The right attendance tracking software can simplify the entire process of tracking employee attendance by enabling you to record accurate work hours, review timesheets, manage time-off requests, and get everything in check for payroll – all with one single tool and with complete ease.
Manual employee attendance tracking is often stressful, messy, extremely time-consuming, and involves a lot of back and forth with your staff. Not to mention the room it leaves for costly payroll mistakes and employees to write down some extra minutes here and there.
Luckily, you can easily replace this unreliable approach with employee attendance tracking software and streamline the entire process – from recording precise work hours and time off to managing accurate timesheets and processing payroll. And the best part is that it doesn’t have to be expensive!
To help you find the attendance management software that best suits your company’s needs and budget, we’ve lined up the best options for 2022.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one attendance tracking software solution.
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Good for comparing time estimations with actual time entries.
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Good for basic time tracking.
What to Look For in a Attendance Tracking Software
When looking for a good attendance tracking software solution, keep an eye out for the following aspects and features:
- Ease of use: It’s easy to set up and offers an intuitive user experience.
- Customizability: It’s customizable to suit your team structures.
- Time clock: Through employee self-service, your employees can clock in and out from the platform to track attendance.
- GPS location tracking: You can track your employees’ whereabouts while on the job.
- Leave management: You can manage absences and time off requests from the platform.
- Authenticity verification: It allows you to ensure that your employee is indeed the person who is clocking in and out.
- Payroll management: It records attendance and work hours with complete accuracy onto a timesheet which you can then use toward processing payroll.
- Reporting & analytics: It gives a clear and customizable overview of data recorded in the system.
- Price: It is cost-friendly and suits your budget.
- Support: It comes with good customer support to help you with any issues.
The 9 Best Attendance Tracking Softwares of 2022
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Best: All-in-one attendance tracking software solution.
Connecteam is an all-in-one attendance tracking software solution that gives you all the tools you need to manage every aspect of employee attendance with complete ease and efficiency, even while on the go.
With its fully automated Time Clock, team members can clock in and out from shifts and jobs with the click of a button using the mobile app.
From the admin dashboard, you can view which employees have clocked in, when, and from where. The GPS tracking feature further allows you to see each employee’s location while clocked in to ensure they’re safe and exactly where they need to be. You can also set up a digital geofence around each workplace to define the radius from which team members can clock in and out.
The attendance software also allows you to easily set up and manage your company’s time off policies and automatically handle employee time off requests accordingly – all from one place.
All recorded time is automatically organized on a digital Timesheet. You can easily see and review all logged data, such as total daily work hours, the number of hours worked during a payroll period, overtime, breaks, time off, and any irregularities.
When ready, you can simply export the timesheets directly to your Payroll software or use one of Connecteam’s payroll integrations: Quickbooks and Gusto.
Ideal For:
Connecteam is applicable to all industries; businesses small, medium, and/or large. This app is extremely beneficial to contractors, remote employees, and deskless teams. With its fully flexible and customizable features, this is for business owners looking to manage their existing business and employees, but also looking for an attendance tracking software to help them scale and that will support that sort of rapid growth.
Key Features
- Employee time clock
- GPS location tracking
- Digital timesheets
- Time off management
- Notifications & reminders
- Payroll integration options
Pros
- Intuitive and easy to use
- All-in-one solution
- Great customer support
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Integrations in development
Pricing
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
Free 14-day trial
Free plan available -
Good for: Comparing time estimations with actual time entries.
- web
- android
- ios
- windows
- mac
ClickUp is a cloud-based attendance tracking software that aims to help you manage all of your work in one place.
The attendance software is built to deliver services on three levels: track attendance, report your time, and offer guidance on how to better handle your time. When time is recorded, it can be tracked by day, week, month, or range you’ve created. It allows you to make time estimations to complete a project or task and compare it with real-time entries to give you a sense of how realistic your approaches to completing a project are.
Ideal For:
ClickUp is for organizations small to large, enterprises, or even individual freelancers. However, because this is primarily project-based, this does exclude those who work in the field, who don’t need a monitoring system for online activity, and simply don’t rely on computers to complete work.
