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The 7 Best Employee Punch Clock Apps for 2025

Looking for an employee punch clock app for your construction business? We’ve reviewed 7 of the best apps on the market to help you!

Luis Batongbakal
Luis Batongbakal
Last updated: 10 min read
best punch clock app featured image

The best punch clock app empowers your crew to clock in and out from wherever they are, so you can run your payroll faster and more efficiently without always chasing their paper time cards. Check out my review of the 7 best employee time clock apps. 

Replacing your dusty wall-mounted punch clock with a punch clock app gives your business a more reliable time tracker that follows wherever your crew works. With the app automating the timekeeping process, you no longer have to rely on guesstimates or employees reporting hours worked from memory.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best punch clock apps that automate clock-ins for businesses. This way, your field team can focus more on delivering quality services without the hassle of paperwork.
Our score
1
2
3
Best for
The most accurate GPS time clock for construction and field services.
Basic time tracking with flexible app integrations.
Includes payroll management for high-turnover businesses.
Our score
1
Best for
The most accurate GPS time clock for construction and field services.
Our score
2
Best for
Basic time tracking with flexible app integrations.
Our score
3
Best for
Includes payroll management for high-turnover businesses.

How our scoring system works

linksVector Workyard

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

9
9
9
8
10
10
9
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • Accurate GPS location tracking with geofencing boundary settings

  • Straightforward timecards for easy audits

  • Streamlined scheduling for multifaceted projects

  • Automation of compliance for key labor law (overtime and breaks)

  • In-depth task and project progress monitoring

  • Automatic calculation of job costs

  • Seamless connections with key business apps

Pros

Auto clock-in with geofences to prevent timekeeping errors

Simple interface that’s easy for workers to use

GPS tracking provides precise location data for every shift

Offline mode ensures tracking continues even without internet access

Flexible time entry options, including employee, kiosk, and supervisor modes
Cons

Focused on field service, construction, and property management

Location tracking is needed for GPS-based accuracy

No forever-free plan due to advanced features

Highlights

After testing multiple employee punch clock software, I consider Workyard as the best digital time-tracking system for construction and field service teams because of its industry-focused features.

Built by a contractor who used to manage a 700-person crew, Workyard’s punch clock app aims to solve inaccurate time tracking associated with manual time clocks.

Whether you’re running a small crew or juggling subs across multiple jobs, it gives you real-time visibility into who’s on-site, when they arrived, and where they are—all backed by GPS.

Workers can clock in via their phones or at a shared kiosk, and every punch is tagged with time, location, and a quick photo to prevent buddy punching. You no longer have to rely on memory, paper slips, or chasing down foremen to confirm hours worked.

Even better, it’s incredibly easy for your team to use—no training required. Whether they’re logging in through the mobile app or tapping into a shared time clock kiosk at the jobsite, crew members only see the essential actions they need: clock in, clock out, view timecard. It takes just seconds and doesn’t require technical know-how, making it an easy shift from paper timecards or other tools.

If you’re a specialty contractor handling crews across multiple sites, this kind of setup can make a huge difference in keeping hours accurate and projects on track.

When someone forgets to clock in or tries to fudge hours, you’ll know. And if a sub doesn’t show up or a worker leaves early, you’ll see that too—without needing to call or guess. It’s a smarter way to manage hours, stop payroll disputes before they start, and keep projects moving without time-tracking headaches.

Let’s break down Workyard’s key punch time clock app features.

Boost your profit with Workyard’s accurate punch clock app

See how it works

GPS-Powered Time Tracking for Accurate Payroll and Accountability

You shouldn’t have to rely on memory—or chase down foremen—to find out who showed up, when they left, or how long they were really on-site. Workyard’s GPS-powered punch clock system puts all that information at your fingertips, in real time.

When workers clock in using the mobile app or the punch-in clock kiosk, Workyard captures the exact time and location. It doesn’t just tell you they’re “on the job”—it shows you exactly where they are and when they got there.

Capture every minute worked with the industry’s most accurate GPS time clock. Capture every minute worked with the industry’s most accurate GPS time clock.
Eliminate missed punches with automatic clock-ins at jobsite arrival. Eliminate missed punches with automatic clock-ins at jobsite arrival.
Catch missed clock-outs and auto-trim time to the last job site exited. Catch missed clock-outs and auto-trim time to the last job site exited.
Automatically tag hours to projects based on where work happens and custom rules. Automatically tag hours to projects based on where work happens and custom rules.
Track exact mileage by employee and job automatically for hassle-free reimbursement. Track exact mileage by employee and job automatically for hassle-free reimbursement.
Set rules to control when and where employees can clock in or out. Set rules to control when and where employees can clock in or out.

Every time entry is GPS-verified, mapped to the correct job, and logged to the minute. So when a crew member says they were on-site at 6:00 AM, you’ll know if that’s true.

Because it tracks routes, time on site, and miles driven, Workyard works like a time punch app that gives you full visibility into each worker’s day. That means more accurate labor costs, cleaner payroll data, and fewer headaches sorting out timesheets.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s GPS Time Tracking:

  • Automatically track clock-ins and clock-outs with location data
  • See who’s on-site, where they are, and how long they’ve been there
  • View detailed routes and mileage between jobs for reimbursements
  • Eliminate padded hours and early clock-ins with real GPS oversight
  • Keep payroll accurate without manual follow-up or second-guessing

In addition to the time tracking features listed above, I also tried Workyard’s smart forms that are tied directly to its time clock app. 

Instead of printing forms and distributing them to your crew, you can choose from Workyard’s library of form templates, customize them according to your needs or workflow, and set up automation so your crew will always be reminded to complete them at every clock in or clock out. 

To test this functionality, I set up a test form as an admin. The entire process was pretty smooth, and I like that I was notified in real time whenever a worker provided an unexpected answer or completed a form.

See why 50,000+ workers and over 10,000 contractors use Workyard (and why construction project managers and leaders like you have rated us 4.9 of 5 stars on Capterra). Explore Workyard and start a 14-day free trial today to see how we can speed up your construction and workforce management.

Automated Timekeeping Rules to Save Time

Missed punches, early clock-ins, and late clock-outs can add up to hours of lost time—and a payroll mess you don’t have time to untangle. With Workyard’s automated timekeeping tools, those problems are easier to avoid.

You can create custom rules for how and when your crew clocks in and out, using jobsite-specific geofences to trigger entries automatically.

