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Time Tracking · Researched comparison

Best Timekeeping Software for Hourly Teams

By the TaskReports Editorial Team
Published 13 Nov 2026 · Updated 13 Nov 2026Last verified 13 Nov 2026How we score

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The short answer

Buddy Punch is our top pick for hourly teams, because facial recognition, GPS stamps, and geofences stop buddy punching, and Starter costs $19 a month plus $4.99 per user per month. Homebase is the best free start, with scheduling and a time clock free for one location and up to 10 team members.

Best overall Buddy Punch $19/month plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually) Also great Homebase $24/location/month (billed annually) Also great QuickBooks Time $20/month plus $10 per user/month
On this page

Key takeaways

  • Buddy Punch is the only tool here that puts facial recognition, GPS stamps, and geofences on the entry plan, from $19 a month plus $4.99 per user per month.
  • Homebase free plan covers real scheduling and clocking for one location, but the free tier ends at 10 team members.
  • QuickBooks Time costs $20 a month plus $10 per user per month and needs an active QuickBooks Online account, so the real bill is higher than the headline.
  • When I Work at $2.50 per user per month is the cheapest per seat rota here, while Deputy at $4.50 adds break rules and compliance controls.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
Buddy PunchPunch controls for hourly staff$19/month plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
HomebaseFree clock for one location$24/location/month (billed annually)Yes, 1 location, up to 10 team members
QuickBooks TimeHours inside QuickBooks$20/month plus $10 per user/monthFree trial (30 days)
ClockifyLow cost timekeeping$3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)Yes, up to 5 users
HubstaffHours with activity data$4.99 per seat/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
Time DoctorHours with screenshots$6.67 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
DeputyScheduling with compliance rules$4.50 per user/monthFree trial (31 days)
When I WorkCheap per seat scheduling$2.50 per user/monthFree trial (14 days)
Toggl TrackSimple hours and billable rates$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes, up to 3 users
TimeCampHours with invoicing$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes

How we choose

We compared vendor pricing pages, plan details, and product documentation for each tool, opening the pricing pages on 13 November 2026. We weighed the entry price, the free plan limit, whether punch controls, overtime, and approvals sit on the entry tier, and whether hours sync to payroll. Any vendor that hid its price on the day we checked would have been listed as quote only.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Buddy Punch

Best for punch controls that stop buddy punching

  • facial recognition, GPS stamps, geofences, and optional photos at punch time
  • rounding and automatic overtime on every plan
Price$19/month plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)
See Buddy Punch pricing

Buddy Punch focuses on one problem and solves it well: making sure the person clocking in is really that employee. Facial recognition, GPS stamps, and geofences give managers evidence without constant supervision. Punch rounding and automatic overtime calculations sit on every plan, and time card approvals keep hours clean before payroll.

Starter costs $19 a month as a base fee plus $4.99 per user per month on annual billing, or $5.99 billed monthly. Pro at $6.99 per user per month adds scheduling and kiosk options, and Advanced at $12.99 adds more controls. A team of five pays $43.95 a month on Starter, so the base fee is nearly half the bill at that size.

Price: $19/month plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: buddypunch.com

Watch out for

  • the $19 monthly base fee lifts the bill for tiny teams
  • scheduling needs Pro at $6.99 per user per month, and payroll is a separate add on
2

Homebase

Best for a free clock for one small location
$24/location/month (billed annually)

Homebase combines scheduling with a time clock, hiring, onboarding, and team messaging in one app, built for hourly teams in food service, retail, and care. The free plan covers one location with up to 10 team members and includes basic scheduling, basic time tracking, messaging, and POS integrations

Essentials costs $30 per location per month, or $24 billed annually, with unlimited team members, and adds advanced scheduling, advanced time tracking, and labour reports. Plus at $56 billed annually adds AI scheduling and hiring tools, and All-in-One at $96 adds payroll with tax filing.

Price: $24/location/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, 1 location, up to 10 team members

Website: joinhomebase.com

What we like

  • free plan covers scheduling, time clock, messaging, and POS integrations for one location
  • pricing is per location, not per person

Watch out for

  • the free plan ends at one location and 10 team members, so a second site or an 11th person needs a subscription
  • payroll is a separate add on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee
See Homebase pricing
3

QuickBooks Time

Best for timekeeping inside QuickBooks Online
$20/month plus $10 per user/month

QuickBooks Time, formerly TSheets, records hours with timers, timesheets, and a time kiosk, with GPS stamps for mobile staff. Hours sync directly into QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, so an employer that already runs QuickBooks can move from tracked time to payroll without an export step. Scheduling, project tracking, and overtime sit in the same app.

