The best clock-in clock-out apps accurately track workers’ time so you can run payroll accurately and keep track of everyone’s hours. Here are the 9 best clock-in-clock-out apps.

Clock-in clock-out apps are a simple solution for businesses with hourly workers. They allow workers to clock into work from anywhere—in the office, the field, or from home.

Clock-in clock-out apps often let you see when workers clock in in real time, so you can better manage time and attendance. These apps can not only track how long employees work, but also their pay, overtime, vacation time, and breaks.

In this article, we’ll look at the top clock-in and out apps on the market today so you can choose the right solution for your business.

If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.

Our Top Picks

  1. Best all-in-one clock-in clock-out app

    Learn more

  2. Good for project-based time tracking

  3. Good for collaborative teams

What to Look For in a Clock-In Clock-Out App

If your organization needs a clock-in app, you can choose from many available types. Look for apps with these features:

  • Intuitive interface. Good clock-in and out apps make it easy to track working hours, often with just one button. 
  • Notifications and alerts: Reminders for employees to clock in or out, and alerts for managers about missed clock-ins or early departures.
  • Remote access. Apps with remote access are an ideal way to manage remote workers’ time, since they allow them to log in from anywhere.
  • Manual options. If someone makes an error, such as forgetting to clock in or leaving a clock running, you’ll need a way to fix the mistake and edit the timesheet.
  • Geofencing: This feature ensures that employees are clocking in from the correct location and is especially useful for remote or field workers.
  • Multiple job codes: If employees work different roles or tasks, they should be able to clock into specific job codes or categories.
  • Mobile time clock: The best clock-in apps have a mobile time clock so employees can clock in and out from their phones.
  • Overtime calculation: The app should automatically calculate overtime based on set rules or regulations.
  • Automated time sheets: The app should automatically calculate employee hours and record them onto timesheets.
  • Payroll integrations: Look for an app that exports employee timesheets to Excel or your accounting software to streamline the payroll process.
  • Reporting features: Managers should be able to generate reports on employee hours, overtime, late arrivals, early departures, etc.

The 9 Best Clock-In Clock-Out Apps of 2023

  1. Connecteam — Best all-in-one employee clock-in clock-out app

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    employee time clock app

    At the top of our list is Connecteam’s all-in-one clock-in clock-out app. It allows you to easily track and record your employees’ accurate work hours wherever they’re working from. 

    Its powerful time clock features include one-touch clock in & out, GPS tracking, job-specific time tracking options, automated timesheets, and payroll integrations. In addition, Connecteam offers top-of-the-line customer service, an intuitive user interface, and high customizability, allowing you to tweak the platform to suit your unique business needs.

    Let’s take a closer look at Connecteam’s time clock capabilities and how you can use them to optimize your day-to-day.

    Intuitive drag-and-drop shift scheduler

    Connecteam has an intuitive drag-and-drop scheduling tool so you can create shifts and simply drag employees’ names to them. With the shift scheduler, you can automatically assign shifts based on employee qualifications, preferences, and availability.

    You can also take advantage of scheduling templates to make the process even faster. Use Connecteam’s premade scheduling templates or customize your own however you need. You can also create and automatically assign recurring shifts.

    Additionally, Connecteam has automatic shift conflict alerts that let you know immediately of any scheduling errors. This helps you reduce labor costs by avoiding double scheduling, assigning the wrong employee to a shift, or assigning an employee who’s scheduled for PTO.

    One-touch clock in & out

    With the employee time clock,  your employees can clock in and out with one simple tap right from the app. This means that your team can track time from any job site and even while on the go using their mobile phones.

    GPS tracking 

    The app offers GPS tracking capabilities that allow you to ensure employees are exactly where they need to be when on the clock and eliminate time theft.

    You can record the location from which employees clock in and out or track their whereabouts in real-time when they’re clocked in. You also have the option to set up a digital geofence around your workplaces to limit the area from which your team can clock in and out.

    Shift swapping for seamless coverage

    Connecteam allows your employees to trade shifts with just a click of a button. They can request shift swaps directly from the Connecteam app, and you can approve or deny them.

