Best Time Clock Software

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As a business owner, you want employees to use time efficiently.

But in order to make sure that happens, you must monitor time effectively or it could cost you and your business thousands of dollars a year due to unexpected overtime and inaccurate reporting. 

In our current circumstances, with more people working from home plus the reduced physical presence of in-office employees, staying on top of accurate time clocking is more challenging than ever before.

Without the best time clock software for your business, you have no insight into who’s doing what, or where and when they’re doing it.

But if you’re struggling to find the right one, you’re in the right place. 

We thoroughly researched dozens of the best choices on the market and narrowed it down to our top six recommendations. From there, we reviewed them and developed a methodology to help make your decision as easy as possible. 

The Best Time Clock Software to Consider: 

1. Homebase – Best time clock software for small businesses
2. 7Shifts – Best time clock software for restaurants and bars
3. ClockShark – Best time clock software for field service
4. Buddy Punch – Most feature-rich time clock software
5. OnTheClock – Best for scalable per-user pricing
6. Virtual TimeClock – Best for traditional office settings

When Does It Make Sense to Invest In Time Clock Software?

Time clock software is incredibly useful for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including restaurants, bars, retailers, manufacturing companies, auto body shops, and more. And that’s not to mention the less obvious industries like field service, healthcare, tech, and legal. 

If you have hourly employees, changes are you have something to gain by investing in the right time clock software for you and your team. 

It makes sense for teams with hourly employees because the right software can help you:

• Optimize and automate your payroll processes
• Access paid and unpaid time off management tools
• Get a clear picture of possible overtime and absences
• Gain insight into how your employees spend their time
• Track mobile and job site hours for field service teams
• Stay in compliance with labor laws and regulations
• Avoid employees clocking in for each other

Plus, it may even save you money since it provides accurate clock in/out times for your employees and prevents early clock-ins resulting in more accurate budgeting and labor costing throughout the entire business. 

However, time clock software isn’t for everyone. If your needs span beyond time clocking and time management for hourly employees, time tracking software is an excellent alternative for freelancers, solopreneurs, and salaried employees. 

The bottom line: If you have hourly employees, time clock software can take away the headache of manually handling and managing your team’s hours. Plus, you can set it up to automatically sync with your payroll software. 

#1 – Homebase — The Best Time Clock Software for Small Businesses

Homebase offers various free small business tools designed to help you track time, manage your team, and streamline operations without spending thousands on fancy tech. 

Some of those solutions include scheduling, timesheets, hiring, team communications. However, Homebase also helps with onboarding and other HR tasks, including posting jobs, managing applicants, and finding the right fit for your team. 

The best part? You can download all of these solutions and start using them for free. 

With that said, Homebase’s time clock, scheduling, and timesheets solution is excellent on its own and includes an unlimited number of employees on the free plan. 

You can install it on tablets, computers, mobile devices, and POS systems, so you’re covered regardless of how your team clocks in every day. 

On top of that, the free plan comes with a wide range of incredible features, including:

• GPS-based clock-ins to verify off-site employees
• Simple PIN-based user codes
• Offline mode with instant syncing when you’re back online
• Timecard editing if employees forget to clock in or out
• Built-in break and overtime tracking for compliance
• Automatic alerts for late clock-ins, absences, and employees nearing overtime
• Dozens of payroll and accounting integrations

Furthermore, the tablet-based application takes a picture of your employee when they clock in, so you don’t have to worry about someone else clocking in for them. 

Homebase also offers a free scheduling app that seamlessly integrates with the time clock app. 

However, if you’re looking for more advanced features like health and safety screenings, performance management, time off management, or budgeting, you’ll have to upgrade to a paid plan. 

With that said, Homebase’s plans are incredibly affordable, starting at $14 per location, with unlimited employees included. So, you pay a flat rate even as your business grows. 

Sign up for a free account to get started with Homebase today!

#2 – 7Shifts — The Best Time Clock Software for Restaurants and Bars

As a restaurant or bar, you have to manage fluid and dynamic schedules on top of compliance, labor management, and team communication. 

As such, you need a time clock software built to handle what you face every day. 

7Shifts is built specifically for restaurants, bars, and other quick-service businesses of all shapes and sizes. Plus, it has more than 300,000+ customers, including Smoothie King, The Chopped Leaf, Five Guys, and more. 

