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Time Tracking · Researched comparison

8 Best When I Work Alternatives for Teams in 2026

By the TaskReports Editorial Team
Published 14 Nov 2026 · Updated 14 Nov 2026Last verified 14 Nov 2026How we score

TaskReports may earn a fee from some links on this page, and some placements are paid and labelled. Neither one decides the order. See our disclosure.

The short answer

Deputy is the best When I Work alternative for most hourly teams, because its $5 per user per month Lite plan billed annually includes the time clock, scheduling, and compliance tools in one app, with a 31-day trial. Teams get the time tracking When I Work charges extra for without an add-on fee.

Best overall Deputy $5 per user/month (billed annually) Also great Homebase Free Basic plan; Essentials $24 per location/month (billed annually) Also great 7shifts Free Comp plan; Essentials $39.99 per location/month (billed annually)
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Key takeaways

  • Deputy leads for most teams because its Lite plan at $5 per user per month billed annually already includes the time clock.
  • Homebase, 7shifts, Sling, and Connecteam all offer a free plan, which suits a single location or a small team that wants to try scheduling without a monthly bill.
  • Sling Premium at $1.70 per user per month billed annually is the lowest-cost option for a team of 10, at $17 per month, against $40 for When I Work Essentials with the add-on.
  • Buddy Punch and ClockShark suit teams that need verified punches or GPS job costing, but both charge a base monthly fee on top of the per-user price.
  • Check whether the time clock, scheduling, and payroll sit in one subscription before you buy, because splitting them raises the total cost.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
DeputyScheduling plus time clock for shift teams$5 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (31 days)
HomebaseFree scheduling and time clock for one locationFree Basic plan; Essentials $24 per location/month (billed annually)Yes, Basic plan free
7shiftsRestaurant scheduling and labor cost controlFree Comp plan; Essentials $39.99 per location/month (billed annually)Yes, Comp plan free
SlingFree scheduling for teams up to 30 usersFree plan; Premium $1.70 per user/month (billed annually)Yes, up to 30 users
ConnecteamAll-in-one operations for frontline teams$29 per hub/month (billed annually)Yes, up to 10 users
Buddy PunchVerified punches with photo and GPS$19 per month base plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
ClockSharkGPS time tracking for construction crews$42 per month base plus $9.50 per user/monthFree trial (14 days)
HubstaffMonitoring, GPS, and payroll$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)

How we choose

We reviewed the vendor pricing pages and feature docs for When I Work and each alternative, and we compared the published starting prices, free plan limits, trial lengths, and time clock availability. We checked whether scheduling, the time clock, and payroll sit in one subscription or need a second product, and we noted base fees and per-location pricing. Every price in this guide comes from the vendor pricing page listed in Sources. Prices change, so confirm the current price on the vendor page before you buy.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

Deputy

Best for Scheduling plus time clock for shift teams

  • Scheduling, time clock, and compliance in one app
  • 31-day trial with no card required
Price$5 per user/month (billed annually)
See Deputy pricing

Deputy is the closest like-for-like replacement for When I Work. The Lite plan at $5 per user per month billed annually includes scheduling, the time clock, and compliance tools, so a team moving from When I Work Essentials with the time tracking add-on pays $5 per user instead of $4, in one subscription. The 31-day trial gives a manager time to run a full roster cycle before deciding.

Core at $6.50 and Pro at $9 per user per month billed annually add more reporting and automation, with monthly billing at $5.50, $7.25, and $10. An HR add-on at $2 per user per month covers documents and onboarding. For a shift team that wants scheduling and attendance in one place, Deputy is the simplest switch.

Price: $5 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (31 days)

Website: deputy.com

Watch out for

  • No free plan
  • $30 minimum monthly spend on monthly plans
2

Homebase

Best for Free scheduling and time clock for one location
Free Basic plan; Essentials $24 per location/month (billed annually)

Homebase is the strongest choice for a single-location business that wants to stop paying for scheduling. The free Basic plan covers scheduling and the time clock for one location and up to 10 employees, which suits many cafes, salons, and small retail shops. Essentials at $24 per location per month billed annually lifts the limits and adds messaging and hiring tools, while Plus at $56 and All-in-One at $96 add payroll and deeper HR features.

Per-location pricing is the key difference from per-user tools. A team of 10 at one location pays $24 per month on Essentials, the same as a team of 25, so the cost stays flat as headcount grows. Monthly billing is $30, $70, and $120 per location. Payroll is an add-on at $49 per month plus $6 per employee.