Workyard makes time tracking effortless with its built-in automation tools. Workyard makes time tracking effortless with its built-in automation tools.
Crews clock in automatically the moment they enter your jobsite’s geofenced zone. Crews clock in automatically the moment they enter your jobsite’s geofenced zone.
Set clock-in windows and daily hour limits to stay in control. Set clock-in windows and daily hour limits to stay in control.
Verify identity at every clock in with Workyard’s facial detection technology. Verify identity at every clock in with Workyard’s facial detection technology.
Automatically track job site entry, exit, and mileage with Workyard. Automatically track job site entry, exit, and mileage with Workyard.
Assign project time automatically using location and smart rules. Assign project time automatically using location and smart rules.
Send automatic meal break reminders after set work hours. Send automatic meal break reminders after set work hours.
Auto-trim clock-out times based on the last geofenced site exited. Auto-trim clock-out times based on the last geofenced site exited.
Require compliance questions and signatures before every clock-out. Require compliance questions and signatures before every clock-out.

Workers are clocked in when they arrive at a defined jobsite and clocked out when they leave—no need to tap a button or remember to log time. You can also set boundaries around shift start and end times, preventing early punches unless approved. These guardrails ensure your time clock punch in data reflects actual work hours, not just rough estimates.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Automated Rules:

  • Set geofences to auto-punch workers in and out based on location
  • Prevent early or late clock-ins without supervisor approval
  • Customize rules for different jobs, trades, or shift types
  • Automatically track time without relying on worker input
  • Reduce manual edits, timecard disputes, and admin back-and-forth

Flexible Time Entry Options for Every Team

Not every crew uses the same setup—and not every jobsite has strong cell service. That’s why Workyard gives you flexible options for how your team clocks in, whether it’s from a mobile device, a supervisor’s phone, or a shared kiosk on-site.

Crews can punch in through the mobile app on their own phones, or supervisors can clock in an entire crew with just a few taps. For busy jobsites like new builds or infrastructure projects, the Workyard kiosk turns your iPad into a fixed punch time clock app with facial detection to reduce buddy punching.

Automate worker time tracking so employees never miss a punch. Automate worker time tracking so employees never miss a punch.
Supervisors can start every shift fast by clocking in crews from a phone. Supervisors can start every shift fast by clocking in crews from a phone.
Kiosk mode clocks in crews fast and accurately with a shared kiosk. Kiosk mode clocks in crews fast and accurately with a shared kiosk.
Auto-start shifts and trim excess time without manual edits. Auto-start shifts and trim excess time without manual edits.
Review breaks and edit team timecards on the go with Workyard. Review breaks and edit team timecards on the go with Workyard.

Every clock-in is logged with a timestamp and GPS location, giving you verifiable records no matter how your teams work.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Time Entry Tools:

  • Let workers punch in on mobile or via a shared on-site kiosk
  • Use photo verification to reduce buddy punching
  • Allow supervisors to clock in/out crews in bulk
  • Track hours in real time across multiple job sites or teams
  • Keep accurate records even in areas with limited connectivity

Comprehensive Time Card Management

With Workyard, every clock-in, break, and clock-out is automatically logged, complete with timestamps, GPS data, and jobsite context. It’s everything you need to manage timecards without chasing down your crew or sorting through scribbled notes.

From your dashboard, you can review, edit, and approve entries with just a few clicks. Whether it’s adjusting for a missed clock-in or correcting a job code, bulk-editing tools make it easy to stay on top of your team’s hours.

Track logged time across daily, weekly, and monthly views. Track logged time across daily, weekly, and monthly views.
Sort employee hours by date, project, and cost code. Sort employee hours by date, project, and cost code.
View live worker locations and statuses on one map. View live worker locations and statuses on one map.
Review every shift with GPS-verified timelines and edits. Review every shift with GPS-verified timelines and edits.
Smart alerts flag timecard issues before they hit payroll. Smart alerts flag timecard issues before they hit payroll.
Facial detection confirms identity at every clock-in to prevent time theft. Facial detection confirms identity at every clock-in to prevent time theft.
Clock in teams with one tap and track them from anywhere. Clock in teams with one tap and track them from anywhere.

Paired with GPS verification and photo-logged entries, Workyard gives you the peace of mind that your time card punch clock data is accurate and ready for payroll.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Time Card Management:

  • Sync timecards with payroll for accurate wage calculations
  • Review and approve digital timecards with full GPS and job data
  • Edit single or multiple entries quickly with bulk-edit tools
  • Automatically log breaks and flag missed punches for follow-up
  • Eliminate duplicate or incomplete records from the start

Compliance Features Built Into Time Tracking

Workyard’s built-in compliance features help you stay ahead of labor laws without extra effort. From overtime calculations to required break tracking, everything is logged automatically through the same punch time clock your team already uses.

You can apply federal, state, or custom labor rules to your crews—whether that’s mandatory rest periods, meal breaks, or overtime thresholds.

Built-in federal, state & custom overtime calculations. Built-in federal, state & custom overtime calculations.
Empower workers to see their own time card history. Empower workers to see their own time card history.
Ensure time and safety compliance questions are answered every shift. Ensure time and safety compliance questions are answered every shift.

Workyard will alert you if a worker is approaching daily or weekly limits and remind employees to take breaks as required. At the end of each day, the system prompts employees to review and sign off on their hours, creating a digital audit trail that’s easy to reference if questions come up later.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Compliance Tools:

  • Set custom labor rules by crew, job, or location
  • Track required breaks and flag missed rest periods automatically
  • Calculate daily and weekly overtime based on state-specific rules
  • Collect digital sign-offs on timecards to reduce disputes
  • Maintain an audit-ready history of hours and compliance activity

Advanced Reporting for Better Business Insights

Workyard makes it easy to pull detailed reports on hours worked, labor costs, project timelines, and travel activity, all based on clean entries from your team’s time punch clock activity.

Need to see how much labor went into a roofing job last week? Or figure out how many hours a specific crew spent across two sites? You can filter reports by project, employee, date range, or cost code—and export them in just a few clicks.

View team hours, job activity and costs at a glance. View team hours, job activity and costs at a glance.
Customize dashboards to focus on the fields that matter to you. Customize dashboards to focus on the fields that matter to you.
Quickly assess hours worked on a daily, weekly & monthly basis. Filter and group by time, project and cost code. Quickly assess hours worked on a daily, weekly & monthly basis. Filter and group by time, project and cost code.
Export all notes shared by employee in PDF and CSV format, including images. Export all notes shared by employee in PDF and CSV format, including images.
Track job costs in real-time, identify and address overspend early. Track job costs in real-time, identify and address overspend early.

These reports help you catch overruns early, spot slowdowns, and make smarter scheduling decisions moving forward.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Reporting Features:

  • Generate reports by crew, job, date, or cost code
  • View labor hours, overtime, mileage, and job progress in one place
  • Export reports for clients, internal audits, or payroll teams
  • Identify trends that affect project timelines and profitability
  • Back up invoices with detailed, GPS-verified labor data

Integrations With Payroll and Accounting Tools

Workyard connects directly with tools like QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, and more—so once your team’s hours are logged through the time clock punch in system, that data is ready to move.

Every approved timecard syncs with your payroll system, cutting out the need for double entry and reducing the risk of manual mistakes.

