17 Best Time and Attendance Software in 2026
The best time and attendance software includes Buddy Punch, TCP, Connecteam, and Paylocity..
The best time and attendance software helps companies record employee working hours, often through web-based punch-in and timesheet systems.
These solutions can accommodate all your time-tracking needs, from generating employee schedules and managing time-off requests and PTO to tracking hours for specific projects and reporting on clock-in/out locations. Plus, some cover scheduling or payroll features, or can integrate with a system that does.
We know there are way too many options out there, so we've done the hard work for you (researched, demoed, tested, and compared over 30 different vendors). Check out our list below for the best time and attendance software around.
In our relentless pursuit of the best time and attendance software, we thoroughly evaluated over 30 tools across three main criteria: time-tracking, payroll (native features or via integrations), and employee scheduling capabilities. Combined with insights driven from conversations with dozens of users and HR & payroll experts, we curated a list of the top-performing solutions.
- Time Tracking: The selected time and attendance software goes beyond the basics of time-off requests and PTO functionality. We prioritized vendors with user-friendly, advanced time-tracking features, such as GPS-enabled clock-ins and customizable timesheets.
- Payroll Functionality (or Integrations): We sought out software options that include payroll functionality, or integrate with trusted payroll providers. The chosen solutions enable the automatic syncing of online time data with payroll, at the very least.
- Scheduling Capabilities: We focused on systems that include robust employee scheduling tools. The best time and attendance tracking solutions should offer scheduling features such as shift planning, employee availability tracking, shift swapping, and scheduling templates.
To better understand our meticulous evaluation process, explore our post detailing how we curate the best HR tech.
Paylocity
Paylocity’s Time & Attendance software simplifies workforce management with intuitive tools for tracking employee hours, enforcing attendance policies, and managing schedules. Its seamless integration with payroll and HR modules ensures businesses avoid redundant data entry and reduce errors.
PROS
- Multiple clock-in options, including a mobile app with geofencing.
- Both employers and employees commend Paylocity’s customer support for its helpfulness and professionalism.
- Automated alerts for missed punches and overtime.
- Scheduling tools that allow employees to claim open shifts.
- Provides strong value relative to other high-end payroll and workforce management solutions.
- The app is easy to use and handles essential payroll and time-tracking functions.
- Paylocity offers step-by-step onboarding assistance, making the transition smoother for new users.
- Paylocity’s customer support is highly rated for always being available to answer questions.
- Global payroll support for 100+ countries.
- Provides free and unlimited training modules on the website.
- Paylocity’s mobile app has a good UI and functionality
- The tool is easy to use for both employees and employers.
- Has 350+ pre-built integrations.
CONS
- Larger teams may find the reporting features less comprehensive than of competitors.
- Custom reports require external data manipulation.
- Customer support is available only in English, limiting accessibility for global teams.
- Smaller businesses may find Paylocity’s feature set more than they require for their workforce size.
- Response times for customer support can be inconsistent.
- Limited international functionality.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- It doesn’t have a free trial or free plan.
- Support is available in English only.
- It isn’t the best solution for remote teams looking for a tool to manage payroll and benefits for their contractors.
Paylocity’s Time & Attendance software is offered within a broader HCM tool. We’ve been writing about this company, one of the leaders in the space, for years now. That said, the recent development of their time and attendance modules made it beckoning for us to feature them on this page.
While perhaps the main benefit is that it integrates 100% with payroll and core HR if you’re already using Paylocity for those workflows, the time tracking tool’s ease of use is also quite notable. Diving into the module, we immediately noticed how easily it is to flow from one action to the other. Employees can clock in via a web portal, mobile app, or physical time clock, and managers receive automatic alerts for late punches and overtime risks.
Praise must also be made for the variety of methods they provide for time and attendance tracking. You can configure clocks within the employee’s platform, which is accessible via browser, web app, and mobile. They also offer a Kiosk Tablet, which can be preconfigured to be used physically at a location of your choice for employees to punch in at the start of their day.
Another standout feature was the shift scheduling tool. Employees could claim open shifts, reducing administrative burden. However, while scheduling worked well, we found that reporting was more limited compared to enterprise-grade alternatives. Custom reports often required exporting data to spreadsheets for further analysis.
Despite these drawbacks, Paylocity’s time-tracking software is a strong choice for mid-sized U.S. businesses looking for an integrated and user-friendly workforce management solution.
Paylocity is used by over 40,000 companies. Some notable names include Momentus, Watters, and Weigel’s.
Pricing is custom and depends on company needs.
Best For
Paylocity is best suited for mid-sized U.S.-based companies who’d favor keeping recruiting, core HR tools, time tracking, and payroll within the same tool.
Paylocity’s primary purpose for us was processing payroll for multiple-state locations biweekly. We also used the system to onboard new employees once or twice a month.
Additionally, Paylocity helped us register new states whenever necessary. I used Paylocity daily to review employee information and update data. Every two weeks, I ran reports in Paylocity for accounting purposes.
The onboarding team was excellent and provided the support we needed to ensure a smooth transition. Paylocity simplified state registrations, saving the HR team a significant amount of time. Payroll accuracy was consistent, and we could rely on payroll being processed correctly and on time.
Paylocity was chosen because we needed a multi-state payroll provider, and it had the best reviews for accuracy in processing Pennsylvania payroll. We also required a provider to handle state registrations, and Paylocity offered this service.
Accuracy for Pennsylvania payroll was critical due to the extensive attention to detail and knowledge of complex local laws it requires. My first organization used Paylocity for two years, and my last organization used it for one year. Personally, I have used it for a total of three years.
Some of the most recent changes made the platform harder to use than it was before. The HRIS side of Paylocity was less user-friendly than I would have liked. Many self-service solutions were provided, and customer support could have been more helpful.
I have used other systems, and payroll accuracy was the key difference between Paylocity and tools like Zenefits. I would recommend Paylocity over any other system I have used.
When buying a payroll tool, it’s essential to consider the states or countries you need payroll services for and the provider’s accuracy in complying with state, local, or international payroll laws. It’s also important to evaluate the cost per employee or pay run and any additional charges, such as fees for same-day pay runs.
I believe some of Paylocity’s recent changes are holding users back. Reporting is not as straightforward as it used to be, making it confusing to locate reports or other information. The user interface could be improved to make it more intuitive.
Paylocity is ideal for multi-state organizations that need to maintain payroll compliance across all states.
Paylocity may not be a good fit for very small organizations operating in only one state.
Buddy Punch
Buddy Punch goes beyond basic time and attendance tracking; it packs advanced features that enable companies to identify and record when, how, where and by whom time is being logged.
PROS
- The drag-and-drop builder makes shift creation fast and intuitive.
- Employees can view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts via self-service.
- Scheduling and time tracking are integrated into one system.
- Labor cost controls, such as auto clock-outs and early punch-in limits, are built in.
- Supports multi-location, department, and role-based scheduling.
CONS
- The mobile app has fewer scheduling tools for managers than the desktop app.
- Limited reminder options for missed punches or schedule changes.
- Some users have reported sync issues with the QuickBooks integration.
Buddy Punch is a cloud-based software solution that digitizes how companies track their employee’s attendance, time off, and overtime. With features such as webcam photo capture, facial recognition, GPS tracking, and IP address locks, Buddy Punch not only tells you when employee hours are logged, but also where and how those hours were logged.
The University of Michigan, The YMCA, Manpower Group, StateFarm
Buddy Punch offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Paid plans are billed monthly or annually, and all plans include a $19 monthly base fee in addition to per-user pricing.
- Starter costs $4.49 per user per month and includes core time-tracking features such as mobile apps, GPS punches, time-off tracking, alerts, payroll integrations, and reporting.
- Pro priced at $5.99 per user per month, adds tools such as geofencing, QR code and kiosk punches, webcam verification, and includes the scheduling add-on.
- Enterprise costs $10.99 per user per month and includes advanced capabilities like dedicated support, API access, single sign-on, and real-time GPS, with additional add-ons available across tiers.
Best For
Buddy Punch can be used by companies of all sizes.
I use Buddy Punch at least twice a week to supervise payroll, and employee requests. In those sessions, I review all updates, approve requests and submit items for future discussion. The platform is a straightforward employee management system. Buddy Punch makes employee communication a more effective process. It also integrates easily to other services that my clients use.
The platform is straightforward and user friendly. It allows me to keep track of any employee requests. Its tracker for employee disciplinary issues is easy to follow. The system is great for payroll management.
I have used Buddy Punch to manage employees for clients since 2021. The service is a platform that allows employees to have hands-on access to necessary information like time off and payroll. My clients were looking for an option that enabled them to track expenses, manage employees, and maintain disciplinary information for each member of the team i.e. late arrivals. It has been an affordable alternative to other products for my clients (particularly small team startups). Buddy Punch simple interface allows the HR team to keep track of important changes when I need legal guidelines or employee related team management.
I don’t have any major complaints about the product outside of it being difficult to contact support. The software can be slow to update but it is more than worth the price. It can take extra time to manually upload data.
Buddy Punch is pretty great in comparison to some of its competitors. The service is affordable and user friendly. For about $60 per year, you know what you are getting and your expectations are often exceeded.
Do you need a product that is more AI focused? Are you rapidly expanding and will you have time to manually update information?
I have used Buddy Punch since 2021 and it has been a consistent service. They have improved the loading time.
Buddy Punch is good for small-medium sized organizations that are easing their way into effective HR. At a $60 annual price point, it is easy to manage and offers simple functionality but a great experience.
I would not recommend Buddy Punch to large companies or rapidly expanding businesses. If you want a more aesthetically pleasing service, there are other options.
TCP
Apart from providing all the bare necessities of time and attendance software, we love how TCP (formerly TimeClock Plus) takes it up a notch by helping you stay ahead of labor laws and ensuring that your data is secure.
PROS
- AI-powered Demand Scheduler forecasts needs and auto-builds compliant schedules.
- Auto-fill assigns qualified staff based on availability, skills, and compliance rules (labor laws, overtime).
- Prevents compliance violations with built-in Fair Workweek, FLSA, and minor labor rule configurations.
- Labor Optimizer compares scheduled vs. actual hours to control overtime and budgets.
- Mobile app allows employees to manage shifts, time-off requests, and availability with notifications.
- Task management tools enable managers to assign and track shift-specific duties in real time.
CONS
- Higher-tier plans or add-ons required to access Labor Optimizer and Shift Tasks features.
- HRIS integrations and API access are restricted to Professional (add-on) or Enterprise tiers.
- All pricing and payments are in USD only.
TCP Software offers a reliable, flexible solution for timekeeping and compliance that we find well-suited to US-based businesses.