Key Features
- Detailed reports
- Flexible viewing of time entries
- Organized with category tags
- Editing available for incorrect time inputs
Pros
- Highlights the areas of bottleneck
- Syncs with over 1,000 applications
Cons
- Takes lots of time to learn the system
- Differentiating interface between mobile and desktop
Pricing
Starts at $9/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes -
Best for: Basic time tracking.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
Timely is an employee attendance tracking software that aims to help companies automate time tracking so that you and your team can focus on the work that matters.
With it, you can track time for your employees and get a record of their daily work hours and performance. You can also track precise time spent on projects for billing purposes.
Timely will refer to your work hours and function as a basic time clock. However, it doesn’t go much further as an attendance tracking software tool.
Idea For:
Timely is great for small to large businesses; remote, in-office, or hybrid. It’s especially good for project-based companies that need to manage time differently and more effectively.
Key Features
- New: suggests smarter/healthier work rates
- Easily tracks progress of specific tasks
- Efficiently tracks status of projects
- User privacy controls
Pros
- Undisrupted work process
- Trustworthy monitoring service
Cons
- Inflexible pricing plan
- Customer reviews: malfunctions a lot with 3rd party apps
Pricing
Starts at $10/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: No -
Good for: Tracking time spent on projects.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
TimeCamp is an attendance tracking software that aims to help users manually or automatically track and measure time spent on their computer, as well as on projects and tasks.
The employee attendance tracking software tracks time while you and your team work and can stay focused on the job. As it clocks time from the background, you’re later given a visual of where time could have been better spent. The attendance management software also auto-fills your timesheets. Work hours on the computer are transformed into invoices to bill clients right away.
Idea For:
TimeCamp is a time and attendance system for those who work in teams or alone. It is for people who look to manage themselves on a computer where they also carry out most of their work. This being said, it’s for SMBs who are looking to pick up their momentum.
Key Features
- Self categorizes online app usage
- Profitability measurement per project
- Budget tracking
- One-click timesheet approvals
Pros
- Focused on team productivity, not just individual
- Completely automated time tracking
Cons
- Upgrades become pricey
- Tricky to back track
Pricing
Starts at $7/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes -
Good for: Tracking work hours across projects.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
Clockify’s employee attendance tracking software aims to help companies keep track of employee productivity, attendance, and billable hours with a simple time tracker and timesheet.
All users need to do to track attendance is log in to the attendance software and start the timer. They can also submit absence requests to their employers.
The attendance tracking software gives you a full overview of all billable and non-billable activities in the system. You can also view tracked time per individual, team, or project. It also shows who’s completed what and at what time.
Idea For:
This is noticeably most convenient for those who work on projects individually and would like to better manage their time without needing a boss to do so. This doesn’t mean that small to large businesses are incapable of finding use for this attendance tracking software; it is for whoever needs a compliant time clock that will log their worked hours.
Key Features
- Time and expenses tracking
- Billing attached to invoicing
- Cost in relation to project completion
- Detailed dashboard
Pros
- Quick set-up time
- Straightforward approach to attendance tracking
Cons
- Time stopper has no limit for moments you forget
- Doesn’t send reminders through notifications
Pricing
Starts at $4.99/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes -
Good for: Viewing a breakdown of each employee work hours.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
Hubstaff’s attendance tracking software aims to help businesses boost productivity by improving team, project, and time management.
The employee attendance tracking software allows you to track work hours manually or automatically. The system then automatically generates timesheets based on these time entries and gives you a breakdown of each employee’s hours by date, client, and project.
The attendance management software also allows you to review and approve employee time off requests and set up paid or unpaid time off policies. In addition, it sends you alerts when team members start late, finish early, or miss their shifts based on your created schedules.
Idea For:
Hubstaff works well for field workers where GPS services would better support management while ensuring the safety of employees or for remote working purposes. This attendance tracking software can help SMBs to large enterprises track time, especially if they would like to do so according to differentiating reasons such as client or project or tasks alone.