    Once you approve a shift swap, the app automatically updates the schedule and sends push notifications to anyone whose hours or days have changed.

    Notifications and alerts

    With Connecteam, employees receive automatic notifications on their mobile devices reminding them of upcoming shifts. The app also sends alerts if employees are approaching the end of their breaks or overtime.

    Kiosk app

    If your employees work in the same location, you can set up a clock-in station in one location so they can clock in and out with personalized pin codes from a shared tablet. It’s an ideal solution for workplaces that don’t want their employees to carry their phones on a regular basis. The kiosk app is also incredibly simple to set up and employee hours are automatically exported to digital timesheets.

    Automated timesheets

    Employee hours are automatically recorded onto digital timesheets. You can easily view and edit all logged data, such as total work hours per day and payroll period, overtime, time off, and breaks. The app also flags irregularities, making it easy to spot and fix potentially costly payroll mistakes. 

    On top of that, you can set pay rates per employee and automatically calculate wages.

    Users can review their timesheets, request any changes, and send in their approval before you process payroll – all via the app. 

    Payroll integrations

    Once ready, you can simply export timesheets to Excel or one of Connecteam’s payroll integrations: QuickBooks and Gusto. This way, you can skip the entire manual process and save valuable time and effort.

    In-app chat to communicate with your team

    Even if you aren’t physically in the same place as your team, you can stay connected and available with Connecteam’s in-app chat.

    You and your staff can quickly and easily ask and answer questions, chat about schedules, tasks, and projects, and even share files and snap photos to share.

    Plus so much more!

    Besides a mobile time clock, Connecteam offers a complete employee management app with tools to manage your business from anywhere. You can create schedules, communicate with your team, onboard and train new employees and so much more from one single app!

    Teams of up to 10 people can get Connecteam’s employee scheduling software free for life, and the platform’s paid plan starts at just $29/month for up to 30 users.

    I had people that we would just schedule for work and hope and pray that they show up. And now, we have an average of a 90-95% attendance rate.

    Cristen Gros
    VP of Special Projects

    Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!

    Key Features

    Pros

    • Intuitive and easy to use

    • All-in-one solution

    • Great customer support

    • Budget-friendly

    Cons

    • Integrations in development

    Pricing

    Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users

    14-day free trial, no credit card required

    Start your free trial

  2. Timecamp — Good for project-based time tracking

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the TimeCamp webpage

    TimeCamp lets workers easily track their time by toggling a button on a screen to start work. When a worker takes a break, the toggle automatically switches to idle. TimeCamp integrates with apps including:

    • Trello
    • iCal
    • Google Calendar
    • Asana
    • Jira
    • Monday.com

    When in these apps, workers can track time without having the TimeCamp app open because it works in the background.

    The keyword feature lets workers easily find the project or task they need to track time for. And with the drag and drop feature, TimeCamp makes it simple to add, delete, or edit entries, too.

    Learn more about Timecamp

    Key Features

    • Graphic timesheets
    • Track time from anywhere
    • Automatic time tracking
    • Productivity tracking

    Pros

    • Color-coded timesheets let you see how time was used
    • Ability to track performance and time

    Cons

    • Automatic toggle feature can be glitchy
    • In-app time tracker only available for some apps

    Pricing

    Starts at $6.99/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes

  3. Clockify — Good for collaborative teams

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Windows
    • Mac
    Screenshot of the Clockify webpage

    Clockify is a clock-in clock-out app that allows workers to track their hours from their phones. Workers choose a project or task and press a button to get started. When they’re ready to clock out, they press the same button to stop the clock.

    Workers can:

    • Pause the timer for breaks
    • See how much time they’ve accumulated
    • Request time off
    • Add expenses to their timesheet

    At the end of the week or any other pay period, employees can submit their timesheets for approval. Managers can manually make changes to correct any mistakes.

    You can see the schedules and timesheets for workers and teams, approve time off requests, and generate reports. With Clockify, it’s also possible to create different pay scales for projects so that your workers’ pay is calculated correctly.

