The 9 Best Construction Time Clock Apps for 2024
We’ve reviewed the top 9 construction time clock apps in 2024, so you can find the best app for your construction or field services business.
Successful construction companies depend on accurate time clock systems for their employees and contract workers – and when every minute matters, you’ll want a construction time clock app with to-the-minute accuracy.
But time tracking precision is just one of several essential features many construction companies need in their time clock apps. In this article, we’ll share in-depth reviews of the X best construction time clock apps in 2024, based on user reviews, real-world project demands, available features (and their resulting benefits to your company), and more. If you need a better way to…
- Ensure highly accurate timesheets for every worker
- Control project costs from every angle
- Manage the schedules of anywhere between 10 and 10,000+ workers
- Ensure compliance with federal and state labor laws
- Integrations with other mission-critical business apps
- And perhaps most importantly…
- Give everyone on your team an app they can use with ease
… then this is the article you need to make an informed decision!
Just below, you’ll find quick links to each app we’ve reviewed, followed by a handy filtering mechanism you can use to highlight only the apps with features that really matter to your business and the industry (or industries) for which these apps are best suited.
Top Picks
Below, you’ll find a summary of each app we’ve reviewed, with our scores, each app’s ideal use cases, its pricing, the availability of any free trials or free tiers, and the platforms on which the app is available. Each app has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for users like you, with pros and cons, key features, integrations, and real user reviews.
Let’s take a look…
9.1 
14-day free trial (no card needed)
8.3
30 days, no card needed
7.6
14 days, no card needed
7.1
14 days
6.5 
Not available.
7.6
Ulimited free tier with basic time tracking
8.3
14 days
7.5
For 14 days
7.8
“Free Forever” tier with limited features
EDITOR’S NOTE: We created Workyard – the first app reviewed here – to address issues we encountered while struggling to track and manage construction payrolls for over 700 workers in over 50 construction businesses. We built the Workyard app from the ground up to support construction companies like yours, with industry-essential features like the industry’s most accurate time clock app with GPS and geofencing, intuitive contractor scheduling, construction cost tracking tools, and more.
Learn more about how Workyard works on our main website, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today to see what Workyard can do for your business.
Workyard
Scoring
Key Features
-
Precise GPS tracking and geofencing
-
Rule-based and easily reviewed timecards
-
Simplified worker scheduling for complex projects
-
Automated workforce compliance
-
Detailed job and project tracking and real-time job costing
-
Integrations with essential construction business apps
One of the most precise GPS time clock apps available.
Great for businesses with highly mobile workforces.
Streamlined scheduling eliminates double-booking issues.
No native integrations for CRM systems like Salesforce
Privacy-centered workers may not like its location-tracking app
May require employee training and onboarding for team comfort
Highlights
Workyard is a newer construction time clock app to the market, which means it’s been built from the ground up to support many common construction workforce management needs with efficiency, accuracy, and ease.
One of Workyard’s most essential features is its time clock app with GPS. This function uses a combination of real-time GPS tracking through your workers’ phones and pinpoint-accurate geofencing rules you and your team can set up in the Project Hub section of your Workyard management dashboard.
Workyard’s combination of GPS and geofencing makes clock-ins and clock-outs automatic, saving time for your team and ensuring accurate hours for every worker – especially when you manage a workforce that regularly travels from location to location to handle your business’ projects.
This overview merely scratches the surface of what Workyard can do for your workforce management efforts. Let’s dig deeper into Workyard’s essential functionality and explore how each key aspect of the Workyard construction time clock app can make your job easier and your company more profitable…
Precise GPS Tracking and Geofencing
Inaccurate time clocks and employee self-reports can quickly add up, costing construction businesses thousands of dollars in payroll waste per worker.
Workyard’s core feature, which combines live mobile phone-based GPS tracking for each worker with highly customizable geofencing rules, ensures you’ll only pay for time actually worked – no matter where the work takes place.
With intuitive map-based team views, you can always see where everyone in your workforce is while on the job. If someone’s in the wrong place, it’s a simple thing to ping them through their Workyard mobile app with corrections or updated guidance.
This precision also makes tracking worker movements from site to site or worksites to other key locations like construction supply stores or your company’s equipment and storage depots easy. Workyard’s GPS tracking system automatically records distances driven while on the job to simplify mileage reimbursement and other project costing considerations.