Key Features
- Tracks time offline
- Monitoring along with reports
- Automated time and attendance
- Time tracking choices: hour, project, task
Pros
- Geolocation GPS location tracking
- Time reports for better budget estimates
Cons
- Poor customer support
- Lack of 3rd party app integration
Pricing
Starts at $7/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes -
Best for: Blocking online distractions during work hours.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
RescueTime is an attendance tracking software system that aims to empower you with an analysis of how your team spends their time to improve focus, productivity, and healthy work habits.
Overall, RescueTime allows you to automatically track time and block distractions. It works by helping teams understand their time and identify websites and apps that cause distractions throughout the day. It then blocks these during optimal working times to increase focus and optimize your remote team’s work schedules.
Note that this software isn’t suitable for processing payroll or managing time off requests.
Idea For:
RescueTime is suitable for sole freelance workers searching for some extra support or businesses small to large that need an overview of where time is spent during work hours. It, however, is only for companies who use online platforms to complete projects and is not a match for fieldwork.
Key Features
- Focused goals
- Notification center to meet daily schedules
- Blocks sites that adversely affect productivity online
- Full activity shown on dashboard
Pros
- Comprehensive reports on productivity levels
- Keeps you motivated because time is utilized to the maximum
Cons
- Lacks single page views
- Very basic functionality
Pricing
Starts at $9/month per feature
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes -
Good for: Switching between jobs while on the clock.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
Quickbooks Time is an attendance tracking software that aims to help companies simplify their business and save an average of 4% on payroll costs.
With it, employees can clock in and out from jobs, register breaks, change between jobs, and add any timesheet details. The employee attendance tracking software has GPS time stamp capabilities and allows you to set up geofence boundaries to send employees automatic reminders to clock in and out.
It also includes an alert system that notifies and reminds employees to submit their clocked hours as a payroll solution.
Idea For:
Quickbooks Time works well for SMBs. With its extra layer of protection through GPS capabilities, it provides greater flexibility for those who work remotely and are often off the map.
Key Features
- “Who’s working” feature to see employees clocked in
- Reports for project development
- Individual and time scheduling
- Timesheet Management
Pros
- Attendance kept on track with reminders
- Managers can approve shifts
Cons
- Extremely unhelpful customer support
- Customer review: often functionality errors
Pricing
Starts at $20/month + $6 per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: No -
Good for: Avoiding buddy punching with facial recognition.
- web
- ios
- android
- windows
- mac
Jibble’s attendance management software aims to set a new time-tracking standard.
With it, your employees can track attendance from their mobile phones or an online kiosk. You can ensure they are in the right place at the right time with GPS tracking capabilities. The employee attendance tracking software also helps avoid buddy punching and time theft by having your employees take a selfie to identify themselves when clocking in and out.
The software also allows you to manage time off requests and link leave to work schedules.
Idea For:
For industries across the board, this is for both office and remote workers. Industries that are most popular with this application are those in manufacturing, restaurant business, etc.
Key Features
- Speedy facial recognition for time clocking
- Office kiosk possibilities
- GPS for attendance check and location
- Works online and offline
Pros
- Completely erases buddy punching with AI set-up
- Projects and activities recorded in real-time
Cons
- Limited flexibility
- Payment is not associated with time
Pricing
Starts at $2.50/month per user
Free trial available: Yes
Free plan: Yes
Compare the Best Attendance Tracking Softwares
What is an Attendance Tracking Software?
Attendance tracking software is a digital tool that allows business owners and managers to record employee work hours and the time they take off and document this information in an accurate attendance record. The tool can also include GPS services which allow you to ensure that your employees are exactly where they need to be while clocked in. As attendance tracking software is an automated tool, it removes human error from employee time tracking, recorded timesheets, and payroll processes.
How Does Attendance Tracking Software Work?
While each attendance management software solution works differently and offers varying sets of features, they generally allow users to clock in and out of work and admins to track attendance accordingly. You will have the ability to customize your settings to fit your needs and relevant policies. This will enable the attendance software to flag any irregularities, such as overtime.