Get a real-time view of job costs with our time tracking app for QuickBooks. Get a real-time view of job costs with our time tracking app for QuickBooks.
Reduce payroll processing time by 75% with our integration to Sage Intacct. Reduce payroll processing time by 75% with our integration to Sage Intacct.
Get more accurate time cards with our ADP Workforce Now & Run time clock. Get more accurate time cards with our ADP Workforce Now & Run time clock.

If you’re using spreadsheets or running custom reports, Workyard also offers CSV exports and an open API, giving you flexibility without sacrificing accuracy.

What You Can Do with Workyard’s Integrations:

  • Sync timecard data automatically with QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, and others
  • Export timesheets and reports in CSV format for spreadsheet workflows
  • Use Workyard’s API to build custom integrations for your business
  • Eliminate hours of manual data entry and avoid payroll delays
  • Keep your back office running smoothly with up-to-date labor data

Reviews

You’ve heard from us – let’s see what other users have to say about Workyard. At the time this article was published, Workyard held the following scores across the three major platforms on which we track app reviews:

4.2/5
4.2/5
4.9/5

User SimmyLuvsChrist appreciates the simplicity of Workyard’s clock-in process:

iOS Review:

Life made easy! – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Being able to Clock-in with ease has been one less stress. The App is easy to use and I can locate the information I need without issue. There is not a delay in updates or a constant need t refresh the app.”

A recent Play Store review from Ralph Milton highlighted two important Workyard benefits – its time-tracking accuracy and its great customer service:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“I work for a great company it’s called BM Marine construction. when there is an issue and if you need a question answered I’ve always gone to the work yard app you got any answer. they answer quick. and are very professional and do not beat around the bush they give you an answer that is accurate. so at the end of the day I love where I work and I love the things that they have in place to help us as employees to get the right information”

On Capterra, construction HR manager Cassandra B. appreciates Workyard’s simplicity for front-line employees and its customizability on her end:

Capterra Review:

Great product for our needs in Construction Time Tracking – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
“Overall: It’s been very simple to use for our employees, and is easy to customize for our needs.
Pros: It’s been very simple to use for our employees, and is easy to customize for our needs.
Cons: I would like to have more options on being able to require certain projects have lunch breaks each day, or disallow them from having a certain amount of overtime without prior approval.
Alternatives Considered: Paychex Flex
Reasons for Choosing Workyard: We use Paychex Flex for HR / Payroll, but we chose to stay with Workyard since it was so simple and was working well. We have had a very hard implementation with Paychex and we didn’t want to mess with something that was working well.”

Pricing

Free Trial?

14-day trial with no credit card required

Time Tracking

$6 / mo. per user (annual) or $8 / mo. per user (monthly)+ $50 company base fee

Workforce Management

$13 / mo. per user (annual) or $16 / mo. per user (monthly)
+ $50 company base fee

Boost your profit with Workyard’s accurate time clock app

See how it works

linksVector Hubstaff

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

7
7
6
9
7
7
8
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • Employee time tracking for remote, hybrid, and in-office teams

  • GPS and geofenced time clock app

  • Timesheets, employee productivity, and overtime tracking

  • Workforce management tools

  • Workforce analytics, project cost management, and payroll

  • Employee experience software for distributed workforces

  • Habit tracking and remote employee experience (REX)

Pros

Good for distributed teams working across many locations

Includes HR-centric people management features

Expense tracker for businesses using raw materials
Cons

Mobile apps seem to be outdated

Time tracking may not be the most accurate on mobile

Support appears to be somewhat lacking

Seems better optimized for remote desk teams than field teams

Highlights

Hubstaff is one of the more popular general-purpose employee punch clock apps, with an assortment of additional features placing it somewhere between ClockShark and Homebase in terms of its reach into day-to-day business operations.

Its features lack the industry specificity of ClockShark’s field-service focus, and the overall Hubstaff package doesn’t have quite as many tools as Homebase, but Hubstaff nonetheless provides a fairly diverse range of features on top of its central punch clock app.

The screenshot below shows Hubstaff’s key features on its web dashboard, focusing on its built-in expense tracker. This particular feature is always helpful for businesses that constantly go through supplies and materials, which accurately describes most field service businesses.

a screenshot of a computer screen displaying a number of people involved in construction business activities

Hubstaff’s mix of features might be perfectly suited to certain businesses, but it seems to lack the granularity of sector-focused punch clock apps like Workyard. 

For instance, I find its screenshots and activity metrics useful for desk-based work, but blue-collar teams don’t need that level of oversight. 

Hubstaff gets around these potential deficiencies by offering what seems to be one of the most robust integration capabilities of any app reviewed here, with extensive lists of native integrations for project management tools (Asana, ClickUp, Jira, etc.), financial tools (FreshBooks, PayPal, QuickBooks, etc.), CRMs, and helpdesk apps.

You can also integrate Hubstaff with other apps through Zapier, or inquire directly with the Hubstaff team about a custom connection.

Check out our more in-depth Hubstaff review

Reviews

Hubstaff’s mix of reviews is a bit less straightforward to assess than most other apps we’ve covered in this article.

For one thing, it’s the only app with a notable discrepancy between its two main app store scores – iOS users seem to enjoy using Hubstaff, while Android users are more ambivalent:

4.5/5
3.1/5
4.6/5

Unfortunately, all of Hubstaff’s highlighted iOS reviews seem to be from 2019, so here’s one of those five-year-old reviews from user fireinjundev, who also wants the same sort of dark mode requested by the Connecteam review we saw earlier:

iOS Review:

It’s useful but… ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
I wish for the desktop app there was a dark mode. As a developer I just don’t like it’s brightness. And I’m also a little aggravated that it checks to make sure I’m doing stuff all the time. I work on multiple machines and some days it will stop my timer and say I wasn’t working. Then I have to go to my boss and get it fixed. It’s just an unnecessary hassle. For what it gets right though, it gets really right.

While many of Hubstaff’s Android reviews also seem to be rather old, there are newer ones on display – however, many reviews complain about bugs introduced by recent updates, whether they’ve been posted in 2019 or 2023, such as this two-star review from David Dimalanta:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐ 
i don’t like the new updates. no checkpoint after power is cutoff unlike the previous version. I work for five hours but instead I lost two hours after my battery died two hours ago or even while the app is running due to crash.

Hubstaff users on Capterra tend to be more positive towards recent updates. Insurance company CEO Caleb O. gave Hubstaff five stars in June 2024 with this to-the-point review:

Capterra Review:

1 year review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Overall: Very positive experience overall, we have had some glitches but nothing I would cancel over.
Pros: Integrations with payment systems , Paypal and Wise
Cons: It was confusing to get setup when we first started

Pricing

Free Trial?

