Best Time Clock Software (2024)

Time Doctor is a cloud-based time tracking and management solution. It has made our list as the best overall time clock software because it is an excellent app not just for time tracking but has tools for payroll integration and data sharing, productivity measuring and improvement, employee monitoring, project management and budgeting and more.

Time Doctor does not have a free plan, but you can try all its features for 14 days when you sign up.

The Basic plan is for $7 per user, per month, but if you pay annually, it’s $5.90 per month. It includes tools for time tracking, tasks and project management, unlimited screenshots and activity tracking for productivity measurement and one month of data storage. You can create one group of employees per department.

The Basic plan works well for very small businesses. However, if you have larger teams and more time tracking needs, you can go for Standard or Premium plans that have more features, such as payroll and other integrations, email notifications, client login access, better support, more groups per department and more data storage.

Time Doctor supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and Chrome operating systems. It can be used on desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile phones, enabling your team to clock time and the managers to keep track from anywhere.

Tools such as screen recording, screenshots, URL and app tracking and more, ensure that you pay only for the time that employees work. It also helps employees to track hours worked accurately and get paid accordingly. Employees also have access to these reports and can also use them to understand how they can be more productive and efficient. It’s a win-win situation for both employees and employers.

Who should use it:

Time Doctor is perfect time clock software for businesses of all sizes and needs unless you are looking for a free plan. Time Doctor works even if you have off-site or remote employees.

OnTheClock is a web-based, full-featured time clock software that automates all your time and attendance workflows while also integrating seamlessly with multiple payroll services, such as QuickBooks, ADP and Gusto.

OnTheClock made it to the list as the best web-based time clock software because it provides all its features for free up to two employees and is highly affordable when you add users beyond that. The account includes one free admin account. Onboarding assistance is provided if you have 25 or more employees.

OnTheClock supports multiple punching methods, such as biometric recognition, fingerprint punching, kiosk with PIN, mobile and desktop punching to prevent buddy punching and time theft. Using the software you can track employee hours, tips, bonus, commission and mileage accurately. You can also create shifts and schedules; generate timecards and send them to payroll automatically; automate paid time off (PTO) requests and approvals; and implement punch controls, such as geofencing, early punching restrictions and automatic punch out.

OnTheClock makes it easier to optimize labor costs as well as estimate project time and costs through tools for scheduled hour estimates as well as project and cost estimates.

Who should use it:

OnTheClock is an affordable web-based time clock option for small businesses.

Jibble made it to our list as the best free time clock software because it has a forever-free plan for unlimited users that has sufficient features for most small and midsize businesses (SMBs). If you need more features, they have paid plans as well.

Besides the basic time clock software features, such as clock in/out, employee scheduling, GPS tracking and geofencing, Jibble also includes offline tracking, alerts and notifications for missed schedules, authorized geofences, activity tracking and adjustable payroll hours with its free plan.

Who should use it:

Jibble is ideal for small businesses looking for free time clock software with all the essential features. Paid plans are also available when the business needs to have more features and can afford to upgrade.

7shifts was the obvious time clock software of choice for restaurants because it has been designed specifically for the foodservice industry. This is evident from the names of the plans themselves―Comp, Entree, The Works and Gourmet.

The free plan includes up to 30 employees, integrates with POS devices and allows scheduling, shift pools and availability and time off requests. Its hiring features allow you to fill vacant positions quickly.

The paid plans include tools for optimizing labor costs, improving operational efficiencies, managing large teams in multiple locations and automating workflows. The range of features ensured that 7shifts is perfect for restaurants of all sizes.

Who should use it:

7shifts is the ideal time clock software for restaurants of all types and sizes.

Forbes Advisor chose busybusy as the best time clock software for field employees because it is designed specifically for them. For field employees that keep changing location frequently, geo-fencing and GPS tracking are essential. All busybusy plans―even the forever-free plan – come with GPS tracking.

Another tool that businesses employing hourly field employees need is labor cost optimization. busybusy has a job costing feature that enables You to keep track of your labor costs in real time.

When you decide to go Pro, you can try for 30 days to check if you need to pay for the additional features. The Pro plan enables you to schedule employees, generate safety reports and upload notes as well as site photos.

busybusy also has an à la carte Premium plan where you pay only for the tools you want. You need to get in touch with their sales teams to get the lowdown on features included and their pricing.

Who should use it:

Businesses, such as construction or logistics, which use field employees that are always moving from one side to another, should use busybusy.

QuickBooks Time, formerly TSheets, is an employee time tracking and scheduling software that comes integrated with QuickBooks. If you are already using QuickBooks, it makes sense to use QuickBooks Time for seamless integration of employee time tracking with the rest of the business processes.

QuickBooks Time allows managers to get real-time insights into the location and tasks being handled by each employee who is clocked in. This enables real-time task allocation and time scheduling. Employee hours are tracked accurately and input automatically to the payroll so that there is no manual time data entry required.

QuickBooks Time comes in two options: Premium and Elite. Some features like mileage tracking, project success and estimations, geofencing, and more are available only for the Premium plan. So, check all the features before signing up for any of the packages.

Learn more: Read our full QuickBooks Time review.

Who should use it:

Businesses that are already using QuickBooks for their accounting and payroll needs should use QuickBooks Time as their time tracking tool.

uAttend made it to our list as the most affordable time clock solution because it costs only $25 per month for up to nine employees. If you use the full quota, the per-employee cost comes to less than $2.80 per month.

uAttend offers many time clock devices, such as JR2000, DR2000 and DR2500, but you can also choose to subscribe only to the software and let employees clock in from a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Each subscription includes two time clocks with one administrator. If you want to install additional time class, you can do so at the cost of $10 per month. Adding an administrator would cost you $6 per month.

Who should use it:

Small businesses that do not need dedicated time clock devices but want affordable and flexible time clock software with mobile access should go for uAttend.