Time tracking software helps you capture when employees start and stop work. The best time tracking software for you depends on whether you’re looking to ensure accurate payroll for hourly staff, assign labor costs to jobs, use employee hours to track projects and bill customers, or all three.
In this guide, we considered all types of time tracking solutions—from those that monitor actual hours worked of hourly staff, including overtime and paid time-off (PTO) balances, to systems that have online timers for recording billable hours and invoicing clients. Providers that offer time tracking tools that both employers and freelancers can use were also rated favorably.
To find the best time tracking software for small businesses, we evaluated 15 solutions and narrowed it down to our top seven recommendations.
- Homebase: Best overall time tracking software for businesses with one physical location looking for a free way to track employee work hours.
- Deputy: Best for seasonal businesses that keep employees on standby based on weekly labor needs.
- QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets): Best for QuickBooks users who need to track billable hours and monitor the work hours of their hourly workforce.
- Clockify: Best for employers and freelancers who want a free solution to monitor billable hours by project.
- ClockShark: Best for construction businesses that need to capture actual work hours of field employees.
- Harvest: Best for small business owners and freelancers looking for free time tracking, invoicing, and expensing tools.
- Buddy Punch: Best for companies looking for robust controls to manage how, when, and where employees clock in/out.
If you’re looking for budget-friendly solutions, our guide on the best free time tracking software has several great options.
How We Evaluated the Best Time Tracking Software
We started our search with 15 time tracking software, comparing each product’s ease of use, pricing, and online user reviews. We also looked for essential features like secure clock-ins/outs, geolocation tracking, invoicing, pre-built reports, mobile apps, and the capability to allocate hours to jobs. We even considered the provider’s integration options with third-party software like payroll and project management solutions.
Based on our evaluation, Homebase is the best overall time tracking software, especially for retail shops and restaurants. It earned an overall score of 4.08 out of 5 with high marks for pricing, ease of use, time tracking functionalities, and reporting capabilities. What’s great about Homebase is that you can use its time tracking, scheduling, and basic hiring tools for free—provided you have only one business location. Although it doesn’t service both employees and freelancers, Homebase outranked its competitors on our list in large part because of price.
For freelancers looking for an efficient way to track billable hours, check out our best time tracking software for freelancers and self-employed workers.
To see our full evaluation criteria for best time tracking software, click through the tabs in the box below.
20% of Overall Score
We checked to see if the provider has a free plan and transparent pricing for its paid tiers. We also considered the cost of paid subscriptions and gave those that are priced $10 or less per employee monthly extra points. Although Homebase, Clockify, and Harvest all have free-to-use time tracking tools, we recommend Homebase if you need to create staff schedules and track work hours of hourly staff, Clockify for time tracking of unlimited projects, and Harvest if you want free invoicing and expense reporting.
20% of Overall Score
The best time tracking system includes at least basic tools, such as exportable time data, multiple time clock types, breaks and PTO tracking, and administrator alerts. Plus, having access to mobile apps and a self-service portal are also ideal. All the solutions we reviewed earned 4 and above scores (with QuickBooks Time and Buddy Punch getting perfect marks), except for Clockify and Harvest, which lack multiple clock-in options and PTO/break tracking functionalities.
20% of Overall Score
Time tracking solutions that allow users to allocate hours by job code, compare budget versus actual hours, and generate invoices to bill clients were rated highly. Additional points were also given to those that can export time data to software that can calculate profit and loss by jobs for easy project management. Buddy Punch scored the lowest here (1.25 out of 5) since it lacks invoicing tools, direct integration with project management tools, and the capability to generate reports that compare budgeted time/cost versus actual data.
20% of Overall Score
Having a time tracking software that is intuitive and easy to learn is a must. We also looked at whether the provider offers live phone support, training, quick system implementations, and integration options with payroll, accounting, and scheduling systems. Homebase met nearly all of our requirements for this criteria, scoring 4.88 out of 5. What prevented it from getting perfect marks is the lack of integration with accounting, project management, and scheduling tools.
10% of Overall Score
Aside from having access to standard and pre-built reports, users should be able to customize reports. Homebase and Deputy got perfect scores here; the others didn’t because of limited report customizability.