Free-forever plan for one user

Starter

$7 / mo. per user (2 user minimum)

Grow

$9 / mo. per user (2 user minimum)

Team

$12 / mo. per user (2 user minimum)

Enterprise

$25 / mo. per user (billed annually)

Add-Ons

Several are available at $2+ / mo. per user

linksVector Homebase

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

7
7
8
8
8
0
8
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • GPS-enabled time tracking

  • Free employee scheduling app

  • Run and process payroll

  • Recruit, hire, and onboard new employees

  • Real-time all-in-one team communication app

  • Benefits and perks mangement

  • HR and compliance management tools

Pros

Useful HR features for employee management (extra cost)

Lots of tools in one app reduces need for integrations

Vibrant employee scheduler
Cons

May have more features than small businesses need

Time tracking is a minor part of the larger app

Better for single-location businesses

No dedicated project- or task-management tools

Highlights

Homebase is a type of punch clock app we sometimes call “business in a box” software – it’s trying to tackle as many mission-critical business functions as it can by offering everything from scheduling and employee time tracking to HR and benefits management. Its central offering, though, is employee scheduling.

For many businesses of a certain size and ambition, this approach works perfectly with their goals. A small but fast-growing company in a competitive market can make extensive use of Homebase’s range of hire-manage-grow tools to both oversee current operations and execute big plans for the future.

Ambitious companies in high-turnover industries, such as retail or restaurants (not to mention construction), also seem like the ideal users of Homebase.

a screenshot of a web page displaying various items related to construction business management and labor tracking

When you go through dozens of employees a year in the regular course of your business, it’s probably more efficient to manage the entire employee life cycle, from application to termination, in one app.

Being able to run payroll within Homebase is also a great selling point for the same types of businesses mentioned earlier. However, it seems a bit odd to include payroll but not offer payment-processing functions.

While payment processing might be harder to implement for high-traffic businesses, it seems like a lot of Homebase’s target customers – like veterinarians, home repairs, caregivers, and creative services – would have both the volume and the transaction size (bigger invoices somewhat less often) to merit needing such a feature. Maybe it’s coming!

Read our complete Homebase review

Reviews

Homebase is one of the rare digital employee punch clock apps we’ve found that actually seems to have better overall scores for its mobile versions than it does for the desktop interface Capterra reviewers usually grade:

4.8/5
4.4/5
4.6/5

Not all mobile reviews are glowing. iOS user ESlike711 expresses frustration with trying to see his schedules in a more zoomed-out view than week-by-week:

iOS Review:

Could be better – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Could be better
It’s really difficult to see the entire schedule. They don’t show a calendar view, they only show week by week, which you have to scroll through. It makes it really difficult to map out your entire schedule, especially when you plan month by month.
Also, whenever my manager adds something to an already existing schedule, or she creates a new schedule, all it says to me is that a new schedule was published. It does not show what was changed or added. It doesn’t even specify whether it was a change or an entirely new schedule. It only says “new schedule published.” So I have to come through the schedule and compare to see if it was actually a new schedule, or if it was just changes… And then I have to find those changes myself.
Overall, it’s just not very easy to read. If they could give an option for a full month’s calendar view, and specify when there’s either a new schedule or just changes, and then actually show me the changes that were made, I would give it five stars. Because those little things honestly make it such a pain to use. At this point, I feel like it would be easier to switch to paper scheduling.

A recent review from Android user Mister Piggs provides helpful guidance on Homebase’s ideal customer profile – he says it’s ideal for food service and retail establishments:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐ 
Decent app, many useful features. Would be most ideal for Food/Service and Retail establishments. Working in Events and Production, some features never get used. Navigation and work flow have room for improvement. Overall basic functions have been reliable. BUG: Android OS: URl Links listed under “shift notes” no longer work. Prior to a previous update(s). The URL link worked as intended.

Mister Piggs seems to be right, based on the strength of Homebase’s Capterra reviews from restaurant managers like Thomas G., who gives it five stars across the board with this to-the-point review:

Capterra Review:

Great for the money – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Overall: it is great program and easy to use, Also try people to use it as well.
Pros: easy to deal with and figure out able to train others to be able to use it as well
Cons: there was nothing to dislike about the program

Pricing

Free Trial?

For 1 location (up to 20 employees)

Essentials

$24.95 / mo. per location (unlimited employees)

Plus

$59.95 / mo. per location (unlimited employees)

All-in-one

$99.95 / mo. per location (unlimited employees)

Payroll

Available as an add-on for $39 / mo. + $6 / mo. per employee
Score
Best For
Pricing
Free trial/tier
Available on
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9.0
Construction companies working multiple locations
Starting at $6 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
14-day free trial, (no card needed)
See detailed review
Hubstaff
7.2
Field-based businesses serving high volumes of clients
Starting at $7 / mo. per user (2 user minimum)
Free-forever trial for one user
See detailed review
the word homebase on a white background related to construction and workforce management
6.1
Growing companies needing time tracking and hiring
Starting at $24.95 / mo. per location (unlimited employees)
Free trial for 1 location (up to 20 employees)
See detailed review
clockify logo
8.0
Small businesses seeking free time tracking
Starting at $4.99 / mo. per user
Unlimited free trial for basic time tracking
See detailed review
quickbooks time
8.0
Companies already using QuickBooks
Starting at $8 / mo. per user + $20 monthly base fee
Free trial for 30 days
See detailed review
connecteam logo transparent background
7.6
Smaller fast-growing businesses with multiple locations
Starting at $35 / mo. (+$0.60 / mo. per add’l user over 30)
Free-forever Small Business plan
See detailed review
Clock Shark
7.5
Businesses with many locations or field teams
Starting at $8 / mo. per user + $40 base fee
Free trial (no credit card needed) for 14 days
See detailed review
How Our Scoring System Works Scroll to view other competitors

linksVector Clockify

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

9
8
8
6
7
9
8
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • Time tracker (mobile app, web-based, and kiosk)

  • Reminders, edits, and approval processes for timesheets

  • Compatibility with leading payroll and efficiency-enhancing applications

  • Insightful visual data dashboards and comprehensive reporting tools

  • Location-based tracking of employee activities

  • Management and budget oversight for projects

  • Scheduling integrated with Outlook and Google Calendar

  • Processes for managing expenses and generating invoices

Pros

Free-forever version

Syncs with popular calendar apps (Google and Microsoft)

Many project management integrations
Cons

Limited payroll connections

Synchronization issues between desktop and mobile

Not built for teams in multiple states or time zones

Depends on users for accuracy

Absence of features tailored to specific industries

Highlights

Clockify consistently emerges as a standout in searches for “free employee punch clock apps,” thanks to its genuinely unlimited free version that effectively tracks employee hours.

This absence of initial costs positions Clockify as an ideal option for growing businesses in the early stages of scaling their workforce. It offers a practical period for evaluation, extending over several months, during which its utility and features can be thoroughly tested before possibly moving to a paid subscription.