    Learn more about Clockify

    Key Features

    • Automatic notifications and alerts
    • Project and task management
    • Easily view hours workers
    • Tracks billable and non-billable hours

    Pros

    • Free version comes with a lot of features
    • Simple interface

    Cons

    • Slow processing
    • Reporting issues

    Pricing

    Starts at $3.99/user/month Trial: Yes — For PRO features Free Plan: No

  4. Buddy Punch — Good for workers who need to punch in from different locations

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the buddypunch webpage

    Buddy Punch lets workers easily clock in and out from their shifts by selecting the job code for their task and their location. Buddy Punch can take a photo of the worker when they clock in or out, helping you ensure everyone’s where they need to be. You can also set automatic breaks to be deducted from working hours. Workers are notified how long their breaks are and when they start.

    Buddy Punch sends alerts when workers:

    • Need to clock in
    • Request time off
    • Are punched out automatically

    You can generate time clock reports and even enable GPS tracking to manage teams in the field. While Buddy Punch integrates with payroll software, such as QuickBooks, it doesn’t integrate with other useful apps.

    Learn more about Buddy Punch

    Key Features

    • Multiple log-in methods, including QR codes and facial recognition
    • Easy to track hours
    • Alerts and notifications
    • Customizable job codes

    Pros

    • Intuitive and easy to use
    • Tracks vacation and sick days

    Cons

    • No free version
    • Few options for integration

    Pricing

    Starts at $2.99/user/month + $19 base fee/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  5. Zenefits — Good for small and medium virtual businesses

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Windows
    • Mac
    Screenshot of the Zenefits webpage

    Zenefits is a simple cloud-based clock-in clock-out app that employees and employers find easy to use. You can see who’s clocked in and how much time they’ve spent working at any time. You can also choose to record the GPS location of clocked in employees, making sure everyone’s at their correct job sites.

    This clock-in clock-out app also has timecard fraud protection and can take photos of workers when they clock in. The app also generates useful reports so you can see how much work employees have put in.

    Learn more about Zenefits

    Key Features

    • Automatic meal and break notifications
    • Overtime analytics
    • Automatically syncs with payroll, benefits, and HR
    • Facial recognition for clocking in and out

    Pros

    • Shared company holiday schedule to manage time off requests
    • Workers can view how many hours they’ve worked and their PTO balance

    Cons

    • Only available in English
    • Support is only available through chat and email

    Pricing

    Starts at $8/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: No

  6. Homebase — Good for small businesses

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Homebase webpage

    Homebase is a clock-in clock-out app that works on many devices, including:

    • Computers
    • Tablets
    • Smartphones
    • POS (point of sale) devices. 

    Workers can easily access Homebase with a PIN and then clock in with their role, location, and time. These fields are pre-populated so an employee just has to press a button to clock in. Homebase also lets teams manage their hours, time off, breaks, and overtime.

    Mobile teams can take advantage of alerts, reminders, built-in messaging, and more. These make sure workers are alerted when their shift is about to start and allow them to contact a manager instantly if they run into a problem.

    Learn more about Homebase

    Key Features

    • Employees clock in and out with a PIN
    • Geofencing and GPS-enabled
    • Receive alerts if workers clock in late
    • Automatic clock-outs

    Pros

    • You can prevent early clock-ins
    • Monitor sales per shift

    Cons

    • Free plan is lacking key features
    • Employees can't pick up open shifts through the app

    Pricing

    Starts at $20/location/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — For a single location

  7. Deputy — Good for teams with multiple locations

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Deputy webpage

    Deputy is a time clock app that lets you see everything happening in real time, including: 

    • Who’s on break
    • Who’s clocked in
    • Who’s late

    You can also get notifications when:

    • Timesheets need approval
    • Someone clocks in
    • Workers are due meal or rest breaks
    • Breaks are missed

    Deputy provides detailed stats, so you can see how much each employee is working and track their hours over time. Employees can clock in and out touch-free thanks to facial recognition and GPS timestamps, so timesheets are always accurate.

