Time Tracking · Researched comparison

Best Time Tracking Software for Small Construction Firms

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Key takeaways

  • Small construction companies need time tracking that works on a phone, offline, and at the job site, because crews do not sit at a desk.
  • Entry prices run from $3.99 to $9.99 per user per month on annual billing, while QuickBooks Time, Raken and Connecteam use base fees or per-hub pricing instead.
  • GPS, geofencing and photo proof matter more on site than desktop reports, so check which tier holds the location features your jobs need.
  • Free plans from Clockify, busybusy and Connecteam suit small crews, but scheduling, supervisor tools and payroll links often sit on higher tiers.
  • Start with a pilot on one crew, compare tracked hours against the payroll run for two weeks, then roll the winner out to every site.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
ClockifySmall crews on a tight budget$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HubstaffCrews that need activity proof$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
TimeeroSmall crews that need GPS tracking$5 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
Toggl TrackCrews that want a simple timer$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
HarvestCrews that bill clients from hours$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
ExakTimeCrews that need a rugged time clock$9 per employee/monthFree trial (14 days)
busybusyCrews that want a free start$9.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
QuickBooks TimeCrews already on QuickBooks$20 per month plus $10 per user/monthFree trial (30 days)
RakenCrews that need daily reports$23 per user/month (billed annually)No
ConnecteamCrews that need an all-in-one hub$29 per month per hub (first 30 users)Yes

How we choose

We reviewed each vendor pricing page on 12 November 2026 and recorded the lowest tier price, the free plan terms and the trial length. We compared features on the vendor docs pages, including GPS tracking, offline use, scheduling, payroll links and reporting, and we noted which features sit on higher tiers. We did not run hands-on tests, and we did not use review scores. The order follows entry price, so a small company can see the cost range before reading the detail.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

The best time tracking software for small construction companies

A small construction company tracks time on site, in the truck and at the yard, so the tool must work on a phone with patchy signal. The tools below cover simple timers, GPS trackers and full job-site platforms, and each one was checked against its vendor pricing page on 12 November 2026. The list is ordered by entry price.

2

Clockify

Best for Small crews on a tight budget

Website: https://clockify.me/

Best for: Small crews on a tight budget

Starting price: $3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Free plan with unlimited tracking; low entry price for growing crews

Cons: Free plan capped at 5 users; no GPS or geofencing features

Clockify gives a small construction company a timer, a timesheet view and project tracking at the lowest entry price in this list. The free plan covers unlimited time tracking, which suits a crew that wants every worker logging hours before spending anything. Projects and tags keep hours organised by job, and the dashboard shows who worked on which site during the week.

The limits matter on site. The free plan caps at 5 users, so a crew with six or more workers must move to a subscription tier. Clockify has no GPS tracking or geofencing, so it cannot confirm that a worker was on site when the clock started. Invoicing, timesheet approval and scheduling need the Standard tier at $5.49 per user per month on annual billing. A company that needs location proof should look at Timeero or Hubstaff instead.

3

Hubstaff

Best for Crews that need activity proof

Website: https://www.hubstaff.com/

Best for: Crews that need activity proof

Starting price: $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: GPS tracking and geofencing on mobile; strong payroll integrations

Cons: 2-seat minimum on every tier; Starter caps screenshots at 500 per seat per month

Hubstaff suits a construction company with crews spread across several sites, because the mobile app records GPS location with each time entry. Geofencing can remind workers to clock in when they arrive on site, which cuts missed entries. The Starter tier at $4.99 per user per month on annual billing covers time tracking, timesheets and basic reporting, with payroll integrations for QuickBooks and others.

The 2-seat minimum applies to every tier, so a one-person company cannot buy a single seat. Starter caps screenshots and app and URL tracking at 500 per seat per month, which can run short for a crew that tracks every working hour. Payroll and deeper reporting sit on the Grow tier at $7.50 and the Team tier at $10. A company that only needs hours and location may find the screenshot features unnecessary, so weigh them against the cost.

4

Timeero

Best for Small crews that need GPS tracking

Website: https://timeero.com/

Best for: Small crews that need GPS tracking

Starting price: $5 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: GPS tracking with mileage; simple mobile clock in and out

Cons: Basic tier capped at 10 users; scheduling needs the Pro tier

Timeero is built for field teams, with GPS tracking, mileage recording and a simple mobile clock in and out. The Basic tier at $5 per user per month on annual billing covers time tracking, GPS and basic reports, and a 14-day trial with no card lets a crew test it on a live job. Mileage tracking helps companies that reimburse driving between sites.

Basic caps at 10 users, so a company with more than ten workers must move up. Scheduling and geofencing need the Pro tier at $7.50 per user per month on annual billing, and Segmented Tracking and Messaging are add-ons that cost extra. A small crew under ten people gets strong value from Basic, but a growing company should price Pro before committing, because scheduling is often the next feature a crew asks for.