As an employee time clock app, I find Clockify versatile for offering flexible ways for workers to punch in and out. Office-based employees can clock in/out from Clockify’s web-based timesheet or real-time timer, while those in the field can do the same from their mobile apps. 

Just like other time tracking apps on this list, Clockify also works as a time clock kiosk for teams who prefer a centralized way of clocking in or out within a project location. 

a screenshot of a calendar on a computer screen for employee scheduling and time tracking in the construction business

Clockify’s premium tiers introduce essential functionalities like break monitoring, manual timesheet adjustments, detailed reporting, and, for more advanced plans, GPS tracking and budget management.

Larger enterprises seeking higher levels of precision and customization in an employee punch clock app might find Clockify falling short.

A notable limitation is its integration capabilities, specifically tailored for broader industry needs. While Clockify integrates smoothly with QuickBooks, its connectivity with other payroll and financial management systems—such as Xero or FreshBooks—requires intermediate technical skills for setup through platforms like Zapier.

Despite offering numerous project management integrations catering to office-based teams—like Jira and Trello—these tools might not align as closely with the operational needs of sectors outside of tech development and marketing organizations.

Check out our complete Clockify review

Reviews

Clockify’s commitment to offering a “free forever” tracking solution has garnered significant appreciation across various major review sites.

It not only boasts a higher number of reviews on each platform compared to other apps (with the exception of QuickBooks Time), but its ratings remain impressively strong across the board:

4.6/5
3.9/5
4.7/5

iOS user GratefulMomFromTX is not happy about Clockify’s recent UI updates:

iOS Review:

Why, oh why did you have to mess with the interface? – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Until yesterday, this was an awesome app. Then unexpectedly a new interface turned up. This one looks a lot like the browser interface, so it is miniature on a phone. And impossible to use. Starting a new entry used to take maybe 3-5 seconds. Now it can take a minute by the time you manage to scroll down through a miniature list and hit just the right miniature spot to select a project. And then a submenu may or may not open depending on whether you manage to hit a miniature arrow and if you do manage to get past this obstacle yet another miniature list to scroll through the task list. If the list is long and hangs off the bottom of the screen, you are out of luck. No way to hit the 1 mm wide slider.

Please people, bring back the old interface! Or at least make it an option!”

Android user Dave Vanos is rather less bothered by these updates, despite posting his review a few weeks after GratefulMom’s. However, he would appreciate fewer bugs in the syncing between Android and PC:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
I love this app, and have used it every day for years. The chrome extension is great, but the app suffers from some issues. If I stop a task via the PC, the mobile widget doesn’t seem to realize it and will keep counting. This leads to double entries and incorrect task durations, which could get me in a bit of hot water as I use this for work.

Angel R., a VP of Sales at a professional coaching company, likes Clockify’s simplicity, but expresses frustration over the challenges he’s faced managing any sizable number of workers:

Capterra Review:

It needs improvement – ⭐⭐⭐ 
Overall: Overall has been good and I keep on using it, but just for the very simple functionality.
Pros: I like the clock in and the payroll. It is easy to manage.
Cons: I have been using the tool for quite a while now. Although the overall functionality is good, it is extremely difficult to manage groups of users, different levels of users and privileges of each, and timesheets. Nothing is evident. You have to really deep dive into the tool to be able to do it. Their workspaces are not used logically, and that requires a lot of manual work to fix them.

Pricing

Free Trial?

Unlimited free tier with basic time tracking

Basic

$4.99 / mo. per user

Standard

$6.99 / mo. per user

Pro

$9.99 / mo. per user

Enterprise

$14.99 / mo. per user

linksVector QuickBooks Time

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

8
7
8
9
8
8
8
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • Location-based employee clock-in and clock-out

  • Streamlined scheduling for employees

  • Management and tracking of projects

  • Leave and absence management

  • Mobile application designed for team use

Pros

Can be bundled with QuickBooks Payroll

Excellent onboarding processes

Backed by one of the world’s largest software companies
Cons

Might miss some special features for certain jobs

Some updates have caused problems

Not made for construction work

Some people aren’t happy with support

Highlights

QuickBooks Time is a big deal because it works well with other QuickBooks tools. It’s a popular pick for lots of companies because it’s easy to start using it if you already use QuickBooks for other stuff.

As a punch clock software, I find QuickBooks Time quite intuitive. The fact that the timesheets are baked into the system and quickly sync with QuickBooks’ accounting software is also a plus point for me. 

From a supervisor’s point of view, QuickBooks Time also provides efficient oversight of field-based work. You can punch in and out on behalf of your crew and see exactly where they are, what they’re doing, and where they’re located right from the app. 

a screenshot of a map view for construction project management and workforce tracking

But QuickBooks Time might not be the best for everyone, especially for construction work. You can’t always figure out job costs well with just QuickBooks Time unless you also use QuickBooks Contractor, which is made just for construction jobs.

QuickBooks Time also might not let you set specific rules for when employees can clock in or out.

If your business doesn’t really need these special construction features, QuickBooks Time could work well, especially if you’re already using QuickBooks for your business stuff and your time tracking needs are simple.

Read our complete QuickBooks Time review

Reviews

QuickBooks Time and its mobile punch clock app, QuickBooks Workforce, get good reviews both online and in app stores, which is not always the case for other apps.

Since Intuit, the company behind QuickBooks, is really big, it can spend more money to make its apps work better on phones than other companies can.

But being big doesn’t always mean it’s the best. Still, QuickBooks Time gets really high ratings everywhere, which is good to know if you’re already using QuickBooks for paying people or other money tasks.

4.6/5
4.4/5
4.7/5

QuickBooks Workforce’s iOS reviews seem to be either quite recent or rather old. However, the pros and cons seem to be rather consistent, even years apart. Thomas Landscapes offers this mediocre score:

iOS Review:

Ever since scheduling – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
We have had tsheets for years. It was always great, awesome customer service. However, since scheduling our phone apps have been having issues mainly with iPhones. We have had many phone calls and tech support requests with tier two help buuut, every time someone calls or responds its the same blanket response: reset the app or delete and reload. Which granted doesn’t take that long however, every time I do it it deletes all my sheets since the last sync. Which is the problem, our phones will sync for a few hours, a few days then poof they stop. Another response was you can’t close down your app. Well that seems like a software problem not a user problem. And yes I have used WiFi for 31 hours straight with my screen saver off to see if it would sync my 91 sheets. But nope. It’s been months if not a year since this problem has been ongoing, still no fix. I wish I could come in to a location and show them the problem, or let them deal with it. I have to much time invested in this app it to me and please use it constantly to switch services however I am becoming closer and closer to that option. Tsheets also told me to turn off a bunch of the options and only view a few members of my team…

Play Store reviews are generally more recent. This one-star update from user Steady2Good popped up for QuickBooks Workforce in early June of 2024:

Google Play Review:

⭐ 
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE… After 3 months of troubleshooting, the app will work if I’ve recently logged in online first. Update… I deleted the app and re-downloaded it. It is still not working and still deserves a 1-star rating Nearly worthless!! It will never load my most recent paycheck. When I click the contact live chat button, that page won’t load either. I’ve tried numerous times! I kept it for a month thinking it would get better but it didn’t.

