Best Time & Attendance Software of 2025

Written by
Best Time & Attendance Software of 2025 Sandra Robins
Updated

September 8, 2025

Time and attendance software makes it easy to ditch paper timesheets and manual spreadsheets by turning any device into a digital time clock to track hours worked, overtime, breaks and PTO. The best time and attendance tracking software has automation for complex payroll calculations and seamless payroll integrations. Advanced features may include scheduling shifts, messaging, compliance alerts, job costing, task management, time theft prevention (buddy bunching) and geofencing.

Learn about the best time and attendance tracking software on the market today.

Best for Small Business Buddy Bunch

Cobanker review
4.8
CoBanker choice
Overview

Buddy Punch allows you to easily and accurately manage hours, PTO, overtime and scheduling. Use GPS trackers to monitor work locations across multiple worksites or remotely, while controlling where employees are allowed to log in. Users praise Buddy Punch for how easy and simple it is to use for tracking hours, plus seeing PTO and schedules. Users dislike that the app can be slow to load. They experience punching issues related to geolocation requirements, and report some issues with scheduling, attendance and logging in.

Best for Small Business
Pros
User-friendly and intuitive platform
Can track hours across multiple sites
Use geofencing and IP address locking to track where employees are working, including remote workers
Employees can easily track PTO, check their schedules and see the schedules for coworkers
Employers can decide if time will be rounded
Cons
Users report punching issues related to geolocation requirements
Users report some issues with scheduling, attendance and logging in
Employees would like the ability to submit edit requests to fix punches
When reviewing multiple timesheets, managers would like to be able to hit next instead of having to use the back button
No alarm to remind you when to clock in or out
  • Employees can punch in and out using a phone, computer, kiosk or QR code.
  • Employers can run customizable reports to quickly see hours, overtime, work locations and departments
  • Integrations with payroll software, including QuickBooks, Paychex and Workday
  • Push notifications for alerts
  • Prevent buddy punching with optional webcam and device lock features for the online time clock

14-Day free trial. Plans range from $4.49 to $10.99 per user per month plus a $19 base fee. The Pro and Enterprise plans include advanced features such as scheduling, QR code and kiosk punching, geofencing and webcams for punches

Best for Deskless Workers Connecteam

Cobanker review
4.9
CoBanker choice
Overview

With the employee time clock app from Connecteam, you can accurately track hours worked for deskless workers and streamline communication, scheduling and task management. Employees sign in and out in one click using the mobile app or on-site kiosk app. Then, use the one-click digital timesheet submission to send payroll directly to your accounting department or export it to a payroll service. Enjoy advanced features, including geofencing and compliance alerts. Users rate Connecteam highly for ease of use and efficient scheduling for deskless workers. Users dislike missing features and limited access with basic plans.

Best for Deskless Workers
Pros
Precision
Ease of use
Works well for deskless workers
Can set it up to track shifts
Real-time attendance monitoring
Cons
Some plans have limited access to the communications hub
A HIPAA-registered account has additional fees
Basic plans have limited access to advanced features
Limited customization, integration and reporting
  • Mobile app designed for deskless workers
  • Stay connected and engaged with communication tools
  • Get alerts for irregularities or when overtime limits are exceeded to ensure compliance with labor laws
  • Enable workplace geofencing to limit where employees can use the app, with an option for automatic clocking out

14-day free trial. Completely free for up to 10 users. Depending on the chosen plan, prices for the first 30 users range from $29 to $99 per month.

Best for Simplicity BambooHR

Cobanker review
4.4
CoBanker choice
Overview

Bamboo HR has everything you need to easily track hours and PTO, while syncing with your HR systems and payroll. Employees clock in and out or use shift tracking from anywhere on a computer or mobile app. The software has a Who’s Out calendar and allows you to assign hours to specific projects and add relevant notes. Users like the ease of use and ability to track projects. Users dislike that reporting and task management are hindered by limited customization options. BambooHR is an all-in-one HR software solution, not a stand-alone platform.

Best for Simplicity
Pros
Ease of use
Streamlines and syncs HR tasks
Project tracking and automated approval of workflows
Geolocation
Integrations with 57 systems
Cons
Automated reminders asking employees and managers to check timesheets for accuracy before they are submitted is an extra step that takes time
Limited features, options and capabilities
Reporting and task management are hindered by limited customization
  • All-in-one HR software solution
  • Assign hours to specific projects and add relevant notes
  • Leave tracking and time-off calculator
  • Who’s Out calendar
  • Shift differentials
  • Automatic overtime calculations for all 50 US states

Plans start at $10 per month per employee. Add-on solutions are available.

