Updated: Aug 27, 2024, 10:57am
As a small business, you need to know how your employees spend their work hours. Time tracking software can help you do just that. With the right software, you’ll be able to increase productivity and efficiency while reducing costs. To help you choose the right time tracking software for your business and its staff, Forbes Advisor compiled a list of the best time tracking software of 2024.
- The Best Time Tracking Software of 2024
- Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business
- Summary: Best Time Tracking Software
- What Is Time Tracking Software?
- Benefits of Time Tracking Software
- How To Choose Time Tracking Software
- What Does Time Tracking Software Cost?
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Next Up In Business
The Best Time Tracking Software of 2024
- Clockify: Best overall
- QuickBooks Time: Best for mobile workers
- ClockShark: Best for construction and field service industries
- Paymo: Best for invoicing and billing
- TimeCamp: Best for freelancers and contractors
- Deputy: Best for staying compliant with labor laws
- Toggl Track: Best free plan
- TrackingTime: Best for small teams
- Time Doctor: Best for monitoring employee productivity
- RescueTime: Best for setting goals
Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Small Business
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
We reviewed 13 software options using a complex methodology that allowed us to narrow it down to the 10 best time tracking platforms for small businesses. Our ratings consider 25 characteristics that small businesses look for, including offering a free version, a variety of pricing plans, mobile functionality, built-in reporting and more. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Summary: Best Time Tracking Software
Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Starting Price | Free Trial | Standout Features | LEARN MORE | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clockify | ![]() |
5.0 | ![]() |
Free; $5.49 per user per month (paid annually) | Yes, for seven days | Employee monitoring, off-line mode | Learn More | Via partner site | |
QuickBooks Time | ![]() |
4.8 | ![]() |
$20 per month (for the first three months, then $40 per month) plus $10 per user, per month | Yes, for 30 days | PTO management, employee scheduling, geotechnology | Learn More | On QuickBooks' Website | |
ClockShark | ![]() |
4.5 | ![]() |
$8 per month per user plus a $40 per month base fee | Yes, for 14 days | Drag-and-drop schedule editor, JobFlow solution | Learn More | Via partner site | |
Paymo | ![]() |
4.4 | ![]() |
Free; $5.90 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes, for 15 days | Kanban boards, Gantt charts | Learn More | Via partner site | |
TimeCamp | 4.4 | ![]() |
Free; $2.99 per user, per month | Yes, for 14 days | Productivity tracking, attendance tracking | Learn More | Via partner site | ||
Deputy | ![]() |
4.3 | ![]() |
Free; $6 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes, for 31 days | Shift scheduling compliance tool, timesheet wage calculator | Learn More | Via partner site | |
Toggl Track | ![]() |
4.1 | ![]() |
Free; $9 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes, for 30 days | Calendar integration, time tracking audits | Learn More | Via partner site | |
RescueTime | ![]() |
3.2 | ![]() |
$6.50 per month | Yes, for 14 days | Focus sessions, end-of-day reviews, schedule management | Learn More | Via partner site | |
TrackingTime | ![]() |
3.8 | ![]() |
Free; $5.75 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes, for 14 days | Automatic monthly attendance reports, project management tool | Learn More | Via partner site | |
Time Doctor | ![]() |
3.5 | ![]() |
$5.90 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes, for 14 days | Productivity alerts and reminders, employee screen capture | Learn More | Via partner site |
What Is Time Tracking Software?
Time tracking software helps employers and workers keep track of time spent on various tasks, projects and other deliverables. You can use it to stay organized, regardless of your industry or job responsibilities. With a quality time tracking solution, you’ll find it easy to pinpoint distractions and make smart business decisions that allow you to become more productive and profitable.
Benefits of Time Tracking Software
Time tracking software offers a number of noteworthy advantages, such as:
- Increased productivity: If your team struggles to meet deadlines or you’re worried they’re slacking off, time tracking software can help you pinpoint inefficiencies and create a more productive workforce.
- More accurate quoting: Because you’ll be able to record how long each task or job takes, time tracking software may take the time and guesswork out of accurate quoting.