Price: Free Basic plan; Essentials $24 per location/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, Basic plan free

Website: joinhomebase.com

What we like

  • Free plan covers scheduling and time clock
  • payroll add-on available in the same app

Watch out for

  • Free plan caps at 1 location and 10 employees
  • payroll costs $49 per month plus $6 per employee
See Homebase pricing
3

7shifts

Best for Restaurant scheduling and labor cost control
Free Comp plan; Essentials $39.99 per location/month (billed annually)

7shifts is built for restaurants. The free Comp plan covers one location and up to 15 employees, which suits a single restaurant that wants scheduling and a time clock without a monthly bill. Essentials at $39.99 per location per month billed annually adds labor cost tools and point-of-sale integrations, while Pro at $79.99 and Premium at $134.99 add forecasting, advanced reporting, and deeper payroll connections.

The labor cost focus sets 7shifts apart from general schedulers. Managers can see labor cost against sales as the week progresses, and the POS integrations pull sales data into the schedule. Monthly billing for Essentials is $44.99 per location, and labor forecasting sits above Essentials.

Price: Free Comp plan; Essentials $39.99 per location/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, Comp plan free

Website: 7shifts.com

What we like

  • Free plan for 1 location and up to 15 employees
  • POS and payroll integrations

Watch out for

  • Free plan caps at 15 employees
  • labor forecasting needs a higher plan
See 7shifts pricing
4

Sling

Best for Free scheduling for teams up to 30 users
Free plan; Premium $1.70 per user/month (billed annually)

Sling is the lowest-cost option in this list, and its free plan is the most generous by headcount, covering up to 30 users for scheduling, shift swaps, and team chat without paying anything. Premium at $1.70 per user per month billed annually adds the time clock and more control over shifts, while Business at $3.40 adds payroll exports and deeper integrations. Monthly billing for Business is $4 per user.

The trade-off is that the time clock is not on the free plan, so a team that needs attendance tracking must move to Premium. At $1.70 per user, that is still the cheapest time clock in this guide: a team of 10 pays $17 per month. Reporting is basic, so a manager who needs labor cost forecasts will find Sling thin.

Price: Free plan; Premium $1.70 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, up to 30 users

Website: getsling.com

What we like

  • Free plan covers up to 30 users
  • low Premium price of $1.70 per user per month

Watch out for

  • Time clock sits on the Premium plan
  • reporting is basic
See Sling pricing
5

Connecteam

Best for All-in-one operations for frontline teams
$29 per hub/month (billed annually)

Connecteam is an all-in-one operations app for frontline teams, with scheduling as one hub among several. The free plan covers up to 10 users, which suits a small crew. The Basic plan starts at $29 per hub per month billed annually, with the first 30 users included and then $0.80 per extra user. Advanced at $49 and Expert at $99 per hub per month billed annually add more automation and integrations.

Hub pricing needs care when you compare totals. Each hub is a separate subscription, so a team that wants scheduling, time tracking, and forms together pays for three hubs, which multiplies the $29 starting price. Payroll integrations sit on a higher plan. A team that only needs scheduling should compare the per-hub total with a per-user tool first.

Price: $29 per hub/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes, up to 10 users

Website: connecteam.com

What we like

  • Free plan for up to 10 users
  • scheduling, forms, and chat in one app

Watch out for

  • Each hub is a separate subscription, so full setup multiplies the cost
  • payroll integrations need a higher plan
See Connecteam pricing
6

Buddy Punch

Best for Verified punches with photo and GPS
$19 per month base plus $4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Buddy Punch is the pick for teams that need to prove who clocked in and where. The Starter plan costs $19 per month plus $4.99 per user per month billed annually, and it includes photo, face, and QR verification at clock-in, which cuts buddy punching. Admin users are free and unlimited. Pro at $6.99 and Advanced at $12.99 per user per month billed annually add scheduling, geofencing, and deeper reporting.

The base fee changes the math for small teams. A team of 5 pays $19 plus $24.95, which is $43.95 per month, while a team of 25 pays $143.75. Monthly billing is $5.99, $7.99, and $13.99 per user. A real-time GPS add-on costs $2 per user. For a team that has had problems with inaccurate punches, the verification features are worth the base fee.

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

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: buddypunch.com

What we like

  • Photo, face, and QR verification at clock-in
  • admin users are free and unlimited

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14-day trial
  • scheduling needs the Pro plan at $6.99 per user per month
See Buddy Punch pricing
7

ClockShark

Best for GPS time tracking for construction crews
$42 per month base plus $9.50 per user/month

ClockShark is built for construction and field service crews. The Standard plan costs $42 per month plus $9.50 per user per month, and it includes GPS tracking, geofencing, job costing, and drag-and-drop scheduling. Pro at $63 per month plus $11.50 per user per month adds time off, multi-office controls, advanced job costing, and compliance forms. The 14-day trial lets a crew test GPS punches on a real job first.

The cost and the contract term are the two things to weigh. The base fee means a team of 5 pays $89.50 per month, far more than Sling or Homebase, and the per-user fee can rise each anniversary by CPI-U plus up to 5 percent. All plans carry a three-year contract term, the longest commitment in this guide. A team that does not need job costing should not take on the base fee or the term.

