Mobile timesheet apps make it simple to track your employees’ hours and run accurate payroll. We review the 6 best timesheet apps for 2023.
Creating accurate timesheets can be a time-consuming and error-prone process. It typically involves manually tracking employee hours and verifying their time entries. But employees may forget to log their time or enter their hours incorrectly. This can lead to costly payroll errors and even puts businesses at risk of non-compliance.
This is where mobile timesheet apps come in. They make it easy for employees to accurately track their hours, no matter where or when they’re working. Workers can clock in and out right from their mobile devices and assign hours to different tasks, projects, or clients.
These apps automatically generate digital timesheets for employees and managers to review. Employees can check their timesheets and address any issues, and managers can approve timesheets in minutes. With accurate timesheets on hand, running payroll is a breeze.
In this guide, we cover the 6 best timesheet apps for 2023 and explain how to choose the best one 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
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Best all-in-one timesheet app
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Good for reducing time theft
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Good for tracking time by project or task
What to Look For in a Mobile Timesheet App
Here are some of the key features to look for in a mobile timesheet app:
- Self-service portal: Enable employees to view their hours and timesheets, how much paid time off (PTO) they’ve accrued, and more.
- Clock-in and clock-out reminders and alerts: Remind employees to clock in and out when their shift is scheduled to start or end. Some apps, like Connecteam, also offer location-based reminders when employees enter or leave a job site. Likewise, you should be able to get alerts when employees don’t clock in or clock in late.
- Time entry categorization: Employees should be able to track time for each project, task, or client they’re assigned to. Likewise, managers should be able to assign different pay rates for each project or client.
- GPS location tracking and geofencing: Check employees’ locations in real time to ensure they’re working in the right places. Geofences prevent employees from clocking in when they aren’t at the correct job site.
- Seamless timesheet approvals: You should be able to send automatic reminders to employees to review and submit timesheets. Top apps will also notify you about timesheet irregularities and let you comment on employees’ timesheets to resolve discrepancies.
- Break, overtime, and PTO management: Automatically calculate breaks, overtime, and time off to keep your business compliant with labor laws and regulations.
- Payroll integrations: Export your timesheet data directly to your preferred payroll software in a few clicks. For example, Connecteam offers direct integrations with Gusto and QuickBooks Online for seamless payroll processing.
- Customizable reports: Break down employees’ time entries by project or task to see what they’re working on, how much time your projects are taking, and how much money you’ve spent.
- Scheduling tools: The best timesheet apps will also have scheduling tools. Look for drag-and-drop scheduling, shift templates, and automatic shift assignment. With built-in scheduling, you can easily cross-reference your employees’ timesheets against their schedules.
The 6 Best Mobile Timesheet Apps of 2023
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one timesheet app
Connecteam is the best all-in-one time management solution. It has everything you need to manage your team’s time, create and review timesheets, complete payroll, and so much more.
Let’s take a look at some of the key timesheet tools Connecteam offers.
One-touch clock-ins and clock-outs from anywhere
Connecteam makes it simple for employees to clock in and out no matter where they’re working. All it takes is a single touch of their mobile device.
Connecteam’s time clock is accurate down to the second and starts recording time right when employees punch in. When workers clock out, Connecteam automatically records the hours they worked to their timesheet.
Employees can review their timesheets any time they need to. They can also edit their hours manually, or you can restrict timesheet editing to managers only.
Additionally, Connecteam will automatically notify you if an employee doesn’t clock in or clocks in late. You can also send your team automatic reminders to clock in and out.
GPS tracking and geofencing to put time entries on the map
Connecteam’s GPS location tracking feature allows you to easily verify employees’ real-time locations during working hours. This helps reduce time theft. You can cross-reference employees’ timesheets with their locations and scheduled shifts. It’s a simple way to confirm that employees worked when and where they say they did.
Connecteam also lets you create geofences around your company’s offices or job sites. When an employee enters the geofenced area, Connecteam will send them an automatic reminder to clock in. And when they leave the geofence, they’ll get a reminder to clock out.
Automated overtime tracking and alerts for better budgeting and compliance
Connecteam offers numerous features for managing overtime. You can decide when overtime starts and customize overtime rules to comply with local regulations. Apply these rules with just a tap of your mobile device screen!