    Learn more about Deputy

    Key Features

    • Integrates with payroll software
    • Intuitive interface
    • GPS timestamps
    • Facial recognition

    Pros

    • Alerts and notifications
    • Enables bulk approval of timesheets

    Cons

    • Doesn’t integrate with Google Calendar
    • Features are different on Android and iOS

    Pricing

    Starts at $3.5/user/month (Scheduling or Time & Attendance) Trial: Yes — 31-day Free Plan: No

  8. Hubstaff — Good for remote teams

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Windows
    • Mac
    Screenshot of the Hubstaff webpage

    Hubstaff lets workers track their time and helps you understand their productivity. Workers can easily:

    • Punch in and out 
    • Track their time on each task
    • Indicate when job tasks are complete
    • Add descriptions to what they’re working on

    This last feature in particular makes Hubstaff an effective system for remote workers, where you may want more information than just hours worked. Employees can indicate their location, client, work order, or task each time they log in. GPS and mapping capability let teams know where everyone is. You can generate detailed reports to track how long projects take, how workers use their time, and how much gets done.

    Learn more about Hubstaff

    Key Features

    • One-touch mobile time clock
    • Project budgeting
    • GPS-enabled
    • Alerts let you know when workers leave early, arrive late, or miss work

    Pros

    • Great customer service
    • Integrates with Wise, Payoneer, Bitwage, and PayPal

    Cons

    • Free version is only for one user
    • Email support is only available in English

    Pricing

    Starts at $4.99/user/month, 2 user minimum Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — 2 user minimum

  9. Timely — Good for online teams and freelancers

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Timely webpage

    Timely automates time tracking, so workers don’t need to manually start, pause, and stop timers. Instead, the app automatically tracks time spent in apps and documents. Users can see everything they’ve worked on that day at a glance. They can even schedule when Timely needs to be active and inactive, so any activities after hours don’t get logged.

    Workers can also retroactively review their time entries to show when they took breaks. This way, you won’t get sent any documents opened on breaks. Timely doesn’t take screenshots, log keystrokes, or take photos, ensuring privacy.

    Learn more about Timely

    Key Features

    • Displays past records so you can better estimate timeframes and budget for future projects
    • Integrations and open API let users link Timely to other project management and productivity apps
    • Tracks eployee capacity, work hours, overtime, and work loads
    • Captures billable and non-billable time

    Pros

    • Public timesheets to track budgets and project progress
    • Shareable reports

    Cons

    • Managers can't see tasks worked on in real-time
    • Automatic time capturing can accidentally capture time spent on breaks

    Pricing

    Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

Compare the Best Clock-In Clock-Out Apps

Topic Start for free
Reviews
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.8
4.2
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.7
Pricing
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
Starts at $6.99/user/month
Starts at $3.99/user/month
Starts at $2.99/user/month + $19 base fee/month
Starts at $8/user/month
Starts at $20/location/month
Starts at $3.5/user/month (Scheduling or Time & Attendance)
Starts at $4.99/user/month, 2 user minimum
Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users
Free Trial
yes
14-day
yes
14-day
yes
For PRO features
yes
no
yes
14-day
yes
31-day
yes
14-day
yes
Free Plan
yes
Free Up to 10 users
yes
no
no
no
yes
For a single location
no
yes
2 user minimum
no

What ia a Clock-In Clock-Out App?

A clock-in clock-out app is a digital replacement for paper time cards that accurately tracks total time and pay for every pay period. It allows workers to punch in and out from wherever they’re working. This type of app also helps track employees’ locations and hours worked on specific projects or for certain clients. 

Clock-in and out apps track every type of worker’s hours. For hourly workers, you need to keep track of time to run payroll. For salaried workers, monitoring labor costs and properly charging clients is important. The apps are also flexible enough to track time for freelancers, project-based workers, and deskless and remote employees.

How Does a Clock-In Clock-Out App Work?

Instead of punching physical time cards, employees log into the app. Some enable employees to clock in and out with the press of a button. With others, the app works in the background, automatically keeping track of how much time workers spend on work apps, documents, and in project management systems, without any manual input. 

Clock-in clock-out apps tally the total time spent on each task and produce a timesheet for each pay period, totaling how many hours an employee has worked.