One of the standout features we discovered was the Default Rules and Conflicts Library. Setting up time tracking and scheduling rules was straightforward, with configurable defaults for maximum and minimum working hours, shift gaps, and consecutive workdays. TCP also allows for custom rules for teams with specific operational needs, which is good for unique schedules or specific labor requirements.
The Minor Work Rules feature deserves a mention for its practical application. During our test, we connected with a TCP customer in the food service industry to hear their experience with this feature. They loved it. “It simplified the way we tracked work schedules for minors based on age, school calendar, and legal guidelines,” they shared, “we feel reassured now that we can ensure compliance with labor laws around minor employees and avoid scheduling conflicts.”
TCP’s compliance tools don’t stop there. With state-specific break rules—like California’s strict meal break requirements—the platform automatically enforces compliant break schedules. This will be especially helpful for teams based on the state to see in action, as it eliminates the risks associated with labor violations and provides peace of mind in highly regulated environments.
TCP offers multiple options for time collection, including hardware clocks and mobile clocks with geofencing, which in our test, only allowed our tester to clock in and out when they’re in our designated work area.
While TCP’s compliance features are comprehensive, it’s hyperfocused on the US market, meaning it may not be the best fit for international companies. Also, we wouldn’t recommend this vendor if you’re looking for a plug-and-play time tracking system with in-minute deployment. TCP typically takes 30 to 60 days to implement.
Another thing worth noting is the recent price increase from $2.50 to $4 per user per month since our last review of the tool. Although TCP remains affordable for most small companies, it’s a factor for budget-conscious teams to keep in mind.
18,000+ companies, including Marriott, the University of Georgia, Texas Tech, and Kaiser Permanente.
TCP pricing starts at $4 per employee per month. A free trial is available post-demo.
Best For
US-based SMBs, especially those in healthcare, government, and education.
We used TCP daily since it served as our time tracking system. It made running payroll straightforward. Employees would clock in, and I checked for missing punches each day.
I reviewed the overtime report weekly to identify employees projected to exceed their scheduled hours. Pulling timecards for payroll was simple, and it was easy for supervisors to approve them.
TCP is easy to use and user-friendly. I like how organized the main dashboard is. The reports are clear and easy to follow.
My organization purchased TCP while we were transitioning away from a PEO company. We chose it because it was similar to the time tracking system we had been using with the PEO, and the reports were easy to understand.
The timeclock was easy to install, and we had only minor issues with employee enrollment; overall, the process was relatively smooth. We used it for about six months before returning to our prior PEO company in 2024. The charts and summary data were clear and easy to read.
We can get everything TCP offers bundled with our current PEO. It is a separate platform from our HRIS. The implementation was not as smooth as we would have liked.
TCP has a better website and dashboard than the system we were using. The reports are formatted the way I prefer, which saved me time since I didn’t have to reformat them.
Consider whether you want a standalone platform or something included with another system. Think about how many employees you have and whether your supervisors need access to timecards.
I'm unsure, as I haven’t used the tool for a long time.
TCP can be great for manufacturing companies, restaurants, and other businesses that employ many hourly workers.
TCP is not a good option for small companies.
Workable
We picked Workable for its refreshing simplicity and automation in time tracking. Setting up policies was easy, and we loved how employees could clock in and out right from their mobile app. The automated reminders and detailed reporting, especially the scheduled vs. actual hours comparison, also made a big difference in streamlining attendance management.
PROS
- Easy setup of time tracking policies with customizable rules for departments and teams.
- Employees can clock in and out via desktop or mobile app, with automated reminders to reduce missed punches.
- Reporting features make it easy to compare scheduled vs. actual hours worked and export data for payroll.
- Consistently introduces new features and enhancements to the product.
- User-friendly interface with minimal training required for HR teams and employees.
- You can post jobs with one click to over 200 sites. You also get access to access to Workable’s talent pool with over 400 million profiles.
- Workable has built-in cognitive and personality candidate assessment. The platform also has features for offer management, which means you can create offer letters and collect e-signatures without needing to use third-party tools
- You can reduce unconscious hiring bias with Workable’s anonymized screening feature. It helps you hide identifying candidate information from the sourced and applied stages of the hiring process.
CONS
- No native payroll tool and payroll integrations only available on highest-tier plan.
- Lacks GPS-enabled clock-in, making it less ideal for tracking remote or field workers.
- Designed primarily for white-collar teams, with limitations for industries requiring more complex workforce tracking.
- Workable doesn’t provide automated reference checking and onboarding features.
- Useful features such as candidate texting, video interviews, and assessments are not offered in any of Workable’’s plans and instead, sold separately.
- Several users complained about the reporting feature not being detailed or customizable enough, and that the candidate search function could use more filters.
Since Workable has primarily been known for its recruiting tools and HRIS, we were intrigued when they launched their time tracking feature in open beta for all HR customers in February 2025. Naturally, we wanted to see how well it handled time and attendance management, and we have to say, our experience wasn’t bad at all. The tool is still new but already shows a lot of promise.
Right from the start, setting up time tracking policies was straightforward. We could apply different rules for specific departments, teams, or locations without any confusion. Compared to the manual Excel and spreadsheet tracking we’ve used, this was a major upgrade. Employees could clock in and out easily using either the desktop or mobile app, and we especially appreciated the automated reminders, which helped reduce missed punches.
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Workable’s time tracking is its reporting function. After running a test with a small team, we generated reports comparing scheduled vs. actual hours worked. The system made it easy to spot discrepancies—like employees forgetting to clock out—and allowed us to export the data for payroll processing. However, we quickly realized that Workable doesn’t offer native payroll functionality, and payroll integrations are only available on the highest-tier plan. For companies looking for a smooth payroll sync without upgrading, this could be a significant drawback.
We also tested the scheduling feature and found that while it worked well for white-collar teams, it had some limitations for more complex workforce needs. Assigning shifts and setting recurring schedules was simple, but the lack of a GPS-enabled clock-in feature makes it less ideal for tracking remote or field employees in industries like construction or manufacturing.
That said, it’s clear that Workable is focused on continuous improvement—just in the past few months, they’ve rolled out features like automatic calendar updates for booked time off and a time-off balance calculator, which we found useful for planning PTO more efficiently. Given this proactive approach, we wouldn’t be surprised if Workable secures a strong foothold in the time tracking space in the coming months.
30,000+ companies, including The Telegraph, Ogilvy, and Eurobank.
Workable includes time tracking and time-off management as part of its bundled Recruiting and HR plans. Both the Standard plan, starting at $99 per month, and the Premier plan, starting at $219 per month, provide employee time tracking, time-off management, payroll preparation, and payroll integrations, alongside core HR features such as onboarding and employee records. Pricing scales by employee count, and higher tiers add capabilities such as performance reviews, single sign-on, and priority support.
Best For
If you're a growing SMB looking to combine your recruiting technology and HRIS, Workable's time tracking software is an excellent option.
I used Workable daily. We used the Job Postings, Candidate Sourcing Suite, and Recruitment Marketing features. We also used the ATS components, including the CRM database, interview tools, one-way video interviews, interview scheduling, assessments, and candidate screening tools.
We benefited from automation throughout our pipeline and workflow. I used the basic reporting functions daily, weekly, monthly, and annually.
- Workable’s UX/UI is excellent.
- The Candidate Sourcing Suite includes AI, LinkedIn, Boolean search, and the existing database.
- The CRM database is well-organized and functional.
- The ATS workflows are customizable.
We did not have an ATS and were using Google Sheets to track our recruitment efforts. I built the recruitment team from scratch (0 to 28 recruiters).
Workable was perfect for our needs at the time we built the recruitment program. It provided a unified solution with an intuitive interface and customizable workflows that streamlined our hiring process.
The UX/UI is top-notch. Features like automated interview scheduling and real-time feedback collection enhanced team coordination, allowing us to move candidates through the pipeline more efficiently.
I implemented Workable and used the platform for almost two years.
- Workable’s reporting functionality is poor.
- I had to create my own reports in Google Sheets using the basic data exported from Workable.
- If you have a small team (fewer than 20 people) and a limited number of roles to fill, this platform works well.
- Workable now offers plans for more than 20 users and unlimited job posts, which was not the case from 2019 to 2022.
- I enjoyed using Workable because it is a highly intuitive platform where workflows can be customized, automations can be set, and the built-in candidate sourcing tools are exceptional.
- Previously, I would have recommended Workable for smaller recruitment teams with fewer than 10 job openings.
- Today, Workable offers personalized plans to support companies of any size and with unlimited job posts.
- It’s a great option across a range of team sizes.
- Warning: the reporting functionality remains very basic. If your organization relies heavily on advanced reporting, you may need to generate your own or consider another ATS focused on data analytics.
- Workable has made significant improvements to its platform.
- In the past, it was limited to smaller teams with fewer job openings.
- Now, it offers personalized plans to support companies of any size and unlimited job postings.
- Their pricing is customized based on organizational needs.
- If these options had been available between 2020 and 2022, I might not have switched to iCIMS, as we needed more job openings, more users, and more robust reporting.
Any organization of any size with any level of growth plans. Just be aware that the reporting functionality is very basic.
Organizations that require robust, customizable reporting functions may find Workable lacking. If you're comfortable exporting basic data and have the Excel or Sheets skills to analyze and build reports, Workable can still meet your needs.
QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time comes with a plethora of features; track time, build employee schedules, use geofencing technology, connect to your favorite accounting or payroll software, and gain business insights with real-time, interactive reports.
PROS
- Quickbooks boasts frequent promotional offers, occasionally providing discounts of up to 50%.
- Personalized customer service approach, with scheduled call options that receive positive feedback for courteous and tailored issue resolutions.
- Streamlined central clock-in/clock-out system for core work locations.
- This product offers promotions and discounts (up to 50%) from time to time.
- Their customer service is personalized. You get to reach them by scheduling a call and customers have commended the courteous, tailored responses to issues they have.
- Consolidated clock in/clock out system for central work locations.
CONS
- Some users have reported occasional delays in GPS technology updating current locations, displaying prior employee locations rather than live updates.
- There are limited customer support contact options. You usually have to schedule calls for assistance.
- The GPS technology is slow to catch up on current locations at times. Instead of live updates, the software shows the employee’s previous locations.
- While their customer support is very helpful, they don’t provide many options for you to contact them. You can only schedule a call.
Formally known as TSheets, QuickBooks Time is a time and attendance solution. It allows users to ducky review and employee time, process payroll, or recreate invoices in an accessible way. QuickBooks Time keeps a timesheet for each employee and allows them to clock in via a mobile device, or manually add time within the platform. QuickBooks Time is great for companies that are looking for accessibility, and those that are looking for additional time tracking features such as time-tracking and geofencing.
QuickBooks Time requires a QuickBooks Online account and offers two core time and attendance plans.
- Time Premium starts at $20 per month plus $8 per user and includes mobile time tracking, scheduling, time-off management, alerts, photo attachments, a time kiosk, and customizable reports.
