As the saying goes: “Time is money.” Contrary to what many small business owners assume, integrating a time clock solution doesn’t have to be complex or costly. Discover free, time-saving solutions by checking out the top time clock apps.
Time theft is one of the biggest problems facing companies today, costing businesses millions of dollars each year. And it can happen in many ways.
Using punch cards leaves your company open to time theft through buddy punching, employees working unapproved overtime, and some workers altering their timesheets.
Aside from the massive expense of time theft, human errors can also cost your company a lot of time and money. Manually logging employee hours for payroll every week is a time-consuming and boring task. The kind of task where one mistake, let alone several of them, can be costly.
You can avoid time theft and payroll errors with a digital solution. Embracing an online employee time clock saves your business time and money while keeping it compliant with government regulations.
Fortunately, we researched these tools, so you don’t have to. Here are the 9 best completely free online time clocks for small to large businesses. These time clock apps make managing employee hours a breeze, from GPS tracking to scheduling to payroll.
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 time clock tool
Learn more -
Best for freelancers
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Best for small teams
What to Look For in a Free Online Time Clock App
- Automatic time tracking: Track and manage employee time with the ability to track time spent on specific projects, locations, or tasks.
- Geofencing: Only allow employees to clock in and out of pre-set locations, eliminating buddy punching and time theft.
- Timesheet management: Admins should be able to edit timesheets and approve or deny timesheet edit requests from employees.
- Notifications and reminders: Employees should get notifications and reminders about upcoming shifts to reduce no-shows and arrive to work on time.
- Reporting: Clearly seeing how much time employees spend on tasks and projects helps identify wasted time, improving your team’s efficiency.
- Third-party integrations: The free time clock app you use should seamlessly integrate with your chosen payroll software.
- Ease of use: There should be little to no learning curve for employees — they should be able to use this app from day one.
The 9 Best Free Online Time Clock Apps of 2023
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one time clock tool
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
The Connecteam free online time clock app is our first choice due to its excellent user experience and robust features. This online time clock has built-in GPS, letting you know where employees are clocking in.
It also includes Breadcrumbs technology, which collects random location points to help managers understand when and where employees clock in or out. Plus, you can access this online employee time clock from any mobile device or desktop! Track time, add notes to a shift, or lock timesheets, all while on the go and completely free.
Say goodbye to time theft and buddy punching. With Connecteam, you can have employees only clock in on-site within their scheduled hours or specific timeframes. Use Connecteam’s kiosk app, which requires employees to clock in or out by providing their passcode or fingerprint. It doesn’t end there. This time clock app offers in-app chat to make communication from the field easy and clear.
Connecteam also integrates with QuickBooks Online and Gusto for easy and 100% accurate payroll. These integrations help automate the payroll processes by letting you view or export current and past timesheets. Best of all? Your business saves time and money by eliminating payroll mistakes with this free online time clock. Connecteam can even generate reports and insights about the spending of business funds.This all-in-one online time clock has everything you need, with advanced scheduling, task management, training, and much more. You won’t need another app because Connecteam does it all for free.
What Companies Should Use Connecteam??
Connecteam is the number one free time clock app for any company, small businesses to big companies use Connecteam. More than 36,000 companies (and growing) in over 90 industries, including construction, retail, cleaning, nursing, and field service, all love using Connecteam.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!
Key Features
Time clock chat
Automated payroll processing
Easy to export timesheets to your payroll system
Breadcrumbs GPS to track employees’ general whereabouts
Time off management (sick days, holidays, vacations, and more)
Time clock limitations
Pros
Affordable for any size business
Excellent customer service
Ready to use in less than 15 minutes
Absolutely free plan for up to 10 users
Cons
Additional integrations in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
Absolutely free, no credit card required
Create your FREE account -
ClockinEasy — Good for freelancers
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
ClockInEasy is a cloud-based time-tracking and timesheet solution with a free version. It also includes timesheets, GPS tracking, payroll management, and help with labor compliance. Plus, ClockInEasy’s dashboard is super useful for gathering hours worked reports.
However, some users report that the tablet version of ClockInEasy could be easier to use. You’re also extremely limited by only being able to add one user under ClockInEasy’s free plan.
What Companies Should Use ClockInEasy?
ClockInEasy is suitable for all businesses but works best for sole proprietors and contractors.
Learn more about ClockinEasyKey Features
- Automated timekeeping
- Easy to manage payroll
- Online free time clock
- Overtime calculations
- Messaging capabilities
Pros
- Simple to clock in and out
- Saves time
- Easy to use
Cons
- The app can sometimes crash
Pricing
Starts at $4/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — For a single user
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OnTheClock — Good for small teams
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
OnTheClock is a web-based employee time tracking solution that has a free version for businesses. This free time clock app offers GPS tracking, geofencing, payroll reporting, leave management, and project costing functionalities. It also offers intuitive drag-and-drop scheduling to help you save time.