Price: $42 per month base plus $9.50 per user/month

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: clockshark.com

What we like

  • GPS, geofencing, and job costing
  • drag-and-drop scheduling

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14-day trial
  • three-year contract term on all plans
See ClockShark pricing
8

Hubstaff

Best for Monitoring, GPS, and payroll
$4.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Hubstaff suits teams that want time tracking with monitoring and GPS, plus payroll in the same system. The Starter plan at $4.99 per user per month billed annually covers time tracking, GPS, and geofencing, with a 2-seat minimum on all plans. Grow at $7.50, Team at $10, and Enterprise at $25 add activity monitoring, invoicing, and payroll features. The 14-day trial lets a small team test the tracker before paying.

The per-user price is close to Deputy Lite, but the feature mix is different: Hubstaff leans toward monitoring and payroll, while Deputy leans toward scheduling and compliance. A remote or field team that needs to see where work happens and then pay staff from the same hours will find Hubstaff a natural fit. A team that mainly needs a roster and a time clock will get more from Deputy or Homebase.

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

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Website: hubstaff.com

What we like

  • GPS tracking and geofencing
  • payroll and invoicing add-ons

Watch out for

  • No free plan, only a 14-day trial
  • 2-seat minimum on all plans
See Hubstaff pricing

What to check before you buy

First, confirm the time clock is included in the plan you would buy, not just in the product as a whole, since Sling keeps it on Premium and When I Work keeps it as an add-on. Second, check the free plan limits against your real headcount and location count, because Homebase caps its free plan at 10 employees and 7shifts at 15. Third, add any base fee to the per-user price, since Buddy Punch and ClockShark both charge one, and a small team feels it most. Fourth, check the contract term, since ClockShark carries a three-year term while the other tools here bill month to month or year to year. Fifth, check whether payroll is included or needs a second subscription, and what it costs per employee. Sixth, run the trial with a real roster and a real pay week, and confirm the export matches your payroll format first.

FAQ

Is Deputy cheaper than When I Work?

Deputy Lite at $5 per user per month billed annually costs slightly more than When I Work Essentials with the time tracking add-on, which is $4 per user per month. Deputy includes the time clock, scheduling, and compliance tools in that one price, while When I Work charges $1.50 extra per user for time tracking. For a team of 10, Deputy costs $50 per month against $40 for When I Work.

Which When I Work alternative has a free plan?

Homebase, 7shifts, Sling, and Connecteam offer a free plan. Homebase Basic is free for one location and up to 10 employees, 7shifts Comp for one location and up to 15 employees, Sling for up to 30 users, and Connecteam for up to 10 users. Deputy, Buddy Punch, ClockShark, and Hubstaff offer a free trial instead, from 14 to 31 days.

Does Sling include a time clock?

Sling includes the time clock on its Premium plan at $1.70 per user per month billed annually. The free plan covers scheduling, shift swaps, and team chat for up to 30 users, but not the time clock. A team that needs attendance tracking should budget for Premium, which at $17 per month for 10 users is still the lowest-cost time clock in this guide.

Is Homebase really free for a small business?

Homebase Basic is free for one location and up to 10 employees, and it covers scheduling and the time clock. A business with more than 10 employees, or a second location, needs Essentials at $24 per location per month billed annually. Payroll is an add-on at $49 per month plus $6 per employee, so add that cost before comparing Homebase with a per-user tool.

Which alternative is best for restaurants?

7shifts is the best fit for restaurants in this guide, because it is built around restaurant scheduling and labor cost control, with point-of-sale integrations that pull sales data into the schedule. The free Comp plan covers one location and up to 15 employees, and Essentials at $39.99 per location per month billed annually adds labor cost tools.

Which alternative is best for construction crews?

ClockShark is the best fit for construction crews, because it combines GPS tracking, geofencing, and job costing with drag-and-drop scheduling, and its Pro plan adds time off and compliance forms. The Standard plan costs $42 per month plus $9.50 per user per month, and all plans carry a three-year contract term. A small crew should weigh that term and the base fee first.

Sources we checked

  • https://www.deputy.com/pricing (Deputy pricing)
  • https://www.joinhomebase.com/pricing (Homebase pricing)
  • https://www.7shifts.com/pricing (7shifts pricing)
  • https://getsling.com/pricing (Sling pricing)
  • https://connecteam.com/pricing/ (Connecteam pricing)
  • https://buddypunch.com/pricing (Buddy Punch pricing)
  • https://www.clockshark.com/pricing (ClockShark pricing)
  • https://hubstaff.com/pricing (Hubstaff pricing)

Related guides

How we score

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Deputy#1 PICK
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