- Time Elite, priced from $40 per month plus $10 per user, adds advanced capabilities such as project tracking, mileage tracking, geofencing, timesheet signatures, and real-time project insights.
Businesses that want payroll can bundle either plan with QuickBooks Payroll for an additional per-employee fee, but QuickBooks Time can also be used as a standalone time and attendance solution.
Best For
Any company looking for a robust time and attendance tracking solution.
I have my staff clock in and out for work using QuickBooks Time, which ensures that payroll runs smoothly. I track when employees start and finish work each day, making sure that remote or field workers log their hours correctly. I also review and adjust timesheets when needed to ensure they comply with our company policies and labor laws. QuickBooks Time integrates easily with our payroll system, facilitating accurate transfer of approved hours and simplifying payroll management.
Additionally, I can quickly generate detailed time-tracking reports (for planning, budgeting, compliance, and project management) using the reporting feature. This has become a crucial part of our HR and payroll processes, making time and attendance management across the company much simpler.
- User-Friendly Interface: The learning curve for new users is not as steep due to QuickBooks Time's intuitive interface.
- Real-Time Tracking: Real-time time record submissions ensure accurate payroll calculations, enabling better labor cost and productivity analysis.
- Seamless Integration: QuickBooks Time integrates perfectly with our existing accounting software, saving time on payroll and reducing errors from manual data entry.
- Mobile Accessibility: Employees can use the mobile app to clock in and out from any location, which greatly benefits those working remotely or in the field.
In our company, QuickBooks Time was acquired to eliminate various time tracking and payroll management issues. Before using this tool, we struggled with manual entry of employee working hours, leading to numerous errors in payslip processing and challenges in maintaining records for employees in the field or working from home.
QuickBooks Time has simplified this process by providing a convenient solution for workers to clock in and out from any location, enabling us to access live data for shifts and hours worked. It also integrates well with payroll, minimizing errors and reducing administrative tasks.
I have been using QuickBooks Time for over three years, and during this period, I have observed significant improvements in efficiency and accuracy across our operations. The main advantages include automated time tracking, mobile access for employees, integration with other QuickBooks tools, and support for our HR and payroll departments to maintain compliance and manage data effectively.
- Limited Customization: The time-reporting feature is limited to standard templates, making it challenging to create customized reports that meet specific organizational needs.
- Mobile App Glitches: Occasionally, the mobile app encounters glitches, interrupting employees who are trying to clock in while working remotely or on the go.
- Complex Setup for New Users: Although the interface is easy to use, the initial setup can be complex and time-consuming when configuring options and preferences.
- Lack of Advanced Reporting Features: The existing reporting capabilities could be improved with more advanced analytics, which would make the data more useful for project efficiency.
QuickBooks Time stands out from similar tools by directly integrating with QuickBooks accounting software, making it an ideal option for companies already using QuickBooks for financial management. This integration ensures smooth payroll processing.
I find QuickBooks Time easier to navigate and understand compared to other solutions, enhancing the efficiency of end-user training. The mobile application is robust, allowing employees to clock in and out from anywhere, which is essential for our remote and field teams.
Some competitors may offer more advanced reporting tools, but QuickBooks Time focuses on simplicity and practicality. Its design and seamless integration with other systems in our organization save time and reduce errors, minimizing inefficiencies.
When purchasing a time-tracking tool, consider several key factors. First, ease of use is crucial; an intuitive interface will help employees adapt quickly and reduce training time. Second, integration with existing software in your organization is essential for smooth operations and to minimize data entry errors.
It's also important to evaluate the tool’s reporting features, as strong analytics can provide insights into labor costs and productivity for better decision-making.
Mobile access is another important factor, especially for organizations with remote or field teams. Finally, ensure that the tool offers reliable customer support to assist with implementation and troubleshooting.
QuickBooks Time has evolved significantly over the years, incorporating various features and improvements to better meet users' needs. Initially focused on basic time tracking, it has expanded to include mobile accessibility, allowing employees to clock in and out using their smartphones—an essential feature for remote or field-based employees.
The tool has also enhanced its reporting capabilities to offer more comprehensive analytics on labor costs and productivity, helping organizations make informed decisions.
Another area of focus has been integration with other software, allowing seamless connections to various accounting and payroll systems, thus reducing errors from manual data entry. Intuit has actively listened to customer feedback, resulting in a user-friendly interface that is simple to navigate, cutting down the learning curve.
Regular updates, including features like GPS tracking and customizable alerts, demonstrate QuickBooks Time's commitment to addressing the needs of modern workforces.
QuickBooks Time is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses that need an efficient way to handle time tracking and payroll. It is ideal for organizations with mobile or remote workforces, such as construction companies, field service providers, and professional services firms whose employees often work off-site.
Additionally, businesses already using QuickBooks for accounting will benefit from the smooth integration, which streamlines payroll processing by reducing redundant data entry errors. The robust reporting features also support better decision-making and resource allocation for organizations focused on analyzing labor costs.
QuickBooks Time may not be the best option for larger enterprises or organizations with complex time-tracking needs that require advanced features, such as comprehensive project management tools or detailed resource planning.
Businesses relying on customized time-tracking solutions, like those in manufacturing or logistics with complex labor policies, might find QuickBooks Time too limited due to its lack of customization options.
The integration benefits are also less relevant for companies not using QuickBooks accounting or payroll software, making QuickBooks Time less valuable compared to other standalone time-tracking solutions.
Finally, the tool’s reporting capabilities may fall short for organizations needing detailed analytics, as it lacks the deep functionality offered by some specialized tools.
When I Work
With its sleek user interface that enhances communication, When I Work focuses on decreasing labor costs and time spent on scheduling.
PROS
CONS
When I work is a simple to use scheduling and timekeeping platform that provides an easy way for managers to manage employee time and their staff. Time can be managed from their mobile app, or their desktop application.
Known for its robust scheduling product, users can manage and view the entire staff schedule, setup time for staff to clock in and out, and alert staff via notifications. Employees can clock in and out and view their hours, or trade shifts with coworkers. This is a great platform for shift based or hourly workers.
Ben and Jerry’s, Harvard University, CVS Pharmacy, Verizon, Taco John’s.
When I Work offers per-user pricing with a 14-day free trial.
- Single Location plan costs $2.50 per user per month and includes employee scheduling, time tracking and attendance, team messaging, time-off and availability management, labor reporting, and geofencing.
- Multiple Locations plan is $5 per user per month and adds support for unlimited locations, schedules, and job sites, plus labor sharing, custom reporting, role permissions, and time zone controls.
Best For
Companies of all sizes across different industries looking to track and manage their employee’s working hours, attendance, shifts as well as improve communication.
I run payroll, so I use When I Work mainly for its outputs of time data, but I am very familiar with the tool and how it functions. Typically I review folks' shifts, correct any clock-ins or clock-outs, and ensure that no one has overclocked. I then download all of the timesheet data and transform it so that it's able to be loaded into our HRIS tool.
I really like how easy it is to use, and how easy it is for the end user - it's very intuitive. When I Work also has out of the box integrations with some payroll tools, like Gusto. In addition, I really enjoy how many features it provides to encompass a broad range of types of hourly workers.
The decision to purchase When I Work pre-dated my time, but the intention was for our business to be able to track time for all types of workers. I've personally used it for approximately 4 years now, and have come to grow very accustomed to it. It provides a very robust platform to track time, holidays, and more.
I really dislike how buggy and slow When I Work is - although this is something that can be fixed. I also dislike its lack of reporting features. Also, and this is quite specific, but I dislike that end users can edit their names - it makes it difficult to use data if an end user can edit their personal information without an admin's access. Also, the security permission features within the tool aren't quite as robust as I would've hoped for.
I haven't used other time-tracking tools, but I know When I Work is one of the most sought after scheduling and time tracking tools. I've explored and researched Workday Time Tracking, which would integrate better with our systems, but it's not as robust as When I Work. Our company enjoys When I Work due to its open API and the ability to build on top of the tool.
If you prefer intuitive use and ease of building on top of the tool, then it's worth it. If you like clean data, and a tool that isn't as buggy, then this might not be for you.
In my time using the tool, it's gotten less buggy, but not much has changed overall. However, I can say I never have issues with the tool being "down" like other tools.
Certainly a startup who needs to manage fewer than 1000 hourly employees. This system starts to see flaws and limitations after this threshold. This should be considered in the purchasing discussion, since it's very hard to migrate off of a time tracking and scheduling tool.
A larger company with several thousand hourly workers who need time tracking and scheduling.
Paychex
An all-in-one platform, Paychex Flex integrates its time attendance software with payroll and HR, giving you access to your company and employee information in one single place.
PROS
- Timecard processing can be fully automated.
- Integrates well with benefits providers like Benetrac for benefits management.
- User-friendly interface for reviewing W2s and paystubs.
CONS
- Limited third-party integrations.
- Some users reported slow app login.
- Less modern looking compared to competitors.
Paychex Flex offers a time and attendance platform that helps businesses save time and improve accuracy with online timekeeping, time clocks, and integrated payroll. They have many flexible options based on how you track time, providing a solution that is easily integrated and mobile for users. This is a great all-in-one solution for very small businesses, who need guidance on the time and attendance side of things.
ESET, Funnelbox Inc., Smile Cafe, H.Y.P.E. Counseling Services, ASG, Pet Partners.
Paychex pricing typically begins at a base rate of approximately $39 per month, plus an additional $5 for each employee.
Best For
Companies of all sizes looking for an all-in-one solution for payroll, time and attendance, benefits, and more.
I primarily used the tool to support the full employee lifecycle, including hiring and terminating employees. It was also a reliable system for checking employment and benefits data, running reports, and updating employment status changes such as leave or promotions.
In addition, it helped ensure that information was shared seamlessly with Payroll for processing. The tool made it possible to manage essential HR functions in one place, reducing the need for separate systems and making daily operations more efficient.
- It is a user-friendly online tool that both employers and employees can use to access employment data.
- Employees can easily choose benefits and view details such as accrued PTO.
- It allows live reports with up-to-date information on turnover and other key data.
- The system includes training tools, such as courses and webinars, that are interesting and easy to use.
My organization purchased this tool to automate payroll and streamline the way payment, benefits, and employment data were managed across HR, Finance, and other departments.
One of the main goals was to provide employees with easy access through both the online platform and mobile app. Another benefit was the ability to allow multiple authorized users, which made it easier to share and update information as needed. We also valued the ability to run live reports, which provided up-to-date insights on employment data.
Overall, the tool was intended to improve efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility in payroll and HR processes.
- Some reports were generated with missing information, even when requested.
- Graphs could only be exported in PDF format, limiting usability.
- We did not take advantage of all the resources Paychex offered.