Admins, supervisors, and other managerial personnel also have an extensive range of options to set for time clock rules. These options provide flexibility in managing worker time tracking or maintaining timesheet records and also further simplify the end-user experience. For example, you can limit clock-in and clock-out times to certain time ranges or durations each day, or allow the app to automatically clock-in workers when they enter a geofence boundary for a particular job.
This auto-clock-in feature can help admins dealing with resistant workers, who may overestimate (sometimes drastically) the battery load or frequency of tracking, leading them to believe the Workyard app drains far more battery life than it really does.
Auto-clock-in is also a great way to ensure accurate timecards for your more forgetful workers, who might not always pull out their phones at the right times when starting or ending jobs.
Easily Reviewed and Editable Timecards
Of course, time tracking by itself wouldn’t be especially helpful if the app you use doesn’t simplify recordkeeping and reporting as well. That’s why Workyard’s time card system records clock-ins and clock-outs, real-time worker movements with timestamps, and any potential time clock inaccuracies.
Your project managers can use the Workyard dashboard to quickly review a single time card or manually modify an entire team’s time card entries. When those time cards are approved for payroll, it’s a cinch (and an easy sync) to process worker wages and validate project costs.
Flexible Worker Scheduling for All Sorts of Projects
Got a big team on a demanding project with tight timelines? Need to coordinate a scattered field workforce across numerous one-off jobs? Are your clients regularly requesting urgent last-minute work that sends you scrambling to verify worker availabilities?
Workyard’s contractor scheduling software replaces manual processes and cumbersome systems better suited for other industries with an intuitive visual calendar scheduling dashboard. You can switch between calendar and task-based views to fit your operating style best.
You can also create color-coded custom labels to further segment your schedule entries by job type, urgency, or any other categorization scheme your construction business might need.
Schedule entries can be assigned to any worker (or multiple workers) on any timeframe from start to finish, tracked by completion status, connected to geofence rules, and even set to repeat on a regular basis. Once you’ve set up a task in Workyard’s scheduling system, it’ll be instantly available on the mobile apps of any workers assigned to it.
You can also create to-do checklists for each scheduled task to keep assigned workers on track, and assigned workers can easily add images and other notes to their tasks to keep the home office informed of their progress – and to ensure there’s a solid record of work done in the unlikely event a client complains.
Built-In Workforce Compliance
Construction businesses in California have different compliance considerations than similar businesses in Arizona or Texas. The laws governing your relationships with your workforce can even vary between cities and counties within easy driving distance of each other.
Navigating this maze of laws and regulations by hand can be a headache at the best of times… but you don’t have to navigate it by yourself.
Workyard’s built-in labor compliance tools keep your company on the right side of the law – no matter where you work in the United States – with detailed built-in rules for breaks, overtime, pay types and rates, and even workers’ compensation.
You can even ask the Workyard team to help you create a set of custom compliance rules if the app’s extensive preset options don’t properly cover your workforce where it works.
Just as importantly, Workyard’s dedication to extensive and FLSA-compliant recordkeeping can keep your company safe in the unlikely and unfortunate event you’re ever sued by a worker or pursued by a labor-regulating agency.
Workyard’s time card records include every worker movement, including clock-ins and clock-outs. You can also access a complete change log for every time card, so if anything has ever been manually changed, you can quickly figure out why – and quickly make corrections if needed.
Live Detailed Job and Project Tracking
Great software is supposed to make your life easier, right? Workyard’s comprehensive job tracking software transforms the constant flow of incoming worker and project data into easily understood progress reports.
With Workyard, labor costs, worker movements and travel time, materials receipts, and task updates flow into clear visual dashboards, creating detailed reports for every project to keep you and your construction business on time and under budget.
By combining Workyard’s pinpoint-accurate time tracking with this suite of easy-to-understand reports, construction businesses can maintain real-time visibility into project costs and progress, worker efficiency, and both overall and per-project resource allocation.
All this data is certainly helpful on its own, but it can become a financial lifeline when supporting the next key feature on our list…
Real-Time Job Costing
Workyard’s construction cost tracking software takes the flood of data we’ve been talking about and renders it into a live view of your costs on each project.
Labor costs are the key aspect of Workyard’s job-costing functionality. With customizable cost codes for every project, you can easily see how much money flows to workers on each and every aspect of those projects.
The job costing dashboard lets you sort costs by code, employee, or date, so you can drill down into the data to find and address inefficiencies. You won’t have to wait until a project’s done to do a financial post-mortem — Workyard’s detailed metrics are constantly updated as your workforce goes about its day.
