Best Time Tracking Apps for New York Contractors in 2026

New York contractors run some of the most audited payrolls in the country. Prevailing wage rules on public jobs, the state’s own meal-break law, and a Wage Theft Prevention Act that can double unpaid wages into liquidated damages all raise the cost of a missed break or a rounded time card. Get New York labor law time tracking wrong, and a paperwork gap turns into a liability fast. 

That’s why the best time tracking app for New York contractors has to do more than clock people in: it needs GPS-verified hours, automatic overtime math, and a record that survives a Department of Labor audit or a wage claim.

This guide compares six apps New York contractors actually use to run crews across the five boroughs, Long Island, and upstate jobsites. Each one takes a different approach to meal and rest break compliance for construction, and we’ll show you how to track employees’ time in construction the way New York labor laws actually require, not the generic national default most apps ship with.

List of best time tracking apps for New York contractors

App	GPS & geofencing	Overtime automation	Payroll/accounting integration	Starting price
Workyard	GPS-verified clock-ins with geofence-triggered forms	Automated federal, state, and custom overtime rules	20+ integrations, including Paychex, QuickBooks, ADP, Sage	$6/user/month (Starter, billed annually)
ClockShark	GPS pings; accuracy varies by user report	Manual review; no NY-specific rules	QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex	$40/mo base + $9/user/month
QuickBooks Time	GPS tracking on all plans; geofencing and mileage on Elite only	Manual meal-break checks; no automated alerts	Native QuickBooks Online only	$20/mo base + $10/user/month
Arcoro Time (formerly ExakTime)	Kiosk/hardware-based geofencing	Basic overtime tracking; no state-specific rules	Sage 100 and Foundation native	$9/user/month
Raken	No dedicated GPS time clock	Not a core feature	Limited; manual export to most accounting tools	Custom quote
Timeero	GPS/mileage tracking	Basic overtime; California Break Policy only, not NY	QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP export	$5/user/month (Basic, annual)

How we chose

We shortlisted apps that New York construction crews already use, then scored each one on GPS/geofencing accuracy, overtime and meal-break handling, payroll integration depth, and verified pricing and ratings. Full criteria are in our review methodology.

How to choose the best time tracking app for New York contractors

Start with how your crews are paid, then check these New York-specific factors before you commit to an app:

• Prevailing wage coding. If any of your jobs run on public contracts, you need New York prevailing wage documentation, and a generic time clock will not code hours to the right classification automatically.
• Meal-break proof. Check whether the app can prove a meal break happened, not just that a shift started and ended, since New York break laws put the burden of proof on the employer.
• Multi-jobsite overtime. Confirm the app calculates overtime accurately under the New York overtime law across crews who split hours between multiple jobsites in the same week, which is where manual timesheets fall apart fastest.
• Office and payroll fit. If your office manager or payroll lead owns this process, look for a tool built for HR and payroll officers, not one designed only for the field.

Best time tracking app for New York contractors needing compliance with state overtime, meal break, and rest break laws?

Workyard is the time tracking app built to cover New York’s overtime, meal break, and rest break requirements together, not one at a time. A missed meal break gets flagged the same day rather than surfacing weeks later in a payroll review, overtime totals adjust automatically as crews move between jobsites, and any rest break a contractor chooses to offer still gets logged and paid correctly. 

That matters because a payroll audit or wage claim tests all three at once, and most apps only handle one of them well. Every one of those records lives in the same time card instead of three separate exports, so a contractor can hand over a complete answer instead of piecing one together after the fact.

6 of the best time tracking apps for New York contractors

We tested pricing, ratings, and compliance features for each app below against New York’s overtime, meal-break, and recordkeeping requirements, using the criteria described above.

1. Workyard: Best overall

Workyard is built as a construction operations platform for contractors, not adapted from a generic workforce app. A drywall and plaster contractor moved from chasing signed timesheets to minute-level clock records with an in-app attestation that replaced a separate e-signature tool (see the Green Wall Tech case study). One contractor said prevailing wage rates near $60 an hour justified GPS tracking on its own, exactly what Workyard’s labor compliance software is built to document.

