Top 7 Best Time Clock Apps in 2024 & How to Choose the Right One
In 2024 there are more time clock apps available than ever before. This can make it difficult to choose the right one for your business. While all time clocks provide some type of time-tracking features, some are focused on web application productivity while others provide features for shift work time-tracking when managing shift work employees and multiple clients and locations.
We tested out the platforms to give you a list of 7 best time clock apps to choose from, each with its own focus, features, pros and cons. This article will guide you through the review process and highlight the features and best use cases for each of the platforms.
What are the best time clock apps in 2024?
What is the best time clock for 2024? We tested out features for our 7 top choices for this year to understand which features each one offers and how these can benefit your workflows. Our list has the best time clock apps for both small and large businesses, for complex needs and simple, straightforward setups as well as for both creative freelancers and large staffing companies.
Top employee clock In apps comparison & ratings chart
| Software Name | Best for | Price | Capterra Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| PARiM | Shift-based industries, staffing agencies, complex schedules | £39 per month, unlimited users | 4.8 |
| Deputy | Retail scheduling | $3.50 per user per month | 4.6 |
| Clockify | Basic time-tracking needs | $3.99 per user per month | 4.5 |
| Time Doctor | Complex office time-tracking needs | $5.90 per user per month | 4.4 |
| DeskTime | Individual desktop time-tracking | €6 per user per month | 4.6 |
| Timely | Creative agencies, individual freelancers | $9 per user per month | 4.8 |
| Quickbooks Time | Small businesses | $20 per month + $8 per month per user | 4.7 |
Best 7 Clocking-In Apps In the UK Reviewed
We tried and tested seven of the best clocking-in apps UK companies should look for when deciding to implement a new time-tracking system. We condensed our experience into the following reviews, highlighting the main features, pros, and cons to help you choose the best fit for your business.
The best time clock apps for 2024 are listed below.
1. Parim
The Parim time clock app provides a simple solution for employees working with shift schedules and multiple locations to clock in and out with their mobile devices. Managers and supervisors receive instant updates each time a staff member has clocked in, out or started their breaks. It offers the best GPS time clock for geofencing to give you an overview if everyone is at their shifts or if someone is running late.
Parim time tracking software integrates the payroll into this workflow to make it a quick and seamless process. Custom pay rules with overtime rates and multipliers are automatically calculated based on time clock data. Furthermore, Parim operates as a comprehensive workforce management solution, providing scheduling automation for complex patterns and irregular hours. Parim’s unique pricing structure offers one of the best scalable solutions for your business operations, as all plans have unlimited users
Top Features
Real-time updates to supervisors
GPS and geofencing
Complex pay calculations
Pros
All-in-one workforce management
Unlimited users with all plans
Customisable and scalable
Quick payroll process
Cons
Few integrations at the moment
Integrations
Parim offers data integrations with industry-leading platforms Zapier and BambooHR. For a quick and employee-friendly payroll process, you can integrate Parim with Wagestream. Additionally, Parim has its own API for data extraction.
Support
Parim has a comprehensive help centre with support articles and quickstart guides, as well as tutorial videos and webinars. All users receive email support. The professional plan clients have the addition of chat support, and premium clients have the option to book online meetings. All enterprise customers will be provided with dedicated account management for priority support.
Ratings and Reviews
Parim time clock users praise its simplicity, speed and accuracy, as well as providing automated timesheets for a quick payroll process. Supervisors highlight the convenience of seeing who checks in when and the geofencing features that help ensure staff attendance.
Parim holds an average score of 4.8 out of 5 stars on G2 and Capterra
Pricing
Parim offers four different pricing plans, all of which receive an unlimited number of users with an unlimited staff database to store temporary workforce and subcontractors’ information:
Starter: £39 per month, 1,000 shift hours included
Professional: £99 per month, 2,500 shift hours included
Premium: £249 per month, 4,500 shit hours included
Enterprise: custom pricing, 15,000 shift hours included
2. Deputy
Deputy is a staff scheduling tool with a time clock feature for shift work employees to clock in and out. Its features and pricing structure make it a sound choice for small to medium-sized shift work businesses, such as retail.
