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Payroll management can be an endless and sometimes painful process that no one really likes to do. It is that necessary evil process that has to be done. However, payroll is also prone to minor errors that could lead to big problems and losses.
At least 33% of employers make payroll errors costing billions of dollars annually, according to the IRS, and fixing a payroll error sometimes takes days if not weeks.
Not only that, but in order to successfully calculate the payroll, you need to first track the employees hours correctly, and securely store all that time clock data with no losses and faults.
All that might be quite a headache if done the “old school”, manual way, so it only makes sense that more and more companies abandon the old methods of pen and paper or endless Excel spreadsheets, and move to online time clock solutions, or mobile time clock apps.
The unprecedented growth of mobile phones has changed the way businesses operate in their day to day operations, so it’s not a surprise that there’s a rapid growth in the demand for time clock apps, right?
In fact, over 42% of US companies today use time clock apps, and those numbers are increasing daily. This growth makes even more sense when taking a closer look at the numbers:
- 48% of companies believe that the most important reason for investing in time tracking is to improve the accuracy of payroll reports.
- Companies can eliminate daily lost productivity and recapture a total of $666,400.00 in yearly wages by automating time tracking.
- Companies that utilize software with timekeeping and payroll features were 44% less likely to commit errors and can achieve revenue targets by 7%
Now there’s another aspect we need to focus on — Forbes reported that 89% of employees waste time and 57% waste about one hour a day while at the workplace. As a result, companies lose out on billions of dollars. That’s why a time tracking app is so important, it can help to reduce and even eliminate wage and time theft.
How much do wage and time theft really cost? As much as 7% from your gross annual payroll!
- In the United States, wage theft costs employees $22 billion a year.
- In the United States, time theft costs employers $11 billion a year.
- In the United States, buddy punching costs employers $373 million a year.
- Accountants have reported 92% of their clients have experienced time theft issues and that on average 5% is added on top of their gross payroll costs.
This growth comes with a toll though — there are too many time clock apps to choose from and it’s hard to tell which one is the best for your business, as each app targets different kinds of companies. But, after reviewing over 50 of the best time clock apps, we came up with a list of the top 6 best time clock apps and we believe we have an awesome list that can help you make the best decision for your business.
You’re looking for the best time clock app? No worries, we’re here to help!
Why Choose a Time Clock App?
Time clock apps are a great way to ensure you don’t experience time theft or buddy punching. When employees clock in manually, there is no way to tell where they are clocking in. Often employees clock in five minutes earlier and later and hope you won’t notice.
Digitizing time clock apps allows all the data to be entered electronically and only by the employee, removing any fear of time theft. You can also view timesheets through the app, which will help you immensely in following state laws and have an accurate payroll.
You have many tasks that need to be completed throughout the day. Digitizing processes can simplify at least one of your tasks.
Time clock apps are accurate every time, removing some stress. A digital time clock app doesn’t just save you time. It is cheaper in the long run as you don’t have to worry about inaccuracies.
Who Benefits From Using A Mobile Time Clock App?
The truth is … everyone in your company. A time clock app can streamline the whole data flow from the moment an employee is punching in at the worksite, all the way to the business manager signing the payroll execution reports.
- Front line employees will use it on the field to clock in and out of jobs, add absences, track shift hours, etc.
- Field managers will use the mobile admin tab to track the team’s hours and presence at the worksite.
- Office managers will use the desktop admin dashboard to track the data and get reports from field managers.
- Financial Controllers/Accountants or whoever is in charge of payroll in your company will receive employees timesheets in bulk with the precalculated hours and overtime for each person.
- You, as a business owner will be able to oversee the whole thing, collect and sign digital documents, send reminders, request reports, and much more.
The Best Time Clock Apps For Your Business
The “you must try before choosing other solutions” app.
There definitely should be a good reason for the US Chamber of Commerce to list Connecteam among the best time clock apps available. And there is actually more than one reason for that.
First of all, Connecteam’s time clock app successfully addresses the main 4 problems that every human resources manager, accountant, and business owner face:
- Operation oversight, which means to always stay on top of things, starting with knowing exactly where your employees are & when.
- Payroll execution, which means the ways to calculate payroll with the maximum precision and the least amount of mistakes.
- Paid Time Off (PTO) management, which is inseparable from the payroll, but has to consider all the absences, such as sick leave, vacations, etc.
- Invoicing and segmentation, which allows to slice and dice info by different jobs, shift attachments, hour rates, locations, and so on.
Connecteam’s time clock app was specifically designed to simplify and automate the time tracking & payroll process:
- This time clock app will save you time and effort on easy data collection via employees personal mobile devices
- You will have it securely stored in a digital format and always available, providing clarity on how your resources are allocated
- Employees — can simply clock in and out from their own mobile, managers — can review and monitor their activity from both mobile or desktop, and financial controllers — have everything they need to execute payroll or even reach out to front line /managers if clarification or more info is required
- Connecteam’s advanced time clock features are meant to make your process quick and efficient, by using the so-called quick actions, such as editable Timecards/ timesheets with attachments, notes, auto-fill option, various filtering and segmentation for different employees categories, the possibility to add bulk shifts/absences.