10% of Overall Score
We considered online user reviews, including those of our competitors, wherein any option with an average of 4+ stars is ideal. Also, software with 1,000 or more reviews on third-party sites is preferred. ClockShark scored the lowest in this criterion (2.5 out of 5), mainly because it has less than 1,000 reviews online as of this writing.
Homebase
PROS
- Feature-rich free tier; includes time tracking, scheduling, and basic hiring tools
- User-friendly interface
- Can handle unlimited employees
CONS
- Lacks client invoicing tools
- The free plan covers only one business location
- Doesn’t integrate with third-party scheduling, accounting, and project management solutions
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.88 | OUT OF | 5 |
Homebase is great for small businesses, especially restaurants and retails shops, with one physical location because it has more features that you can access for free than many other providers do, even in their paid plans. Aside from tracking the actual work hours of your hourly workforce, Homebase lets you create staff schedules, post jobs, track applicants, and onboard new hires. It also comes with compliance tools to ensure that standard breaks and overtime rules are followed, plus its budgeting and labor cost controls help you stay within your targets.
Based on our evaluation, Homebase earned an overall rating of 4.08 out of 5. It didn’t get a perfect score because it lacks invoicing capabilities and doesn’t integrate with third-party scheduling systems (since it has its own scheduling solution) or accounting and project management software—features that would have further streamlined client billing, budget monitoring, and task tracking processes.
In terms of user feedback, many appreciate Homebase’s intuitive interface and robust scheduling and time tracking features. A few users, on the other hand, said that its mobile time tracking apps (for iOS and Android) can be glitchy at times.
Homebase’s free tier includes mobile time tracking apps that take a photo of the employee after every PIN clock-in.
Homebase offers more than time tracking and scheduling features. To learn more about its functionalities, read our Homebase review. You can also check our best time and attendance software guide to see how Homebase compares with other competitors.
Homebase Pricing
- Free option: This plan has all the essential tools you need to manage schedules, track employee time, communicate with teams, and even hire new staff. It also comes with unlimited schedules and employees. However, this option is free only for businesses with one location.
- Paid plans: Homebase has three paid tiers (Essentials, Plus, and All-in-One) that cost anywhere from $19.95 to $99.95 per location monthly. It has all the tools included in its free option, plus geofencing, labor cost forecasts, health and safety screenings, PTO accruals and balance tracking, and advanced compliance support.
- Add-on services: Unless you subscribe to its All-in-One package, you have to pay extra to access its “HR Pro” advisers and resources ($99 per month). You can also use Homebase to promote job postings on ZipRecruiter and Craigslist (fees start at $79 per post).
Homebase Standout Features
- Per-location pricing: The other time tracking software in this guide charge monthly fees on a per-employee basis, but only Homebase bills you based on the number of business locations you have. This is optimal for employers with plans to grow their workforce in one location since they don’t have to worry about buying extra user seats.
- Feature-rich free tier: Compared to all of the time tracking software we reviewed, Homebase has a robust offering of free-to-use hiring, scheduling, and time tracking tools. You even get a built-in team messenger and a self-service portal where employees can manage their own information. While Clockify and Harvest also have free tiers, neither have the applicant tracking and job posting solutions that Homebase offers.
- Intuitive interface: Homebase has an easy-to-use platform with intuitive controls that enable users to create schedules, view actual work hours, approve time sheets, and more with just a few clicks.
- Efficient time and scheduling tools: Online time sheets, administrator alerts for late clock-ins and overtime, and a drag-and-drop schedule builder are just some of the tools you get with Homebase. You can allocate hours by jobs and it can help you calculate employee hours and wages for payroll (including tip payments—which is great for restaurants). You even get reports that allow you to compare planned versus actual work hours and labor costs.
- Online time clocks with secure clock-ins: Turn any computer, point-of-sale (POS) device, tablet, and smartphone into an online time clock with Homebase’s time tracking apps. Your staff can clock in and out using their own PIN codes, plus its GPS functionalities let you know exactly where employees are clocking in/out from. However, it doesn’t track time spent on tasks like ClockShark, Harvest, QuickBooks Time, and Clockify do.