I don’t believe it is much different from other tools, but it is very user-friendly for both employers and employees, especially since it has its own app.
- Even though it is user-friendly, the system provides more resources than most organizations will ever need.
- It serves as a marketplace where you can add partnerships with external companies and link their resources for employees, such as financial advisors, tax services, or rewards programs.
- The training resources available online are also useful for both employees and managers.
I am not sure, as I only used the tool for a short period of time.
Organizations that do not already have their own payroll system and want to upgrade to a more sophisticated option. Paychex is especially worthwhile for companies with 50 or more employees.
Smaller companies or organizations that do not offer benefits, partnerships, or training opportunities won’t need Paychex.
Calamari
We especially appreciate how intuitive Calamari is to clock in using mobile geofencing, QR codes, or via Slack and Teams. The fact that you can start or stop your shift, request leave, and check balances without leaving your team collaboration tools makes it a meaningful advantage for everyday use.
PROS
- Supports multiple clock-in options, including mobile geofencing, QR codes with photo captures, kiosks, and NFC cards.
- Works natively with multiple team collaboration and project management tools.
- Implementation is free and can be completed in as little as three days.
- Built-in global-ready time-off policies.
CONS
- No native payroll tools. Payroll and HRIS integration must rely on its API documentation.
- Standard API quotas (2 requests/second, 600/hour, 6,000/day) may be restrictive for high-volume data syncs.
We spent time demoing and actively testing Calamari’s time and attendance offerings to understand how it holds up in real-world workflows. What stood out immediately was how flexible and approachable the platform felt, especially for teams managing a combination of desk-based and frontline staff.
Calamari’s multiple desirable clock-in methods are all available in the basic plan. We could initiate shifts via Slack, geofence mobile alerts, and QR codes at a simulated kiosk, all of which functioned as expected during our testing.
The Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations, in particular, were among our stand-out features. Employees can clock in, request leave, check balances, and approve absences all from the collaboration tools they already use. That kind of convenience is spot-on for both remote teams experiencing multi-app fatigue, or deskless workers with little time and on the go.
The Time Off module also performed well in our estimation. You can build region-specific leave types, set up accrual rules (monthly, annual, prorated), and even assign visibility restrictions and attachment requirements. During our demo walkthrough of the platform, we found everything to be logically structured and agile, which we believe would be particularly beneficial for companies with employees across multiple countries or subject to different labor laws. The company is based mostly in Poland, but the customer base is all over the world, with a focus on the European Union and the United States. They’ve transformed their location into an asset, since the tool is flexible enough to fit the needs of all kinds of geographies.
On the downside, however, Calamari doesn’t offer native payroll features. As stated before, the platform relies on APIs for its integrations with payroll or HRIS rather than plug-and-play or native connections, or using a tool like Merge. While the API is a good bet and you can count on technical assistance from the Calamari team, we think the standard API limits (600 requests/hour) could be a hurdle for high-volume syncs.
And to not end on a down note, we’ll add that the customer support is lauded for its efficiency and dedication. You can reach out to them via chat or email, and expect a swift reply. If the issue is not resolved soon, they are very accommodating— for instance, jumping on a call with you to figure out the issue and offer a solution.
130,000+ users, including BRAND24, UNICEF, Sonar, and Netguru.
Calamari has a modular pricing model, billed either monthly or annually, and a 14-day free trial. The Time and Attendance module has a minimum cost of $25 per month for annual billing. You can also bundle it with other modules, including Time Off ($2 per user per month), Core HR ($2 per user per month), Performance (coming soon, $2.50 per user per month), and SAML SSO add-on ($0.80 per user per month).
Best For
Calamari is best for small to mid-sized teams with hybrid or fully distributed workforces that need flexible time and attendance tracking.
Parim
Parim is a mobile-first, location-aware time tracking platform that’s built specifically for shift-based and event-driven teams. Its geofencing capabilities, flexible clock-in methods, and real-time visibility into active shifts stood out in our testing as a smart choice for companies that need operational control without unnecessary overhead.
PROS
- Real-time clock-ins with color-coded shift statuses for quick decision-making.
- GPS geofencing supports location-specific clock-ins, breaks, and clock-outs.
- Multiple input methods: mobile app, tablet, browser, SMS, or voice call.
- Filtered attendance view to easily spot and resolve issues.
- Robust absence tracking and approval workflows directly tied to scheduling.
- Real-time clock-ins with color-coded shift statuses for quick decision-making.
- GPS geofencing supports location-specific clock-ins, breaks, and clock-outs.
- Multiple input methods: mobile app, tablet, browser, SMS, or voice call.
- Filtered attendance view to easily spot and resolve issues.
- Robust absence tracking and approval workflows directly tied to scheduling.
CONS
- No built-in payroll features.
- Pricing may be hard to interpret without a sales conversation.
- Integration options were previously limited, though they are improving.
- Mobile browser-based clock-ins have less reliable location accuracy.
- No built-in payroll features.
- Pricing may be hard to interpret without a sales conversation.
- Integration options were previously limited, though they are improving.
- Mobile browser-based clock-ins have less reliable location accuracy.
Parim’s time and attendance software brings together real-time visibility, flexible scheduling, and mobile-enabled workforce management in a single, compliance-ready interface. We were particularly impressed with Parim’s Time Clock view, which shows active shifts in real time. Managers can instantly identify who’s currently working (in green), and any clock-in issues or discrepancies (like late arrivals or off-location punches) are highlighted in red. This visual interface simplifies day-to-day oversight and accelerates timesheet approvals.
From a usability perspective, Parim supports a good range of clock-in methods. Staff can punch in via mobile app (with geofencing support), browser, shared tablet, SMS, or even voice call using a PIN. This flexibility gives businesses more control over how attendance is captured based on their operational needs, which we like. Our tests also confirmed what the vendor recommends, which is that the mobile app is the most accurate option for geolocation compared to browser-based check-ins.
Geofencing is one of Parim’s strongest compliance features, in our opinion. Available on Premium and Enterprise plans, it ensures employees are within a defined radius before they can clock in, out, or take breaks. You can configure these settings by location or event, and the ability to restrict access through the staff portal helps prevent workarounds.
Beyond clock-ins, Parim includes an absence management tab that gives managers a clear overview of holiday and sick leave. You can approve or reject requests, and even add absences directly into the calendar to ensure schedules reflect real-time availability, which makes shift planning significantly easier and reduces the risk of short-staffing.
However, unlike some other vendors, such as Paychex and Rippling, Parim doesn’t have built-in payroll, so it might not be the first choice if you want an all-in-one workforce management solution. We also noticed that Parim’s development has been a bit slow over the past 18 months, but that seems to be changing. They're working on a major upgrade and have recently rolled out new features, including Incident Reporting, Team View, and enhanced compliance tools. This shows that they are investing in its future, which should be good news for long-term users.
200+ companies, including Chelsea FC, Interim Healthcare, Glastonbury Festival, HAP Solutions, and CH&Co.
Parim offers time and attendance tools as part of its workforce management plans, priced with unlimited users starting at £47 per month. The Pro plan is where core time and attendance features begin, including configurable timesheets, attendance tracking, pay run reports, automated pay schedules, and CSV exports. The Premium plan builds on this with deeper attendance analytics, payroll exports, pay locks, and reporting that supports compliance and payroll accuracy.
Best For
Parim is best suited for fast-moving, shift-based industries such as staffing, events, healthcare, and hospitality, particularly those needing mobile-first time tracking with location control.
Homebase
We liked how Homebase enables users to run the same time-tracking workflow from a browser-based time clock, a dedicated tablet app, the mobile app, or even select POS systems, then roll those punches straight into auto-calculated timesheets. Beyond convenience, the platform adds strong guardrails that help managers spot missed breaks, handle waivers, and automate the payment of missed-break penalties.
PROS
- Multiple time clock options (mobile, tablet app, web browser, and select POS), useful for mixed onsite and remote teams.
- Automated timesheets calculate hours, breaks, overtime, tips, and multiple wage rates.
- Strong guardrails for time theft and compliance: geofencing, GPS snapshots, photo capture on tablet, early clock-in controls, and auto clock-outs.
- Breaks & Compliance settings include mandatory break reminders, break waivers, and (California-only) missed break penalties.
- Separate dashboards for managers and employees
- Real-time communication features allow for schedule changes on the move
- Requesting and approving paid time off is easy
- Great scheduling templates help managers streamline work
CONS
- Several “control” features are paywalled (e.g., mobile clock-in, GPS snapshots, and geofencing require Essentials or higher; shift photos require Plus or higher).
- Some capabilities have notable constraints (one geofence per location; Amazon Fire tablets unsupported for the tablet clock).
- Doesn’t support international businesses and those without hourly employees.
- Limited third-party integration support
- Additional features are somewhat expensive
Homebase positions its time tracking as an “easy button” for hourly small businesses, and the strongest evidence is how many ways teams can clock in: a web time clock on any browser, a dedicated tablet app (Time Clock by Homebase), mobile punch in/out with location controls, and even select POS time clocks (including systems like Clover, Square, Toast, and Lightspeed). Having a wide range is really important for small businesses managing a kiosk up front, a computer in the back, and need their managers to have the flexibility to move around.
We appreciate how Homebase handles timekeeping. In our test, the software automatically generated timesheets as we clocked in and out, tallying up breaks, overtime, tips, and different pay rates without any hassle. We found the tools for managers to prevent early clock-ins and set up auto clock-outs particularly helpful to keep labor costs in line with schedules and budgets.
When it comes to break rules, Homebase puts everything in one place and can manage whether breaks are paid or unpaid. According to feedback from some of Homebase's customers, we’ve been in touch with, the system enables them to add or waive missed breaks at clock-out and supports break penalty pay for staff located in California.
We also like the “cleanup” workflows, especially Assisted Clock In. If a\ worker forgets to clock in, they can just send their actual start time along with a note. Then, managers can either accept it, make changes, or send a message for any clarifications when they're reviewing.
However, the trade-off is that some of the most valuable controls, such as GPS snapshots and geofencing to verify location, and tablet “shift pictures” (photo capture at punch-in/out), are available only in higher tiers. If you go with the free Basic plan, keep in mind that you'll be able to access your time cards only for up to 3 months. Operationally, Assisted Clock In can streamline missed punch corrections, but it’s not universal: it’s limited to Plus and All-in-One (and explicitly unavailable for Clover customers).
Over 100,000 customers, including Fuzzy Goat Yarn Shop, The Blind Goat & Xin Chao, as well as Arthritis and Osteoporosis.
Homebase offers four main pricing tiers:
- Basic ($0/location/month, up to 10 employees) for fundamental scheduling/POS
- Essentials ($30/location/month, unlimited employees) adding advanced scheduling/team communication
- Plus ($70/location/month) including AI Scheduling, PTO, and departments
- All-in-One ($120/location/month) covering onboarding, labor cost management, and HR/compliance.