Unfortunately, OnTheClock’s reporting feature is less functional than many users would like. Also, you can only add a maximum of two employees under this app’s free plan.
What Companies Should Use OnTheClock?
Any business that needs help with tracking employee hours and assistance with the payroll process.
Learn more about OnTheClockKey Features
- Biometric recognition
- Free time-tracking software
- Accessible via mobile device
- Database for employees
- Messenger
Pros
- Great for small businesses
- Easy to use
Cons
- Customer service could be more professional
Pricing
Starts at $102/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes — For up to 2 users
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Homebase — Good for tip tracking
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Homebase is a cloud-based employee time-tracking solution that offers a free version. You can track all the employees working at a location with GPS functionality. Plus, you can track paid and unpaid breaks and if relevant, tips. The features in the free version include employee scheduling, online free time clock, recruiting, and reporting.
What Companies Should Use Homebase?
Works well for restaurants, cafes, nonprofits, salons, gyms, and many more who require an online time clock.
Learn more about HomebaseKey Features
- A free time clock online
- Company handbook
- Automated scheduling
- Newsfeed
- Easy onboarding
Pros
- Easy to schedule and track attendance
- Employees can easily switch shifts with each other via the app
Cons
- Correcting clock in and outs can be difficult
- Issues with fully removing former employees from the app
Pricing
Starts at $20/location/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — For a single location
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Time Clock Wizard — Good for nonprofits
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Time Clock Wizard is cloud-based time clock software letting managers add employees,track hours worked, and calculate payroll reports. With the free version of Time Clock Wizard, up to three users per account can access its employee time-tracking functionality. The free plan also includes an option for email support.
What Companies Should Use Time Clock Wizard?
This free time clock online is great for all companies, especially those in the community service and educational sectors or nonprofit organizations.
Learn more about Time Clock WizardKey Features
- Free online time clock software
- Track attendance, including vacation and sick days.
- Employee database
- Easy shift swap
- Online punch card
Pros
- An excellent set of features
- Good customer service
Cons
- Good customer service
Pricing
Starts at $19.95/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Time Doctor — Good for remote employees
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
Time Doctor is another one of many popular time clocks online. This app’s advanced time-tracking capabilities provide analytical data to enhance your company’s productivity.
This online time clock software integrates with many other tools, including Asana, PayPal, and Slack. Time Doctor’s other features include attendance tracking, screen monitoring, and the ability to easily export timesheets.
What Companies Should Use Time Doctor?
Time Doctor is good software for any business or corporation with deskless, office, or remote employees.
Learn more about Time DoctorKey Features
- Online time clock app
- Manage tasks
- Client management
- Reporting
- Expense tracking
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Helps allocate time spent for each company project
Cons
- Too many notifications
Pricing
Starts at $5.9/user/month Trial: No Free Plan: No
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ClockIt — Good for attendance tracking
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
ClockIt is a cloud-based free online time clock that allows you to monitor one or several locations from a single app. This app’s built-in GPS feature lets you track employees’ time and location from anywhere.
You can start using ClockIt from any internet-connected device, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, or desktop computers.
What Companies Should Use ClockIt?
ClockIt is a good fit for small to medium-sized businesses looking to stay compliant about tracking time and attendance.
Learn more about ClockItKey Features
- Calculates overtime
- Distribute shifts effortlessly
- Free time card calculator
- Easy to manage payroll reporting
- Employee database
Pros
- Enhances productivity
- Helps with payroll
Cons
- Can be difficult to get in touch with customer service
Pricing
Starts at $82.50/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Wrike — Good for creating workflows
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Wrike is a project management software solution with decent time-tracking capabilities. This tool tracks employees’ working hours, letting managers compare this information with planned hours to hold teams accountable. Wrike also helps with payroll reporting by converting digital time cards into exportable data to make invoicing a breeze.
What Companies Should Use Wrike?
Wrike is a good tool for any company that wants to improve how employees track time. It’s also helpful in simplifying the payroll reporting process.
Learn more about WrikeKey Features
- Budget management
- One of the best time clocks online
- Manage events
- Resource allocation
- Workflow management
Pros
- Task management is very useful
- Easy to set up
Cons
- A bit pricey
Pricing
Starts at $9.80/user/month, for 2-25 users Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
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QuickBooks Time — Good for large corporations
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
QuickBooks Time works with tools such as QuickBooks Online, Xero, and MYOB. This app allows you to use its free online time clock to track time, manage tasks, or collaborate with a team member. This solution can also help you save time on payroll by integrating with various financial software, including Gusto, ADP, and Square Payroll.
What Companies Should Use QuickBooks Time?
QuickBooks offers its platform to all companies looking to ditch expensive hardware to track time and manage tasks more effectively. This tool can help almost anyone, from sole traders to large companies.