Deputy
PROS
- Affordable plans; offers a standalone time tracking solution that’s low cost
- Supports touchless clock-ins/outs through voice commands and facial recognition scans
- Flexible time tracking through iOS and Android devices, including the Apple Watch
CONS
- Lacks invoicing capabilities; its standalone time tracking solution doesn’t include reports
- Its time tracking, scheduling, and Premium packages require a $10 minimum monthly spend
- Occasional mobile app glitches and third-party software integration issues
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
If you’re looking for a flexible, simple-to-use time tracking software that works well for inconsistent time tracking needs, Deputy is the right tool for you. It has a Flexi weekly plan option ($2 monthly per employee) that allows you to keep inactive employees in the system at a low cost, so when you schedule them again, you don’t have to re enter their data–plus they can stay in the loop while they’re off. Aside from that, it makes it easy to capture clock-ins/outs of hourly staff and export time sheets for payroll processing. And it offers a standalone scheduling solution and paid tiers that include both time tracking and scheduling tools.
Deputy earned an overall score of 3.95 out of 5 in our evaluation with high marks in ease of use, reporting, and pricing. What pulled the scores down for this provider include the lack of built-in invoicing tools and no free option. Integrating its platform with third-party solutions can also be challenging given the occasional data sync and connection glitches. Some users said that while Deputy is generally easy to learn and use, integrating it with solutions like ADP Run and Gusto can be difficult at times.
With the Deputy Kiosk app for iOS and Android tablets, employees can start/end work shifts through voice commands and facial recognition clock-ins/outs.
To learn more about Deputy’s time tracking and scheduling features, read our Deputy review.
Deputy Pricing
- Standalone packages: For $2.50 per employee monthly each, you can get a Time and Attendance plan and a separate Scheduling option. The former includes access to online time sheets, payroll integrations, and time clock apps (for iOS and Android), while the latter features a schedule builder with auto-scheduling functionalities. Both also come with PTO management, meal and rest break planning, POS integrations, unlimited 24/7 support, and a news feed. However, these two packages don’t have reporting tools.
- Paid plans with complete time tracking and scheduling solutions: Deputy has a Premium tier ($4.50 per employee monthly) and an Enterprise option (custom priced). Both plans have all of the features of the standalone scheduling and time and attendance packages, but with reporting capabilities. If you require additional tools like custom roles and permissions, advanced demand planning, and dedicated support, then you may want to consider its Enterprise tier.
- Flexible weekly option: Deputy is the only time tracking software in this guide that has a “Flexi Weekly” option. Designed for seasonal businesses that keep employees on standby based on weekly labor needs, it has all the features of the Premium plan but with a lower price tag—$2 per employee, per week. Your inactive employees can remain on Deputy and stay in the loop until you’re ready to add them back to the schedule.
Note that Deputy’s Scheduling, Time and Attendance, and Premium tiers require a minimum monthly spend of $10 per invoice. If you would like to avoid this requirement, then consider its Flexi option or get an annual Premium plan.
Deputy Standout Features
- Affordability: Although it doesn’t have a free tier, Deputy’s paid products are budget-friendly with monthly fees that start at $2.50 per employee—making it the most affordable paid time tracking solution on this list.
- Online time clocks: Deputy’s time tracking apps can help you monitor employee attendance and manage your workforce from any Android and iOS device. Your staff can even clock in/out from the Apple Watch—a functionality that none of the other software in this guide offer.
- Touchless clock-ins: Deputy is the only provider on our list of best time tracking software that supports touchless clock-ins. Its Deputy Kiosk app for tablets uses voice commands and facial recognition scans to capture employee clock-ins/outs. However, you may also want to consider Buddy Punch if you require touchless clock-ins. While it doesn’t support voice commands, it lets your employees clock in/out via QR code scans.
- Task assignments: With Deputy, you can add single and recurring tasks to staff schedules. Although it doesn’t record the actual hours that your employees spend on each task, it sends you notifications whenever an assignment has been completed. However, if you require a time tracker with start/stop controls for capturing hours spent on tasks, we recommend QuickBooks Time, Harvest, Clockify, or ClockShark.