Features

• GPS-verified clock-in and clock-out tied to jobsite geofences, with automatic drive-time allocation
• Geofence-triggered forms that open the moment a crew member enters a jobsite
• Built-in federal, state, and custom overtime calculations, applied automatically each pay period
• Time-card audit trail that logs every edit and the reason for it
• Time Assistant, an AI agent that turns a crew note into a ready-to-approve fix

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Account for every minute with the most precise GPS time clock app available.

Account for every minute with the most precise GPS time clock app available.

Avoid late clockins- automatically clock employees in when they arrive.

Avoid late clockins- automatically clock employees in when they arrive.

Detect when workers forget to clock out and trim timecards to the last visit.

Detect when workers forget to clock out and trim timecards to the last visit.

Automatically assign project time by locations and customizable rules.

Automatically assign project time by locations and customizable rules.

Auto-capture exact mileage per employee and project for reimbursement.

Auto-capture exact mileage per employee and project for reimbursement.

Use rules to restrict clock-ins and clock-outs based on location and time.

Use rules to restrict clock-ins and clock-outs based on location and time.

Automated overtime and break compliance

Overtime applies by the minute, and break reminders prompt a time-stamped sign-off, so records exist before an auditor asks for them. But that record starts with whatever a crew member typed, and field notes are rarely tidy.

Paychex payroll export

The Paychex time tracking integration exports approved time cards to Paychex Flex each pay period, coded to the right job. That export is only as clean as the entry behind it, and crew notes are rarely tidy.

That’s where Time Assistant comes in: it reads the note, drafts the fix, and routes it to a manager for approval before anything reaches payroll.

Pricing

• Free trial or free plan: Yes, a 14-day free trial.
• Starter: $6 per user / month, billed annually. Monthly billing also available.
• Pro, Autopilot, and Enterprise: Contact our sales team for pricing.

If you have 50+ users, speak to our sales team for a discounted quote.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
GPS-verified time removes disputes over hours worked	Full feature set requires Pro or Autopilot tier, priced by sales quote
Overtime rules apply automatically, including state-specific thresholds	Some compliance workflows need setup time to match a specific crew structure
Paychex, QuickBooks, ADP, and Sage integrations remove manual re-entry	Best value comes at scale; very small crews may not need every feature
Time-card audit trail supports wage-claim and prevailing-wage documentation	Needs a connected accounting/payroll system to show its full value

Ratings

Workyard holds strong marks across review platforms, with construction contractors rating it highest on Capterra and G2 for daily GPS time tracking and job costing.

App Store	Google Play	Capterra	G2
4.0 ⭐(241 ratings)	3.8 ⭐(252 ratings)	4.7 ⭐(102 reviews)	4.8 ⭐(50 reviews)

Workyard is best for New York contractors who need GPS-verified time and audit-ready compliance records in one system.

See how Workyard fits your crew: book a demo.

2. ClockShark: Best budget GPS time clock for QuickBooks-connected crews

ClockShark is a straightforward GPS time clock that plugs into QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, and Paychex, and its ease of setup is the feature reviewers mention most. As time tracking software for New York contractors, it handles payroll sync well but leaves compliance automation to the office. It works for contractors who mainly need a reliable clock-in record tied to payroll, without built-in tracking for New York’s overtime and meal-break rules.

Features

• GPS location pings on clock-in and clock-out, with offline support
• Multi-job tracking for crews splitting time across sites in one day
• Direct integrations with QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, and Paychex

Pricing

• Standard: $40/month base + $9/user/month
• Pro: $60/month base + $11/user/month

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Fast onboarding; crews are usually clocking in the same day	GPS accuracy complaints are common in reviews, despite reliability praise elsewhere
Works offline on jobsites with poor signal	Reporting is basic and not easily customized
Strong QuickBooks, ADP, and Gusto integrations	Customer support response times draw frequent complaints
Handles multi-job, multi-site crews well	No prevailing wage or New York-specific break tracking

Ratings

ClockShark rates well with the reviewers who fill out a desktop survey on Capterra and G2, but its mobile app scores meaningfully lower from crews using it in the field.