Learn more about QuickBooks TimeKey Features
- Notifications
- Offline time tracking
- Automated timekeeping
- Messaging
- Mobile access
Pros
- Employees can access it via mobile
- Assists with making payroll a smooth process
Cons
- Customer service could be better
Pricing
Starts at $10/month + $8/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Free Online Time Clock Apps
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| Reviews |
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| Pricing |
Premium plans start at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $4/user/month
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Starts at $102/month
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Starts at $20/location/month
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Starts at $19.95/month
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Starts at $5.9/user/month
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Starts at $82.50/month
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Starts at $9.80/user/month, for 2-25 users
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Starts at $10/month + $8/user/month
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yes
14-day
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yes
14-day
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yes
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yes
14-day
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no
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yes
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yes
14-day
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yes
30-day
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
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yes
For a single user
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yes
For up to 2 users
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yes
For a single location
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yes
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no
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yes
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yes
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no
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What is a free online time clock for employees?
A free online time clock helps business owners track employee hours digitally. Employees clock in and out through an app, eliminating the need for time cards. These smarter time clocks can track hours spent on specific projects, clients, or by location.
Using online time tracking software means employees can clock in from anywhere through their cell phones, which is perfect for employees on the go.
How does a free online time clock for employees work?
Time clock software makes it easy and effortless to track employee hours. They simply clock in and out of their scheduled shift through an app, eliminating the need for expensive hardware. After employees record hours in their online timesheets, you can export the payroll data to save time and eliminate human error.
These apps can send automatic reminders to employees that help eliminate no-shows and increase punctuality. If employees are late, these apps let you or an approved admin know.
Many of these solutions also feature geofencing. This feature allows you to create a specific job site or different job sites where employees can clock in and out of work. You can also check in on an employee’s location in real-time to ensure they’re being truthful.
Increase compliance by including breaks, overtime, holiday pay, and daily work limits with time-tracking software. Time clock software also lets employees request paid or unpaid time off, submit absence requests, and update their availability.
Why should I use a free online time clock?
Using a free online time clock to track employee hours has multiple benefits. Aside from the scheduling features, a free online time clock app promotes the following:
- Effortless payroll: Once employees log their hours, you only need to export the timesheets to your chosen payroll software. Not having to manually enter every employee’s timesheet saves countless hours and eliminates the possibility of human error.
- Government compliance: Use your time tracking software to stay up to date with regulated breaks, overtime pay, holiday pay, and daily hour limits.
- Employee accountability: Get notifications when employees clock in late, don’t show up for their shifts, or stay late when overtime wasn’t approved. You can track the spending of company funds. Employees can track how much time they work to calculate upcoming paycheck amounts.
- Increased productivity: Use reporting features to understand what your employees are spending time on and if you can increase efficiency anywhere.
How much does a free online time clock cost?
Free time clock software is, you guessed it, free!
Many free online time clocks are only free for one or two users. But Connecteam is free for up to 10 users, letting small businesses use the best free online time clock solution.
Most time clock apps have a free version and a paid version. The paid versions usually have more features available and offer customer support should any issues arise. When looking at paid time clock apps, they generally range from $3 to $10 per employee per month.
These costs add up fast if you have a large team. Luckily, Connecteam offers reasonable pricing for mid to large companies, starting at $29 per month for 30 users and only an additional $0.50 per additional user.
FAQs
What is the benefit of a free online time clock?
Anyone can benefit from improved time-tracking capabilities. For managers, these tools offer more than knowing who showed up for work and how long they were there. Many of the available solutions offer geo-tracking, employee scheduling, absence monitoring, and analyzing time spent performing specific tasks.
Is it useful for remote and deskless employees?
Yes, it is! Online time clock solutions are useful and efficient for monitoring the attendance of remote, mobile and deskless employees. These tools are within reach of any employee with an internet connection. These tools also provide real-time information for managers to track the productivity levels of their dispersed workforces. Even if you manage a small team of 10 employees or less, Implementing a time clock solution makes sense even if you manage smaller teams of 10 or fewer employees. Whether you manage three or 300 employees, time clock apps help get rid of those annoying timesheets and excel spreadsheets.
Why should I digitize my time clock?
Tracking time with a pen and paper can create problems that are easy to miss. Plus, it’s a tedious task to take on by yourself. With an online solution, you get valuable data and insights into how your employees use their work time, helping you make strategic HR decisions.
Apart from tracking time, these security features also prevent costly time theft. Research performed by TSheets states that one in two employees admitted to committing the time theft. 16% admitted to the buddy punching
Lastly, when it comes to payroll, a time clock online reduces processing costs by a whopping 80%. How is that possible? By automating the work, you reduce errors caused by manual labor.
“Switching to an online method has taken away the chronic lateness of my employees and allowed me to build trust and accountability with them instead.” Katie Shernan, Port Plum.
The Bottom Line On Free Online Time Clock App
Choosing an online time clock can seem a bit daunting at first. However, with everything you learned, trying out a free solution should be an easy transition. Once you find the right time clock application, you won’t ask if you need one. Instead, you’ll ask yourself, what else can we digitize?