Capterra’s recent reviews are more positive. Computer networking company president Heidi L. says it’s easy but robust software for her business:

Capterra Review:

Easy, compact, and robust time management system – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Overall: This software contains alot of time tracking tools, job site assignments, etc and is not limited to being an on-site entry only software system, but can be completed by employees across the globe. Functionality is great and varied to suit different purposes as needed.
Pros: The fixability of use for employees across the world. Having multiple types of payroll options (salary, hourly, contract, etc) Ease of integrating reports into other software platforms.
Cons: Not able to add or create a more custom tracking capability based on client/job site.

Pricing

Free Trial?

30-day trial

Premium

$8 / mo. per user + $20 monthly base fee

Elite

$10 / mo. per user + $40 monthly base fee

linksVector Connecteam

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

8
7
7
8
7
8
8
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • Time clock app for frontline employees

  • Employee scheduling for non-desk-based teams

  • Task and project management (also for non-desk teams)

  • Employee work chat app, surveys, knowledge base, and directory

  • Employee onboarding and training

  • Benefits and leave/PTO management

Pros

Strong task tracking features

Good for fast-growing businesses with multiple locations

HR and employee engagement tools for growing teams
Cons

Lacks payroll or payments functionality

Broad target audience (lack of industry-specific features)

Focus on HR functions not ideal for non-hiring businesses

Highlights

Like Homebase, Connecteam has been built to serve as a sort of “all-in-one” business management app, with a similar suite of features spanning time and schedule management and employee management, and engagement.

Where Connecteam diverges from Homebase is its greater focus on task-based progress tracking. Connecteam’s tasks can be created, scheduled, and organized with sub-tasks, to-do lists, file attachments, and other tools, providing workers with many opportunities to report on their progress or check in to find out what to do next.

screenshot of a mobile app on a cell phone displaying a map view for construction project management

The various ways Connecteam allows you to handle tasks through its app should be appreciated by managers or administrators who often have to oversee multiple workplaces – the mobile apps are, by all accounts, just as effective at creating and overseeing tasks as Connecteam’s web app.

The only real drawback Connecteam has, as compared to Homebase, appears to be a lack of built-in payroll or payment processing features.

Connecteam does offer integrations with three of the most popular apps for handling both tasks – QuickBooks, Gusto, and Xero – so many businesses shouldn’t have an issue with this absence.

Check out our more in-depth Connecteam review

Reviews

Like Homebase, Connecteam’s mobile apps both appear to be far more popular and more widely-loved than its web app:

4.8/5
4.7/5
4.9/5

Security professional Txkilroy gives Connecteam’s iOS app four stars, mainly due to its lack of a “dark mode” – something on Connecteam’s roadmap, according to the developer or support agent who responded to this review:

iOS Review:

Good App but needs one thing… – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Good App but needs one thing…

We use this app at work as security officers abd it does things well and saves paperwork but it needsvone big option esp with some of us with vision issues but also the graveyard guys is we need to be sble to go to DARKMode euther along with phone settings or as a option in the app settings. Its very tough to look st a bright screen after vision adjusts for darkness then try n be blinded by working on paperwork then having to wait for. vision to adjust to darkness again. Hopefully the Dev’s see this n fixes it soon to help us and others out. Otherwise no complaints really elsewise.

However, Android user Dylan Ferrara gives this version of Connecteam’s app two stars due to persistent bugs with clocking in or out and tracking time accurately – two fairly critical functions you’d want to work in your employee punch clock app:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐ 
I wish this app was better because it is a good all-in-one for scheduling shift work and communicating on the backend, but only when it works. Recently it hasn’t been allowing people to clock in or not even showing scheduled shifts. Hasn’t been keeping track of time well either. Main complaint is it doesn’t allow for live updates when making changes. Which is something unacceptable for a corporate communication app

Construction safety officer Renee C. has nothing bad to say about Connecteam in her Capterra review, which was five stars across the board for its capabilities:

Capterra Review:

Connecteam streamlines your time tracking, and keeps your team connected! – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Overall: Overall we are very happy to be using Connecteam and our staff all agree it has made things much easier. From time tracking, to job briefings, milage reports, and gathering documents, there is nothing you cant do on Connecteam!

Pros: Connecteam’s time tracking is amazing! To be able to select from multiple jobs and sub-jobs, add notes, and even attachments such as milage, meals, hotels etc, it keeps our time tracking streamlined and simple. This helps our accounting department to be able to invoice for the exact amount of time spent at each clients facility, and gives a large overview of exactly where and what our staff was doing.

Cons: Occasionally the app crashes, and it makes it difficult for our staff to sign in/out for the day. It is rare, but when it does happen, it causes a disturbance.

Pricing

Free Trial?

Small Business plan is free for life
(All plans include support for up to 30 users.)

Basic

$35 / mo. ($0.60 / mo. per add’l user over 30)

Advanced

$59 / mo. ($1.80 / mo. per add’l user over 30)

Expert

$119/ mo. ($3.60 / mo. per add’l user over 30)

Enterprise

Must contact sales

linksVector ClockShark

Scoring Features Highlights Reviews Pricing

Scoring

Our score

7
8
8
6
7
8
9
Learn how our scoring system works

Key Features

  • GPS time clock and geofencing

  • Mobile, web-based, and physical kiosk-based time tracking

  • Employee scheduling app

  • Track employee vacation and sick leave

  • Job management and job costing

  • Customer management and recordkeeping

  • Built-in quoting, invoicing, and payment processing

  • Popular payroll integrations

Pros

Simple time and project management tools

Includes kiosk clock-in for large workforces in one place

Built-in billing and invoicing
Cons

New updates to the app might mess up GPS

You can’t always set your own rules for clock-in or -out

Putting in time or info is sometimes challenging

No free-forever plan

Highlights

ClockShark is a well-known punch clock app that helps construction and service companies keep track of their team’s time. It’s made to solve problems these kinds of companies face.

As it’s grown, ClockShark has added features that are handy for these businesses. It has a simple tool for keeping track of customers that’s not as fancy as full customer tools, but it helps you keep everything in one place. This makes managing jobs and projects easier.

a screenshot of a computer screen with a keyboard and mouse, showcasing a time tracking software tool for construction management

ClockShark enables field crews to punch in and out through its app with an additional layer of protection: facial recognition. 

Using this feature feels a little intrusive since it uses machine learning to “remember” your face each time you clock in. But from a manager’s or a foreman’s perspective, this is an excellent security feature to prevent buddy punching. As of this writing, ClockShark’s facial recognition is only available in its kiosk time clock (those who prefer to have the same security on their mobile apps may have to wait a little longer). 