Top Features
Alerts and notifications
Communication tools
Scheduling options
Pros
Well-designed user interface
Payroll integrations
Cons
Can be very pricey
Steep learning curve
Limited mobile functionality
Integrations
Deputy has multiple integration options with payroll software, accounting systems and HR databases, such as ADP, BambooHR, Xero and Zapier, among many others.
Support
Deputy has a help centre with support articles by topic, which are also findable by the search function. All plans receive email support with custom support options for enterprise clients.
Ratings and Reviews
Deputy reviewers hold positive views about the system's notifications and alerts as communication tools. The user interface has received mixed feedback and some point out that time-tracking features could be more accurate.
Deputy holds an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on G2.
Pricing
Deputy has created two separate plans for staff scheduling and time-tracking functions. The premium plan combines both and adds reporting features. An enterprise plan with custom pricing is also available. The current prices are the following:
Scheduling: $3.50 per user per month
Time & Attendance: $3.50 per user per month
Premium: $4.90 per user per month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
3. Clockify
Clockify is a simple time-tracking application designed to provide straightforward functionality to those who are not looking for advanced features. Clockify’s simple interface and basic project management tools make it a good choice for small teams and freelancers.
Top Features
Free Version
Simple project management tools
Collaboration features
Pros
Beginner-friendly
Somewhat flexible
Cons
Very limited features
Can be too basic for mid-sized and large teams
Few integrations
Integrations
Clockify has integrations with project management platforms Jira, Asana, Trello and Monday. Additionally, it can be integrated with productivity software, such as Google Workspace and Salesforce.
Support
Clockify has a feature-specific help. Articles can also be found via the search function. There is also a contact form for sending feedback.
Ratings and Reviews
Clockify users highlight its simple concept and usability. There has been some mixed feedback about the system’s overall speed, as many report it being unresponsive. Some have also been reviewing the user interface as outdated.
Clockify currently holds an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on G2.
Pricing
Clockify has a free version and four separate pricing options:
Basic: $3.99 per user per month
Standard: $5.49 per user per month
Pro: $7.99 per user per month
Enterprise: $11.99 per user per month
4. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is a productivity management and time-tracking tool designed to measure and optimise work done on computers. It’s a good choice for those needing detailed reports about how many hours were spent on specific tasks. Time Doctor measures time spent on the web and applications with optional features such as distract notifications to help out with productivity.
Top Features
Website monitoring
Distraction notification
Integrations
Pros
Office work productivity features
Reporting functions
Cons
Not useful for anything other than computer work
More robust than most users need
Very steep learning curve
Integrations
Time Doctor has integrations with project management software Asana and GSuite and CRM integration options with Pipedrive and Hubspot.
Support
Time Doctor has created its support hub around multiple types of support articles, tutorial videos and quick start guides.
Ratings and Reviews
Time Doctor’s users praise the detailed reporting features and measurements that showcase productivity. On the other hand, there have been reports about bugs. Some users find the limited mobile support to be a bottleneck of the system.
Time Doctor holds an average of 4.4 out of 5 score on G2.
Pricing
Time Doctor currently offers the following pricing options:
Basic: $5.90 per user per month
Standard: $8.40 per user per month
Premium: $16.70 per user per month
5. Desktime
Desktime is a time tracking system for desktop work, using methods such as the Pomodoro technique to balance focus with rest breaks to maintain a healthy workload and a healthy work-life balance. Desktime is a good fit for individuals and small teams requiring automatic time tracking and freelancers who are focused on productivity analysis.
Top Features
Schedule planning
Break reminders
Private time rest features
Pros
Automatic time tracking for convenience
Productivity analysis features
Suitable for freelancers and small businesses
Cons
Lack of advanced features
User interface preferences vary among users
Integrations
Desktime offers productivity integrations with Google Workspace, Outlook, Trello, Jira and Asana.
Support
Desktime offers support articles that are structured around frequently asked questions. Additionally, users can book support calls.
Ratings and Reviews
Desktime users praise its quick and easy setup and cloud-based operation that records user history. Some users point out inaccuracies about productivity vs entertainment labelling and occasional glitches that stop time-tracking.
Time Doctor holds an average of 4.6 out of 5 score on G2.
Pricing
Time Doctor currently offers the following pricing options:
Pro: €6 per user per month
Premium: €9 per user per month
Enterprise: €18 per user per month
6. Timely
Timely is a modern time-tracking solution designed to track time and projects for billable hours. This makes it a good choice for accountants, creative agencies and other professionals who operate with clients and partnerships.