Best for HRIS Integration Rippling

Cobanker review
4.8
CoBanker choice
Overview

Rippling time tracking is part of a larger, integrated HR, IT and finance platform. It is not a stand-alone platform. It has the infrastructure for scaling, customization, complex workflows and HRIS integration. Rippling ensures compliance with labor laws in all 50 states and lets you pay workers in over 185 countries. After conquering the steep learning curve, users like the advanced features, including automation and custom workflows. Users report that the platform can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate due to its many features.

Best for HRIS Integration
Pros
Built-in compliance for all 50 states
Custom workflows
600+ pre-built integrations
Advanced, customizable permissions
Native payroll capabilities, not acquired
Cons
Not a stand-alone platform
Difficult to use
Too many features can overwhelm users
Steep learning curve
  • Approved hours automatically flow into payroll
  • Automatically enforces overtime, meal breaks and labor laws based on work location
  • Mobile app with GPS tracking
  • Onboard and pay workers in 185+ countries

Starts at $8 per month per user

Best for Comprehensive Solutions UKG Ready

Cobanker review
4.3
CoBanker choice
Overview

UKG Ready, formerly known as Kronos Workforce Ready, is a comprehensive human resources software solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses. It is not a stand-alone platform. Employees can punch in on a wall clock, computer or phone. It automates and streamlines payroll, benefits, time, talent and scheduling. Users like the simple and efficient time tracking with the flexibility to create different categories and round hours. Users report glitches and syncing issues with the mobile app.

Best for Comprehensive Solutions
Pros
Highly rated for efficient time tracking
Simple to use
Can use formulas to calculate hours
Flexibility to create different categories
Users report that they enjoy finally being able to accurately keep track of their PTO
Cons
Not a stand-alone platform
Users report problems with the clocking in and out feature not working correctly, needing to turn off Wi-Fi on phones in order to get the punch to sync, and having to submit a request to manually fix hours
Some features can be difficult to navigate and not intuitive
System lags and loading delays
  • Includes geofencing and GPS tracking, recording the location, time and method of punch
  • Notifications for missing punches, approvals and compliance issues
  • Can create different categories and set up formulas
  • Easily request shift coverage
  • Hours are rounded up or down

Contact UKG Ready for pricing. While pricing is not available on the website, it is believed to be more expensive than competitors.

Best for Scheduling Deputy

Cobanker review
4.6
CoBanker choice
Overview

Deputy’s employee scheduling software and time and attendance software allow you to manage hours, breaks, leave and shifts across multiple locations. Shift scheduling for hourly employees works well across many industries, including healthcare, hospitality, retail and education. Employees simply clock in and out on a phone or tablet and the software automatically creates accurate digital timesheets. Employers can verify identity, place and time with a GPS location stamp or facial recognition. Deputy automates complex pay calculations and ensures compliance with labor laws. Users like the ease of use and efficient scheduling. Users report problems with notifications and accessibility for shift schedules.

Best for Scheduling
Pros
Accurate time tracking that is easy to use
Managers can approve timesheets in bulk
Seamless integrations with payroll, point of sale and HR systems
The scheduling system allows employees to easily swap shifts
Automate scheduling across different locations with AI for efficiency and reliability
Cons
Users report notification issues
The app is slow to load
Lack of accessibility with shift schedules
Limited features
  • Shift scheduling works well across industries, including healthcare, hospitality, retail and education
  • Simplified schedule management
  • Meal and rest break planning
  • Sync to calendar integration

Try all Deputy features free for 31 days without a credit card. For 100 shifts per month, Deputy is free. For unlimited shifts per month, the premium plan costs $6 per user per month and includes both scheduling and time and attendance software. If you want to use only the scheduling software, the price is $4.50 per user per month for unlimited shifts. For only the time and attendance software, the price is $4.50 per user per month for unlimited timesheets.

Best for Shift Work When I Work

Cobanker review
4.5
CoBanker choice
Overview

When I Work allows you to communicate, schedule and track attendance across multiple locations. Employers can easily and efficiently manage employee tips, breaks, scheduling, availability and time off requests for hourly workers. The online time clock app with GPS provides accurate clocking in and clocking out by turning any device into an employee time clock. Use geofencing to prevent early clock-ins and photo clock-in to prevent buddy punching. Users like that the intuitive app is easy to use for time tracking and scheduling. It can be set up to allow employees to edit their timesheets. Users dislike inadequate tracking, inefficient reporting, missing features and some problems with payroll integration.

Best for Shift Work
Pros
The intuitive app is easy to use for time tracking and scheduling
Works across a wide range of industries and for any size business
Option to allow employees to edit timesheets
Streamlined scheduling
Users like the recurring scheduling templates with repeat features
Cons
Users report problems with payroll integrations
Inadequate tracking
Inefficient reporting with a tedious process to aggregate data, without the ability to pull custom date ranges
Users express frustration with some missing features that limit their ability to effectively manage tasks and notifications
  • Track absences, breaks and tips
  • Team messaging, task management and labor distribution reporting
  • Alerts for missed punches, overtime, shift confirmation and more
  • Easy scheduling with auto scheduling, templates, sharing, and shift trading, swapping and dropping

Try all features with the 14-day free trial. For a single location or schedule, the price is $2.50 per user per month. For multiple locations and schedules, the price is $5 per user per month.

