Have you ever ever questioned what number of billable hours slip by unnoticed, affecting your organization’s backside line? Or how a lot time every worker spends on specific initiatives — and the way this impacts total productiveness?
That’s the place time monitoring software program is available in. It will possibly allow you to:
- Precisely monitor hours for invoicing purchasers
- Robotically calculate hours labored for simpler payroll administration
- Meet compliance necessities with labor legal guidelines
- Keep a balanced workload throughout groups and initiatives
However how do you establish the fitting time monitoring instrument for the job?
On this article, we’ll discover the important thing options, execs and cons, pricing, and consumer scores for the perfect time monitoring instruments so that you’ll know what to search for earlier than you make investments.
All consumer suggestions referenced within the article has been sourced from unbiased software program assessment platforms, like G2 and Capterra, in June 2023.
What to search for in time monitoring software program
When searching for the perfect time monitoring software program, you must take into account components like:
- Versatility: Should you’re new to utilizing automated time monitoring options, it’s greatest to start out with an all-in-one platform that has key options for messaging, hiring, and HR and compliance. It will allow you to simplify processes, enhance effectivity, and scale back the danger of errors that may happen when transferring knowledge between totally different programs.
- Ease of use: Everybody in your crew ought to have the ability to get the cling of latest instruments rapidly. It ought to play good with the opposite software program your crew makes use of, like your challenge administration apps or calendars.
- Integrations: Software program that integrates with different fashionable apps helps you save time manually inputting knowledge from one system to a different. It ought to join with instruments you employ day by day, like electronic mail programs, challenge administration instruments, or your billing and payroll software program.
- Actual-time monitoring: Search for a instrument that allows you to see what’s being labored on in actual time. This fashion, you’ll be able to spot potential issues early, hold initiatives on monitor, and ensure your crew is specializing in the fitting duties.
- Scalability: As what you are promoting expands, your instrument ought to have the ability to deal with extra customers, extra initiatives, and extra knowledge and not using a hiccup, saving you the difficulty of switching programs down the street.
The 8 greatest time monitoring software program options
What you are promoting wants are distinctive so we’ve fastidiously curated an inventory of the highest 8 options primarily based on the perfect use case for every platform:
- Homebase: Greatest for complete time monitoring and past
- Connecteam: Greatest for giant retail firms
- Deputy: Greatest for distinctive compliance options
- Wrike: Greatest for challenge administration
- Toggl: Greatest for time monitoring and administration
- ClickUp: Greatest for agile administration
- Monday.com: Greatest for custom-made workflows
- BigTime: Greatest for process monitoring
1. Homebase: Greatest for complete time monitoring and past
At its core, Homebase is an worker scheduling and time monitoring instrument that lets workers clock out and in of their shifts throughout units — smartphones, tablets, or desktops. This knowledge is routinely transformed into timesheets, simplifying the duty of monitoring hours labored, breaks taken, and time beyond regulation due.
Homebase additionally helps with hiring and onboarding. You possibly can submit job listings instantly from the platform, which quickens the hiring course of. And as soon as a brand new rent is onboarded, you’ll be able to ship them welcome kits by Homebase, making certain a constant onboarding expertise for all employees.
Homebase is good for companies that have to handle workers throughout a number of roles or wage charges throughout sectors like retail, healthcare, and hospitality.
Prime options
- Simple worker scheduling that auto-populates timetables and ensures correct protection for purchasers always whereas accommodating workers’ wants similar to requested holidays
- Self-scheduling instruments for workers to say open shifts, prepare trades and covers, and request day off
- Time monitoring with GPS and geofencing options for exact monitoring of hours labored, together with breaks and time beyond regulation. This fashion, you’ll be able to handle distant groups higher.
- Group communication app that sends auto alerts for late arrivals, no-shows, and missed breaks
- Payroll administration perform that calculates taxes and paychecks, sends direct deposits to your crew, and routinely pays and recordsdata your payroll taxes
- Labor legislation compliance instruments with built-in break guidelines, time beyond regulation warnings, and data storage of all actions making you audit-ready
- A cellular app that helps handle on a regular basis duties from wherever
- Report technology for labor prices, worker efficiency, and gross sales forecasts
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free account that features primary scheduling and time monitoring instruments for as much as 20 workers | No efficiency administration instruments |
| Fast and straightforward arrange | |
| Simple shift-swapping for managers and workers | |
| Reasonably priced with its per-location pricing | |
| Simple to make use of with no studying curve | |
| Built-in payroll system syncs knowledge avoiding guide entries | |
| Designed for small to medium-sized companies using hourly employees |
Pricing
Homebase gives quite a lot of providers at totally different value factors, and clients save 20% on all pricing after they go for annual billing.
- Fundamental or Free plan for one location and as much as 20 workers with primary scheduling and time monitoring, worker administration instruments like Messaging, point-of-sale integrations, and entry to electronic mail assist.
- Necessities plan beginning at $24.95 per 30 days per location contains all the pieces in Fundamental plus payroll integrations, crew communication, efficiency monitoring, superior time monitoring and scheduling, and entry to reside assist.