You can choose from specialty solutions for quick-service establishments, full-service restaurants, enterprise restaurants, and franchises. So, whether you’re a one-location diner, a budding local chain of pizza joints, a nationwide coffee shop, a regional juice bar, or a college town brewery, 7Shifts offers everything you need.

With that said, it goes beyond essential time clocking capabilities, with an impressive set of features, including:

• Custom self-service staff availability
• Various POS and payroll integrations
• Employee SMS notifications
• Internal communication tools
• Automated post-shift surveys for feedback
• No-shows, late clock-ins, and dropped shifts tracking
• Reusable schedule templates
• Events management

One of 7Shift’s top features is a pre-shift health screening that helps identify risk factors associated with COVID-19 for both employees and guests. If someone fails, management gets an immediate alert to send them home. 

On top of that, employees can practice social distancing by using their phones to clock in and out. This also helps employees avoid high-traffic areas at the beginning and end of their shifts. 

7Shift offers a basic free plan for up to ten employees. However, it’s missing a lot of the key features above. With that said, it’s the perfect solution for a small business just getting started, and it includes a basic time clock solution. 

The cheapest paid plan is $17.99 per month per location for up to 20 employees. 

So, it’s incredibly affordable even for small or new teams looking to upgrade from the limited free plan. 

However, for $39.99 per month per location, you get unlimited employees and access to more advanced features. So, as your local pizza joint or college town brewery expands into a nationwide franchise, 7Shifts scales alongside your business without breaking the bank. 

Start your 60-day free trial to see if 7Shifts is right for you today!

#3 – ClockShark — The Best Time Clock Software for Field Service Businesses

If you manage mobile employees who are continuously hopping from one job site to the next, ClockShark is our top recommendation. From GPS tracking to integrations and automations, it includes everything you need to streamline time management. 

Other time clock software may do okay for your field service business, but if you’re a group of technicians, on-site trainers, consultants, or mobile customer support reps, ClockShark is made specifically for you. 

Plus, more than 5,000 businesses trust ClockShark with their time clocking needs, in such disparate industries as:

• Construction
• Healthcare
• Landscaping
• Cleaning services
• IT technical support
• Nonprofit and volunteer-based organizations
• Real estate

When you sign up, you get desktop, mobile, and kiosk clocking, a drag and drop scheduler, intuitive mobile applications, overtime notifications, quick reporting, and essential PTO management. 

You can also set up custom geofences around specific job sites to ensure employees aren’t clocking in away from the job site. Plus, each record comes with GPS location data. And you can set up automatic location updates and track employee routes throughout the day.

Furthermore, you can track individual tasks for job costing and payroll, which provides deep insight into how your employees work and how long specific tasks take to complete. 

On top of that, your employees can easily share information about a job site or project with documents, photos, addresses, and personal notes straight from their phone. 

Despite differing locations, team communication and collaboration has never been easier. 

As such, you get everything you need to manage your team while simplifying your timesheet and scheduling processes. 

ClockShark doesn’t offer a free plan, but it’s paid plans are affordable for most businesses, with the Basic Plan starting at $15 + $3 per employee per month.

On the Basic Plan, you get all the essential features you need to get started. 

However, we highly recommend upgrading to the Standard Plan ($25 + $6/employee per month) when you can because it includes scheduling, advanced GPS tracking, and third-party integrations. 

Start your 14-day free trial to take ClockShark for a test drive today!

#4 – Buddy Punch — The Most Feature-Rich Time Clock Software

Buddy Punch does things a bit differently than the other options on this list. Instead of paying more to access advanced features, pricing is based solely on the number of employees you have.

So, regardless if you’re managing a large or small team, you get access to everything Buddy Punch has to offer. 

Buddy Punch offers two tiers to choose from, including a more affordable option with time clock management features and an advanced option with scheduling capabilities as well. 

Furthermore, it comes with tons of other features, including:

• GPS tracking and geofencing
• Webcam images for security
• Built-in calendar with time off management
• Custom job codes for accurate tracking
• PINs, QR codes, and facial recognition
• Multiple job sites and locations
• Android and iOS mobile apps
• Automatic break calculations
• Single sign-on (SSO)
• Punch rounding

On top of that, you also get advanced analytics and reporting dashboards including insight into attendance, time off, overtime, breaks, and absences in real time. 