Top Features
Individual data protection
Mobile workflows
Automatic time-tracking
Pros
Simple and clean interface
Suitable for creative freelancers
Cons
Pricing is higher than most other options
Lack of advanced features
Integrations
Timely offers a good variety of integrations based on functionality. Productivity integrations include Google Workspace, Outlook, Trello, Jira and Asana.
Support
Timely has a comprehensive help centre with support articles. Additionally, all plans receive email support.
Ratings and Reviews
Timely customers praise its user-friendly interface that provides a clear overview of projects and billable hours. As Timely uses AI, many users report that it has to be manually retrained for some purposes and that calendars need resyncing from time to time. Some reviewers found that a lack of search functionality has made some steps a bit slower than they could have been.
Timely holds an average of 4.8 out of 5 score on G2.
Pricing
Time Doctor currently offers the following pricing options:
Starter: $9 per user per month
Premium: $16 per user per month
Unlimited: $22 per user per month
7. Quickbooks Time
Quickbooks Time provides simple and straightforward scheduling and time-tracking options for small companies. It's a good step up from manual scheduling if you don't require advanced features or manage complex schedules.
Top Features
Employee scheduling
Mobile app
Time kiosk
Pros
Quick to set up
Comprehensive reporting functionality
Cons
Limited scheduling options
Reports of bugs and glitches
Integrations
Quickbooks has available integrations with multiple payroll and HR data management platforms. It can be easily integrated with the Quickbooks Online bookkeeping platform.
Support
Finding the right support article can take some navigation on the web as Quickbook's main is still their accounting software. However, all Quickbooks Time users receive chat support to help them solve their issues.
Ratings and Reviews
Quickbooks Time has received positive feedback for its integrations and syncing options with Quickbooks Online. Some employees have reported occasional time clock inaccuracies.
Quickbooks Time currently holds an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 on G2.
Pricing
Quickbooks Time offers two separate pricing options:
Premium: $20 per month + $8 per month per user
Elite: $40 per month + $10 per month per user
What Features To Look For When Choosing Clock in Apps for Employees?
First and foremost, you should always look for something that is easily accessible, available and usable. A user-friendly mobile app and efficient desktop environment for managers and supervisors help quickly adapt a new system within your organisation. And while time-tracking itself is great for data collection, the real value comes from streamlining the timesheets and payroll process. This is why we have listed the top 5 features of employee clock-in apps:
Real-time updates and data
A user-friendly app
Automated salary calculations
A quick payroll process
GPS and geofencing functions for attendance tracking
Which Of The Top Clock-in Apps for Work Is Right For You?
If you want to know how to select the best time clock software, it’s important to first define your work type to better understand which features you need. For individuals working mostly with computers, web productivity software tools like Desktime or Time Doctor might be the best fit.
Organisations operating shift work for multiple locations, such as healthcare facilities, security companies and event staffing agencies, will want their time clock apps to ensure staff attendance while providing accurate real-time data. For these types of businesses, Parim is the best-fitting solution, providing a real-time overview of all job sites and clock-ins while ensuring accountability with GPS and geofencing features.
Another thing to consider for managing employees with shift schedules is the working time regulations UK organisations must follow. Having a time tracking system that ensures compliance with labour regulations will significantly improve your organisational efficiency and reduce any legal risks.
Automate your time clock and payroll processes with Parim
Accurate salaries for complex pay rules
Parim time clock app not only accurately tracks employee time but also provides automated calculations for complex pay rules with overtime rates and multipliers, which are often essential requirements for shift work.
Automated timesheets with 3-way approval process
When employees clock in and out with the Parim time clock app, timesheets are automatically created. These can be quickly approved by the employee and their manager with the option to also require the client’s approval in the app. This provides an incredibly quick workflow for staffing agencies and other businesses that provide staff as a service for a 3-way timesheet approval process.
Bulk export timesheets to payroll
After timesheets are approved, managers can bulk export them to payroll providers to ensure quick and accurate salaries for all their employees. You no longer need to worry about time-consuming and error-prone manual salary calculations. Move towards efficiency, free up management time, and reduce overhead costs.