And thanks to the next feature on our list, you can also easily translate job-based labor costs into accurate invoices…
Integrations with Essential Construction Business Apps
The last thing you’d want to do after juggling torrents of labor data is manually re-enter it all into your payroll system.
Workyard offers native two-way integrations with all the construction industry’s top payroll and financial management platforms, like QuickBooks (both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online are fully supported), Gusto, Paychex, ADP, Sage, and others.
If you use other apps you’d like to connect to Workyard, and have access to developers, you can put them onto the Workyard developer API to create custom integrations with any supportable app or platform. You can also export your data as Excel-based spreadsheets, which are fairly universally supported by most business apps that deal with finances in any way.
Reviews
We highlight aggregate user review scores at the top of every app we discuss – at the time this article was published, Workyard boasted the following numbers:
On the iOS App Store, one user calls Workyard “by far the best app I’ve ever used”:
Works well for me and my crew ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have tried other apps that claim to do time tracking and they end up being so difficult to use that my guys just give up. What’s the point of having an app to track time if nobody uses it? I was skeptical about giving another one a shot but Bill gave me a ring and convinced me to try the free trial. I’m glad he did! My crew uses it every day and I’m finally getting all the info I need with a few mouse clicks instead of searching through binders of time sheets like before.
Randy Jordan calls the Android version of Workyard’s app “amazing”:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
App is amazing, it allows me as a technician if I accidentally forget to sign in to a customer that I’ll have proof I was there with the GPS location. It’s overall makes it easier on management because they can see where all the techs are and when new customers call in they’re able to call the nearest tech to pick up more business. Overall a very needed app for any business that has several techs or employees that are mobile. And it makes tracking hours easy.
On Capterra, construction manager Jose M. says “our business has improved dramatically” thanks to Workyard’s scheduling functionality:
Business Origination ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: Our business has improved dramatically due to schedule improvements and cost code help us see where we are successful and where we need improve to have better services for our customers.Pros: The most impactful thing is how using all the tool from scheduling to cost codes to time cost reports helped streamline our business. Shows us where we need to improve and where we’re successful.
Cons: So far I have not learned all the tools useful to my business there are so many. I would change the easy of administrators to change things via mobile phones. Also integrating with google calendar to help block off unavailable times.
Pricing
Free Trial?
14-day trial with no credit card required
Time Tracking
$6 / mo. per user (annual) or $8 / mo. per user (monthly)
+ $50 company base fee
Workforce Management
$13 / mo. per user (annual) or $16 / mo. per user (monthly)
+ $50 company base fee
Boost your profit with the most accurate GPS time clock
See more
QuickBooks Time
Scoring
Key Features
-
GPS-based time tracking
-
Simple employee scheduling
-
Project-based tracking and management
-
PTO management and tracking
-
Team-focused mobile app
Already optimized to work with other QuickBooks apps
Excellent onboarding processes and tutorials
Can pair with QuickBooks Payroll (in one payment) for simple payroll processing
May lack certain key industry-specific features
Recent app updates have been error-prone, according to reviews
Support is sometimes disappointing or unhelpful
Highlights
QuickBooks Time — formerly known as TSheets — is an important part of the Intuit QuickBooks ecosystem, which establishes it as the obvious 800-pound corporate gorilla in the competitive arena of time-tracking apps.
It’s the safe and simple time-tracking choice for hundreds of thousands of businesses across the economic spectrum, if for no other reason than its seamless integration with other QuickBooks products makes it an easy app to adopt for many businesses already using those products.
While QuickBooks Time might be the “safe” choice, it’s not necessarily the best choice for certain industries such as construction. You may not be able to conduct accurate job-costing processes with QuickBooks alone – at least not unless you’ve paired QuickBooks Time with a construction-focused version like QuickBooks Contractor, which adds industry-specific customizations to the QuickBooks Desktop app.
QuickBooks Time also doesn’t appear to let you customize clock-in and clock-out rules to ensure workers don’t report spending more time at the job site than you’ve allocated.
However, if your business doesn’t need too much (if any) of these construction-specific features, QuickBooks Time could be a solid choice, particularly if your time-tracking needs are fairly straightforward and consistent and you’re already using QuickBooks to manage other aspects of your operations.