5

Toggl Track

Best for Crews that want a simple timer

Website: https://toggl.com/

Best for: Crews that want a simple timer

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Fast one-click timer; free plan with unlimited projects

Cons: No GPS tracking or geofencing; approvals need the Premium tier

Toggl Track is the simplest timer in this list, with one-click start and stop, project tags and a clean weekly view. The free plan covers unlimited projects and clients, which suits a small company that wants the office and the crew tracking from day one. Reports show billable against non-billable hours, and the 30-day trial opens the full feature set for testing.

The tool has no GPS tracking or geofencing, so it cannot confirm where a worker was when the clock started. That rules it out for companies that need location proof on site. Timesheet approvals, single sign-on and profitability reports need the Premium tier at $16 per user per month on annual billing, and Capacity Management is a $5 per user per month add-on. For office-based estimating and admin work, Toggl Track is enough, but field crews may need a GPS tool as well.

6

Harvest

Best for Crews that bill clients from hours

Website: https://www.getharvest.com/

Best for: Crews that bill clients from hours

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Clean invoicing from tracked time; QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations

Cons: Flex usage fees on top of seat prices; no GPS tracking

Harvest turns tracked time into invoices with little extra work, which suits a construction company that bills clients by the hour for time and materials work. The free plan covers one seat and two projects, so a solo contractor can run a small practice on it. The Teams tier at $9 per user per month on annual billing adds unlimited projects, clients and invoicing, plus integrations with QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe.

Two costs deserve attention. Flex usage fees are charged on top of seat prices for active projects, clients, tasks and invoicing, so the monthly bill can rise above the seat price. Harvest has no GPS tracking, so it cannot confirm site attendance. Timesheet approval, profitability reporting and single sign-on sit on the Enterprise tier at $14 per user per month on annual billing. A company that bills from tracked time should price Enterprise if approvals matter.

7

ExakTime

Best for Crews that need a rugged time clock

Website: https://arcoro.com/exaktime

Best for: Crews that need a rugged time clock

Starting price: $9 per employee/month

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Rugged job-site time clocks; strong compliance and audit records

Cons: Scheduling starts on the Professional tier; annual contract required

ExakTime is built for construction, with rugged time clocks, mobile clock in and facial recognition options for the job site. The Time Essential tier at $9 per employee per month covers time tracking, overtime rules and basic reports, and a 14-day trial lets a company test it on a live site. Audit records and compliance tools suit companies that work on public contracts or union jobs.

Scheduling, job assignments and time off start on the Professional tier at $12 per employee per month, so a company that wants one tool for both time and scheduling must pay more. An annual contract is required, which locks a small company in for a year. ExakTime fits companies that need a tough, compliant time clock, but a small crew that only needs a phone timer may find it heavier than necessary.

8

busybusy

Best for Crews that want a free start

Website: https://busybusy.com/

Best for: Crews that want a free start

Starting price: $9.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Free plan with unlimited users; GPS and photo proof on mobile

Cons: Subscription plans add a $40 admin licence; scheduling is Pro only

busybusy is built for construction, with GPS tracking, photo proof and equipment tracking on the mobile app. The free plan covers unlimited users, which is rare in this list and suits a growing crew that wants everyone tracking before spending anything. Time entries link to projects and cost codes, so hours flow into job costing.

The Pro tier at $9.99 per user per month on annual billing adds scheduling, supervisor tools and a kiosk mode, but subscription plans also add a $40 admin licence to the monthly bill. The free plan has limited activity reports, so a company that needs detailed reporting must upgrade. busybusy fits a company that wants construction-specific features from day one, with a free plan that actually scales to the whole crew.

9

QuickBooks Time

Best for Crews already on QuickBooks

Website: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/

Best for: Crews already on QuickBooks

Starting price: $20 per month plus $10 per user/month

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Pros: Deep QuickBooks payroll links; GPS and scheduling built in

Cons: Needs a separate QuickBooks Online subscription; geofencing needs Elite

QuickBooks Time, formerly TSheets, is the natural choice for a construction company that already runs QuickBooks for payroll and accounting. The Premium tier costs $20 per month plus $10 per user per month, and it covers time tracking, scheduling, GPS and overtime rules. Hours flow straight into QuickBooks payroll, which removes double entry and cuts payroll errors.

The catch is the extra subscription. QuickBooks Time needs a separate QuickBooks Online subscription from about $38 per month, so the total cost is higher than the headline price. Geofencing and mileage tracking need the Elite tier at $40 per month plus $12 per user per month. A company that does not use QuickBooks gets less value here, because the payroll link is the main reason to choose it. There is no free plan, only a 30-day trial.