Premium costs $20 a month as a base fee plus $10 per user per month, and Elite costs $40 a month plus $12 per user per month. Both need an active QuickBooks Online subscription, which adds to the real cost. A team of 10 pays $120 a month on Premium before the QuickBooks Online fee

Price: $20/month plus $10 per user/month

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Website: quickbooks.intuit.com

What we like

  • hours sync directly into QuickBooks Online and Payroll
  • GPS tracking and time kiosk on both plans

Watch out for

  • Premium costs $20 a month as a base fee plus $10 per user per month, and both plans need an active QuickBooks Online account
  • no free plan, only a 30 day trial
See QuickBooks Time pricing
4

Clockify

Best for low cost timekeeping for small teams
$3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)

Clockify records work hours with timers, weekly timesheets, and a calendar view, and hours can be sorted by project, task, tag, and client. The free plan covers up to five users with unlimited time entries, reports, and apps for web, desktop, and mobile, which makes it a real option for a team of five with no monthly bill. A shared kiosk mode lets staff clock in from one device.

Basic at $3.99 per seat per month on annual billing adds bulk editing, required fields, time audit, and billable rates. Standard at $5.49 adds invoicing, approvals, time off, and overtime reporting, so an employer that needs overtime totals and approvals should price Standard, not Basic.

Price: $3.99 per seat/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, up to 5 users

Website: clockify.me

What we like

  • free plan covers up to five users with timers, timesheets, and reports
  • kiosk clock ins and GPS tracking on higher tiers

Watch out for

  • overtime and attendance reporting need the Standard plan at $5.49 per seat per month
  • the kiosk and GPS features are not on the free plan
See Clockify pricing
5

Hubstaff

Best for timekeeping with activity data and payroll
$4.99 per seat/month (billed annually)

Hubstaff records hours with a timer that also captures activity levels, screenshots, and app and website use, with optional GPS for field staff. Hours feed timesheets, invoices, and payroll, so an employer can move from tracked time to payment in the same tool.

Starter at $4.99 per seat per month on annual billing, or $7 billed monthly, covers time tracking, limited screenshots, activity and app tracking, and basic reports, with a two seat minimum on every plan. Grow at $7.50 adds more screenshots and limits, and Team at $10 adds scheduling, time off, and payroll

Price: $4.99 per seat/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: hubstaff.com

What we like

  • screenshots, activity levels, and app tracking on the entry plan
  • payroll and invoicing built in on higher tiers

Watch out for

  • no free plan, only a 14 day trial, and every plan has a two seat minimum
  • scheduling and payroll need the Team plan at $10 per seat per month
See Hubstaff pricing
6

Time Doctor

Best for timekeeping with screenshots and attendance
$6.67 per user/month (billed annually)

Time Doctor tracks hours in the background, with a desktop app that records time automatically, takes screenshots, and builds a timeline of the day. Managers get activity levels and project reports, and staff can see their own time. Attendance and payroll sit on the Standard tier.

Basic at $6.67 per user per month on annual billing, or $8 billed monthly, covers tracking, tasks, and screenshots. Standard at $11.67 adds attendance, payroll, schedules, app and website usage reports, and more than 60 integrations. Premium at $16.70 adds video screen recording and deeper analytics.

Price: $6.67 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: timedoctor.com

What we like

  • automatic tracking with screenshots, timelines, and activity data
  • attendance and payroll on Standard

Watch out for

  • no free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • web and app usage reports need Standard at $11.67 per user per month, not Basic
See Time Doctor pricing
7

Deputy

Best for scheduling with break and overtime rules
$4.50 per user/month

Deputy treats scheduling like a logistics problem. Managers can feed in sales data, let the forecast engine predict demand, and auto generate a roster that matches coverage to expected traffic. Break rules, overtime flags, and fair workweek controls are built in, and the time clock offers face recognition options with GPS geofencing.

Scheduling costs $4.50 per user per month, and Time and Attendance costs $4.50 per user per month, so a team that needs both pays $9 per user per month unless it moves to Premium at $6 per user per month, which combines them. Payroll runs through integrations rather than natively in the US.

Price: $4.50 per user/month

Free plan: Free trial (31 days)

Website: deputy.com

What we like

  • demand based auto scheduling with meal and rest break rules
  • time clock with face recognition options and GPS geofencing

Watch out for

  • no free plan, only a 31 day trial
  • scheduling and time tracking are sold as separate modules at $4.50 each, so most teams need both
See Deputy pricing
8

When I Work

Best for cheap per seat scheduling with a time clock
$2.50 per user/month

When I Work schedules hourly teams with templates, availability, shift swaps, open shifts, and shift confirmations, and includes auto scheduling on every tier, which is rare at $2.50. Staff get the schedule on a mobile app, can swap shifts, and can pick up open shifts, which cuts the back and forth a manager handles each week.

Essentials costs $2.50 per user per month, Pro costs $5, and Premium costs $8, shown as monthly prices, with a 14 day trial and no minimum seat count. The pricing page FAQ also prices single location teams at $2.50 and multi location teams at $5, so confirm the added cost before you model the bill.