- Plus plan beginning at $59.95 per 30 days per location contains all the pieces in Necessities, plus hiring instruments, retention and efficiency monitoring, day off controls, and departments and permissions.
- All-in-one plan beginning at $99.95 per 30 days per location contains all the pieces in Plus, with HR and compliance, new rent onboarding, labor value controls, and enterprise insights
Person scores
2. Connecteam: Greatest for giant retail firms
Connecteam helps managers and workers keep in contact, hold monitor of working hours, set up work schedules, fill out kinds, and handle duties. It’s best for companies the place workers don’t all work in the identical place or on the similar time, like distant groups or shift staff.
Prime options
- Worker scheduling helps program shifts and arrange recurring shifts and time beyond regulation
- Activity administration helps delegate recurring duties to workers with real-time updates on process completion
- Staff full reviews, kinds, checklists, and requests instantly
- Time clock with GPS lets workers clock out and in from wherever
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Person-friendly platform with customization choices | Utilizing a brand new function requires upgrading to pricing plan |
| Single dashboard to handle your crew the place all of your worker data is displayed | Doesn’t assist assigning totally different roles and pay charges to the identical worker |
| Automated end-of-shift reviews give an summary of workers’ work |
Pricing
Connecteam’s pricing varies primarily based on the options you want ranging between $35 to $119.
Person scores
3. Deputy: Greatest for distinctive compliance options
Deputy is a employees scheduling and time monitoring app that helps managers and supervisors to create and modify schedules for his or her groups, set and monitor duties, and monitor time and attendance. Staff can use the instrument to clock out and in, view their schedules, request day off, and talk with their friends and managers.
Its Energetic Attestation function prompts managers when workers have requested to work time beyond regulation, depart early, or miss a break, making certain what you are promoting is compliant with labor legal guidelines.
Prime options
- Time and attendance administration for monitoring worker hours and attendance, making certain correct payroll and compliance with labor legal guidelines
- Absence administration for monitoring sick depart or trip time
- Centralized place to retailer and entry all worker data
- Workers doc administration for storage and administration of contracts and efficiency critiques
- Reporting and analytics present insights into enterprise operations
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Person pleasant with no studying curve | Staff can not e-book last-minute unavailability if the schedule has been written however not but printed |
| Staff can clock in and clock out on Apple Watch | Doesn’t assist iOS with all functionalities |
| Actual-time visibility of worker attendance sample | Restricted customizations for creating workflows |
Pricing
Deputy gives a 31-day free trial for all of the plans primarily based on the functionalities you want. Scheduling and Time & Attendance plans are priced at $3.50 per consumer per 30 days and the Premium plan that features reporting options begins at $4.90 per consumer per 30 days. However in case you have a crew of 250+ workers or want custom-made workflows, then you’ll be able to request a quote.
Person scores
4. Wrike: Greatest for challenge administration
Wrike is a challenge administration and collaboration instrument that helps groups of any measurement higher set up their work in a centralized place and monitor their progress. Wrike is thought for its flexibility, as it may be custom-made to suit particular workflows and enterprise wants.
Prime options
- Activity administration helps create, assign, schedule, and monitor duties inside a challenge
- Collaborative enhancing options let your crew brainstorm in real-time
- Gantt charts present a visible timeline for initiatives
- Customizable reviews present insights into challenge progress and productiveness
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Auto scheduling and time monitoring scale back reliance on electronic mail and spreadsheets | Restricted customization options in reviews |
| Integration with calendars, doc administration instruments, and cloud storage providers brings all knowledge in a single place | The in-app timer is just out there within the larger priced plans |
| Simple arrange for recurring and deadline-oriented duties | New customers can discover the interface difficult |
Pricing
Wrike gives a free plan for primary centralized process administration options. However in case you have a crew of 2-25 customers, you’ll be able to go for the Group plan at $9.80 per consumer per 30 days or the Marketing strategy at $24.80 for as much as 200 customers. You possibly can request a quote for any custom-made options for what you are promoting.
Person scores
5. Toggl: Greatest for time monitoring and administration
Toggl is an intuitive time monitoring software program that gives correct time reviews with easy-to-use filtering, sorting, and exporting choices for knowledge by consumer, process, or challenge.
Prime options
- Undertaking administration resolution with drag-and-drop scheduling, challenge estimates and historic billable charges
- Group administration options like consumer teams, crew member audits, and automatic electronic mail crew reminders
- Reporting dashboards present insights into challenge, crew, and date-specific time entries
- Integrates with fashionable apps like Asana, Evernote, and Google Calendar
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free model is greatest suited to freelancers and people | The Pomodoro Timer perform varies from browser extension to cellular app to desktop software program |
| Desktop timer synchronizes with its cellular app, permitting for on-the-go corrections | Doesn’t combine with invoicing instruments |
| Simplified reviews of how individuals have spent their time and on totally different initiatives |
Pricing
Toggl is free for as much as 5 customers. However if you need superior options like pre-populated challenge templates, time monitoring audits, and challenge forecast analytics, you’ll be able to go for the Starter plan at $10 per consumer per 30 days or the Premium plan at $20 per consumer per 30 days. You may as well request a customized quote.