10

Raken

Best for Crews that need daily reports

Website: https://www.rakenapp.com/

Best for: Crews that need daily reports

Starting price: $23 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: No

Pros: Daily reports with photos; strong field reporting tools

Cons: Time tracking only on the Performance tier; 3-user minimum

Raken combines daily reporting with time tracking, so a foreman can log hours, photos, notes and weather in one daily report. The Basic tier at $23 per user per month on annual billing covers daily reports, photos and basic project tracking, which suits companies that need a clear record of each day on site for clients or disputes.

Time tracking only appears on the Performance tier at $59 per user per month, so a company that buys Basic for time tracking will be disappointed. There is a 3-user minimum, which sets a $69 per month floor, and no free plan or trial is advertised on the pricing page. Raken fits companies that value daily reports as much as hours, but a company that only needs a time clock should look at cheaper tools first.

11

Connecteam

Best for Crews that need an all-in-one hub

Website: https://connecteam.com/

Best for: Crews that need an all-in-one hub

Starting price: $29 per month per hub (first 30 users)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Time clock, chat and forms in one app; free plan up to 10 users

Cons: Each hub is billed separately; geofencing needs the Advanced tier

Connecteam is an all-in-one app for frontline teams, with a time clock, team chat, forms and scheduling in one place. The Small Business plan is free for up to 10 users, which suits a small crew that wants to test the whole hub before spending. The Basic tier costs $29 per month per hub for the first 30 users, which can be cheaper than per-user pricing for a larger crew.

Each hub is billed separately, so a company that wants Operations, Communications and HR and Skills hubs pays three times. Basic allows only one time clock and one schedule, and geofencing needs the Advanced tier at $49 per month per hub. A company that only needs time tracking may find the extra features distracting, but a company that wants chat, forms and scheduling in one app gets strong value.

What to check before you buy

Check whether the mobile app works offline, because crews lose signal on site and hours must sync later. Check whether GPS and geofencing are included or need a higher tier, and ask how location data is stored. Check the payroll link, because hours that flow straight into payroll save time and cut errors. Check the trial length and whether a card is required, then run a pilot with one crew for two weeks before rolling the tool out to every site.

FAQ

What is the cheapest time tracking software for small construction companies?

Clockify is the cheapest entry point in this list, at $3.99 per user per month on annual billing, and its free plan covers unlimited tracking for up to 5 users. Hubstaff follows at $4.99, and Timeero costs $5. busybusy offers a free plan with unlimited users, which can be cheaper than any subscription tier for a small crew. The cheapest option is not always the best fit, because GPS and scheduling often sit on higher tiers.

Does time tracking software work offline on a job site?

Most mobile apps in this list, including Hubstaff, Timeero, busybusy and ExakTime, record time offline and sync when the signal returns. Clockify and Toggl Track also offer mobile apps, but their offline behaviour varies by device. Before buying, test the app on a real site with a weak signal, and check whether GPS entries are stored locally or dropped when the connection fails.

Which tools include GPS tracking?

Hubstaff, Timeero, busybusy, ExakTime and QuickBooks Time all include GPS tracking, with geofencing on some tiers. Timeero puts geofencing on its Pro tier, and QuickBooks Time puts it on Elite. Clockify, Toggl Track and Harvest have no GPS tracking, so they cannot confirm site attendance. If location proof matters for payroll or client billing, choose a tool with GPS on the tier you plan to buy.

Can construction time tracking connect to payroll?

Yes, QuickBooks Time links directly to QuickBooks payroll, and Hubstaff, busybusy and ExakTime all offer payroll integrations or exports. Hours flow from the time clock into the payroll run, which removes double entry and cuts errors. Check whether the payroll link is included in the tier you buy, because some tools put payroll tools on higher tiers.

How long does it take to set up time tracking for a crew?

A simple timer such as Clockify or Timeero takes a day to set up, because you add projects, cost codes and workers, then invite the crew. A job-site platform such as ExakTime or QuickBooks Time takes one to three weeks, because overtime rules, geofencing and payroll links need configuration. Plan a two-week pilot with one crew, compare tracked hours against the payroll run, then roll the tool out to every site.

Sources we checked

  • https://clockify.me/pricing
  • https://www.hubstaff.com/pricing
  • https://timeero.com/pricing
  • https://toggl.com/track/pricing/
  • https://www.getharvest.com/pricing
  • https://arcoro.com/exaktime/pricing-plans
  • https://busybusy.com/pricing/
  • https://quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/pricing/
  • https://www.rakenapp.com/pricing
  • https://connecteam.com/pricing/
How we score

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The best time tracking software for small construction companies#1 PICK