Payroll, Tip Manager, Background checks, Task Manager, Job post boosts, and Hiring Assistant are available as add-ons.
Best For
U.S.-based small businesses with hourly staff seeking straightforward clock-ins across devices and stronger break and timekeeping controls.
Connecteam
Connecteam is one of the few vendors that offer robust GPS clock-ins and flexible job scheduling at such a competitive rate (or for free if your user count remains at or below 10).
PROS
- Great employee scheduling capabilities.
- Set clock-in and automatic clock-out times for shifts.
- GPS-enabled clock-ins to avoid time theft.
- Customizable automated timesheet exports.
- Job Insights for resource allocation details.
- Automated break deduction/calculation.
- One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
- Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
- Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.
CONS
- Limited payroll integration options.
- No phone support.
- In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen.
- Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
If you want a robust location tracking feature in your time and attendance software, Connecteam could be the answer. Featuring Geofence, this platform enables employers to track employees' real-time location and limit where they can clock in and out.
Job scheduling is another aspect that Connecteam handles well. This tool covers shift planning, staff availability, and shift rescheduling. Plus, depending on what you need, it can work independently or be synced with the time tracking feature.
For example, for your hourly-paid workers, you can let the sync happen to make things easier for the workers to clock in directly from their shift and for you to track hours. On the other hand, keeping these two tools un-synced would make more sense for salaried workers whose time does not need to be tracked.
Connecteam doesn’t have its own payroll function, which is fine if the vendor has good integration capabilities. Unfortunately, the integration list is rather disappointing, with only four options. Furthermore, only those paying for the priciest plan gain API access.
Connecteam’s Help Center is timely and informative. Email support and live chat are also in good shape, with an average turnaround time of about 1 hour. Note, though, that there is no phone support and the only immediate support option, dedicated CSM, is limited to the Enterprise plan.
36,000+ organizations, including Edible, Mango, and Subway.
Connecteam’s time and attendance features are part of its Operations Hub and priced by plan and employee count.
- Basic starts at $29 per month for up to 30 users and includes GPS-enabled clock-ins, job-based time tracking, payroll integrations, and basic scheduling.
- Advanced, from $49 per month, adds customizable time clocks, auto clock-outs, geofencing, and recurring shift templates.
- Expert starts at $99 per month and introduces deeper automation, including unlimited geofences, auto-assigned shifts, automated reports, and API access.
- Enterprise is available with custom pricing for larger teams, offering enhanced security, unlimited reporting, and dedicated support.
All plans include a free trial.
Best For
Great for multi-branch businesses that need to track employee time and attendance.
We use Connecteam for task management. Employees are assigned daily/weekly tasks based on their roles. With Connecteam, all employees are working toward the bigger goal, one person at a time. The app is also a great communication platform for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and accomplishments.
Three major pros Connecteam offers are task management, community, and timekeeping. Connecteam’s task management tools empower each employee to give their best. The communication tools are a great asset to the company’s culture. Connecteam’s timekeeping functions make scheduling less time-consuming.
Before moving the organization to Connecteam, basic employee functions were on different systems. Timekeeping and workload checklists were all in paper form, taking up valuable space. Connecteam helped create operational excellence. Now, supervisors can delegate workloads to employees without physical paperwork to confirm completion. Employees are now eager to post photos of their completed tasks. Timekeeping has also become much easier. We have used Connecteam for over a year.
The biggest con could be app usage for employees who are not comfortable with technology or mobile apps. This is no fault of Connecteam, but inactive users can slow down operational progress. Using a mobile device can also be a distraction for some employees. From an HR perspective, auto-scheduling is generally helpful, but in some cases, employees' schedules can change weekly or biweekly, which requires extra time to ensure schedules are correct.
Compared to other systems I have used at different companies, Connecteam offers much more ease for users. It also has fewer problems with maintenance and malfunctions.
When buying this tool, I think people should consider operational excellence. Companies should also think about the diversity of their team and whether employees will be open to using the app. In addition to gaining employee buy-in for using this software, buyers should also review the price point to ensure they are comfortable using it within their business. Lastly, potential buyers should ensure that a person or team is in place to explore all the functions to get full use of the app.
The access to the helpdesk and training videos for using the app has greatly met the needs of both the users and employees.
This tool is great for businesses that focus on operational excellence or operational standards. Operational size doesn’t matter because the app is multifunctional. Larger organizations may need to use more of the app’s functions.
Organizations where physical paperwork is required, or where phone service or usage is limited.
Rippling
Workflow automation has long been Rippling’s signature, and it’s well showcased in the vendor’s time and attendance product.
PROS
- One platform for performance, payroll, time and attendance, and more.
- In-app policy non-compliance alerts with one-click solutions.
- Ability to set security restrictions to prevent timecard fraud.
- Excellent workflow automation features.
- Self-service capabilities included.
- All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products
- With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
- Operates globally with any currency
- Workflow automation
- Analytics opportunities
- Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included
CONS
- Requires annual subscription. No free plan (a free trial is occasionally available, though).
- The mobile app offers core functionalities, but some advanced features and administrative tasks are only doable on the web platform.
- Additional charges may apply for phone support, depending on the plan.
- Total buy-in to Rippling is essential
- Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company.
- New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing
Being a diverse, distributed team ourselves, we understand how hard it is to keep up with the ever-changing labor regulations and laws. This was why we were immediately drawn to Rippling’s automated policies upon testing them. Regardless of whether your workers are based in the U.S. or abroad, the system will automatically inform you if your policies are not in compliance with local regulations and the needed actions to resolve these issues.
As expected from a high-tech startup, Rippling’s automation capabilities extend beyond compliance. With this tool, you can create custom rules for alerts and notifications concerning meal breaks, shift endings, early clock-outs, overtime, approvals, and even cost control.
For teams with onsite, deskless workers, Rippling’s Time and Attendance tracking tool supports scheduling and allows employers to limit the geolocation where employees can clock in and out. And, if you’re considering not just the time and attendance but also the payroll product from Rippling, there's more good news: All approved hours in the time and attendance will auto-sync with payroll. Plus, you can even review time cards right inside each pay run.
A fair warning, though. Rippling is not for those on a tight budget, as the platform pricing is on the higher end, on an annual basis, and comes with no free option like Connecteam. But they do sometimes have short-term free trials which you may want to keep an eye out for.
16,000+ companies, including Dwell, Superhuman, and Expensify.
Rippling offers quote-based pricing, with a starting cost of $8 per month for each user.
Best For
Companies who prioritize automation and customization in their time and attendance software.
We used Rippling to input new hires and manage current employees. Employee information was stored on the platform. We used it to enroll employees in benefits and provide the team with an easy way to enroll in their plans or download their plan summaries. We also used it for payroll and to process yearly bonuses. Additionally, we relied on Rippling for compliance purposes. Their team would provide advice on compliance issues, HR support, and updates on new laws applicable to us.
I love the ease of use and the way it's laid out. I appreciate that there’s one place for all information. I also like that they have many useful tools, so as the company grows, they can adapt other features within their system (like performance evaluations, tracking, and learning management trainings).
Our company needed an HRIS system that would allow us to handle payroll, administer benefits, and provide compliance advice. We used Rippling for one year. The key benefit Rippling provided was a one-stop shop where everything could be tracked and kept together in one place, rather than having to visit different sites for various tasks (e.g., payroll, compliance, etc.). We were originally using an Excel file to track employee data. We switched to Rippling to store this data on their platform in a more secure and user-friendly way.
We used it as a PEO, and the health plans offered weren’t as competitively priced as if we had brought benefits in-house. Additionally, the benefit rates increased during open enrollment. I also dislike the $65 per employee, per month fee, which I find a bit steep.
Rippling is very comparable to other PEOs. What sets it apart is that they allow you to continue using their HRIS platform for HR, employee data tracking, and payroll even if your company decides to leave the PEO and bring benefits in-house. This flexibility is helpful, as it allows you to start with them as a PEO and transition to their standalone platform without searching for a new system, making the process easier.
The fees per employee per year are important to consider. If you’re in a period of rapid growth, make sure to account for expected new hires in your budget. You’ll also want to decide which features you’ll actually use. For example, we didn’t use their recruitment feature because we had a different system for that, but Rippling does offer a recruitment tool. The more features you use, the higher the cost, so be mindful of that.
I think their customer service improved from the time we started using them until we stopped. Initially, they didn’t have a designated rep for companies, so you had to go through their experts and didn’t always get the same person helping you, which could be frustrating. By the end of the year, we noticed improvements in their customer service, which was a positive development.
Rippling is great for any company with more than 10 employees. It’s ideal for small companies using a PEO, especially if employees are spread across multiple states. For larger companies that want to stop using a PEO and bring benefits in-house, Rippling is still very effective as an HRIS system for data tracking.
Rippling may not be worth the cost for companies with fewer than 10 employees. In that case, it might be better to avoid the PEO fees. If all employees are in one state, I would recommend using a broker for insurance and managing employee data and recruitment in-house instead.
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Deel
Deel is a global payroll system that incorporates a basic time and attendance module into its offering. Notably, it can adjust to regional public holidays and schedules completely automatically.
PROS
- One of Deel’s key benefits is its customer support. They offer 24-hour in-app assistance, and users can access localized payroll professionals in their regions.
- Generate invoices automatically for both the company and contractor/employee.
- Incorporate employee virtual hangouts within the platform.
- Enhance engagement with pulse surveys through Slack integration.
- Organize employee responses on a segmented dashboard for improved insights.
- Excellent 24/7 customer service with fast onboarding (2-3 days) and local payroll experts in each jurisdiction.
- Seamless integration with platforms like QuickBooks, BambooHR, and Greenhouse, plus custom integration options.
- User-friendly, self-service features enable quick setup; identity verification often takes under 24 hours.
- Automated invoices simplify payments, provided they're in English.
CONS
- Currently lacks performance management functionalities.
- Lacks goal tracking and OKRs integration.
- Does not offer built-in coaching capabilities.
- Premium offerings from Deel, such as onboarding automation, are only offered as add-ons.
- Flexibility in altering contracts or service agreements is restricted; adjustments usually necessitate addendums.
- A $5 payout fee is applicable for each transaction.
- Invoice generation seems restricted to English only.
- Key features like onboarding automation are add-ons, which may increase costs.
- Limited flexibility in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require an addendum.
- Invoices cannot be generated in languages other than English.
Deel has embraced a global, remote-first approach that's woven throughout the product in subtle ways. Of course, this is evident in their basic time and attendance module. This part of the tool automates the tracking of public holidays, time off, and expenses for employees regardless of where they are in the world.