- Easily export timesheets to Connecteam’s integration with QuickBooks Online or Gusto for easy, 100% accurate payroll.
- The app also includes geo-tracking technology in the form of Breadcrumbs. This collects random location points of each employee, keeping managers informed of their live whereabouts while they are clocked in.
Aside from being an excellent time clock app, Connecteam seems like the best long-term solution, especially for non-desk employees, as it also offers the ability to communicate, organize tasks, schedule jobs, share documents, and more. We especially love the in-app chat that integrates with the time clock when doing payroll and being able to easily talk to employees when needed. We are big fans of powerful, yet easy to use solutions, and Connecteam does just that!
Summary:
- Easily the BEST price offering and the only one that’s not user-based, which allows you to scale without reaching into your pocket whenever you want to add more users.
- Fast to set up and get started. Literally, get 30 employees on board before lunchtime.
- User friendly and easy to use, especially for people that are not “techy”.
- It’s an all-in-one app. You can use it for pretty much anything with acquiring multiple solutions.
Price: Starts at $29 per month for up to 30 users, but also offers a free trial.
Powerful Mobile Time Clock And So Much More
Track and manage all employee hours on jobs and projects, improve your payroll process and collaborate with your team like never before with the all-in-one employee app.
The best “for companies that need it all and very techy” app.
If you just need to clock in and clock out, this time clock app is not for you. But, if a swiss knife is your thing – you came to the right place, and your business has its own techy people for the setup process, then T-sheets is the one for you.
Summary:
- It is a versatile application that offers users a high level of convenience.
- It’s multifunctional, and has practically everything you need for your business!
- It allows easy monitoring thanks to the “who’s working” feature.
Price: There is a $4 monthly fee for every user and scheduling services are available at an additional $1 per user. Between a $16-$80 base fee.
The best if you want to track time, send invoices, CRM capabilities, and project management app.
In just a few clicks, you can invite your employees to Avaza. Easily track time either per task or project, start and stop the timer when working, and also take advantage of easy billing and reporting.
Summary:
- The product offers great value for money.
- It is easy to use and navigate.
Price: There are several available plans. It is possible to avail it for free, though this only includes one timesheet manager and up to 10 employees. Paid plans range from $9.95 to $39.95.
Easily schedule employees in real-time, change the schedule when demand doesn’t match up, and post about open shifts to nearby locations.
Branch is basically a mobile digital wallet for workers. The app allows any employee to receive money, manage their cash flow, and spend anywhere – all from their smartphone. So, for example, tips, gratuities, expenses, and mileage can be paid to employees instantly.
Summary:
- It synchronizes really well with Google Calendar.
- The notification system reminds employees of their shifts beforehand.
- There is an incorporated chat room as a means of communication.
Price: There is a free starter version, but there are many features that can only be used at the price of $3 per user every month.
Harvest is an excellent time-tracking app for those who need to track time and invoice clients, like outsource or freelance workers.
Either use a stopwatch or go back and enter hours, choose between a daily or weekly timesheet. You can use Harvest on your desktop or for convenience, download the app straight to your mobile device.
Harvest also offers some kind of team management possibilities, but it’s definitely not a complete employee management platform.
Summary:
- The application is very easy to use.
- It is possible to use it for personal tasks.
Price: Enjoy a free 30-day trial. There is a free plan for just one person and the paid plans begin at $12 a month per user.
“Jibble” is a simple and intuitive time clock app that lets employees clock in and out, track hours, send geo stamps, and more.
“Jibble” into work or activity at work, use selfie verification on your mobile phone, create custom reports, and you can also review personal or team, weekly or monthly timesheets.
Jibble helps to track when your staff is at work for payroll, attendance, and compliance purposes.
Summary:
- It can be accessed via the web, mobile, or Slack.
- Jibble offers great statistical data.
Price: There is a free plan as well as a power plan that is available for a monthly fee of $2 per user.
Bottom Line On Best Time Clock Apps In 2021
So, that was the list of the top 6 best time clock apps for 2021. We hope you found this list useful!
There are countless time clock apps, and not all are perfect for everyone. While all of them can help your employees clock in and out of jobs, the user interface and the admin features are quite different, so the overall usability differs a lot and might be not helpful for your business if it doesn’t fit you.
When choosing the best time clock apps, we highly encourage you to take into consideration not only the cost and features but also the fit for your type of employees when evaluating a time clock app.
For example, depending on if your employees are coming to the same workplace every day, or need to clock in from different locations because they work “in the field” — you might need two different applications, so make sure to select the right tool for your business.
The right time clock app can also help your employees feel in control of their schedule. It removes doubt that they won’t be paid accurately or questions over payroll in general. Employees will know that clocking and clocking out will result in correct payment at the end of the month. It’s a win-win! When you find the right fit, you will be wondering how you were functioning without it!
No.1 Time Clock App
Connecteam app has all you need: Clock in and out, request absences, view current and past timesheets, calculate payroll and overtime, add notes, and more.