According to a Quickbooks survey, one in four employees receive their paycheck with errors.
This information is quite alarming. After all, a Kronos study found that 49% of workers will start looking for new jobs after experiencing just two payroll errors.
Indeed, it is a company’s responsibility that employees get paid accurately and on time.
Of course, processing payroll can be a meticulous job, especially since it involves tracking time, calculating overtime hours, and converting minutes to hours.
However, streamlining the payroll process can be easier when you use an automated clock for work. With the right time tracker, you can increase productivity, save money, and even make sure you comply with labor laws.
Here are the top 10 time clocks for work that can ensure accurate timesheets and convenient payroll processing.
Traqq – Best for Ensuring Accountability without Harming Privacy
If you’re after ethical employee monitoring, then you should choose Traqq as your time clock for work. It ensures accountability by taking random screenshots. At the same time, this time tracking app protects user privacy by blurring the screenshots and hiding sensitive information.
Another great thing about Traqq is it simplifies timekeeping. Because the app is intuitive and lightweight, it only takes a few minutes to set it up and get it running. Once you click Start, the tool will begin recording billable time automatically.
You can go to the dashboard to generate daily, weekly, and monthly timesheets. What’s more, you can export the data as a CSV or a PDF file for easier invoice processing.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
Pros:
- Smart alerts and notifications
- Random screenshots and 10-second video recordings
- App and URL monitoring
- Exportable timesheet reports
Cons:
- No third-party app integration
Pricing:
- Premium Starter – $0 for up to three seats (comes with all Premium features)
- Premium Teams – $6 per seat, per month
- Enterprise – contact the sales team to get a customized plan for teams of over 100 people
What Users Have to Say:
With Traqq, I generate various credible reports that I provide to my clients and I have not had one problem since.”
For honest hardworking employees, it is a win-win scenario.”
2. Toggl Track – Best for Time Blocking
Teams and freelancers can use Toggl Track when they need a time clock for work. This app can help them track their billable time and achieve their productivity goals. It even comes with a time blocking feature to allow users to manage their tasks efficiently.
What’s notable about this tool is its built-in Pomodoro timer. It allows users to focus on their tasks and take regular breaks to ensure work-life balance. Toggl even comes with alerts and notifications that will remind you to stop or start the timer. This way, both the employer and the employee can ensure that no minute will be wasted.
Toggl is also easy to use. All you need to do is click Start and the clock app will get going. Even if you switch between devices, the tool will sync the time across them.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Project management features
- Daily, weekly, and monthly time tracking reports
- Extensive features on the free version
Cons:
- No invoicing and scheduling features
- Expensive pricing plans
Pricing:
- Free – $0 for up to five users
- Starter – $9 per user, per month
- Premium – $18 per user, per month
- Enterprise – custom pricing available upon request
What Users Have to Say:
3. Timely – Best for Ease of Use
Timely is one of the few time clock apps that uses AI for recording time, monitoring projects, and managing teams. The app learns how a person uses their device over time. Eventually, it will automatically create time entries, minimizing your interaction with the app.
Because you don’t have to manually create time entries, you can keep focused on your work. Now, at the end of the week or month, you can also generate visually appealing reports. You’ll have enough data to compare productivity against resource consumption.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Project management features
- Daily, weekly, and monthly time tracking reports
- Extensive features on the free version
Cons:
- No invoicing and scheduling features
- Expensive pricing plans
Pricing:
- Free – $0 for up to five users
- Starter – $9 per user, per month
- Premium – $18 per user, per month
- Enterprise – custom pricing available upon request
What Users Have to Say:
4. Harvest – Best for Invoicing and Expense Tracking
If you need a clock for work that doubles as a tool for tracking expenses and creating invoices, consider using Harvest. This tool can handle collaborative workload, but it’s so user-friendly that any freelancer will love it.
What’s great about Harvest is it supports several operating systems. So, an employee can use it even when they’re switching between their computer and mobile devices. Besides, it continues tracking time even when you’re not connected to the Internet.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Sleek user interface
- Support for most popular operating systems
- Daily, weekly, and monthly activity scheduling
Cons:
- Disappointing customer support
- No Pomodoro timer
- No distraction-blocking features
Pricing:
- Starter – $8 per user, per month
- Premium – $14 per user, per month
- Unlimited – $20 per user, per month
- Unlimited+ – custom pricing available upon request
What Users Have to Say:
5. RescueTime – Best for Blocking Distractions
Many people opt for RescueTime for its Focus Session feature. You can configure the settings and determine which activities qualify as productive and non-productive. The tool will block access to apps or websites accordingly while you’re on a Focus Session.
Through the app, you can manage and monitor your daily progress, reports, and goals. RescueTime will even notify you if you’re overly multitasking or you’re getting distracted.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Integration with various third-party apps
- Simple and flexible work clock features
- Convenient payment processing
Cons:
- No sales tax integration
- No option for batch assigning
- Limited billing increment options
Pricing:
- Free – 1 user (with access to 2 projects)
- Pro – $12 per user, per month
What Users Have to Say:
6. Workpuls – Best for Progress Monitoring
Managers can also benefit from using a time clock for work that can monitor employee progress. Workpuls comes with features that collect and analyze productivity data. This way, you can identify top performers and those who are lagging behind.
What’s more, Workpuls can forecast budgets based on how you use your resources. The tool also gives you a good estimate of a project’s cost by automatically assigning activities to it. As a result, you can accurately and conveniently bill your clients.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Desktop and mobile app syncing
- Self-gamification for boosting productivity
- Website blocking
Cons:
- Complex user interface
- Expensive pricing plans
Pricing:
- Lite – Free for one user
- Team plan – $6 per user, per month
- Premium plan – $9 per month (billed annually)
What Users Have to Say:
The one con that I will mention is having to specifically allow RescueTime to track what is being done in certain websites/applications.”