Connecteam will also alert you when employees approach overtime and can automatically clock workers out if they go into unapproved overtime. This gives you a chance to redeploy employees and rearrange schedules as needed. You can even limit shift availability for workers who’ve already gone into overtime.
When employees do need to work overtime, it’s tracked accurately and automatically in Connecteam. Reporting tools enable you to quickly review each employee’s overtime hours, and you can see in real time how much you’re spending on overtime. Plus, you can prepare for overtime costs by scheduling overtime in advance.
Fully customizable break and time off management
Connecteam also helps you manage employees’ breaks. Break lengths are fully customizable, and you can add labels to them depending on your team’s needs. You can let employees take breaks whenever they need to, or you can schedule breaks ahead of time.
Employees can clock in and out of each break with a single touch of their mobile device. Connecteam also lets you set up both paid and unpaid breaks in just a few clicks. You can also see when and where employees took their breaks and get notified if an employee misses a required break. You can even require employees to add their signatures when they clock out for their breaks.
Connecteam has time off management tools as well. You can set custom time off rules, allow employees to request paid or unpaid time off, and instantly review and approve requests from anywhere. Better yet, Connecteam lets you instantly review and approve time off requests from anywhere.
These tools help you comply with laws and regulations and ensure that your employees get the downtime they need.
Automatic timesheet generation for hassle-free approval
Connecteam lets you set up custom pay periods and generates employee timesheets automatically. You can review and approve these timesheets from any device, making the process fast and simple.
You can leave a comment directly on an employee’s timesheet if you have a question about their time entries. Connecteam also has a built-in chat that enables you and your employees to communicate directly about any questions or concerns.
Integrations to run payroll in minutes
You can quickly and easily export timesheet data from Connecteam for use with almost any major payroll software. Better yet, Connecteam offers integrations with Gusto and QuickBooks Online to make payroll processing even simpler.
Scheduling tools for quick and easy planning
Connecteam lets you create employee schedules using an intuitive drag-and-drop timeline. Create custom shifts, use handy shift templates, or duplicate recurring shifts. Then attach documents, notes, checklists, and more to shifts so employees have everything they need to work efficiently.
Connecteam also lets employees request to swap shifts with coworkers. You can review and approve these requests in seconds, so you’re never understaffed.
Best of all, schedules integrate seamlessly with Connecteam’s time tracking features. You can easily cross-reference time entries against employee schedules when reviewing timesheets.
Free for small businesses
Connecteam is completely free for small businesses with up to 10 employees. Plans for larger businesses start at just $29 per month for up to 30 users. You can add additional users for just $0.50 per user per month.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial to see how Connecteam can streamline your timesheet collection.
Key Features
Overtime alerts to reduce unnecessary overtime pay
Pros
Automatic digital timesheets are easy to review and prove
Facilitates communication between managers and employees
Automatically calculates overtime and break pay
Free for businesses with 10 or fewer employees
Cons
Additional payroll integrations on the way
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 -
Buddy Punch — Good for reducing time theft
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Buddy Punch is a mobile time clock app with features for reducing time theft. Managers can require employees to log in with a password or PIN code. Buddy Punch can also take a photo of each employee when they clock in to confirm their identity.
In addition, Buddy Punch features GPS location tracking. Employees’ locations are recorded when they clock in or out. Managers can review this location data when approving timesheets. However, Buddy Punch doesn’t offer location-based reminders to employees to clock in or out.
Buddy Punch automatically creates timesheets and notifies managers when they’re ready for approval. Timesheets can be exported for payroll through integrations with QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex, and more.
Learn more about Buddy PunchKey Features
- Can require photo of employee when clocking in
- GPS location tracking
- Job and location codes for time entries
- Integrates with employee scheduling tools
Pros
- Features to reduce time theft
- Can track hours by project
Cons
- Doesn’t offer location-based clock-in or clock-out reminders
- No team communication features
Pricing
Starts at $2.99/user/month + $19 base fee/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Time Doctor — Good for tracking time by project or task
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Time Doctor is a basic time tracking and project management tool. Employees can specify the project, sub-project, or task they’re working on when they clock in. Managers can assign different pay rates for different projects and bill clients based on hours worked.