Best for Free Clockify

Cobanker review
4.5
CoBanker choice
Overview

Clockify is a free time tracker and timesheet app that tracks work hours across projects for an unlimited number of users. Use a timer, kiosk, timesheet or auto-tracker to track time spent on work, breaks and projects on web, mobile, desktop, and tablets. Users like that it enhances accuracy in project management and billable hours allocation, reporting that it works well for freelancers. Users dislike the interface and sync issues. Clockify is not a traditional punch system and does not have payroll integration.

Best for Free
Pros
Enhances accuracy in project management and billable hours allocation
Easy to manage schedules, create informative reports and generate invoices
Efficient in tracking multiple freelancers
Cons
Not a traditional punch system
No payroll integration
Some users report a poor and outdated interface that is difficult to navigate
Some users experience sync issues and lags, especially with the mobile app
  • Track breaks, productivity, attendance and billable hours
  • Audit recorded time, edit time entries and see any changes
  • Easily analyze where time was spent, and which projects, tasks or clients used the most time
  • Automatically track time spent across apps and websites
  • Sync time across multiple devices and platforms, including browser extensions
  • Organize time in custom categories, and use the Pomodoro technique to track your time in intervals

Free

Best for Hourly Employees Homebase

Cobanker review
4.5
CoBanker choice
Overview

Homebase lets you schedule, track time and communicate with optional add-ons for payroll and HR. Turn any device into a time clock to track hours, breaks, overtime and PTO. Prevent buddy punching with pins, photos and GPS snapshots. Track hourly employees across multiple locations and set up custom geofencing. Easily schedule shifts and allow employees to swap shifts. Users like the ease of use, prevention of buddy punching and the ability to trade shifts.  A major disadvantage is having to pay extra for additional features, especially since the Essentials plan does not include PTO and time off controls, compliance or labor cost management. Users dislike missing features, glitches and the need for a strong internet connection for the mobile app.

Best for Hourly Employees
Pros
Easy-to-use interface
Time clocks deter buddy punching and enable easy verification with pins, photos and GPS snapshots
Set custom geofences around approved clock-in sites
Employees can easily coordinate shift trades and find coverage
Employers can track availability and time off requests
Cons
Labor cost management, compliance, PTO and time off controls are not included in the Essentials plan
Tips manager and task manager are separate add-ons
Users report glitches, bugs, slow loading times and too many notifications
Requires a strong internet connection for app use
Limited customization options and missing features frustrate users, especially with shifts and calendar integration
  • Snap photos or use a GPS-enabled time clock to confirm identity and location
  • Manage remote and field teams with mobile time clocks, custom geofencing, built-in messaging, reminders, alerts, and more
  • Customize overtime and break preferences
  • Manage shifts, availability and time off requests
  • Control labor by setting labor versus sales targets and preventing labor leakage

14-day free trial of the All-in-One plan. The Essentials plan is $30 per location per month for unlimited employees and includes scheduling, time tracking and communication. The Plus plan is $70 per location per month for unlimited employees and includes additional features, including hiring, department and permissions, and PTO and time-off controls. The All-in-One plan that includes onboarding, labor cost management, HR and compliance is $120 per location per month for unlimited employees.  Many add-ons are available, including payroll, task manager, and tips manager.

Best for Growing Business TimeClock Plus by TCP

Cobanker review
4.3
CoBanker choice
Overview

TimeClock Plus by TCP allows you to manage schedules, hours, breaks, leave requests, accruals, complex overtime calculations, job codes and more. The software has substitute management for schools. Employers have the option to purchase additional hardware for badge reading, time theft prevention and thermal sensors. Automate complex paycheck calculations for multiple positions and pay rates. The software works well for scaling businesses with many locations. Users appreciate the advanced reporting options and the ability to configure advanced rules for overtime and accrual. Users dislike the steep learning curve and missing features.

Best for Growing Business
Pros
Easy to use
Makes it simpler for schools to manage substitutes
Can easily handle varying scenarios and calculations, including police and fire overtime that is based on an extended work period instead of a standard workweek
Hundreds of app and payroll integrations
Custom rules for rounding
Cons
Difficult to tell which features and hardware cost extra since the pricing information is not listed on the website
Steep learning curve
Limited customization and missing features
Difficulties adding missing punches and clocking out if clocked in for too long
System glitches, connection issues and inconvenient timing for maintenance updates
  • Add-on dedicated hardware options for several types of terminals, including badge reading, thermal sensors and biometric fingerprint for buddy punching prevention
  • Assign flexible job codes to monitor time and labor across projects and departments
  • Advanced reporting with pre-built reports and custom options
  • Leave management includes long-term leave and the ability to configure advanced rules for PTO accrual
  • Shift scheduling includes shift forecasting, shift differentials and employee shift swapping
  • Substitute management for schools

Pricing information is not available without a custom quote, but it is considered higher than competitors. There is no free trial.