ClockShark also lets you send bills and get paid right in the app. This is really useful for businesses that do lots of small jobs, like repair work or cleaning. These extras might not mean you can stop using other payroll or money apps completely, but they can make things quicker and help you get paid faster.

Check out our complete ClockShark review

Reviews

ClockShark’s reviews swing in the opposite direction from Homebase’s and Connecteam’s – Capterra web app users are both more numerous and far more effusive in their praise than ClockShark’s iOS and Android users.

But the front-line employees more likely to use ClockShark’s mobile app are a bit more divided. Here’s what people say about the ClockShark experience across these three review platforms…

2.9/5
3.7/5
4.7/5

ClockShark’s middling iOS score could be due to some persistent bugs, which pop up in multiple reviews, such as this one from mid-2023:

iOS Review:

Bugging out a little – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
I clocked out yesterday and it stopped pinging my location like it does throughout the day when you were clocked in. However, I noticed at the end of the day today that it said I had stayed clocked in overnight and it clocked me out automatically, but there was no location pings throughout the night. I had to do a time correction form to fix the issue with HR.

There are nearly four times as many reviews for ClockShark on the Play Store as on the App Store, but the same issues seem to occur regardless of mobile OS, as this review from A. Willis in early 2024 indicates:

Google Play Review:

⭐⭐ 
Tracking location when not on the clock. Clocked out around 4:30 and at 8:30 I get a notification that this app is accessing location in the background. Selecting only allow location when app is in use does not allow me to log into my jobs. It demands always on. Please fix. Samsung S23 Ultra.

Capterra reviewers are the most positive towards ClockShark. Construction accountant Svetlana G. appreciates everything but the app’s relative inflexibility – which, to be fair, is actually a complaint about the standard per-user pricing model most employee punch clock apps currently use:

Capterra Review:

ClockShark is Ontime clock – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Pros: User-friendly application , when switching from project to another project , time will round up , no odd minutes. Great integration with accounting software using webconnector. Reports can be modified to fit criteria such as time by project , time by division,, ets.
Cons: Package not flexible, you have to pay for any additional user. Could be costly if you aren’t budgeting your needs. No other modules except time tracking

Pricing

Free Trial?

14-day trial with no credit card required

Standard

$8 / mo. per user + $40 base fee

Pro

$10 / mo. per user + $60 base fee

What Is a Punch Clock App?

A punch clock app is a mobile or kiosk-based tool that crews use to clock in and out without paper timesheets or a wall unit. 

Workers tap a button on a phone or shared tablet, and their hours flow straight to digital timesheets. The result is clean records that feed payroll with fewer edits and fewer pay disputes.

Typical users include owners, admins, foremen, and project managers who juggle multiple jobsites, rotating crews, and subcontractors. An employee time clock app helps them see who is on the clock, where they’re working, and for which job or cost code. It supports accurate payroll, overtime control, job costing, and compliance needs like certified payroll on public projects.

How Punch Clock App Works

A punch clock app works just like old-fashioned punch clocks, but only more efficient and mobile. 

Crews use a mobile app or a shared tablet to clock in and out. They pick the right job or cost code, add a short note if needed, and get to work. 

Location data confirms the punch, even on sites with spotty signal, and hours land on digital timesheets in real time.

In the office, admins watch attendance on a dashboard, see who’s on which project, and spot overtime before it snowballs. 

Supervisors review timesheets at the end of the shift, fix missed punches, and approve with a tap. Finally, hours are pushed to payroll and accounting for clean job costing and on-time pay.

Benefits of Punch Clock App

Switching from paper timesheets or a wall unit to an employee time clock app can give your team the following benefits: 

  • Accurate payroll, fewer edits: An employee time clock app captures start, stop, and breaks at the jobsite with GPS or photos, cutting rounding, time theft, and guesswork.
  • Faster approvals, less admin work: Supervisors fix missed punches on mobile and approve in minutes, so the office stops chasing paper timesheets and late signatures.
  • Cleaner job costing by phase: Hours land on the right job and cost code, so time clock applications show labor burn against the estimate before it drifts.
  • Overtime and break compliance: Alerts flag daily or weekly thresholds and missed meal breaks, helping you stick to policy and avoid surprise labor costs.
  • Proof for clients and auditors: Employee time clock software keeps an audit trail for certified payroll, union rules, and T&M billing with easy exports.
  • Live crew visibility across sites: An employee clock-in system shows who is on the clock, where they are, and who is available for add-on work or emergency headcounts.
  • Fewer disputes with crews: Clear punch history and notes settle time card disputes fast, keeping morale high and payroll clean.

How Much Does Punch Clock App Cost?

Most vendors price on either a per-user model or a flat plan that covers a set number of workers. 

Per-user plans for employee punch clock software typically run about $2.50–$10 per user per month, sometimes with a small company base fee. For example, When I Work lists $2.50–$5 per user, Buddy Punch starts at $5.49 per user with a $19 base, QuickBooks Time uses a base fee plus $10 per user for its cheapest plan, ExakTime starts at $9 per user, and Workyard lists $6–$8 per user with a $50 company base. 

Flat “up to X users” plans are common, too. For instance, Connecteam prices the first 30 users at set monthly tiers, which can be cost-effective for larger crews that rotate across job sites. 

Free trials are standard, and there are truly free options if you are starting small. Clockify’s free plan supports unlimited users, Jibble offers a free tier, and Homebase has a free plan aimed at smaller teams and single locations. These can work as a free clock-in in clock-out app while your team is testing the waters. 

How to Choose the Best Punch Clock App

Price and integrations matter, but the real test is how it will work in the field. To help you get your money’s worth, here are some of the things you should take note of when choosing the best employee time clock app for your team: 

Fast Setup and Onboarding

You want a tool your foremen can roll out in a morning safety huddle. Look for PIN or QR join codes, simple role presets, and quick imports from your roster. Faster onboarding means fewer missed punches and smoother payroll the first week.

Mobile and Kiosk Flexibility

Techs who bounce between service calls need a phone app, while large pours work best with a shared trailer tablet. A solid employee time clock app should support both, plus crew clock-in for gloves-on starts. Flexibility boosts adoption and reduces excuses for late clock-ins.

Reliable Location Verification

Clean records come from GPS, geofencing, and optional photo punches that curb buddy punching without extra hardware. The best clock-in, clock-out app captures punches offline and syncs later, and can show travel between calls for service teams. 

Job and Cost Code Accuracy

Hours must land on the right job, phase, or ticket. Choose an employee punch clock app that prompts for cost codes at punch, supports defaults by crew, and warns on mismatches. 

Supervisor Controls and Approvals

Field leads should fix a missed lunch or switch a code from their phone, then approve by the crew or project. Look for clear edit trails and sign-offs in your employee clock-in system. Strong approvals cut payroll disputes and keep paychecks on time.