Time Doctor is designed primarily for desked workers, so its mobile app isn’t the most user-friendly. For desked workers, Time Doctor can take screenshots of their desktop device screens at preset intervals so managers can see what they’re working on.
Time Doctor integrates with popular payroll and project management software. However, it doesn’t offer any location tracking features for employees in the field.
Learn more about Time DoctorKey Features
- Categorize time entries by project, sub-project, or task
- Captures screenshots of employees’ desktop device screens
- Payroll integrations
- Project management software integrations
Pros
- Helps identify wasted time
- Customizable reports
Cons
- No location tracking features for in-field workers
- Mobile app can be difficult to use
Pricing
Starts at $5.9/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Clockify — Good for time reporting and analysis
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Clockify is an employee timesheet app with visualization and reporting features. Employees can view the time they spend on projects in a table or calendar, and view and edit their timesheet in a grid format.
With Clockify, employees can assign their time to specific projects and tasks. Managers can also add pay rates to each project.
Employees in the field can use the Clockify mobile app to clock in and out. The app uses GPS to record workers’ locations but doesn’t support geofences.
Learn more about ClockifyKey Features
- Assign time entries to projects or tasks
- Record employees’ locations when they clock in from the field
- Customizable reports
- Integrations with desktop time tracking apps
Pros
- Reporting to bill clients accurately
- Works for both desked and deskless employees
Cons
- Few payroll integrations
- No geofencing tools
Pricing
Starts at $3.99/user/month Trial: Yes — For PRO features Free Plan: Yes
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QuickBooks Time — Good for businesses that use QuickBooks for payroll
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
QuickBooks Time is an employee time tracking app built to integrate with the QuickBooks ecosystem for accounting and payroll. Businesses can track employee hours across multiple projects, assign pay rates for each worker and task, invoice clients, and run payroll.
Using the Quickbooks Time app, employees can clock in and out, review and edit their timesheets, and check their PTO accrual. The app includes GPS location tracking, geofencing, and clock-in and clock-out reminders.
Unfortunately, QuickBooks Time doesn’t enable commenting on timesheets or have built-in communication tools.
Learn more about QuickBooks TimeKey Features
- GPS location tracking and geofencing
- Integrates with QuickBooks Desktop and Online
- Track employees’ expenses alongside time entries
- Self-service portal for checking PTO accrual
Pros
- Easy to export data for payroll and accounting
- Assign pay rates for each project
Cons
- No communication tools
- Few features for reducing time theft
Pricing
Starts at $20/month + $10/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
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Toggl Track — Good for time visualizations
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Toggl Track is a time management app that uses visualizations to display time entries, hours worked, and PTO accruals. Employees can clock in and out on the app and manually edit time entries in a timesheet or on a calendar. While some might like Toggl Track’s visualizations, they can be complicated to navigate.
For desked employees, Toggl Track can start and stop time tracking automatically for specific programs. It also learns what projects an employee typically assigns certain tasks to and then begins auto-assigning time entries to projects.
Learn more about Toggl TrackKey Features
- Categorize time spent using projects, tasks, and tags
- 100+ app integrations
- Pomodoro timer
- View time entries on a calendar
Pros
- Colorful visualizations useful for reporting
- Automatically builds invoices using time data
Cons
- Visualizations can be confusing for some tasks
- No location tracking
Pricing
Starts at $9/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: Yes — For up to 5 users
Compare the Best Mobile Timesheet Apps
| Topic |
Start for free
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $2.99/user/month + $19 base fee/month
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Starts at $5.9/user/month
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Starts at $3.99/user/month
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Starts at $20/month + $10/user/month
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Starts at $9/user/month
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
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yes
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no
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yes
For PRO features
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yes
30-day
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yes
30-day
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
no
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no
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yes
|
no
|
yes
For up to 5 users
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What are Timesheet Apps?
Timesheet apps are digital tools that businesses use to keep track of the hours their employees work. These apps typically replace traditional paper timesheets. They allow workers to clock in and out through a digital interface.
In particular, mobile timesheet apps let employees punch in and out right from their mobile devices. Employees can track their work hours and categorize time entries by task, client, or project.