QuickBooks Time
PROS
- Can track both billable hours and actual hours worked of hourly staff
- Offers multiple and versatile time clock options
- Seamless integration with QuickBooks’ payroll and accounting software
CONS
- More expensive than competitors
- Facial recognition clock-ins require the use of a dedicated time tracking kiosk
- Invoicing isn’t built in; available through integration with QuickBooks Online
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 1.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.63 | OUT OF | 5 |
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is terrific for monitoring the costs of freelance jobs and the attendance of your hourly workforce since its time tracking apps are versatile. Its web and mobile apps (for iOS and Android devices) can track hours spent on jobs, while its time kiosk solution captures clock-ins/outs via PIN code entries and facial recognition scans. It even offers PTO management, employee scheduling tools, and budget estimates versus actuals reporting.
Scoring 3.73 out of 5, it earned high marks in employee time tracking, ease of use, and popularity. On the other hand, QuickBooks Time scored poorly in reporting and pricing because its reports have limited customizability, it lacks a free option, and its paid tiers are more costly than other providers—monthly fees start at $20 plus $8 per employee. However, many users still commended QuickBooks Time for providing them with an easy way to manage time tracking and capture billable hours.
With QuickBooks Time’s mobile apps, you can easily track time on jobs, see the status of projects, and more.
To learn more about QuickBooks Time and whether it will fit your business needs, read our QuickBooks Time review.
QuickBooks Time Pricing
- Premium plan: Priced at $20 plus $8 per employee monthly, you are granted access to mobile apps with GPS tracking and the QuickBooks Time Kiosk. You also get PTO management, job and shift scheduling, automated overtime alerts, and unlimited live customer support.
- Elite option: For $40 plus $10 per employee monthly, you get all of Premium’s features plus mileage tracking, geofencing, time sheet signatures, and reports that show project estimates versus actual hours/labor cost.
QuickBooks Time Standout Features
- Versatile time tracking apps: QuickBooks Time has time tracking apps that work across devices—from computers to smartphones and tablets. It also is the only provider on our list of best time tracking software that offers both an online time clock for capturing your hourly workforce’s clock-ins/outs and an online timer for tracking billable hours to invoice clients.
- Secure clock-ins: QuickBooks Time has a clock kiosk that serves as a dedicated time tracking terminal for your hourly employees working in the same location. Aside from PIN codes, it supports facial recognition scans to help prevent buddy punching. However, if you want your employees to use voice commands or QR code scans when clocking in/out, then consider Deputy and Buddy Punch, respectively.
- Geofencing and geolocation tracking: In addition to tracking where field employees are working, QuickBooks Time’s mobile app reminds your staff to clock in and out as they enter and exit a job site. And like ClockShark, it displays GPS points on a map, showing a “breadcrumb trail” of the job/client locations that employees visited throughout the workday.
- Seamless QuickBooks integration: QuickBooks Time connects well with other QuickBooks products (like QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll) for streamlined invoicing and payroll runs. It also integrates with online payroll services (like Gusto and ADP) to allow easy transfers of time data for employee pay processing.
Clockify
PROS
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Its free tier comes with web, desktop, and mobile time tracking apps; supports unlimited users and projects
- Has built-in invoicing tools to bill clients
CONS
- Invoicing and labor cost versus budget comparisons cost extra
- Limited report customizability; you can’t create and add new fields
- Its mobile app is glitchy; software lags from time to time
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 2.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 |
Clockify tracks hours for unlimited projects for an unlimited number of users for free. This is an excellent tool for employers and freelancers who need to monitor time on projects as it captures all non-billable and billable hours worked. You can even send invoices to bill clients for the hours that you and your team worked on projects.
It has a simple-to-use online time sheet where you can log hours, including time tracking apps to monitor work hours from computers, smartphones, and web browsers. However, its apps are different from Homebase and Deputy’s time clock tools, which require employees to clock in/out. With Clockify, your staff will simply need to type in the project name or task that they’ll work on and then click the start/stop button to record actual hours.
Clockify earned an overall score of 3.70 out of 5 in our evaluation. It didn’t get a higher spot on our list because you have to pay for basic features like invoicing and budget versus actual reporting. Some users said that its report options are limited, while a few complained about having experienced occasional time tracking app glitches and software lag times.
Clockify’s time tracking app requires employees to click the start/stop button to record hours.
Clockify Pricing
- Free option: In addition to online timers and time sheets, Clockify’s free plan includes project and task tracking, reporting tools, and a calendar where you can view tasks and add/edit time blocks. It also supports unlimited projects and employees.