Reviews
QuickBooks Time – and its companion mobile app for field workers, QuickBooks Workforce – is one of the few construction time clock apps we’ve reviewed with no notable differences between its app store scores and its Capterra score.
As by far the largest company offering a time clock app for construction companies, Intuit (QuickBooks’ parent org) can afford to throw substantially more development resources into optimizing mobile experiences than its competitors.
However, scale alone is never a guarantee of quality, so QuickBooks Time’s 4.5-plus average scores on all three platforms should be worth noting, especially if you’re already using QuickBooks for payroll or other financial processes.
Despite this advantage, QuickBooks Workforce might be on the downslope of quality, as more recent App Store reviews seem more negative than those posted before 2020. The only front-page iOS reviews posted for QuickBooks Workforce in 2023 give the app one star, with user harveyarley calling its recent iterations “very disappointing”:
Very disappointing ⭐
I’ve used time tracking tools for years. I staryed w Exak Time, then to a couple other programs. After Tsheets was purchased by Intuit the program went down hill. When reviewing time sheets on the computer yo cannot edit the main body of text but instead have to hover your mouse over three small icons to the left, open a pop up window and then edit- it’s clunky. In addition, Intuit updates oir administrator wirh a vendor who was never an administrator of the company about every 4 to 6 months- trying to fix this each time has been extremely time consuming and frustrating. Also, it is inconceivable that a program would require you to be tracked “always” even when you are not using the program- why? The inly conceivable answer is big data, to sell my info. If there were a better option my company would switch in a second. The time tracking program is called “TSh*ts” around here. The same for Quickbooks. I still have to use excel spread sheets to get all the reporting my company needs- why??? And, It was quite a money grab when they forced the subscription service away from desk top software. I’ve been a user for decades and have researched options over the years (and switched one time), when something better comes along i will jump ship in a second.
(Click here for more QuickBooks Time / Workforce iOS reviews.)
Android user Dawson Stroud also gives QuickBooks Workforce one star on the Play Store, calling it “basically unusable” and prone to crashing and freezing within the past month of this article’s publication:
⭐
This app is basically unusable and is the bane of my existence during a work day. Within 5 seconds of interacting with the UI it chokes up and freezes or crashes completely. An action like changing clients used to only take a few taps and a minute as most now takes 5 minutes of force closing the app and restarting or it will force close itself and remove all progress you make towards inputting information. It worked okay up until a month or so ago.
(Click here for more QuickBooks Time / Workforce Android reviews.)
Over on Capterra, recent reviews are more positive, with managers or admins from many different industries highlighting QuickBooks Time’s ease of use and flexibility.
This flexibility is the biggest upside mentioned by Capterra reviewer Henry J., who credits QuickBooks Time with at least some of his recent career success:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: Best tool for time tracking. Well designed dashboard and quick response. I like QuickBooks Time.Pros: QuickBooks Time does the bigger portion of the job in one place. It has given me control and flexibility to get through projects and payrolls in a timely manner. I easily take track of time from anywhere which keeps me a step ahead always on my career. QuickBooks Time is great. Quick integration and implementation.
Cons: QuickBooks Time is good. I have no complaints.
(Click here for more QuickBooks Time Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
30 days, no credit card needed.
Premium
$8 / mo. per user + $20 monthly base fee
Elite
$10 / mo. per user + $40 monthly base fee
ClockShark
Scoring
Key Features
-
GPS time clock and geofencing
-
Mobile, web-based, and physical kiosk-based time tracking
-
Employee scheduling app
-
Track employee vacation and sick leave
-
Job management and job costing
-
Customer management and recordkeeping
-
Built-in quoting, invoicing, and payment processing
Good for franchises with distributed (remote) teams
Integrated invoicing and payments simplifies software needs
Kiosk clock-in option for large workforces in one location
Recent app updates have produced inaccurate GPS tracking results
Lack of customizable clock-in and clock-out rules
Time and data entry can occasionally be cumbersome
Can have mobile connectivity issues while phone is online
Highlights
ClockShark is one of the more established construction time clock apps on the market. Its value proposition centers on helping construction and field service companies track crew time, so users should expect ClockShark to offer a range of tailored features to help them handle industry-specific issues.
Over time, ClockShark has built other helpful features for construction businesses into its time-clock offering, too. The app’s built-in customer relationship management (CRM) system focuses less on customer acquisition than standalone CRMs. Still, it provides a helpfully centralized dashboard for maintaining records of new and existing customers, which can also streamline job and project management.