Timesheet apps automatically generate timesheets that include all the hours an employee worked during a pay period. Timesheets typically list time by day or week, but they can also list time by project or pay rate.
Managers can review and approve timesheets, then export them for payroll processing. This ensures employees are paid accurately and on time.
Overall, timesheet apps provide greater accuracy, efficiency, and convenience in managing employees’ time.
How do Mobile Timesheet Apps Work?
Mobile timesheet apps allow employees to create time entries by clocking in and out right from their phone. These systems usually also let employees create time entries manually if they forget to clock in or out.
The apps generate digital timesheets for each employee that include all the hours they worked during a pay period. Employees can create and edit time entries manually, or managers can do it for their staff. Managers then check and approve employees’ timesheets and send them off for payroll.
The majority of these apps also automatically track overtime and offer break management features to help businesses stay compliant. Some have direct payroll integrations for easy processing, as well as built-in scheduling tools for stress-free planning.
The Benefits of Mobile Timesheet Apps
Timesheet apps offer a number of benefits, including:
- Time savings. Employees can clock in and out with just a touch, saving time that would otherwise be spent manually recording time. Mobile time managers also automatically generate timesheets and remind employees and managers to approve them. This ensures that payroll isn’t delayed because of a forgotten approval.
- Reduced errors and costs. Employees can accurately track their time, sometimes down to the second, using a timesheet app. These systems often have features that flag timesheet irregularities and allow managers and employees to edit timesheets to ensure they’re correct. With accurate timesheets, there’s far less risk of costly payroll errors. Timesheet apps also automate administrative tasks, thus reducing administrative costs.
- Improved compliance. With a timesheet app, you can remind employees to take mandated breaks and automatically calculate break and overtime payments. This way, your business stays compliant with labor laws and regulations.
- Increased productivity. With these apps, you can export timesheet data in seconds and get back to doing more important work. Employees also won’t be tied up in manually tracking time, so they can be more productive elsewhere.
- Greater insight into business operations. These apps usually have reporting tools that let you see how employees are spending their time and whether they’re being as productive as possible. You can also see how much money you’re spending on PTO, overtime, and certain clients or projects. This data will help you make better, more informed business decisions.
How Much do Timesheet Apps Cost?
Timesheet apps typically charge a flat per-user rate. Some companies also include a base rate, which you’ll pay no matter how many employees your business has. For example, Buddy Punch costs $19 per month plus $3.49 per employee per month. Toggl Track starts at $9 per user per month. For most timesheet apps, a small business with 20 employees should expect to pay around $100-$200 per month.
Connecteam provides much better value for money compared to other timesheet apps. It offers a free plan for businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Businesses with up to 30 employees will pay only $29 per month. That’s less than $1 per employee per month. You can even add additional users for just $0.50 per month each.
FAQs
Is there a free timesheet app?
Yes, and Connecteam is the best free timesheet app! Businesses with 10 or fewer employees can use Connecteam free for life. There are other free timesheet apps, but they lack features like location tracking, break management, or payroll integrations.
How do I keep track of employee hours?
The best way to track employee hours is using time tracking software, like Connecteam’s. Connecteam enables employees to clock in and out with a single touch of their mobile device. Employees can assign time entries to specific projects and receive reminders to clock in and out.
Can I create timesheets in Excel?
It’s possible to create timesheets in Excel, but it’s typically not a good idea to do so. It’s easy to make a mistake when manually entering time data into Excel, which can lead to underpaying or overpaying employees. You’ll save time and get more accurate timesheets by using a dedicated time tracker like Connecteam.
The Bottom Line On Mobile Timesheet App
Mobile timesheet apps make it easy for employees to accurately track their hours wherever and whenever they work. This is critical to ensure employees are paid correctly. Additionally, timesheet apps make it easier to reduce time theft and keep your business compliant.
Connecteam stands out as the best all-in-one timesheet app. It offers one-touch clock-in and clock-out, automatic timesheet generation, powerful overtime and break management features, and so much more.
Plus, Connecteam is free for small businesses with up to 10 employees. Its paid plans start at just $29 per month for up to 30 users. You can try out Connecteam free for 14 days to see how it can help your business keep track of employees’ time.