- Easier prioritization: With time tracking software, you’ll have a better idea of how to allocate your resources to tackle the highest-priority projects first.
- Improved rewards and retention: Time tracking solutions will let you home in on your greatest employees so you can reward and retain them.
How To Choose Time Tracking Software
Not all time tracking software is created equal. To help you find the ideal option for your unique situation, consider the following.
Essential Features
- Time tracking: This lets you keep track of how your employees spend their time while on the job.
- Timesheets: Timesheets calculate the work your employees perform in terms of billable hours so you can simplify billing and invoicing.
- Reporting: Most time tracking software creates reports on active employee hours, tasks employees complete and more.
- Integrations: Integrations with project management and communication tools such as Salesforce, Asana and Slack are important if you’d like to maximize performance.
- Mobile app: With a mobile app, you and your employees can manage your time from anywhere.
Consider Your Business Processes
The way you run your business and perform your work will determine the best time tracking solution. It’s a good idea to ask yourself these questions:
- Do you work in an office or away from the office?
- Are you a freelancer or solopreneur or a small to medium-sized business with employees?
- Do you use Trello, Asana or other project management apps?
- How do you communicate with your employees and clients?
If you’re typically away from the office and out in the field, for example, a robust mobile app should be your priority. In the event you’re a small business with several employees, investing in a paid time tracking solution may make more sense than if you’re self-employed with no employees.
Stand-alone Software vs. Suites
A stand-alone time tracker is a basic tool that lets you record the time spent on projects and tasks. In most cases, you’ll need to manually enter your time and categorize it. A time tracking suite, on the other hand, is more robust and offers bells and whistles, such as schedule management, geo-tracking, easy integrations and more.
What Does Time Tracking Software Cost?
When it comes to pricing for time tracking software, it varies greatly. Typically, however, most solutions will charge you a flat monthly rate plus a rate per user. Factors including specific features and the number of employees you have will dictate what you pay for a time tracking tool. Keep in mind that sometimes, you won’t be able to find pricing information online and will need to reach out to the company directly for a custom quote.
Methodology
Our staff researched 13 time tracking solutions to narrow down our top 10 recommendations. We homed in on 25 factors including pricing, features, third-party ratings and reviews, and our proprietary expert score. You can find details on each factor below.
Pricing
We paid attention to how much each solution costs and whether or not it had a free version. Pricing accounted for 10% of the overall score.
Features
Features such as a mobile app, clock in/clock out, invoicing, scheduling, alerts, time management and multiple billing rates were all important to us. Features made up 30% of the overall score.
Additional Features
Bonus points were given to solutions that come with extra features, including reporting, real-time project dashboards, automatic time capture and automated reminders. Additional features accounted for 20% of the overall score.
Third-Party Ratings and Reviews
We prioritized solutions with higher third-party ratings of 3.5 or higher while also taking into account the total number of reviews. Reviews were 10% of the overall score.
Expert Score
Our team of researchers focused on the overall value of the platforms, their popularity and ease of use and any personal experience or hands-on testing they were able to conduct. The expert score played a 30% role in the overall score.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is time tracking software?
Time tracking software allows employees to record the time they spend on various tasks or projects. Most solutions include extra features, such as invoicing, reporting and productivity monitoring.
What does time tracking software do?
Time tracking software keeps track of work hours. It provides insight on how much time was spent on various tasks, projects and clients. Most solutions also offer extras, such as scheduling tools and invoicing.
Do I need time tracking software?
Whether you need time tracking software depends on your unique business and goals. If you’re a small business who would like to improve employee productivity, it may make sense. On the flip side, if you’re a freelancer who is starting out, you may be able to keep track of your time manually without a solution.
What are the cons of time tracking software?
Typically, time tracking software with robust features will cost you a flat monthly rate plus a fee per user. Also, some time tracking software comes with a steep learning curve, so it might take some time and effort to get used to it and unlock its full potential.
Are there other ways to track employee time?
While it’s convenient, you don’t need a time tracking software to track employee time. Instead, you may use a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Another option is to install time clocks where employees can clock in and out. In addition, you can try geofencing or GPS tracking apps to keep track of employee time while they’re away from the office.