Overall, once an employee arrives at their work destination, they can simply clock in using the attendance software and clock out when finished. Some employee attendance tracking software include GPS tracking capabilities. This allows you to track the location from which your employees clock in and out, or record their whereabouts while on the job.
Attendance software usually also includes a dashboard where you can see an overview of employee attendance, keep track of data in the system, and generate reports. All information is recorded on a timesheet that can be exported straight to your payroll program of choice.
What Are The Benefits of Attendance Tracking Software?
The main benefits of using attendance management software include that it helps:
- Achieve greater accuracy by minimizing or eliminating human-made errors with an automated and precise attendance tracking process.
- Boost efficiency by streamlining your attendance tracking process and reducing time spent preparing employee timesheets. This also frees up your team to focus on other important tasks.
- Enhance compliance by enabling you to make proper hour calculations, store records of your employees’ timesheets, and ensure that relevant policies – such as overtime – are consistently applied and enforced.
- Boosted employee morale by guaranteeing your employees accurate attendance tracking and, therefore, fair and error-free paychecks.
- Save money by eliminating costly time-tracking errors, buddy punching, and time theft.
How Much Does Attendance Tracking Software Cost?
The pricing of attendance software largely differs per provider and often depends on the number of users and the feature package. It often ranges from $2-$10 per user per month. Particularly those that charge per user can get rather expensive if you’re working with a large team.
Note that high pricing does not necessarily equal a better user experience. Our number one pick, Connecteam, offers premium plans at a flat monthly rate of $29 for the first 30 employees.
FAQs
Does attendance tracking software invade employee privacy?
Attendance tracking software is a modern approach to employee surveillance, and because of that, it naturally brings about some skepticism. Is this going to overstep boundaries when it comes to privacy? Is this going to cause more problems than solve them?
There are many myths that come along for the ride, such as “employee monitoring is illegal.” I’m here to tell you that it’s not, however you do want to be sure that the software you choose is also mindful of what is and isn’t allowed specifically within monitoring.
For example, Connecteam follows these rules, is fully transparent about it all, and focuses on employee timekeeping best practices. The breadcrumbs feature shows just general pinpoints while the user is clocked in. This means that beyond the fact your employees are not tracked while off work hours, it also shows that with randomized pinpoint tracking, it’s just serving a purpose to show productivity instead of marketing themselves as a fully controlled monitor tool.
All of these surveillance tactics are highly beneficial to employees as well. If you are still hesitant, don’t hesitate to reach out to the customer support of your chosen attendance tracking software and ask further questions if interested.
Is there attendance tracking software that is free to download?
I’ve got good news, a free online attendance tracking software version does exist. In fact, sometimes this is a great way to first test the waters as to how it will grow into your company.
You have many options to choose from, and because of that, we recommend you go for one that provides a free trial period with not only full feature mobility but also one that includes a free-for-life version. Connecteam provides a fully comprehensive version of the attendance tracking software for a 14-day trial, with everything you need to the last detail, such as overtime calculations.
The Bottom Line On Attendance Tracking Software
I hope that at this point, you’ve come to realize that whatever sparked your search for a time attendance tracking software was actually a gift in disguise. The endless possibilities that come from attendance tracking software are beyond helpful to those desperately in need or just trying to keep up with the modern ways of business. Whether you’ve only started to notice money loss or you’re knee-deep into it and completely fed up, now there is a clear-cut solution with attendance tracking software.
With 9 different attendance tracking software suggestions to choose from, you can rest assured that at least one of them will mold well to your business
Amongst the many, we have found the Connecteam app to come in first not only because it hits so many of the popular pressure points, but also because it is designed in a way that leaves no stone unturned. With attention paid to both you, the business owner, and the employees just as well, you can be sure that this is an application worth investing in.
From the notification reminders, to open communication with deskless workers about time-off and overtime requests, the automated time clocking that erases time theft, the geolocation, and breadcrumbs tools that erases any buddy punching; this is all something of high value.