We’ve been familiar with Deel since late 2020 and were happy to see this addition to their tool shortly thereafter. It makes a lot of sense for international teams to count with a time and attendance tool that automatically syncs with the local calendar for each employee. This way, you can account for public holidays in each jurisdiction and respect the local employee leave regulations. From what we saw in a demo, employees can submit requests and get them approved with only a couple of clicks.
As we’ve stated in other reviews of Deel, their evolution from addressing global payroll to offering robust employee experience software is remarkable.
Deel serves over 10,000 customers, including big names like Nike, Shopify, Dropbox, Notion, Reddit, and Airtable. They also have a strong contingent of SMBs and start-ups in their client roster.
Deel time and tracking software starts at $5 per user per month.
As a new product, Deel has changed a lot since its inception. Its newest offering, DeelHR, allows companies to complete most of their HR operations tasks in Deel.
Best For
Deel’s infrastructure can support businesses at any size, from one to 10,000+ employees. They even offer some free services for companies under 200 employees. While their current focus is SMBs that are growing and want to explore different global markets and talent pools, there is also a large market for mid-market and enterprise companies.
We use Deel on a weekly basis to hire, manage, and pay international employees for clients. Once a candidate has accepted our verbal offer, we use Deel to send the offer letter, new hire documentation, and collect information for payroll. Deel stores all of our new hire information such as employee benefits selections, tax information, and signed offer letters. We also use Deel to coordinate with our outside payroll vendor to ensure everyone is paid correctly and the proper withholdings are implemented.
The first thing that we love is Deel HR is free! Not only is it free, it still offers all the bells and whistles of your typical paid platforms. I like that you can use Deel as the employer of record for international employees. Deel ensures we are compliant with local labor laws. Deel HR has replaced our need to purchase an HRIS system to serve as our employee management system.
We purchased Deel because we were seeking an affordable HR tool for our startup company. We were experiencing pain in the areas of documentation management, managing employee files on multiple databases, and wanted to streamline our operations. We were also seeking an onboarding solution that could integrate with our recruitment process. Deel has helped us centralize our HR functions and improve our efficiency in managing employee data and onboarding new hires.
The cost for the employer of record is very high for a startup company. This is an amazing solution to offer for a growing company, but I wish the price was lower or split into two payments across the month. Although it is easy to navigate, the UI could be nicer.
Deel is a one-stop shop for domestic and international hires. They have a built-in background check and visa and EOR in one platform. Other platforms require the use of multiple tools to accomplish these tasks.
First, they need to consider their hiring needs. Determine how many international hires annually to be able to do a cost-benefit analysis. They also need to have a defined hiring workflow to determine if Deel has everything they need to enhance their existing workflow.
Deel has done a great job with API and adding new integrations as the market evolves.
Global and domestic organizations of all sizes.
Deel is great for all companies and industries, especially if they want an all-around tool to take care of all HR needs including global payroll and EOR.
BambooHR
Extremely user friendly and full of HR features, Bamboo HR can help you save considerable amounts of time spent on time tracking. Automatic reminders, fast clock-in-clock-out for employees, one-click timesheet approval for managers.
PROS
- Time tracking capabilities, though offered as a separate module, are precise and easy to use.
- BambooHR’s multiple tiers and custom pricing models are good for diverse business needs, ensuring cost-effectiveness and scalability.
- With an intuitive and user-friendly interface, BambooHR provides a straightforward tool that can be easily navigated and utilized by HR pros of all levels.
- Integrates with several payroll and accounting systems, providing a streamlined process for U.S.-based employees to ensure efficient and error-free payroll management.
- Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs.
- Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.
CONS
- Options for non-U.S. employees are limited, which may pose challenges for multinational companies.
- Customer support availability is restricted to U.S. business hours, potentially causing delays and difficulties for businesses operating in different time zones.
- Time tracking is offered only as an add-on, and the same goes for some advanced scheduling features.
- The reporting and analytics capabilities for time tracking data are somewhat limited in BambooHR, which may hinder in-depth analysis and insights for workforce management.
- Payroll is only available for US-based employees
- Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
- Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
BambooHR is a cloud-based SaaS HR platform for all types of businesses. They automate many of the HR functions, and can help make HR tasks simple and fast. As an add-on, they offer a robust time and attendance platform, which includes a clock-in/clock-out functionality, timesheets and paid time off tracking. Bamboo HR’s easy to use platform is great for those that are looking to track project hours for salaried employees, or utilize a platform for hourly workers.
Among the 20,000+ companies that use BambooHR, you’d find names like Quora, Universal Group, Reddit, Asana, Change.org, University of Maryland, Grammarly, Stance, Postmates, Wistia, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ZipRecruiter.
Pricing is not disclosed upfront, but they do offer a free trial of their all-in-one software and then go out of their way to find a version that will suit you. Before they come up with a personalized quote that will align with your budget, however, they are also likely to extend your free trial upon request or even give you a free demo of the advanced features.
Best For
BambooHR is ideal for companies seeking a highly customizable HR product with flexible pricing options. Its popularity is particularly evident among teams that operate partially or fully remotely, as BambooHR efficiently addresses the need for effective time and attendance management in such environments.
As the HR leader I use BambooHR for everything!! I store all of our important documents and records in Bamboo. I do all of our recruiting, offer letters, and onboarding through HR. Once we hire an employee they are given their own login information to be able to access the org chart as well as put their PTO in. I also run reports to track everyone's PTO, promotions, and other key performance indicators for employees.
- BambooHR is easy to use and train employees on. BambooHR makes it very easy to create offer letters and email templates when it comes to recruiting.
- BambooHR makes it easy to recruit and keep track of candidates, and the stages they are in in the interview process.
- The BambooHR 'how can we help button' makes it super easy when you have a problem or a question to get a resolution.
We are a small organization with roughly only 25 employees but we need a tool that could do it all. When making this decision we compared tools that could sit as an ATS system combined with an HRIS system. Not only can BambooHR fit in those factors, it can also have benefits and payroll implemented in their system if we wanted to stop using our other payroll system. We have been using BambooHR since March 2023 but I had used it at a prior organization so that was an easy decision to move forward with it.
- I wish BambooHR let you have candidate scorecards when recruiting.
- BambooHR makes it easy to create onboarding documents but it does not always simplify the packets for each job function.
- I wish BambooHR had the ability to open and close jobs more fluidly similar to Greenhouse - multiple openings in one job code for tracking purposes.
BambooHR is a great product for a small growing organization that needs a product to do it all. Because we have a limited budget we needed to find an ATS that could also onboard and fit as a people management system. I think that BambooHR is cheaper and easier to use.
When buying a tool like BambooHR I think they should consider price (this was our number one driving factor), and scalability. As we continue to grow, BambooHR will be able to grow with us.
BambooHR has evolved over the years since I last used it. They have developed their reporting capabilities, added payroll and benefits to their system, as well as created a system to organize a 'talent pool'.
BambooHR is good for a company with less than 400 employees that is looking to grow their organization, and manage current employees.
BambooHR might not be a fit for companies that are larger than 600 employees or trying to make a lot of hires at any given time.
UKG
UKG Ready (formerly Kronos) enables efficiency by simplifying routine time and attendance tasks. It also helps HR professionals improve compliance and mitigate risk with automatic updates.
PROS
- Vast experience in people tech with UKG Pro HR solution.
- Comprehensive toolset with UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management.
- Administrators have the power to configure user group visibility within the system.
- The Ultimate Community provides on-demand information and fosters connections among UKG Pro users.
- Includes an iOS app and an Android app.
- Super robust product, packing years of experience with HCM and Workforce Management technology
- Since they offer UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management, you could arrive at a combination of products that suits many of your HR needs from the same set of tools.
CONS
- May lack a unique selling point or specific focus for niche businesses.
- The Android app has some bugs when logging in and accessing timecards.
- Relatively expensive, particularly for teams with limited budgets.
- Broad range of solutions may not suit those seeking a few specific use cases.
- Compared to newer tools, UKG Pro and UKG Ready tend to miss a unique selling point or a specific focus on a certain type of business. While they work great for bigger companies in all sorts of industries, very niche operations might have a hard time adapting to the tool.
- Similarly, UKG offers many solutions under one umbrella, so it's not the best fit if you're looking for only a handful of specific use cases.
Formerly known as Kronos, UKG Ready stands out as a well-established time and attendance tool for its ability to streamline routine tasks and enhance compliance for HR professionals. It aims to drive efficiencies and mitigate risks with its automatic updates and simplified processes.
One highlight is the ease of configurability for administrators who need to assign user group visibility within the system. This level of control allows organizations to tailor permission— a big plus for teams looking to maintain solid data security.
The abundance of features can make navigation overwhelming. However, the Ultimate Community has been a valuable resource as we explored UKG. We were able to access vendor and user-made product instructions by browsing previous conversations and asking other users for their product knowledge.
We also appreciate that UKG provides an iOS and an Android app that enhances accessibility and convenience for employees, especially ones that usually work onsite. However, logging in and accessing timecards on the time clock app isn’t always easy and occasional bugs prove to be a source of frustration.
The price range for UKG Ready is out of reach for teams with limited budgets. Since the software doesn’t publish its pricing, it's crucial to get on a demo with sales to weigh the cost against your organization's specific needs.
Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Puma, Sony Music, Samsung.
- Our research indicates that licenses for UKG Pro begin at around $600.00 per year for every 5 users.
Best For
UKG Pro can be a sound option for companies in many different industries looking to track the hours and attendance of both salaried and hourly employees in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia/Pacific.
I use UKG to process payroll. As the payroll admin, I handle employee data storage and benefit enrollment through UKG. This year, I launched employee self-service benefit enrollment, allowing employees to manage their benefits directly through the platform.
I like the ease of the search feature in UKG. The knowledge center is very helpful. I appreciate how customizable the platform is.
UKG was selected before I joined the organization. From what I understand, the goal was to streamline processes and utilize an employee-facing platform. While the primary focus was on payroll, there was also an interest in electronic forms and digital onboarding of new hires. I have been using the software for one year. During that time, I have converted many processes to digital ones.
The interface is confusing and not very user-friendly. Processes such as checklists do not make sense. The integration with other platforms is lacking. Data cannot always be easily extracted from forms.
I feel other platforms like Rippling or ADP are more user-friendly. Their interfaces are more intuitive and less confusing. However, I do think UKG offers better support.
The biggest criterion is ease of use for the end user, which includes both administrators and employees. Integration, file feeds, and overall system ease are also important factors to consider. Make sure the tool can seamlessly integrate with existing systems and workflows.
I have not seen significant changes over the year I have been on the platform. There have been small rollouts, such as e-verify, which have been added to our account for free. These features are nice but not significantly impactful.
UKG is suitable for small but growing companies and entry-level HRIS users.
UKG may not be suitable for smaller organizations or those that are new to digital platforms.
nettime solutions
stratustime by nettime solutions integrates well with hundred of devices, payroll systems, and HR platforms. Use this simple software to scale your business in a seamless way.