Price: $2.50 per user/month

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: wheniwork.com

What we like

  • auto scheduling on every tier with shift swaps and open shifts
  • the cheapest published per seat price here

Watch out for

  • no free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • the pricing page is inconsistent about whether the time clock is included on every plan, so confirm before you buy
See When I Work pricing
9

Toggl Track

Best for simple hours tracking with billable rates
$9 per user/month (billed annually)

Toggl Track records hours with a timer that takes one click, from the web, desktop, or mobile app, or from a calendar entry. Hours land on projects and clients with tags, and reports show who spent time where, with project estimates that warn a lead before a budget runs out. The tool suits employers who want hours and billable rates without a heavy admin layer.

Starter at $9 per user per month on annual billing, or $12 billed monthly, adds billable rates, team reports, and project estimates. Premium at $16 adds profitability reports, labour costs, and approvals

Price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, up to 3 users

Website: toggl.com

What we like

  • one click timers with calendar integrations and clean reports
  • billable rates and team reports on Starter

Watch out for

  • the free plan ends at three users, so a fourth person moves the whole workspace to Starter
  • approvals and labour costs need Premium at $16 per user per month
See Toggl Track pricing
10

TimeCamp

Best for hours tracking with invoicing at a low price
$3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

TimeCamp records hours with manual timers, weekly timesheets, and automatic tracking from the desktop app, which matches time to projects by keyword. The free plan covers unlimited users with timers, timesheets, and basic reports, which suits an employer that wants hours and little else. Attendance, billing, and invoicing grow with the higher tiers.

The entry subscription plan costs $3.99 per user per month on annual billing, and Premium adds budgeting, invoicing, and profitability reports. An employer that needs invoices from tracked hours should price Premium rather than the entry figure

Price: $3.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: timecamp.com

What we like

  • free plan for unlimited users with timers and timesheets
  • automatic tracking with keyword based project matching

Watch out for

  • budgeting and profitability reports need the Premium plan
  • attendance features are thinner than Buddy Punch or QuickBooks Time
See TimeCamp pricing

What to check before you buy

  • Punch controls: if staff work on site, check for GPS stamps, geofences, and photo or face checks, since Buddy Punch and Deputy include them and most desk tools do not.
  • Free plan limits: count the locations and people allowed, since Homebase stops at one location and 10 team members and Clockify stops at five users.
  • Overtime: confirm the tool calculates overtime automatically and lets you set the rules, since Buddy Punch includes it on every plan and Clockify keeps overtime reporting on Standard.
  • Payroll link: check whether hours sync directly to your payroll tool, or whether you need a manual export each pay period, since QuickBooks Time syncs natively and Deputy relies on integrations.
  • Billing model: check whether the price is per user, per seat, or per location, and whether a base fee applies, since Buddy Punch adds $19 and QuickBooks Time adds $20 a month.
Team sizeLowest monthly billTool
5 people, 1 location$0Homebase free, 1 location, up to 10 team members
5 people$0Clockify free, up to 5 users
10 people$24.00Homebase Essentials, $24 per location on annual billing
10 people$25.00When I Work Essentials, 10 users at $2.50
10 people$39.90Clockify Basic, 10 seats at $3.99
10 people$69.90Buddy Punch Starter, $19 base plus 10 users at $4.99
25 people$24.00Homebase Essentials, $24 per location on annual billing
25 people$62.50When I Work Essentials, 25 users at $2.50

FAQ

What is timekeeping software?

Software that records when each employee starts and stops work, with punches, weekly timesheets, and reports by person and job. A basic clock only logs start and stop times. Timekeeping software adds overtime totals, approvals, and payroll exports, so a manager can check the week, approve the hours, and send them to payroll without retyping.

Which tool is best for stopping buddy punching?

Buddy Punch fits best, since facial recognition, GPS stamps, geofences, and optional photos at punch time confirm the person clocking in, and rounding with automatic overtime sits on every plan. Starter costs $19 a month plus $4.99 per user per month on annual billing.

How much does timekeeping software cost?

Entry prices run from free to $10 per user or seat per month, with per location plans from $24 a month at Homebase. A team of 10 pays $0 on Homebase Basic or Clockify free, $25 on When I Work Essentials, $39.90 on Clockify Basic, $69.90 on Buddy Punch Starter, or $120 on QuickBooks Time Premium.

Do these tools include scheduling?

Several do, but not always on the entry plan. Homebase, Deputy, and When I Work include scheduling in their core plans, while Buddy Punch keeps scheduling on Pro at $6.99 per user per month. Clockify adds scheduling on Pro, and QuickBooks Time includes scheduling in both plans.

Which tool is best for a single location with 10 staff?

Homebase fits best, since its free plan covers one location with up to 10 team members and includes scheduling, a time clock, messaging, and POS integrations. Essentials costs $24 per location per month on annual billing once the team grows past 10 people. When I Work is the cheaper subscription alternative at $2.50 per user per month, or $25 a month for 10 people.

Sources we checked

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How we score

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Buddy Punch#1 PICK
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