This is a huge time-saver, especially if you currently use a manual process today. 

One of Punch Buddy’s many amazing features is the ability to create custom workflows with advanced user-based access for timesheet approvals, time off management, report creation, and more. 

You can also easily upgrade anyone to manager status so they can help manage time cards and approvals for assigned team members. 

Another standout feature is the ability to create IP locks. This prevents employees from clocking in using unauthorized devices or IP addresses. You can set up as many IP locks as you’d like, making it a great option for remote teams or multi-location businesses. 

As you can see, you get a ton of useful features with Buddy Punch at the most affordable prices versus any other solution on this list, even if you have four or fewer employees! 

With other providers, you’re looking at paying $50 to $80 per month for the same suite of features. 

However, with Buddy Punch, you only have to pay $25 per month for up to four employees. And there are numerous plans for different business sizes, including:

• 5 – 9 employees: $34 per month
• 10 – 14 employees: $39 per month
• 15 – 19 employees: $49 per month
• 20 – 24 employees: $55 per month

If you have more than 200+ employees, there’s an enterprise-grade plan with custom pricing available. 

Start your 30-day free trial to see if Buddy Punch is right for you today!

#5 – OnTheClock — The Best Time Clock Software with Affordable and Scalable Per-User Pricing

We’ve covered several different pricing structures so far, but OnTheClock offers the most scalable and affordable per-user pricing. As such, it’s perfect both for small businesses and quickly growing companies that need the ability to add more users without breaking the bank.

OnTheClock is entirely free for one or two employees. Beyond that, each employee is $2.50 per month, with per-employee discounts after ten employees. 

For example, with 11 – 25 employees, it’s $2.45 per employee per month. 

These volume discounts continue up to 301 – 400 employees at $2.20 per user, with enterprise plans available for teams with more than 400 employees.  

On top of that, there are even deeper discounts if you’re an educational institution, a government agency, a church, or a nonprofit organization. 

Plus, you get every feature available and there are no long-term contracts. 

And just because it’s scalable and affordable doesn’t mean you miss out on essential and advanced features. When you sign up, you get access to every feature OnTheClock has to offer, including:

• GPS tracking and geofencing
• Web-based, mobile, kiosk, group, and biometric time clocks
• Employee self-service dashboard
• Automatic time cards and reports
• Overtime and PTO calculations
• Tip and bonus reporting
• Time off management
• Scheduling and break calculations
• Salaried employee support
• Manual edits and entries

On top of that, you also get job and project costing plus automatic alerts and employee reminders, so everyone stays in the loop with no unexpected surprises. 

You can also create COVID-19 screening surveys for your team to fill out before being allowed to clock in. Surveys are easily customizable from inside your account dashboard. And you can set up custom post-survey instructions based on their results. 

Plus, you can authorize teams to clock in using their phones instead of a community station to prevent people touching high-traffic areas and encourage social distancing. 

With that said, COVID screenings aren’t the only benefit of company-wide surveys. 

You can also use them to gauge burnout, identify problem areas, ask for feedback on current or upcoming initiatives, or ensure your employees are happy. 

OnTheClock is an incredibly versatile time clock solution. And it’s suitable for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including quick-service businesses, daycare centers, IT support, tax professionals, manufacturing companies, retailers, and more. 

As such, it’s an excellent choice for small or fast-growth companies looking for something flexible, scalable, and affordable as you grow. 

Snag your 30-day free trial to see if OnTheClock is right for you!

#6 – Virtual TimeClock by Redcort — The Best Time Clock Software for Traditional Office Settings

If you want to avoid paying monthly fees, Virtual TimeClock by Redcort is an excellent option because it’s a one-time purchase that includes lifetime access.

Each license works for one device, so you will have to buy a separate license for each device. However, there are discounted options for multiple devices, so you don’t have to pay the full price for each one. 

And there are several options to choose from, depending on the features and advanced capabilities you need with your time clock software. 

You can install Virtual TimeClock on a PC, a Windows tablet, or Mac computers. Unfortunately, there isn’t a mobile version. 