App Store	Google Play	Capterra	G2
2.9 ⭐(268 ratings)	3.5 ⭐(94 reviews)	4.7 ⭐(1,911 reviews)	4.7 ⭐(337 reviews)

ClockShark is best for New York crews already on QuickBooks who want a simple GPS clock without a full compliance suite.

Read our full ClockShark review, side-by-side Workyard vs ClockShark comparison, or ClockShark alternatives guide.

3. QuickBooks Time: Best for contractors already running payroll in QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is built for contractors who already run payroll through QuickBooks Online and want time tracking in the same system, rather than a standalone compliance tool. As time tracking software for New York contractors, it covers the basics well but leaves meal and rest break compliance for construction crews to manual review rather than automated flags.

Features

• GPS tracking synced directly into QuickBooks Online payroll, plus mileage tracking
• Geofencing that sends clock-in and clock-out reminders when a crew member enters or leaves a job site, available on the Elite plan
• Scheduling and job/shift assignment for field crews
• Month-to-month billing with no long-term contract

Pricing

• Time Premium: $20/month base + $10/user/month
• Time Elite: $40/month base + $12/user/month

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Deep, native QuickBooks Online integration	Mobile app interface is the single most-cited weakness in reviews
Trusted Intuit brand and support infrastructure	Geofencing and mileage tracking are Elite-only; Premium users get GPS points without the geofence reminders
No contract lock-in; cancel anytime	No automated meal-break tracking; manual review required
Managers get location visibility for proof-of-work and job-site accountability	GPS accuracy depends on phone signal; some reviewers report battery drain from background tracking

Ratings

QuickBooks Time splits across two apps, and only one is scored below: QuickBooks Workforce, for crews clocking in from their own phones. A shared jobsite tablet runs QuickBooks Time Kiosk instead, a separate listing with its own reviews, so confirm which app your crew uses before comparing scores.

App Store	Google Play	Capterra	G2
4.6 ⭐(194K ratings)	4.7 ⭐(66.2K ratings)	4.7 ⭐(7,021 reviews)	4.5 ⭐(1,448 reviews)

QuickBooks Time is best for New York contractors who already run payroll in QuickBooks Online and want time data in the same system.

See our QuickBooks Time review, Workyard vs QuickBooks Time comparison, and QuickBooks Time alternatives guide.

4. Arcoro Time (formerly ExakTime): Best for rugged jobsite hardware clocks

Arcoro Time (formerly ExakTime) is built around rugged physical time clocks for jobsites where a phone-based app isn’t practical, not a mobile-first workflow. That makes it a fit for New York contractors running hardware-first crews, though it has no built-in overtime or meal-break automation for New York’s rules.

Features

• Rugged kiosk hardware built for harsh outdoor conditions
• Geofencing for jobsite access control
• Native Sage 100 and Foundation accounting integration

Pricing

• Time Essential: Starts at $9/user/month (annual)
• Time Professional: Starts at $12/user/month (annual)
• Time + Payroll: Starts at $20/user/month (annual)

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Physical hardware suits tough outdoor jobsites	User reviews report price increases and a platform that feels increasingly dated since the 2018 Arcoro acquisition
Simple, basic timekeeping for small crews	User reviews report app bugs and crashes
Geofencing supports jobsite access control	User reviews report that exporting to accounting systems other than Sage 100 often needs manual reconciliation
Sage integration works well when functioning	Monthly and quarterly billing exist, but the published per-employee rate applies only to an annual contract

Ratings

The App Store row below uses the legacy ExakTime Mobile listing, since it carries years of accumulated field reviews. Google Play has no ratings under either listing yet, so its column is blank until that history builds up.

App Store (legacy ExakTime Mobile)	Google Play	Capterra	G2
2.9 ⭐(278 ratings)	No ratings yet	4.1 ⭐(280 reviews)	4.5 ⭐(172 reviews)

Arcoro Time (ExakTime) is best for New York contractors on tough outdoor sites who want a physical clock rather than a phone-based app.

Weighing hardware against an app? See our ExakTime review or our Workyard vs ExakTime comparison.

5. Raken: Best for daily field reporting and safety documentation

Raken’s core strength is daily reporting and photo documentation, not GPS time tracking. It’s not primarily New York overtime compliance time tracking software, and contractors who need meal and rest break compliance for construction crews will need to pair it with a dedicated time clock. 