PROS
CONS
nettime solution’s stratustime is a time and attendance platform that is cloud based and helps companies increase efficiency and make informed workplace decisions. Employees can clock in and out, and request time off. Admins and managers can view dashboards that have labor cost, and wag requirement information. It can also be integrated with many various payroll platforms. This is a great solution for small businesses, at just $4 per month per employee.
University of Pennsylvania, HomeExchange.com, Bossier Parish Library.
The pricing of nettime solutions’ plans and services isn’t listed on their website. Contact their sales team for a price quote.
Best For
Companies looking for a time and attendance software with compensatory time tracking and geofencing capabilities.
Clockify
Clockify allows you to not only track hours but also apps and websites to later create time entries. Clockify's features are wide ranging – you can track time, get graphical reports, set hourly rates. And best of all, it's free.
PROS
- Clockify offers unlimited time tracking for free, for any number of projects.
- Users have praised the software’s ease of use. There really isn’t any hardcore learning required to get a hand of it.
- Open API functionality for custom solutions
- The product is available on all mobile devices (android, iPhone), desktop (windows, mac, linux), and as a web app.
CONS
- Basic project management features. You can only create assign and sort. No deep features like visualization (kanban boards, gantt chart, etc.) or scheduling to maximize team capacity.
- It can get glitchy when the internet connection times out.
Clockify is a simplified, free time tracking timesheet application that allows companies to track team hours and projects. It allows users to keep track of employees timesheets, billable hours, and schedules, as well as generate reports. Clockify integrates with several different technology platforms, such as Jira and Asana, which is a great solution for those looking for a simple solution that is efficient and easy to use.
Atlassian, Google, Amazon, HP, Cisco, IBM, American Express.
Clockify offers a free plan with unlimited users and core features like time tracking, timesheets, kiosk mode, reports, and mobile apps. Paid plans add more control and compliance features: Basic starts at $3.99 per seat per month (billed annually) and introduces breaks, approvals, audits, and export customization, while Standard at $5.49 per seat adds attendance and overtime tracking, time-off management, invoicing, and locking time entries. Teams needing scheduling, GPS tracking, or labor cost insights can upgrade to Pro ($7.99 per seat), and Enterprise ($11.99 per seat) adds security features like SSO and audit logs.
Best For
Companies of all sizes as well as individuals looking for an easy-to-use, affordable and multi-access time tracking solution.
We use a Slack integration so people can "clock in" without opening a new tab, which has been the only way I could get them to actually use it.
I personally log in to the dashboard maybe twice a week to check the 'Team' view, just to double-check that people were really there for payroll purposes.
It’s pretty basic, and I’m strictly on the free plan, so I just export the data, fix any timers people forgot to stop, and refer back to the report or check-ins before handing it over to our payroll specialist.
- The free version doesn't cap how many users I can add, so I don't have to keep asking for more budget every time we hire a new remote person.
- Having the timer right inside Slack is a huge plus because it’s the only way I could get my staff to actually remember to clock in and out.
- The reporting is very straightforward, so I can pull a document of everyone’s hours in about two clicks without needing to do much manual work.
We actually haven’t used the paid subscription. I've been trialing the free version, and it has handled our remote team's need for clocking in and out just fine for the last six months.
It’s made my life as an HR manager easier since it gives me simple visibility into people's current availability, and I no longer have to manually calculate hours from chat logs.
- Since we're on the free plan, it doesn't have an automatic "rounding" feature, so I have to deal with messy reports that show random minutes like 8:03 instead of just rounding to 8:00 for payroll.
- I really wish the free version sent out automatic email nudges to people who forget to stop their timers at the end of the day, because right now I have to manually hunt down and fix those errors myself.
- There isn't a native way to track PTO or holidays on the free tier, so I still have to maintain a separate spreadsheet for vacations, which feels redundant and like double the work.
I’ve looked into Toggl and Harvest before, but for a remote team, they don’t stack up because of the seat limits.
Most of those "free" versions only let you have one or maybe five users before they start charging $10 per user, which isn’t realistic when you're managing a growing department on a budget.
I also trialed Homebase for the clock-in features, but it felt too geared toward retail and "locations" rather than a flexible remote setup.
Clockify is the only one I've found that gives me the Slack integration and unlimited user seats for $0. It’s not as modern-looking as Toggl, and the mobile app can be a bit glitchy, but I’d take a slightly boring interface over a massive monthly software bill any day.
For what I need—a simple, reliable way for people to punch in and out—it’s the only one that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to nickel-and-dime me.
The first thing you should check is the per-user cost for your specific team size, because a tool that looks cheap during a trial can get very expensive once you add 15 or 20 remote employees.
You also need to consider how many steps it takes for a staff member to start their timer; if it’s too clunky or requires opening a separate app, your team won't use it and your payroll data will be inaccurate.
For HR managers, I’d suggest checking whether the tool integrates with what you already use for communication, like Slack or Teams, so clocking in becomes a natural part of the daily routine.
Finally, make sure the reporting is easy to export in a format your payroll person can actually use, or you'll end up doing manual data entry.
I'm not sure. I haven't used Clockify before.
First, check if the "free" version actually stays free when you add 10 or more people, since most have hidden user caps.
You also need to make sure it fits into your team's existing workflow—if they already use Slack or Teams, find a tool that integrates there so you don't have to remind them to open a separate app.
Lastly, make sure the exports are clean enough for your payroll person to use, so you're not stuck doing manual calculations each month.
Bigger organizations that need fancy reports won’t find Clockify enough for their needs.
ZoomShift
Designed for hourly employees, ZoomShift has helped 20,000+ small businesses in saving time and money. ZoomShift is incredibly user friendly; It lets you easily make schedule, add staff, and view the summary of each hour.
PROS
- Manage staff scheduling on the move
- Color-coded schedules
- Forecast labor costs and hours with ease
CONS
- Updates too often for an employee scheduling software, which some customers may find confusing
- Some reports indicates that the tool tends to crashes and disconnects from the server
- Accidentally deleted shifts cannot be retrieved
ZoomShift is an employee scheduling software designed for hourly employees. It allows for better time management so that milestones can be easily viewed and you schedule work in minutes. Employees can clock-in for assigned shifts using the web time clock or mobile time clock and management can edit timesheets on the fly from the free iOS and Android apps.
ZoomShift will help you to keep your team on the same page, you can invite your team to check their schedule and manage their availability. The drag and drop schedule builder makes it extremely easy for you to create your schedule. You also have the option to share the schedule via text, email to remind your team and keep them updated.
Plus, the app communication features allows for real-time discussion between team members to increase productivity, and improve the quality of work.
Ace Hardware, Amazon, Holiday Inn, Walgreens, ClearWater Outdoor.
ZoomShift offers a 14-day free trial and 3 paid plans:
- Essentials is free for up to 20 users and covers basic scheduling and team communication but does not include time tracking.
- Starter costs $2 per active user per month and introduces core time and attendance features such as timesheets, a time clock, payroll reports, PTO and break tracking, and calendar sync, making it suitable for growing hourly teams.
- Premium priced at $4 per active user per month, adds advanced attendance controls including geofenced clock-ins, overtime warnings, clock-in restrictions, schedule-versus-timesheet comparisons, and audit history, along with priority support and onboarding assistance.
Best For
Companies across different industries looking to track and manage their employee’s working hours, attendance, as well as shifts.
ZoomShift was used regularly for scheduling employees. Managers used it to assign shifts and check clock-in and clock-out times. This helped reduce questions about hours worked. It was also used when preparing payroll, since time was already recorded. I mainly used it to review schedules and attendance. It was part of normal day-to-day operations.
- ZoomShift is easy to use.
- Scheduling and time tracking are in one place.
- It does not take long to learn.
My organization started using ZoomShift to help with employee scheduling and attendance tracking. Before that, much of the scheduling was done manually, which caused occasional issues. It wasn’t always easy to keep things consistent.
ZoomShift gave us a single place to view schedules and employee hours. It also helped keep time records organized for payroll purposes. I’ve personally used ZoomShift for less than a year.
- ZoomShift is limited compared to larger tools.
- Reporting features are basic.
- There is not much room for customization.
ZoomShift is more basic than many other tools. It focuses on scheduling and attendance without many extra features. This makes it easier to use, but also more limited. Other platforms offer more options for larger teams.
People should consider how many employees they need to schedule. They should also think about whether detailed reports or integrations are important. If the organization is growing quickly, this may not be the best long-term option.
I have not seen any major changes while using ZoomShift. It seems mostly the same. The platform does appear to still be in development.
Small businesses or small teams with simple scheduling needs can benefit from ZoomShift.
Larger organizations with complex scheduling or reporting needs require more robust tools than ZoomShift.
Benefits of Time and Attendance Software
There are many benefits to using a time and attendance platform. We’ve listed some of these below.
- Increased accuracy and efficiency: Time and Attendance software can help improve overall efficiency and productivity. Within a single database, you’ll only have to enter employee information once, which will flow through various stages of your employee lifecycle, which can reduce the need for importing and exporting data.
- Access to a wider pool of talent: Implementing consistent time tracking best practices will make it easier to hire outside of your usual talent pool as remote workers can now be managed more efficiently. When used in combination with services like EOR companies, time and attendance software can help you build a global presence with relatively little effort.
- Automate your processes: Many systems have alerts and notifications that can proactively give employees reminders when employees are nearing overtime. This can notify managers for those in hourly shifts or positions that they need to better address overtime, or better manage their schedule. There can also be alerts that show when an employee has clocked in or out for the day.
- Improved bottom line: when you are using a modem platform, work hours are recorded in real time, which decreases opportunity for manual error. They can also cut down on time theft and things like buddy punching, which help improve your bottom line.
- Avoid tax, payroll and compliance issues: having a time and attendance platform that can help ensure that employees are being paid properly, and decrease any potential issues from a tax or compliance standpoint. Many benefits, such as vacation and overtime are tied to hours worked helps also ensure HR efficiency and compliance.
- Track projects and tasks: some platforms let users track hours for specific tasks or projects, which can be helpful for those that are looking to bill clients for specific tasks, specifically those in the corporate world - such as consultants and lawyers.
- Improve employee engagement and visibility: with time and attendance platforms, you can give your employees access to their schedules through an online profile or sometimes even a mobile time clock app. Your staff should be able to check their own schedule, view the schedule of coworkers or view available PTO time. Many platforms also allow employees to submit time off requests, which will then route directly to a manager. This can empower employees to have control over their own schedule, and increase engagement with any platform.
- Better scheduling: managers can view, build and access employees schedules to ensure there is coverage across the board. With a time and attendance platform you can start to enforce your attendance policy, and log the hours that your staff works (whether they are hourly or salaried). With robust analytics and reporting, this also makes it easy to assign shifts and cut down on employee issues of absenteeism.