Payroll and Accounting Fit

Your time clock applications should export cleanly to your payroll and accounting stack in CSV or through direct sync. Make sure overtime rules, PTO, and rounding settings match your policy so totals line up on payday. A good employee punch clock software setup saves hours every cycle.

The Bottom Line

The best employee punch clock app is different for every business. However, no matter your needs, you’re probably starting with one basic non-negotiable requirement: the app has to track time accurately.

Certain apps do this well in any scenario, whether you’re on the go or in the office, working from your car or a Starbucks or anywhere else. Others excel mainly when you can sit down at a desk or table with a laptop and stay put. Your choice, of course, depends not only on what your team is doing today, but what you expect it to do in the future as you grow and adapt to new challenges.

For time-tracking accuracy, you can’t go wrong with Workyard. Its employee punch clock app with GPS is often acknowledged as the most precise GPS tracker on the market – even among its numerous competitors!

Construction companies like AV Decking reported saving over $150,000 in avoidable payroll waste after switching to Workyard, in just a few weeks. You can start saving money on payroll too – just click the links above to find out more about Workyard, or click here to sign up for a 14-day free trial now!

Our Scoring System Explained

Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.

We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.

Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:

The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.

How We Score Software

All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.

In general, the 0-10 range translates as:

  • 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
  • 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
  • 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
  • 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
  • 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
  • 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.

How We Calculate Overall Scores

The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:

  • Ease of Use: 20%
  • Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
  • Scheduling Features: 15%
  • Job Tracking: 15%
  • Integrations: 10%
  • Customer Support: 15%
  • Company: 5%

Methodology for Each Factor

Ease of Use

We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:

  • How easy is it to set up this app?
  • How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
  • How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?

These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.

Time Tracking Accuracy

Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…

  • How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
  • How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
  • How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
  • Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
  • Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
  • Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
  • How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?

Scheduling Features

Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.

When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:

  • Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
  • Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
  • Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
  • Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
  • Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.

Job Tracking

This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.

We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:

  • Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
  • Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
  • Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
  • Any built-in job costing views.
  • Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)

Integrations

No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.

To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:

  • How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
  • How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
  • Does it have robust data import and export features?

Customer Support

Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.

Customer support scores are calculated based on:

  • Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
  • Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
  • The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
  • What other users say about support in online reviews.

Company

A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.

When assessing this score, we’ll examine:

  • Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
  • Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
  • Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
  • Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
  • Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
  • Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).

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FAQs
What are key features of the best employee time clock apps?

The best employee time clock apps have features that make it easy to track when and where your team works. They let you see who is working in real-time and make sure everyone gets paid right. Here are some top features:

  • GPS Tracking: Know where your team is when they clock in or out.
  • Scheduling: Plan who works when and where.
  • Time Tracking: Keep track of work hours easily.
  • Breaks and Overtime: Manage break times and extra work hours.
  • Reports: See work hours and job costs in simple reports.
  • Payroll Integration: Connect the app to your payroll system to pay your team.
  • Mobile Access: Use the app on phones so your team can clock in from anywhere.
  • Alerts: Get alerts for when it’s time to start or stop work, or if there are any issues.

These features help keep things fair and clear for everyone at work.

What is the best time clock app for small businesses?

The best time clock app for small businesses is one that is easy to use, doesn’t cost too much, and has features that match what your business needs. A good choice for many small businesses is QuickBooks Time. It’s popular because:

  • It’s Easy: You can start using it fast and it’s simple for your team.
  • It Tracks Time Well: It keeps track of work hours and where your team is working.
  • It Works with Payroll: You can easily pay your team with the hours tracked in the app.
  • It’s Made for Small Businesses: It fits what small businesses need without being too complicated.

QuickBooks Time is well-suited for small businesses looking for a straightforward way to manage time and payroll.

However, small businesses in certain industries may want more tailored features – smaller construction companies still need to track job costs and may need to manage prevailing wage schedules, and QuickBooks Time isn’t optimized for these features. For many construction companies (large and small alike), Workyard’s GPS time clock is ideally-suited, because it was built from the ground up to support the construction industry.

What employee time clock app do the largest construction companies use?

Few construction companies – large or small – publicly share the software they use, which makes it difficult to accurately assess which employee time clock apps are popular in this industry.

However, based on our experience working with construction companies of all sizes, we’ve found that many large organizations with over 500 workers will opt for fairly comprehensive construction management software, of which time-tracking is one of many apps or key features available. Procore, Raken, and Fieldwire are three such apps used by many construction companies – Procore, for example, is a publicly-traded company worth about $10 billion, which we can only assume means it has quite a few large construction companies as clients!

It’s important to keep in mind that what’s good for a big company may not work for smaller organizations. A construction company that doesn’t regularly submit bids and budgets for large projects may not need the multiple features in Procore that appear designed to support the bidding-and-budgeting process for general contractors.

How much data do employee time clock apps use?

Employee time clock apps like ClockShark and Workyard are designed to use minimal data.

ClockShark typically uses between 5MB to 25MB per month for an employee using the app.On the other hand, Workyard’s GPS tracking feature is efficient in data usage, consuming less than 1 MB per day.

These apps are optimized to minimize data consumption while providing essential time tracking and GPS functionalities for businesses.

How much of a mobile phone’s battery do employee time clock apps use?

Employee time clock apps like ClockShark, Workyard, and OnTheClock are optimized to use minimal battery power on mobile phones.

ClockShark typically uses around 20% of a healthy, fully charged mobile battery during an 8-hour shift. Workyard’s geofence time clock app is designed to minimize battery consumption, typically using 3% or less daily, allowing employees to use it throughout their workday without excessive drain on their devices.

OnTheClock is also optimized for minimal battery usage, ensuring that employees’ phones do not power down in the middle of a shift. These apps prioritize efficiency while providing essential time tracking features for businesses.

Is there a free clock in clock out app I can use, and what are the trade-offs?

Yes. A free punch clock app or free tier is common and helps small teams test rollout. Expect limits like user or location caps, shorter data retention, basic support, and fewer controls, such as GPS, geofencing, or photo punches. Exports might be restricted. If you need long-term records, certified payroll support, or multiple sites, you will likely outgrow the free plan and move to paid time clock applications.

How does punch clock software stop buddy punching and time theft?

 An employee clock-in system can require PINs, selfies, or kiosk photos at punch. GPS and geofencing confirm on-site presence. Auto clock-out and late punch alerts reduce padding. Audit logs show edits by user and time. Together, these controls make an employee punch clock app far harder to game than a paper timecard.

What is the difference between a simple time punch clock app and full employee time tracking software?

 A basic punch time clock app tracks start and stop times. Full employee clock-in and -out software adds scheduling, PTO and break rules, job and cost code tracking, approvals, payroll integrations, and reports. If you only need quick punches, a lightweight punch clock software works. If you want cleaner payroll and better job costing across many sites, choose a broader employee time clock app.

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