8 best time-tracking software for your small business in 2024
Small businesses have specific challenges in terms of budget, team size, and needs, so finding the right time-tracking software can be tricky.
For example, if your team has fewer than ten people, you may not need extensive functionality. In that case, your best option could be a less expensive tool focusing on time-tracking features without other HR capabilities. On the other hand, growing teams often prefer time-tracking software with comprehensive people management features, such as one embedded into an HRIS.
By implementing a time-tracking tool that interconnects with HR admin features like absence management, analytics, and compliance tracking, you can consolidate your tech stack and take care of your HR needs in one place. Just consider that small businesses use as many as 172 applications* — consolidation is key.
In this guide, we weigh these considerations (plus many others, like best use cases, customer ratings, and free trial availability) to present the top eight time-tracking software options for small businesses. Our picks:
Modular pricing starts at US$8 per user/month.
4.7
Basic free plan available; paid plans start at US$3.99 per user/month
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Free plan available, but it’s quite limited; paid plans start at US$6 per user/month
4.6
Free plan available, but not for teams; paid plans begin at US$10.80 per
4.6
Free plan for single-location businesses with fewer than 20 employees; Paid plans start at US$20 per location/month
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Paid plans start at US$10 per user/month, plus a base fee of US$40/month (one admin)
4.7
Paid plans start at US$7 per user/month
4.5
Free plan with limited features available for up to 5 users; paid plans start at US$10 per user/month
4.7
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*Zylo, 2024
⚡ Level up your small business’ approach to time tracking
Leapsome’s time-tracking feature empowers all team members to log their work hours easily — all within one HRIS.
👉 Get started with Leapsome HRIS
*The information below is based on our research in August 2024. All user feedback referenced in the text has been sourced from independent software review platforms (like G2 and Capterra) in August 2024.
Time tracking & attendance software
Many assume that time tracking and attendance tools are only helpful for employers as they want to keep track of employees — but this is far from the case. They’re beneficial for team members across all levels of the organization. For instance, time tracking and attendance software simplifies PTO requests and helps employees track their hours to avoid overwork. For HR, these tools help ensure compliance with labor regulations, highlight opportunities for workload adjustments, and support correct payroll processing.
An intuitive interface
An easy-to-navigate platform user interface (UI) is easy to incorporate into your workflow and saves you time and resources. A well-designed UI also makes it simpler for teams to learn and implement a new tool, which boosts adoption rates.
Scalability
Growing businesses require scalable software to handle the increase in data, users, and workflow updates. And highly scalable platforms also let you add and remove features to accommodate company changes and transitions.
Level up your small business’ approach to time tracking
Leapsome’s time-tracking feature empowers all team members to log their work hours easily — all within one HRIS.
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1. Leapsome
Leapsome’s time-tracking software is an integral component of the platform’s HRIS tool. Our time-tracking feature enables employees to log their work hours easily and in compliance with company policies, such as maximum work hours and overtime permissions. Meanwhile, managers can set up, oversee, and report on team members’ time tracking within a single interface.
The platform automatically generates user-friendly timesheets categorized by project and employee. Analytics features provide managers (and employees with the proper permissions) access to total time, overtime, and overtime percentages — with filtering capabilities by team, location, and manager. These capabilities provide high-level insights on logged hours and streamline invoicing.
Our time-tracking tool also has absence management features, including paid time off (PTO) and holiday scheduling.
Unlike some time-tracking software options for small businesses, Leapsome’s time-tracking feature is interconnected with our suite of other employee enablement functions, like tools for goals, surveys, compensation, feedback, and performance reviews. This feature consolidation simplifies your employees’ HR workflows and streamlines your tech stack.
Consolidation is especially important for startups and growing teams looking to maintain a cost-effective (but highly efficient) HR toolkit. By adopting time-tracking software embedded within a large HR platform, people leaders ensure their operations are ready to scale.
Leapsome’s time tracking feature comes with a suite of interconnected HR and people enablement capabilities that engage teams and are easy to use. Our platform’s all-in-one offering gives small businesses the tools they require to do their best work while respecting their need to grow at their own pace.
Additionally, Leapsome has an impressive overall average customer rating of 4.7/5 on Capterra.
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Leapsome’s time-tracking software and HRIS tool are brand new, so expect some updates while the features are being perfected.
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2. Clockify
Clockify is advertised as free time tracking software, but it also offers paid plans that may have features better suited for startups and growing small businesses. Clockify’s free plan offers unlimited time tracking, timesheets, employee calendars, and integrations. Users can also access reporting features like cost and profit per project and filter their timesheets by pricing, client, and project status.
Standard, Pro, and Enterprise plans unlock absence management features and enable people leaders to split, import, and bulk edit time entries. Standard and Pro plans also allow admins to activate randomized screenshots of employee screens for productivity monitoring.
Best for
Clockify is best for small teams of one to ten employees looking for free time-tracking software.
Clockify users appreciate the platform’s free time-tracking features. Additionally, Clockify provides offline tracking, ensuring users don’t lose tracking data when they go offline.
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Glitches and difficulties editing timesheets when errors occur during tracking have been reported, and reports that are not intuitive have also been mentioned.
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3. Deputy
Deputy is a time-tracking software solution and scheduling app that focuses on compliance. For example, the platform reminds employees to take frequent breaks following relevant labor laws. Additionally, admins can track team members’ attendance and hours worked in one central interface in real time.