ClockShark also offers integrated invoicing and payment processing functions, a great value-add for businesses serving large volumes of customers with smaller-value projects, like handymen or cleaning services.
These features might not completely eliminate the need for dedicated payroll and finance apps like QuickBooks, but they could save time while improving cash flow by speeding the time it takes to settle customer payments into a business’ bank account.
Reviews
Users on Capterra love ClockShark – almost more so than any other app we’ve reviewed here – but the front-line employees more likely to use ClockShark’s mobile app are a bit more divided. Let’s take a closer look at what folks are saying about the ClockShark experience across these three review platforms…
A recent review from user “Awesumpossum” (a cool name some older Millennials will recognize as the title of an underrated Sega Genesis game from the early 90s) highlights conveniences, offset by some inconveniences with reporting their time. This may or may not be an onboarding issue, as ClockShark responded to note their app has default shift times.
It’s unclear if this is what Awesumpossum was referring to, as “duplicating consistent info” could go beyond tracking time with pre-set shift periods. Still, it’s good to see the ClockShark team chiming in to try helping this user with their issue!
Convenient but frustrating to use ⭐⭐⭐
I use clockshark to enter daily time sheet info. The data I enter is consistent from day to day; time in, time out, job and task. It takes me up to 20 screen presses to enter that info when it could be a 2 screen press entry. One press to duplicate consistent info from precious day but with current date and time filled in, one press to confirm and submit. I don’t like being in this app and having to manually modify data that is consistent from day to day.App developer responded to feedback about technical issues. Improving rating to 3/5. Still could make some general improvements to make daily repeat data entry more efficient.
Developer Response
Hi, thanks so much for leaving a review! It is actually possible to set default shift times when adding time to your timesheets. Your administrator can set this up for you on their end.
(Click here for more ClockShark iOS reviews.)
Ray Vincent gave ClockShark’s Android app 4 stars less than two months ago, calling it “overall… pretty good at keeping track of time,” but also noting issues with time zones (which could be Google’s fault), battery usage, and location-based clock-ins.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Still having trouble with the app displaying the wrong time zone on Pixel 6 pro. I do however believe this is somehow linked to just going to Android 14 and not the app itself. The initial drain on the battery seems to have lessened. Overall it seems to be pretty good at keeping track of time. The clock in locations can sometimes be a little wonky.
(Click here for more ClockShark Android reviews.)
Capterra users, who are more likely to be managers or app administrators for their companies, are nearly unanimous in their praise. Construction finance manager Marla highlights ClockShark’s affordability and GPS/geofencing accuracy, but she really likes the system’s ease of use and tracking details.
Best App to save Time & maximise profits! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: First thing first-Cost, especially when companies allocate budgets for software. This is very affordable and more advanced that the regular apps/machines as the info generated is realistic & accurate especially with the GPS tool & “Geo-Fencing” abilities.Pros: First of all, the set up and training was super easy!!! I love that it can be used via both web & cell phones. This app tracks employees far beyond time-in and time-out. It also allows you to follow the total hours taken when completing tasks/projects with no hassle. The jobs, tasks and employees were all easily added and the reports are also the best and precise on hours for projects and employees. I am over the top satisfied that we have switched to ClockShark!!!
Cons: So far, ClockShark actually meets our requirements at our company but if I had to pin point any additional wants, I would like further accounting systems to be linked to this one to create more expansive reports. Other than that, this is great for any company!!!
(Click here for more ClockShark Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days, no credit card needed
Standard
$8 / mo. per user + $40 base fee
Pro
$10 / mo. per user + $60 base fee
Time Doctor
Scoring
Key Features
-
Automated time tracking with offline functionality
-
Worker productivity reporting and analytics
-
Real-time employee monitoring dashboards
-
Scheduling and workforce management
-
60+ third-party integrations through browser extensions
Useful for white-collar businesses needing detailed compliance (PTO, breaks, etc.) tracking
Simple time-tracking solution for white-collar businesses
Effective for hybrid workforce time tracking (at least for PC-based workforces)
Integrations only available on Standard and Premium plans
Some frustrating UI / usability issues for managers
May not be ideal for field services businesses
Time tracking seems somewhat inconsistent on mobile devices
Highlights
Like QuickBooks Time, Time Doctor is a more generalized time-tracking tool, but it does focus more on white-collar workforces – customer experience teams and technology providers are two use cases the company highlights on its website.