7. Time Doctor – Best for Activity Monitoring
Time Doctor is another clock for work that combines project management, employee monitoring, and time tracking. It records the websites that employees visit and the apps they use. This way, managers will know if anyone is genuinely productive or are just slacking off.
Aside from functioning as a virtual buddy clock, Time Doctor also works as a payroll tool. Managers can pay their employees directly from the platform via Payoneer, PayPal, or TransferWise.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Manual time adjustment
- Stringent data and privacy protection policies
- User-friendly interface
- API integration
- Responsive customer support
Cons:
- An excess of features that make the app difficult to use
- Buggy activity tracking feature
Pricing:
- Basic – $7 per user, per month
- Standard – $10 per user, per month
- Premium – $20 per user, per month
What Users Have to Say:
8. Clockify – Best for Project Monitoring
If you want to know how much time you spend on projects, consider using Clockify as your work clock app. Its built-in stopwatch allocates blocks of time for projects. This way, you’ll have enough time tracking data to determine if certain tasks and activities are profitable.
Clockify also organizes the captured productivity data into neat online timesheets. So, managers will have insights into what’s taking up too much time, allowing them to manage resources more efficiently.
Platforms:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Chromebook
- iOS
- Android
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Several pricing schemes
- Cloud-based app that allows access from anywhere
- GPS tracking capabilities
Cons:
- No attendance management feature
- No scheduling options
Pricing:
- Free plan – $0 for unlimited users
- Basic plan – $4.99 per user, per month
- Standard plan – $6.99 per user, per month
- Pro plan – $9.99 per user, per month
- Enterprise plan – $14.99 per user, per month
What Users Have to Say:
9. ATracker – Best for Personalized Design
ATracker is a time clock for work that allows users to categorize the hours they worked. They can personalize the color codes and tags, making it easier to identify where time goes. What’s more, they can customize the Android or iOS app to match their activities.
ATracker offers over 800 icons that can visually represent every task you do. Even if you conduct dozens of personal and work-related activities a day, this tool will simplify task management for you. The app makes it incredibly easy to organize and track time.
Platforms:
- Android
- iOS
- Web browsers
Pros:
- Over 800 icons for personalizing various activities
- Activity grouping for easier categorization and identification
- Alerts for reminding users to track time for particular tasks
- Activity reports via detailed pie and bar charts
Cons:
- Complex options that can be overwhelming for some
Pricing:
- Free – $0 for unlimited users
- ATracker Pro – $4.99 (one-time fee)
- Premium – $2.99 per month
What Users Have to Say:
10. Qbserve – Best for Tracking Productive Time
Qbserve may not be among the most popular time clock apps, but it brings something great to the table. This tool is beneficial for procrastinators who want to understand how they spend time. Qbserve only records time when it detects a particular set of keywords in an app’s name, URL, or document. Before you use the tool, you can define the keywords.
Let’s say you add “photoshop” to the list, Qbserve will automatically track time once you use an app or visit a website with this keyword. What if you need to learn some editing techniques on YouTube? The time you spend watching tutorials will still be counted as long as the video contains the keyword photoshop”.
Platforms:
- macOS
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Detailed weekly productivity reports
- Automatic task tracking
Cons:
- No option for logging idle time
Pricing:
- One-time fee – $29
What Users Have to Say:
| Time Tracker | *Overall Rating | Free Users | Upgrade Cost |
| Traqq | 5 | 3 (with access to all Premium featutes) | $6 per user, per month |
| Toggl Track | 4.7 | 5 | $9 per user, per month |
| Timely | 4.7 | None | $8 per user, per month |
| Harvest | 4.5 | 1 | $12 per user per month |
| RescueTime | 4.6 | 1 | $6 per user, per month |
| Workpuls | 4.8 | None | $6.40 per user, per month |
| Time Doctor | 4.5 | None | $7 per user, per month |
| Clockify | 4.7 | Unlimited | $4.99 per user per month |
| Atracker | 5 | Unlimited | $2.99 per month |
| Qbserve | 4.9 | None | $29 |
Why You Need a Clock for Work
According to Dr. Donald Wetmore, founder of The Productivity Institute, the average employee gets disrupted 50 to 60 times a day. So, if you want to maximize your time, you need to understand how you spend it. One of the best ways to achieve this is by using time clock apps.
Here are some of the benefits of using a time clock for work:
- Save time and money – By eliminating manual timesheets, employees can focus on doing their tasks. What’s more, automated time tracking helps prevent human errors and fraud.
- Improve accountability – Because workers know that their activities are being monitored, they become more responsible with how they spend time at work.
- Identify attendance issues – With data right at your fingertips, you can easily spot people who are habitually tardy or absent. After all the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that at a given day, about 3% of employees are absent. With a clock for work that provides comprehensive attendance reports, you can easily identify and resolve workforce issues.
- Determine profitability – Most of the time clock apps we featured in this article monitor the websites and apps that an employee uses. With that data, you will be able to determine what’s wasting their time at work. You will also know if the labor costs are reasonable enough compared to your profit.
Generate accurate payroll – According to the American Payroll Association, errors from paper-based timesheets costs businesses up to 7% of their payroll expenses. By using an automated clock for work, you can ensure that the data collected will be accurate. So, invoices and timesheets will be precise and error-free.