Although Deputy offers a free starter plan, it’s capped at 100 monthly shifts. The platform’s advanced and enterprise plans unlock additional employee scheduling and auto-scheduling features, which make it easier for team members to find shift substitutions when necessary. Alternatively, Deputy offers a time- and attendance-only option with pared-down features at a slightly cheaper price point.
Best for
Deputy is best for compliance-focused small businesses, such as those in the hospitality or healthcare industries.
Deputy users praise the application’s ease of use and onboarding process. The Premium plan’s additional scheduling features make it a good option for industries with fluctuating hours — like healthcare, retail, and hospitality.
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Difficulties integrating logged hours and timesheets with payroll and other finance apps have been reported. Concerns about slow or ineffective customer service and data syncing delays, which may cause issues with invoicing, have also been noted.
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4. Harvest
Harvest is a minimal time-tracking platform focused on logging hours and creating timesheets. The software also offers online invoicing and payment features, so users don’t have to export timesheets to other apps to pay their employees.
Harvest integrates with leading project management tools like Asana, Basecamp, and Slack, so it’s simple for users to get a high-level review of their project status and billable hours.
Best for
Harvest is best for small teams (one to ten employees) with straightforward time-tracking needs.
Harvest markets itself as a “simple” time-tracking solution. Accordingly, its minimalist interfaces make it easy for employees to log hours and get paid. Harvest is also helpful for scrappy teams who may not have a robust payroll platform, and users praise its customer support.
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Harvest’s features are more limited than those of the other tools on this list. The platform is best suited for small businesses that already have a project management tool or HRIS; this is likely why it’s been reported that the platform doesn’t handle complex team and payment structures well.
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5. Homebase
Homebase’s time tracking tool primarily focused on small businesses with hourly employees. The platform offers features for time tracking and scheduling, as well as basic workforce management in higher pricing tiers.
While Homebase has a free plan with limited features for single business locations, additional functionalities like scheduling and payroll require paid subscriptions. Unlike most other options on this list, Homebase charges on a per-location basis instead of per user (with exceptions for some extra features charged per user).
Best for
Homebase is best for brick-and-mortar small businesses with hourly employees.
Homebase users often praise the platform’s low price. Because it charges by business location instead of the number of users, Homebase is a good option for cost-conscious small businesses with fluctuating employee numbers. Users also commend the handy mobile app.
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Missed clock-ins and outs that are difficult to correct have been reported. Additionally, many helpful features (like onboarding and absence management) are limited to more expensive plans. Some users feel that the plan tiers are misleading, which is a challenge for small businesses aiming to scale.
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6. QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time, formerly TSheets, is a time-tracking and workforce management solution that offers absence management and schedule creation features.
One of QuickBooks Time’s most notable features is its GPS technology. Users can turn on geofencing, which reminds employees to clock in and out when they enter or exit a specific area. Additionally, geotagging capabilities allow employers to verify that team members are where they’re supposed to be, which can be useful for mobile teams of delivery drivers and construction workers, for example.
Best for
QuickBooks Time is best for small businesses that use other QuickBooks products.
QuickBooks Time users praise the platform’s quick and helpful customer support. People who rely on QuickBooks for payroll have also reported that it’s a beneficial integration with no syncing issues.
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Some QuickBooks Time users report integration issues when attempting to integrate the tool with payroll providers outside the QuickBooks family. Others mention frequent app glitches and data syncing errors.
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7. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a time-tracking platform that heavily emphasizes productivity monitoring. As such, the app is most relevant for remote, hybrid, or other distributed workforces.
With Time Doctor, users can activate “Are you there?” reminders that gauge employees’ activity levels. Additionally, admins can use Time Doctor to take screenshots and even videos of team members’ screens as frequently as every three minutes.
Best for
Time Doctor is best for distributed teams that want to maximize productivity and accountability.
Time Doctor users like the platform’s reliability. Some have reported that Time Doctor motivates their team to work more productively. In higher-priced tiers, custom reports enable people leaders to quantify that impact tangibly with productivity scores.
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Some Time Doctor users report frustration with the frequency of inactivity reminders, which may irritate employees and distract them from work. Others experience difficulties trying to cancel their subscription.
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8. Toggl Track
Toggl Track, formerly Toggl, is a time-tracking software that offers a well-rounded free plan. All user tiers can automatically record time spent on tasks, projects, and clients, as well as different billable hours for each. The free plan allows up to five users to track unlimited projects and hours.
The platform integrates with 100+ apps, including accounting software and project management tools. Toggl Track doesn’t natively offer many project management options, although the premium tier does include timesheet approvals and forecasting features.
Best for
Toggl Track is best for freelancers, small teams of one to five, and businesses that work with contractors regularly.
Toggl Track’s unlimited free time-tracking solution makes it a good option for freelancers and solopreneurs — as long as they’re not interested in too many bells and whistles. Toggl Track users also commend the platform’s ease of use.
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Some Toggl Track users report annoyances with the platform’s limited time-tracking features, which make it challenging to edit logged hours. Others have flagged UX issues, suggesting employees may be reluctant to adopt the platform.
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Why customers love us
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“We've been using Leapsome for over a year, and we love it”
Susie P.
HR manager
AI software (10-100 employees)
“I love how easy Leapsome is to set up and explore as a manager and user”
Sarah S.
Chief operational officer
B2B agency (10-100 emp.)
“Leapsome has provided more ways to keep our employees engaged”
Katy S.
Exec. Administrator & Comms. Manager
Research Services (500-1000 emp.)
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