- Optional upgrades: If you need additional features, Clockify offers five packages:
- Basic: For $4.99 per user monthly, you get administration tools that include project templates, time audits, and the capability to add time for one or multiple users.
- Standard: Priced at $6.99 per user monthly, you get all of Basic’s features plus time sheeting and billing tools like time sheet approvals, invoicing, and QuickBooks integration.
- Pro: For $9.99 per user monthly, this plan’s additional features include productivity and profit tools, scheduled reports, GPS tracking, and automatic email alerts when a project hits its allocated budget.
- Enterprise: This tier costs $14.99 per user monthly and comes with premium control and security solutions like account management, single sign-on (SSO), and a custom subdomain.
- Server: This custom-priced plan lets you host Clockify on your own servers.
Clockify Standout Features
- Flexible time tracking: With Clockify, you’re not limited to tracking time on specific devices. You can access its online timer on iOS and Android mobile devices, computers, and web browsers (Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge). However, you can’t track work hours via the Apple Watch as Deputy does. You also can’t set up a tablet as a centralized time tracking kiosk—a functionality that Homebase, Deputy, and QuickBooks Time offer.
- Project and task monitoring: Clockify helps you track time by projects and tasks. You can even break down projects into several activities and categorize tasks by job type.
- GPS tracking: With Clockify’s GPS tracking tool, you can view and check all the client sites that your staff visited during a workday. This is an essential feature to have, especially if you employ field employees. However, you have to buy Clockify’s Pro package if you need geolocation tracking.
- Computer screenshots: Clockify’s screenshot recording app allows you to show clients your work progress. It takes screenshots of your computer screen every five minutes while your timer is running. This is perfect for freelancers who want to provide detailed work updates to clients.
- Invoicing: You can create invoices based on tracked time and send these as PDF documents to bill clients—provided you purchase Clockify’s Standard package. If you need an online timer with free invoicing, Harvest is a great option. However, if you’re a QuickBooks user, then QuickBooks Time is a better alternative as it connects seamlessly with QuickBooks Online, enabling you to generate invoices and manage payments.
ClockShark
PROS
- Reasonably priced
- Has geofencing and geolocation tracking features
- Supports online payments from clients
CONS
- Doesn’t have a free option
- Facial recognition scans require a dedicated time tracking device
- Invoicing, online client payments, and advanced job costing controls are available only in higher tiers
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 2.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
Time theft is a serious concern for construction companies with workers that spend all day in remote locations. ClockShark can help you rest easy with facial recognition, GPS tracking, geofence notifications, and pictures to show the progress of the job. It tracks hours by job and service code, plus its time data can be exported to popular payroll and accounting programs.
What’s also great about ClockShark is that it provides you with one platform to track time, manage jobs, and collaborate with team members on all of your work tasks. It also streamlines the process of organizing jobs since it stores all documents, in-app communications, client information, and progress updates for every job.
Scoring 3.60 out of 5, its online time clock can help you track actual hours spent on jobs and tasks. However, it doesn’t have a free option like Homebase offers, and while its monthly fees are reasonably priced (starts at $15 plus $3 per user monthly), it is still more expensive than Deputy. These factors, including user reports of occasional mobile app glitches and GPS tracking issues, prevented ClockShark from ranking high on our list of best time tracking software.
ClockShark has a “KioskClock” app that turns mobile devices into a dedicated terminal for capturing time spent on jobs.
ClockShark Pricing
- Basic plan: Priced at $15 plus $3 per user monthly, this option comes with time tracking, task monitoring, job and customer management, and basic GPS tools.
- Standard tier: For $25 plus $6 per user monthly, you get all of Basic’s features plus scheduling, geofencing, time sheet approval, and access to ClockShark’s “KioskClock.”
- Pro option: This tier costs $45 plus $8 per user monthly and includes additional features like PTO management, advanced job costing controls, and a dedicated account manager.
- Expert package: For $90 plus $12 per user monthly, some of the premium tools you’ll get include invoicing, online payments, and customized job quotes.
ClockShark Standout Features
- Multiple time clock options: In addition to mobile time tracking apps for iOS and Android devices, ClockShark has a web-based time tracker that works on laptops and desktop computers. If you require secure clock-ins, its “KioskClock” apps for smartphones and tablets support PIN codes and facial recognition scans.