- Reporting and analytics are your fingertips: real-time reporting helps you review and monitor your staff attendance. You can have easy access to schedules, see who is in your office or on the floor, and know who is off. This is beneficial for those that are managing shift based schedules or creating future schedules.
How to Choose Time and Attendance Software
To choose the best time and attendance software for your business comes down to fit: how your team tracks time today, the level of compliance and control you need, how well the system integrates with payroll or HR tools, and whether it can scale as your workforce grows.
- Do we need a standalone tool or an all-in-one platform? First, decide whether your team needs a standalone time and attendance tool that integrates with payroll or HR software, or an all-in-one platform that bundles time tracking with scheduling, payroll, or HRIS features. Standalone tools are often simpler and easier to replace, while all-in-one systems reduce tool sprawl but are harder to switch later.
- How does your team track time today? Map your current process before comparing vendors. Understand how employees clock in, who approves time, how edits are handled, and where data flows for payroll. Teams with simple workflows may need only basic tracking, while multi-location or shift-based teams often benefit from controls like geofencing, overtime alerts, and approval rules.
- What compliance risks do you need to manage? Compliance should factor heavily into your decision. Features such as break tracking, audit trails, edit histories, and overtime warnings help reduce wage-and-hour risk, particularly for hourly and frontline teams.
- How many employees and locations do you need to support? Practical constraints matter. Consider how many employees and locations you need to track, whether worksites have reliable internet access, and whether you’ll rely on mobile apps, kiosks, or physical clocks. Pricing usually scales with headcount and locations, so growth plans like seasonal hiring or expansion should be considered upfront.
- Will employees and managers actually use this tool? Ease of use is critical. Even capable systems fail if employees struggle to clock in or managers avoid approving time. Free trials are especially useful here, since they reveal friction that feature lists don’t.
- What level of support will you need long-term? Finally, look beyond features to ongoing support. If you don’t have in-house IT resources, vendor support quality, documentation, and integration reliability can matter as much as the software itself.
How Much Does Time and Attendance Software Cost?
Here are the different pricing models you can expect to see from various Time and Attendance Systems. Many companies have different pricing structures depending on what the product offers. We’ve broken out some of the various options below:
- Employees/User: Many companies charge on a monthly basis per user. For example, if you have 20 employees, you may pay a fee X per employee per month.
- By Month: Many platforms use a monthly pricing model that includes a base fee plus a per-employee cost. Some companies may also offer a flat fee.
- Annually: Some companies bill annually for a subscription.
Pro Tip: Know which companies charge for integrations and those that don’t. For example, some companies may charge for a direct integration or an API with a payroll platform.
Pro Tip 2: Many Time and Attendance companies offer discounts as part of their pricing model.
Pro Tip 3: Most software companies will require at least a one-year contract, although some may offer month-to-month. Ask this up front, so you know what you are committing to.
Overall Cost
Time and Attendance systems can cost anywhere between $240 – $1,600 for a monthly subscription, depending on the number of employees and the product suite. This also varies with the time tracking services, integrations, and any hardware associated.
A time and Attendance system can be very affordable with some of the basics.
What to budget:
Small companies can opt into a basic time tracking system for a small investment of $1000 or less. For companies with less than 25 employees, basic time clocks or a timekeeping platform can be implemented for around $500 to $750 (with implementation fees included). For more complex software and additional hardware, this could run from $2000 - $4000 for companies with around 25 to 150 employees.
Mid market - enterprise: For larger companies, they can expect to pay anywhere from $10,000 - $100,000 depending on the customization and need. This depends on employee count and total location count. Implementation fees can cost anywhere from $300 - $500, with hardware costing an additional $500 to $1,000 that can be purchased or rented for a monthly fee.
Features to Look for in Time and Attendance Software
The best time and attendance software platforms should offer clock-in and clock-out, timesheets, leave management, time accruals, reporting, and employee scheduling.
- Clocking in and out: This is a must-have for time and attendance - employees must be able to track time, clock in, record breaks, and clock out when the workday is done. This can be done using either card readers, pins, or personalized employee numbers. Devices for clocking in and clocking out can be at a punch station (tablet), on a computer, or a mobile device.
- Timesheets: Any basic timekeeping software should have an electronic timesheets within the software that includes all time entries for the corresponding pay period. These can be found on a dashboard, or on an individual’s profile.
- Leave management: Leave or time off management is a key aspect of time and attendance. There should be some standard level of time off tracking, such as having employees taking a half day, tracking sick time, or being able to add this onto timesheets.
- Time accruals: Some time and attendance platforms automatically record time off and accrue work hours on employee profiles based on rules set up on the back end. This is important for employees to view how much time they have available and can take off for any associated vacation or sick time.
- Reporting: Supporting the creation and maintenance of accurate record keeping and reporting is key for any time and attendance platform, and key for any HR activities within an organization. There should be basic reports, such as a total number of hours, overtime, and time off for employees, as well as data exports to CSV and Excel.
- Mobile/cloud-based: A cloud-based solution is key because it allows you and your staff to access your timekeeping platform anywhere. This often includes a browser integration, which means a device can be used to punch in without an app. Mobile and cloud support can help those who are remote time tracking and clocking hours, making it especially helpful for businesses with onsite and remote employees.
- Employee profiles: employees should be able to log in via their browser or the application to view time, clock in and out, view attendance records, and view schedules. This also encourages employees to take ownership of their own schedules.
- Manager dashboard: Most platforms offer a dashboard accessible to managers to approve time or time recorded for the week or pay period. The dashboard may include employees who report to them or those who are in their location. This often includes search functionality that lets managers view profiles and check hours for those who report to them.
- Scheduling: Having the option to schedule employee shifts is key to an efficient time-and-attendance tracking solution. This may include assigning employees shifts or creating an electronic schedule that employees can view.
Nice-to-haves:
- Biometric attendance: This is great for large workforces and for those with clock-in and clock-out functionality. This helps reduce the risk of fraud by using employee fingerprints or a personal identification number to authenticate clock-in and clock-out.
- Alerts: Most platforms will have automated alerts that notify recipients of missed punches or of approaching overtime.
- Integrations w/ calendars: many platforms that offer scheduling functionality also integrate with Google, Outlook, and more.
- Overtime tracking: Many systems have overtime settings, which are crucial for tracking hourly employees. These settings allow you to set a work week for the corresponding overtime requirements, such as overtime for a 40-hour work week or daily overtime.
- Payroll integration: Some time and attendance platforms offer payroll within the platform, or allow integration with an external payroll solution. There should be some level of integration that will pull through directly into your payroll processing dashboard. This may cost extra, but it will save lots of time and effort.
- Timeclock devices: Some platforms offer tablets and other devices for punching in and out. For those looking for a punch station, these devices can often be installed on-site by the company.
Questions To Ask Time and Attendance Vendors On Demos
Here are several questions we think every HR/Management team should be asking vendors while on demos:
- Can you clock in and out on a tablet or mobile device?
- Do you need an installer to add?
- What types of internet browsers does this run on?
- Can you export data to payroll/HRIS?
- Can you export data and run reports?
- How does clocking and clocking out work? What data do employees need to have when clocking in and out (i.e. employee number)?
- Is payroll included?
- Do you have an open API?
- What types of reporting functionality do you have?
- Do you have different types of security permissions based on roles?
- How do you approve time?
- Can employees access via an App? Is there mobile functionality?
- Are there any workflows or alerts?
- What types of security do you have in your system?
- Are there additional costs and setup fees per location?
- Does your platform require that we install anything?
- Can any custom PTO policies be tracked or set up?
- Are PTO accruals automated?
- Can you track tips?
- Is there a timesheet dashboard to view hours?
- Does the system include daily, weekly, and seventh day overtime?
- Can the system handle hourly and salaried employees?
- Does the system include the reports you require?
- Does the system include public holidays?
- Can the system handle sick and vacation accruals?
- Can the Administrator add, edit, and delete employee time punches?
- Can employees view their own timecard?
- Can employees request time off from within the system?
- Can the system round employee time punches?
There are many different types of customization within various platforms. It’s important that you ask questions up front based on your needs. Make sure you find a software that meets your needs efficiently, whether you need something focused on time and attendance solely, or need a platform that includes this functionality, and additional HR tools.
Common Terms to Know:
Here are some common terms to know when looking for a Time and Attendance platform.
- Overtime Tracking: Overtime tracking is a must for all time and attendance platforms; it typically allows you to track hours outside of the standard overtime rules and regulations by state.
- Flexible Pay Periods: This allows you to customize the start and end time (i.e., Monday - Sunday).
- 24 Hour Shift: For employees who are able to work time periods of longer than 24 hours without being required to clock in or out.
- Shift Swap Features: Employees can switch shifts through a timekeeping platform (great for hourly employees).
- Badge Terminal Systems: When a system uses badges or cards for access in order to clock in and out.
- Alerts and notifications: This refers to notifications or alerts around policies, or reminders on when schedules have changed or it’s time to clock in and out (these may vary across each software platform).
- Managing permissions: This allows you to restrict access to various platform areas based on role.
- Timecard: Displays each employee's attendance, including the time clocked in and clocked out.
- Geofencing: Tracking employees’ location via GPS and only allowing them to clock in from a specific area
- Group clock-ins: The ability for multiple employees to punch in using one device
- Time clock kiosk or tablet: This is a designated tablet that acts as a time clock device for punching in and out.
- Hardware: The electronic equipment you may need to get your time-tracking system up and running, including clock-in devices such as barcode or biometric scanners. This is not always necessary if you aren’t tracking hours of employees on-site.
- Software: This includes all of the cloud-based functionality for time and attendance, such as the ability to record, organize, and store employee hours.
Time and Attendance Software FAQs
What is time and attendance software?
Time and attendance software is designed to be a virtual punch card for your employees, where both the employer and employees can keep track of hours worked.
Why should you use time and attendance software?
You should use a time and attendance software because it increases accuracy and efficiency, improves your bottom line, automates processes, avoids compliance issues, tracks projects and tasks, improves engagement, and provides reporting and analytics.
What features does time and attendance software provide?
Key features of time and attendance software include clocking in and out, timesheet creation, leave management, time accruals, reporting, mobile apps, employee profiles, manager dashboards and scheduling, alerts, and integration with calendars.
Time and Attendance Software Trends
There are many trends on the horizon that are worth noting when evaluating time clock software. Some significant trends are:
- Mobile devices: Most companies have a mobile app that allows employees to clock in and out on their devices.
- Cloud-based systems: These are becoming increasingly commonplace for software companies. The benefit is that it allows employees to record and monitor time through devices they are already familiar with. It also allows for accurate time and attendance data to be captured and recorded in real time, with both managers and employees being able to make adjustments as needed.
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