However, it’s perfect for physical locations where everyone clocks in using a dedicated terminal, including traditional office settings like call centers, banks, data entry providers, manufacturing companies, and healthcare facilities.

Plus, the software is incredibly easy to install and use, and you get free support every step of the way. 

Furthermore, despite not being a cloud-based or web-based software, you still get a ton of powerful and helpful features, including:

• A PIN interface option for easy clocking
• Paid and unpaid break tracking
• Automatic lunch deductions
• Automated clock in/out rules
• Shift rules that prevent users from clocking in early
• Automatic clock outs if someone forgets
• Labor and job costing capabilities
• Built-in SQL database
• Paid time off management
• Internal communication feature
• Dozens of payroll integrations

Virtual TimeClock Basic is $99 for a lifetime license on one computer with up to three hourly employees. So, it’s great for small teams but probably not suitable for most businesses. 

However, you can easily upgrade if you outgrow your current package. 

The Pro plan is $195 with unlimited employees and more advanced features. You can also add an extra year of expert support for an additional $49. 

The Network option is best for businesses that need more than one unit and access to every feature available. It’s $249 for one license, with massive discounts if you buy licenses in bulk (up to 75 licenses). 

Download your free trial to take Virtual TimeClock for a test drive today!

Methodology For Choosing The Best Time Clock Software

Every option listed here is an excellent choice. However, deciding between time clock software isn’t always easy, especially if you’re unsure what to look for. 

So, we put together a list of things to consider when making your final decision. 

Your Industry

Restaurants, retailers, bars, traditional office settings, and field service providers—to name a few—each present unique challenges when it comes to tracking time. As such, if you’re in one of those industries, we highly recommend choosing an industry-specific solution. 

They cost a bit more, but you get the added value of using software built specifically for your business. 

If you’re not in one of those industries, your best bet is choosing something based on the number of employees you have, the features you need, or your preferred pricing structure. 

Number of Employees

The number of employees you have is one of the most crucial things to consider since it plays a significant role in how much you’re going to pay every month and the features you need. 

Smaller teams won’t need anything fancy. However, large teams or businesses with multiple locations and job sites need more robust features to handle their unique every day clocking challenges. 

With that said, you should also think about how much it costs to upgrade to higher tiers and add new users to your account. 

Accessibility

Does your team need the ability to clock in from their phone? Maybe you have a remote team and need web-based time clocking capabilities. Or perhaps you need several physical clock-in stations. 

Different software providers offer other accessibility options. So, it’s essential to understand what you need before making any decisions. 

Pricing Structure

There are numerous different pricing structures outlined in this list. You can choose from:

• Per-user pricing – Buddy Punch and OnTheClock
• Base plus per-user – ClockShark
• One-time licensing – Virtual TimeClock
• Per-location pricing – Homebase
• Hybrid – 7Shifts (per-location and per-user)

We highly recommend calculating your monthly costs for each provider to see which one offers the best pricing for the number of employees you have. 

Furthermore, don’t forget to calculate how much more you have to pay to add new employees for each option you’re considering. If you’re planning on hiring soon or experiencing rapid growth, this is crucial to know as well.

Additional Features

Some of the options on this list offer additional features beyond time clock functionality, including GPS and geofencing, scheduling tools, internal communication, multiple-location support, and more. 

If you need those additional features, be sure to consider which tiers offer what you need. Not all plans are created equal and some include specific features that will make all the difference. 

It may help to start by making a list of the additional features you need. From there, you can prioritize them and narrow down your options. 

Summary

No one wants to suffer through the pain of choosing the wrong software. And making that crucial decision isn’t always easy. 

The best time clock software gives you the ability to accurately track where your team’s time goes, streamline payroll processing for hourly employees, and support your team’s accessibility and hardware needs. 

To recap, our top recommendations are:

1. Homebase – Best time clock software for small businesses
2. 7Shifts – Best time clock software for restaurants
3. ClockShark – Best time clock software for field service
4. Buddy Punch – Most feature-rich time clock software
5. OnTheClock – Best for scalable per-user pricing
6. Virtual TimeClock – Best one-time-payment software

Don’t forget to use the methodology we talked about as you sort through making the best decision for you, your business, and your team.