Clock-in and out apps work on mobile devices in most cases, though many also work on computers and POS devices. Workers can clock in from the field, their home, or an office. Information is automatically sent to the app, so in most cases, you can see who’s clocked in, who’s working, and even where they are.

The Benefits of Clock-In Clock-Out Apps

Accurate time tracking

Clock-in clock-out apps ensure that employees are paid for the exact amount of time they’ve worked, reducing discrepancies.

Reduced administrative work

Automated time tracking reduces the manual effort required to tally hours, calculate overtime, and process payroll.

Cost savings

Accurate time tracking can lead to significant savings by ensuring that businesses only pay for actual hours worked.

Enhanced productivity

When employees are aware that their time is being tracked, it can motivate them to use their time more efficiently.

Overtime management

Apps allow businesses to manage and monitor overtime, ensuring compliance with labor laws and avoiding potential legal complications.

Easy time tracking

The apps provide a clear record of hours worked, breaks taken, and overtime, reducing manual work for employers.

Remote work management

These type of apps ensure that work hours are tracked accurately regardless of location.

Eliminate time theft

Features like geofencing or biometric integration can prevent practices like buddy punching or clocking in from unauthorized locations.

Streamlined payroll

Integration with payroll systems can make the payment process smoother and more accurate.

Data insights and reporting

Reporting features can provide insights into workforce trends, helping businesses make informed decisions about staffing, scheduling, and more.

Labor law compliance

Businesses can more easily adhere to labor laws and regulations related to work hours, breaks, and overtime.

Improved scheduling

With insights from the app, managers can optimize schedules, ensuring adequate staffing during peak times and reducing overstaffing during slow periods.

Easy access to time records

Cloud-based systems allow for easy retrieval of past records, useful for audits, reviews, or resolving disputes.

Integration capabilities

Many apps can integrate with other business systems, such as HR software, project management tools, or CRM systems, creating a more cohesive workflow.

How Much Do Clock-In Clock-Out Apps Cost?

The good news is that many clock-in clock-out apps are very affordable. It mainly depends on the features you want and the number of employees you have. You’ll typically pay a set monthly price for a specific tier of services, plus an extra amount per user per month. You can often save by opting to pay yearly instead. 

There are also free clock-in clock-out apps and some that have free versions. Keep in mind that these may be limited to just one user or have minimal features. 

With Connecteam, the app is completely free for companies with up to 10 users and paid plans start at only $29/month. You get access to the employee time clock with geofencing, employee and team chat, scheduling features, knowledge base, employee training and onboarding, and more.

Get started with Connecteam for free today!

FAQs

How does a clock-in clock-out app help with the payroll process?

By tracking employee hours, clock-in clock-out apps can create timesheets for hourly employees. When it’s time to run payroll, you can see how many hours employees work and overtime for every worker. Some apps generate timesheets you can send right to your payroll software or accountant so you can pay your team with minimal manual work.

How do I clock in and out remotely?

Almost all clock-in clock-out apps have downloadable app versions for Android and iOS, allowing workers to clock in wherever they are. Your employees can either use their own or company devices to clock in and out. Some apps have browser versions you can use on desktop computers, too.

What should I look for in a clock-in clock-out app for small businesses?

For small businesses, affordability is important—but don’t overlook features that can save your business time and money. 

Look for apps that:

  • Integrate with payroll software
  • Create timesheets
  • Generate reports
  • Use GPS tracking

The Bottom Line on Clock-In Clock-Out Apps

Clock-in clock-out apps make it easy to keep track of team members, even when they’re all working from different locations. They let you see in real time who’s at work, who’s late, whose shift starts next, and who’s requested time off. 

When it’s time for payroll, a good clock-in clock-out app generates accurate timesheets showing hours and overtime hours worked, so you can easily start calculating gross income. You can even send these timesheets directly to your accountant or payroll software.

Quality clock-in clock-out apps also include features such as integration with messaging apps and scheduling platforms.

While weighing up your options, consider Connecteam, the best overall clock-in clock-out app for businesses of all sizes. Integrated with everything you need to run your business, from HR to communications, Connecteam helps you manage your organization’s time more effectively.