This focus on businesses more reliant on desktop PC connections could explain the massive discrepancy between Time Doctor’s review scores on Capterra (a desktop-focused review platform) and its scores on the iOS and Android app stores.
Time Doctor’s unfortunate reality is that it’s offered mobile apps for years – some highlighted reviews on the Apple and Android app stores are from 2015 or even earlier – but seems to have been putting off making its mobile apps truly functional for years as well, since more recent posts echo the same usability issues highlighted nearly a decade ago.
If your team’s time-tracking needs could be handled by a centralized PC or tablet “kiosk” at a single location, Time Doctor’s simplified time-tracking could be beneficial. If your team’s always on the move, it’s probably not the best choice.
Reviews
Time Doctor has one of the largest scoring gaps between its mobile apps and its Capterra reviews of any construction time clock app we reviewed:
Oddly, Time Doctor’s recent iOS users seem to want the app to succeed, but can’t overlook its glaring issues.
C. L. Crocker wrote an extensive negative review highlighting Time Doctor’s “wasted potential,” which is a bit long to screenshot in full. You can read C. L.’s entire review at the link below this screenshot, which is one of the most informative user reviews we’ve seen lately for any time clock app:
The wasted potential here is depressing ⭐
I have never written a review on an app before until this one…The reason is likely because I’ve never encountered a tool with so much potential, yet such an unsatisfactory user experience…
1. After a day or so, I noticed that the platform is quite glitchy on desktop. Slow, glitchy, simply not enjoyable at all. This continued for a about a week or so until I just said F it and went back to the drawing board.
2. A rep from time doc reached out welcoming me to the platform and offered an intro call. I was like, “okay, the program is a pain in the A to use but I’ll give them a shot. I already invested about 2hrs inputting data on the platform so what’s another 20 or so mins…maybe I’ll have a change in heart.
Nope! The time we scheduled for the call came and went. No call, nothing. No communication. This tool is solving a priority problem so I made sure to have the time cleared for the call. Wasted.
3. That experience in bullet 2 is from yesterday. I thought it over and looked more into the company after work today and find they have an app. Maybe this will solve the problem!
Nope! App is unaccessible. Tried 6 times, no luck.
I’m not even upset with the company (other than the meeting no show…but it is what it is at the end of the day) instead, I’m simply disappointed with the potential that they are wasting. They’ve built a solid chassis but that’s it. No engine, no body, no wheels.
It’s disappointing. I wish them the best…and would consider coming back as a client if these problems are addressed.
(Click here for more Time Doctor iOS reviews.)
Android user Heather Shaw doesn’t mince words, getting right to the point by calling Time Doctor’s Android app “horrific” due to its frequent crashes and inaccuracies:
⭐
Horrific. Constant crashes, doesn’t record time properly and now won’t open at all
(Click here for more Time Doctor Android reviews.)
Agent Ezechiel D. praises the app’s simplicity and ease of use, but also calls out an unspecified “confidentiality problem,” which might be worth investigating for any company looking for tight data security from their time-tracking apps:
Avis Time doctor ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: TIME DOCTOR software is software that I use for task and project management. Its interface is very simple to understand and use.Cons: the problem of TIME DOCTOR software is its confidentiality problem. Otherwise it is good software.
(Click here for more Time Doctor Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
For 14 days
Basic
$7 / mo. per user
Standard
$10 / mo. per user
Premium
$20 / mo. per user
ExakTime
Scoring
Key Features
-
GPS time tracking for mobile devices
-
Portable physical time clocks for jobsites
-
FaceFront Biometrics (photo ID capture) for worker clock-ins
-
Advanced analytics for every worker
-
Integrated reporting tools
Good clock-in options for businesses with large workforces in one location
Biometric clock-in verification prevents buddy punching and time theft
Can be bundled with other Arcoro products for an “all-in-one” construction business suite
Most price tiers require you to contact sales for a custom quote
Can be finicky for field workers traveling to multiple locations
Time tracking records have been reported as inaccurate in reviews
App runs slowly on some worker phones
Highlights
ExakTime’s construction time clock app works for teams of all sizes. It’s optimized for construction companies with larger crews, providing the tools team leaders and managers need to streamline time tracking and workforce monitoring.
ExakTime is built to help you manage multiple teams working across multiple locations, and it also offers actionable reporting on project costs and compliance.