For daily job documentation, though, its report library remains one of the strongest in this comparison, and many New York crews run it alongside a separate GPS clock rather than in place of one.

Features

• Daily field reports with photo and video documentation
• Safety content library, including toolbox talks and incident reports
• Ten-year record retention for compliance and safety documentation

Pricing

Custom quote only; request pricing directly from Raken.

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Strong daily reporting with photo and video capture	No dedicated GPS time-clock feature in the base product
Deep safety and compliance content library	Android app has frequent reliability complaints
Intuitive, easy-to-use mobile interface	Payroll and accounting export is limited and often manual
Responsive support and steady feature updates	Auto-renewal billing draws frequent complaints

Ratings

Raken holds a consistent 4.3-4.7 star range across all four platforms, with the App Store carrying by far the largest sample: 22,000 ratings against roughly 2,600 on Google Play, so its field crews are weighing in far more heavily on iOS.

App Store	Google Play	Capterra	G2
4.7 ⭐(22K ratings)	4.3 ⭐(2.62K ratings)	4.6 ⭐(249 reviews)	4.6 ⭐(110 reviews)

Raken is best for New York contractors who need strong daily reporting and safety documentation alongside a separate time-tracking tool.

Need both reporting and time tracking? See our Raken review, Workyard vs Raken comparison, or our Raken alternatives guide.

6. Timeero: Best budget GPS and mileage tracking

Timeero is the cheapest true GPS time-tracking option in this lineup, with mileage tracking built in for crews driving between multiple New York jobsites in a day. It logs mileage automatically as a crew member moves between sites, then routes those miles into payroll alongside hours worked, a combination most budget time clocks handle as two separate tools. 

The tradeoff shows up in compliance depth: Timeero’s one built-in break-compliance feature is written for California, so it won’t catch a missed New York meal or rest break on its own, and geofence enforcement is inconsistent enough that some clock-ins slip through from outside the fence.

Features

• GPS and mileage tracking for multi-site crews
• Job and cost-code segmentation for job costing
• Geofenced auto clock-in and clock-out on Pro and higher tiers

Pricing

• Basic: $6/user/month billed monthly ($5/user/month billed annually), capped at 10 users; adds time tracking, GPS breadcrumbs, and mileage tracking
• Pro: $9/user/month billed monthly ($7.50/user/month billed annually), adds geofencing, automatic clock-in/out, job tracking, and scheduling
• Premium: $12/user/month billed monthly ($10/user/month billed annually), adds facial recognition kiosk and time-off management
• Enterprise: Quote-based, custom features and support

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Most affordable true GPS time-tracking tier in this group	Mileage tracking runs “as the crow flies,” which can undercount actual routes
Clean, easy-to-use interface for non-technical crews	Geofencing enforcement is inconsistent; some clock-ins are accepted from outside the fence
Strong customer support reputation in reviews	Android app has reported instability and battery drain
Job and cost-code segmentation supports job costing	Its only built-in break-compliance feature, a California Break Policy attestation tool, is scoped to California law and doesn’t cover New York’s meal- or rest-break rules

Ratings

Timeero rates consistently well across all four platforms, 4.5 stars and up, with Google Play in particular pulling a much larger sample than most competitors see there.

App Store	Google Play	Capterra	G2
4.7 ⭐(1.4K ratings)	4.8 ⭐(689 reviews)	4.5 ⭐(134 reviews)	4.8 ⭐(51 reviews)

Timeero is best for New York contractors on a tight budget who need real GPS and mileage tracking across scattered jobsites.

See our full Timeero review, our Workyard vs Timeero comparison, Timeero alternatives guide.

Final recommendation

For New York contractors, the right time tracking app is the one that can prove hours, overtime, and meal breaks happened the way your records say they did. Workyard delivers New York overtime compliance time tracking through GPS-verified time, automatic overtime math, and an audit trail built for New York’s wage-and-hour rules, not a generic national default.

ClockShark and QuickBooks Time work well if payroll simplicity matters more than compliance depth, while ExakTime, Raken, and Timeero each solve a narrower problem. If a Department of Labor audit or wage claim is a real risk on your jobs, Workyard is the safer starting point.