitions.