The company that makes ExakTime, Arcoro, also provides modular HR management software for construction companies and similarly-positioned contractors. This makes ExakTime a key component of Arcoro’s end-to-end employee lifecycle management solution, situated between Arcoro’s hiring and onboarding functions and its larger-company growth tools for learning management and succession planning.
Reviews
ExakTime’s users have given it a range of reviews and scores across the three main app-review platforms:
JTron isn’t a fan of ExakTime’s recent update on iOS:
Needs improvement ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Whatever you guys updated on the last cycle completed destroyed the functionality of this program. It was 3-4 stars prior to this update. Remove the clock out feature on the web page, and stop the changing times. The three minutes from before wasn’t bad, but changing hours around and etc will cause me to quickly look into other options.
(Click here for more ExakTime iOS reviews.)
The Android app has a mix of upbeat and negative reviews, which may be due to improvements made over time – user Drew Markezinis upgraded his initial rating thanks to ExakTime’s on-point customer service:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I previously rated this a 1 star based on a few years and frustrations with some of the features or lack of. I’m changing to a 4 based on the quick response and awesome customer service even when a ridgid and to the point email was sent by me. They went through and addressed all my concerns and had info a link to a step by step tutorial. And the response I received was less than 12 hrs. I gotta say I havent had that kind of customer service in a while. So thanks for sending my ideas to your team
(Click here for more ExakTime Android reviews.)
The app has more fans on Capterra than on these other platforms. HR manager Brandon H. gave ExakTime 4 stars across the board just a few months ago:
Accounts Payroll/Payroll User ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: Employee tracking and tying clock-in and outs with jobsCons: Exaktime works well for our purposes. I’m not certain that I have a complaint with it.
(Click here for more ExakTime Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
Not available.
Advanced
$9 / mo. per user + $50 monthly base fee
Premium
Must contact sales for a custom quote
Elite
Must contact sales for a custom quote
Clockify
Scoring
Key Features
-
Time tracker (mobile app, web-based, and kiosk) with map-based worker activity tracking
-
Timesheet reminders, manual editing, and approvals
-
Integrations with popular payroll and productivity apps
-
Visual analytics dashboard and reporting
-
Calendar-based scheduling with Outlook + Google integrations
-
Project tracking and budgeting with expense reporting and invoicing
One of the top choices for free employee time trackers
Useful for smaller white-collar desk-based businesses
Integrated expense tracking, invoicing, and calendar connections
Few payroll integrations (only connects natively to QuickBooks)
Can have syncing issues between devices (PC and mobile apps)
May not work for widely distributed teams (multi-state or time zone)
Time tracking relies too much on manual user input
Highlights
There’s a reason Clockify floats to the top of most searches for and discussions about “free time clock apps” – it’s one of the few tools on the market with a truly unlimited free trial that actually works for tracking employee time.
Clockify’s lack of upfront costs make it a great choice for businesses just beginning to hire and expand their workforces, as it can be actively tested for months before team size and business requirements might demand an upgrade to one of the company’s paid plans.
These paid plans add critical features to the Clockify toolkit, such as break tracking, manual timesheet editing, complex reporting, and (at higher subscription tiers) GPS tracking and budgeting, among other things.
However, larger companies might need more precision and adaptability than Clockify provides in its time clock app.
One area of weakness is the app’s available integrations for construction companies. Clockify has a native QuickBooks integration, but there are no other payroll and finance apps with native support – you’ll need someone with decent tech skills to set something up through Zapier if you use Zero or FreshBooks, for example.
There are plenty of project-management integrations available for office workers who rely on such apps, but Jira and Trello aren’t as popular among construction companies as they are with software development teams and marketing orgs.
Reviews
Clockify’s “free forever” time tracking functionality has earned it quite a few fans across the three major review platforms we examined. Not only does it have more reviews in total on each of the platforms than any app we reviewed other than QuickBooks Time, its average scores hold up quite well on all three platforms as well:
A recent App Store review from lulu008 highlights the value of Clockify’s free app – this statement isn’t as oxymoronic as you might think, since any software, regardless of its price, still has to be functional and beneficial for people to keep using it.
This review also highlights the “grace period,” so to speak, many users give to good free apps, as lulu008 politely mentions Clockify’s learning curve without dinging its score.