Best for Field Service and Construction Industries ClockShark

Cobanker review
4.7
CoBanker choice
Overview

For field service or construction businesses, ClockShark has a mobile timesheet app with everything you need to finish jobs quickly and accurately. The software includes time tracking on the go, paperless job management, scheduling and time reporting. The app and GPS tracking work without an internet connection. Users love the job costing features and the ability to see exactly where techs are working in the field. Users report bugs and missing features. This software is recommended only for companies that use job costing, as there is no way to clock in without assigning time to a specific task or project.

Best for Field Service and Construction Industries
Pros
Easy to use on phone or computer
Good for job costing since it tracks time to task and project
Supervisors can easily see where techs are in the field and send notes
Works in remote areas without an internet connection
Cons
Users report bugs, especially with missing alert emails and GPS location
Difficult to manually adjust timesheets, especially for fee-based timesheets and complex overtime calculations
Limited reporting without customization options
Missing features
Must clock in to a specific task
  • All time is tracked to a specific task or project for easy job costing
  • Drag and drop scheduling
  • Create a custom geofence around job sites

There is a 14-day free trial. The standard plan, which includes time tracking with scheduling, geofencing, and job and task tracking, is designed for small businesses and costs $40 per month plus $9 per month per active user. PTO, advanced job costing controls and additional features are only available in the PRO plan for $60 per month plus $9 per month per active user. The Pro plan is designed for growing businesses and established multi-location businesses.

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Why Do You Need Time & Attendance Software?

Employers can increase efficiency and accuracy by using highly-rated time and attendance software. Digital timesheets with seamless payroll integrations streamline the process of tracking time and submitting timesheets while improving compliance with labor laws. Employers save valuable time with additional scheduling features and notifications for attendance and overtime, making it easier to adhere to budgets and cover shifts.

Employee Trust

When deciding which advanced features you need in time tracking software, consider how much you trust your employees to do the right thing and be in the right place at the right time. Some time tracking software contains built-in options to prevent time theft as well as geofencing to control where employees can and cannot punch in and out. How closely do you want to be able to monitor your employees and prevent the expense of time theft? How do you balance building employee trust and loyalty with tracking features?

Buddy Punching

When employees are running late for their shift or need to leave early, they may ask a coworker to clock in or out for them, so they still receive full pay without penalty for being tardy. This unethical practice is called buddy punching. It is illegal and grounds for termination for both the employee and buddy involved in the time theft. Employee handbooks should have policies to explicitly address buddy punching and to clearly state the consequences.

A recent survey found 43 percent of employees commit time theft by padding their time cards, 45 percent by recording inaccurate times, 23 percent by buddy punching, and others by using work time for personal activities or frequent breaks.”Paypro

Buddy punching is a type of payroll fraud that is a prevalent practice, costing employers significant money. Employers may not realize the extent of time theft at their company until they switch to software that has buddy punching prevention. Features to prevent buddy punching may include capturing a photo of the employee clocking in, unique pins for verification, fingerprint sensors, GPS and geofencing.

GPS Tracking

When employees use their mobile devices for clocking in and out, the software may have a feature to use GPS tracking to note their location. This is an additional way to prevent buddy punching. The GPS coordinates are captured during punching and may also include geofencing features.

Geofencing

Geofencing is a feature available in some time and attendance software. With geofencing, employers can define a custom virtual boundary for how close to the work site employees need to be to clock in and out from their mobile phone. This virtual perimeter uses GPS coordinates and can be set around multiple work locations. Employees outside the boundary will not be able to punch in or out, which helps deter buddy punching and increases accuracy and accountability in time tracking.

Scheduling Features

The ability to easily schedule hourly workers for shifts is an advanced feature in some time tracking software. Employers can save valuable time scheduling with automation options. Additionally, this feature makes it easy for employees to swap shifts and request coverage. Employees and employers can easily see availability and calendars, plus receive notifications.

Traditional timesheets with paper or spreadsheets are time-consuming and prone to errors from data entry and manual math calculations. Both employees and employers benefit from simple interfaces that allow you to turn any device into a time clock and manage PTO and overtime. Some have additional features that make it effortless for employers to schedule hourly workers for shifts and for employees to easily swap shifts. By choosing the best time and attendance software, employers can seamlessly track time for employees at multiple locations and prevent time theft.