- Job and customer management: While Clockify and Harvest have similar job and client management functionalities, their tools aren’t as robust as ClockShark’s. In addition to organizing job/client information, you can easily view which customers are associated with each project or job in ClockShark. You can also add files to client profiles, such as pictures of completed tasks and receipts. It even has a communication tool where you can share job details, provide updates, and discuss client issues with your team. ClockShark then saves all in-app conversations for easy reference.
- Built-in invoicing with online payments: ClockShark automatically adds tracked hours from online time sheets into invoices—provided you set the applicable tasks as billable. And unlike Clockify, which only allows you to create and send invoices, ClockShark lets you receive payments from customers. It partnered with JP Morgan Chase Bank to offer a secure platform where clients can simply click the payment button on ClockShark’s electronic invoices to transfer payments to your business account.
- Time sheet attachments: Construction workers and field staff who need to send information from the field to your main office can attach work files, notes, and job-related photos to ClockShark’s online time sheets.
- GPS and geofencing tracking: Although ClockShark’s Basic tier has GPS functionality, it isn’t as detailed as the geolocation tools included in its Standard to Expert tiers—which shows location breadcrumb trails on a map. Meanwhile, its geofencing capabilities help to remind employees to clock in/out as they enter/leave the job site.
Harvest
PROS
- Its free option lets you track time for projects, send invoices, and submit expense reports
- Can handle online payments through Stripe and PayPal integrations
- Robust third-party software integrations
CONS
- The free tier has only one user seat and two projects
- Time tracking for unlimited projects is included only in its paid Pro plan; this option can be costly, especially if you have a big team
- GPS tracking and biometric scans are unavailable; task management features are limited
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 2.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
Harvest offers its time tracking, invoicing, and expense reporting tools for free—provided you have only one user and two active projects. This makes it a good option for freelancers and small business owners with a few employees looking for an efficient way to monitor project time and work tasks. It also has a paid plan that comes with unlimited seats and projects.
Harvest earned an overall score of 3.55 out of 5 in our evaluation. It received perfect marks for billable hours tracking and job labor costing, followed by ease of use and pricing (each scored 4 out of 5). However, Harvest lost points since it doesn’t support GPS tracking and facial recognition scans, plus it has limited task management tools. Although it connects with more than 50 third-party software, it lacks integration with payroll, scheduling, and POS solutions.
In terms of user feedback, most of the online reviews are positive, with users praising Harvest’s simple yet efficient time tracking app. Some, on the other hand, said that its reports aren’t robust and its mobile app can be a bit clunky at times.
A view of Harvest’s online time sheet with tasks and timers that you can easily start and stop.
Harvest Pricing
- Free option: Harvest’s online timers, client invoicing, and expense reporting tools are free to use, but it only includes one user seat and time tracking for up to two projects. If you need free time tracking of unlimited projects, then Clockify is the right tool for you.
- Pro: Priced at $12 per user monthly, this plan has unlimited user seats and projects. While this option might seem affordably priced, it isn’t cost-effective if you have a large team. For tracking the work time of hourly staff, we recommend Deputy’s standalone time and attendance package that costs only $2.50 per employee monthly. If you need unlimited users to do time tracking of unlimited projects, Clockify is more budget-friendly since it’s free.
Harvest Standout Features
- Desktop and mobile time tracking apps: Harvest has simple-to-use time tracking apps that work on laptops and desktop computers, including iOS and Android mobile devices. However, unlike Deputy, its mobile app isn’t compatible with the Apple Watch. It also doesn’t have a time clock kiosk for capturing the actual work times of your hourly workforce.
- Expense reporting: Harvest is the only time tracking software we reviewed that lets you log business expenses, take photos of receipts, and tag the transactions as billable. You can even turn details of tracked expenses into invoices that you can send to clients.
- Robust third-party integrations: Harvest partners with over 50 third-party solutions that include accounting software, analytics and reporting apps, project management systems, and productivity tools. Its integration with Stripe and PayPal has even enabled it to accept online payments from clients.