Person scores
6. ClickUp: Greatest for agile administration
ClickUp is a challenge administration instrument designed to assist groups set up and handle their work. Its dash workflows and dashboard make it best for groups that observe agile challenge administration methodologies. ClickUp permits for a excessive degree of customization in its views and workflows, with no need code or add-ons. This implies it will possibly adapt to a variety of crew wants and workflows.
Prime options
- Product administration options permit groups to collaborate on sprints, roadmaps and backlogs
- The power to automate dash workflows and streamline bug and difficulty monitoring
- 15+ customizable views like record, board, field, calendar, Gantt, workload, desk, map, and whiteboard views
- Customization with out code or add-ons lets groups tailor relations between duties, paperwork, and extra
- Dashboard permits for the addition of visible widgets for duties, time monitoring, and sprints
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Customizable automations and templates can be utilized for numerous use circumstances | Automations often fail throughout vital durations |
| Workflow charts and todo lists simply combine into current gross sales funnels | The cellular app has restricted performance as in comparison with the desktop model |
| The instrument is intuitive and straightforward to get began with | Lags within the software program imply new duties or folders might not be mirrored instantly |
Pricing
Click on Up’s free model is good for private use whereas the Limitless plan is good for small companies at $5 per consumer per 30 days. However in case you have a mid-sized crew, you’ll be able to go for the Marketing strategy at $12 per consumer per 30 days or the Enterprise Plus plan at $19 per consumer per 30 days.
Person scores
7. Monday.com: Greatest for custom-made workflows
Monday.com is a versatile code-free platform that enables groups to run initiatives, and workflows, and monitor day by day work. The intuitive constructing blocks (like columns, views, automation, and integrations) assist create a board-based construction that provides a transparent view of progress and duties.
Prime options
- Customized dashboards give an summary of initiatives to trace progress, timelines, and budgets
- Code-free automation for duties like standing updates, electronic mail notifications, due date alerts, process assignments, and progress updates
- File administration gives a centralized collaborative house with standing updates, good notifications, and model management
- Integrations with fashionable enterprise instruments like MS Groups, Dropbox, and Slack
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive and straightforward to make use of | Restricted options imply investing in extra apps alongside Monday.com |
| Excessive-priority process alerts assist prioritize deadlines and workload | Restricted flexibility within the cellular app as in comparison with desktop |
| Simple navigation with digital interface | Studying curve for workers who aren’t tech-savvy |
| Flexibility in creating and customizing workflow with customized boards, columns, and automation guidelines |
Pricing
Whereas Monday.com gives a free plan, it’s restricted to 2 seats. In order for you superior options like Gantt views, integrations, and customized dashboards then you’ll be able to go for the paid plans ranging between $8 to $16 per seat per 30 days or request a customized quote.
Person scores
8. BigTime: Greatest for process monitoring
BigTime is an built-in time monitoring, billing, and process administration software program. In different phrases, the platform hyperlinks timesheets, budgets, duties, and bills to watch the real-time standing of a challenge. BigTime was developed by an expert service firm to fulfill its personal necessities and challenges like managing workers, work, time, bills, purchasers, and challenge billing.
Prime options
- Timesheets with custom-made day by day or weekly views, automated notifications for assessment and workflow approvals
- Finances and process administration instrument helps arrange duties per challenge with hourly charges, charges, and expense budgets
- Versatile billing charges and customizable bill templates
- Permissions-based viewing and exporting instruments
- Native cellular apps for iOS and Android with offline performance and auto-sync when a connection is accessible
- Integrations with fashionable instruments like Salesforce, QuickBooks, Slack, and Google Apps SSO
Execs and cons
| Execs | Cons |
|---|---|
| Actual-time monitoring and evaluation of present initiatives | Advanced functionalities have a studying curve |
| Undertaking and finances forecasting | No billing-related project-specific dashboards |
| Simple integration with Quickbooks On-line |
Pricing
BigTime gives 4 pricing plans:
- Necessities — $20 per consumer per 30 days with primary options like time administration, approvals, and expense administration
- Superior — $35 per consumer per 30 days together with challenge templates and multi-currency administration
- Premier — $45 per consumer per 30 days together with multi degree approvals and challenge budgeting
- Projector — Begins at $60 per consumer per 30 days together with multi-entity and complicated challenge accounting
Person scores
So, which era monitoring software program do you have to select?
Selecting the best time monitoring software program for what you are promoting is all about discovering the fitting steadiness between your distinctive wants and the instrument’s performance. For instance, if you happen to’re a big retail enterprise then Connecteam is an efficient selection.
And if you wish to customise workflows for every challenge then you’ll be able to go for Monday.com. However if you need a platform that may do all of it, Homebase is your go-to.
With Homebase, you don’t need to juggle between totally different instruments. You possibly can run time monitoring, scheduling, payroll, hiring, and communication in a single, user-friendly interface. Plus, it’s free for as much as 20 workers and takes just a few minutes to arrange an account.
Whether or not you’re a small enterprise proprietor juggling a number of roles or a supervisor in a rising firm, Homebase empowers you to focus extra on development and innovation, and fewer on administrative duties.