Buddy Punch
PROS
- Multiple clock-in/out options; supports PIN code, facial recognition, QR code, and username with password time entries
- Has a standalone time tracking solution that’s affordably priced
- Simple to learn and use
CONS
- Lacks client billing functionalities
- Phone support requires an appointment
- Doesn’t offer an online timer for tracking billable hours
| RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
| Employee Time Tracking Functionality | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Billable Hours & Job Labor Costing Functions | 1.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Popularity | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Reporting | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
| Ease of Use | 3.63 | OUT OF | 5 |
Buddy Punch is great for those who want strong time tracking controls because it has tools that can limit when, where, and from which device employees can clock in/out. It also has a standalone time and attendance plan, although it isn’t as budget-friendly as Deputy’s time tracking only package (which costs only $2.50 per user monthly). In addition to time tracking controls, Buddy Punch offers apps that work on web browsers and mobile devices (iOS and Android), including multiple clock-in/out options that even include QR code time entries.
In our evaluation of best time tracking software, Buddy Punch earned a total score of 3.38 out of 5. Its robust time tracking features and the many positive reviews it received from users contributed to its high marks. Reviewers who left feedback on third-party sites like G2 and Capterra raved about its intuitive interface and easy-to-use tools. However, it didn’t rank higher on our list because of its limited report customizability, lack of invoicing features, and appointment-required phone support (although it also provides assistance through live chat and email).
Buddy Punch’s web app (which best works on Google Chrome) will snap a photo of the employee while clocking in, provided a webcam is available.
Buddy Punch Pricing
Buddy Punch’s pricing scheme is based on the number of employees you have. It offers three plans:
- Time and Attendance tier: Monthly fees for this option start at $29.99 for up to four employees. It comes with unlimited administrators and all of Buddy Punch’s time tracking tools, including PTO monitoring, mobile apps with GPS functionalities, job tracking, and integration options.
- Time and Attendance plus Scheduling package: In addition to time tracking, this plan has scheduling functionalities and unlimited administrators. Its monthly fees start at $39.99 for up to four employees.
- Enterprise option: If you need Single Sign-On (SSO) and Application Programming Interface (API) access, then consider Buddy Punch’s Enterprise option. This comes with all of the features of the above package with monthly fees that start at $49.99 for up to four employees.
Buddy Punch Standout Features
- Multiple clock-in/out options: In addition to PIN code and facial recognition scans, Buddy Punch supports QR code and username with password clock-ins/outs. None of the software we reviewed can handle these two time entry types.
- Flexible time tracking: With its mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, you can turn tablets and smartphones into an online time clock. Given that its platform is web-based, you can also access its time tracker on computer browsers—although Buddy Punch recommends Google Chrome for a better user experience.
- Time tracking controls: Buddy Punch has punch limiting features that allow you to set up specific timeframes when employees are allowed to clock in/out. However, unlike the other software we reviewed, Buddy Punch even lets you specify the exact time per day—instead of only the number of minutes—that your staff can clock in/out before and after their shift. This is perfect if your employees have different work shifts but you didn’t get Buddy Punch’s plan with scheduling tools as it helps prevent early clock-ins and late clock-outs (without overtime). Further, Buddy Punch has geofencing and geolocation tracking, including device and IP address locks if you want to restrict where your staff can clock in/out from.
- Time entry duration tool: Buddy Punch may not have an online timer for tracking hours on projects, but it has a “duration entry” feature that allows your salaried employees to log in the total hours they spend on clients (such as meetings or client support). However, if you’re looking for a free timer to track billable hours, we recommend Harvest if you have only two active projects and Clockify if you require time tracking of unlimited projects.
Looking for something else? For complete HRIS systems you can use from hire to fire, including time and attendance support, check out our top recommended HRIS solutions.
Bottom Line
Tracking time by hand is time-consuming and difficult to monitor. Time tracking apps can help alleviate the stress of having to manually compute work hours and prepare time sheets since its system will do that for you. Some even allow you to assign time to jobs and service codes, build staff schedules, track billable hours, and invoice clients.
Based on our evaluation, we found Homebase to be the best time tracking software for small businesses. It can efficiently capture when hourly employees start and stop working, plus it has labor cost controls to help you track budget estimates versus actual hours. Best of all, it has a feature-rich free tier that lets you do more than record clock-in/outs—you can post jobs, track applicants, onboard new hires, and create schedules. Sign up for a free plan today.
For more ideas on how to track time, check out our guide on ways to track employee work hours.