Awesome, free App for tracking time for different tasks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I needed an app to log my internship hours and this app is exactly what I was looking for. I was even able to access my logs online and make/edit entries the same way. It has a little bit of a learning curve but there is a lot of helpful documentation. My only suggestion would be adding the “Live Activities” timer feature for locked screens that shows ongoing timers. I find it SO useful for remembering and keeping track of any type of timer I have going when I get busy. It would make this app top tier for its created purpose. Thank you to the company and everyone who worked on the app for providing a useful product and giving users ability to use it well.
(Click here for more Clockify iOS reviews.)
Over on the Play Store, Max Pierson-Lienard recently gave Clockify three stars because, as he says, “there’s not a lot of benefit [to the Android app] over using Clockify in the browser” – which seems to undermine the use case for field workers, who are typically the ideal users of mobile construction time clock apps:
⭐⭐⭐
I wish that it would create a persistent notification when I have the clock running. That would help me with forgetting to clock out. As of now there’s not a lot of benefit over using Clockify in the browser.
(Click here for more Clockify Android reviews.)
Clockify’s free-first approach and focus (at least according to Max above) on its web app has brought it nearly 5,000 user reviews on Capterra, averaging one of the highest Capterra scores for this category.
The only real drawback to such a wide range of reviews is that few come from construction professionals. We searched hundreds of recent reviews to find the most recent post from construction pro Ali J, who gave Clockify 5 stars across the board:
Easy To Use And User Friendly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: GreatPros: Time Tracking, Scheduling, Report, Calender Management Synch, Security, Mobile Access.
Cons: I don’t have it. Keep Good Performance and Improvement
(Click here for more Clockify Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
Unlimited free tier with basic time tracking
Basic
$4.99 / mo. per user
Standard
$6.99 / mo. per user
Pro
$9.99 / mo. per user
Enterprise
$14.99 / mo. per user
Buddy Punch
Scoring
Key Features
-
Employee time-tracking with flexible clock-in clock-out options (PIN, QR code, facial recognition, password)
-
Time off tracking and overtime monitoring
-
Online employee scheduling software with drag-and-drop schedule management
-
Customizable clock-in and clock-out rules and limits
-
Integrated automated payroll processing
Flexible clock-in clock-out options for multi-role teams
Detailed labor compliance tracking tools for highly-regulated areas
Integrated payroll reduces the need for dedicated payroll apps
Only offers native integrations for other payroll apps (QuickBooks, Paychex, etc.)
Better optimized for smaller businesses than enterprise companies
Mobile apps may occasionally have connectivity issues or recordkeeping bugs
Highlights
Buddy Punch offers robust time-tracking functionality in an app oriented towards smaller and midsized businesses looking for detailed solutions to handle employee wages.
This functionality can be extended with a dedicated payroll app available for an additional (but undisclosed) fee – since this feature isn’t part of any core Buddy Punch subscription tiers, it wasn’t considered as part of our scoring criteria.
One thing Buddy Punch does have to put it above most competitors is its detailed labor law compliance functions and settings. The app allows you to choose from over a dozen overtime settings, track and/or manually manage PTO, sick leave, and vacation time, and even set up automatic break-time triggers.
Reviews
Buddy Punch users have awarded it the highest overall scores across the three platforms we examined, which is notable because the app also has a solid number of reviews on each platform, indicating a fairly sizable user base of happy folks:
While most reviews on the App Store award Buddy Punch 5 stars, some users have discovered the app might not be properly tailored to their business’ needs.
A South Florida caterer with a rather large field-based workforce found Buddy Punch to be a bit error-prone when tracking as-needed labor – but to be fair, we’ve yet to come across a time clock app that promotes its ability to “deactivate” workers to save a few bucks if they aren’t called in to work on a given month:
Not good for certain industries ⭐⭐
We have a catering business with about 75 employees that we pull from based on the size of our events. Having to inactivate them all and then reactivate every month led to errors and hold ups when employees would clock in. The software would be better if it only charged for employees that actively punch in during a month while letting us leave all of our employees active in the system. Also – we had a pattern of some employees with darker skin having problems with facial recognition. So that was bit embarrassing and led to the final decision to put everyone back on punchcards.
(Click here for more Buddy Punch iOS reviews.)
Buddy Punch Android user Dwight Kilgore gets right to the point – the app is “awesome at keeping payroll on time” for his company:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It works great awesome at keeping payroll on time. Great for writing schedules. Low cost time clock because it uses cell phones or computers we already have on site.
(Click here for more Buddy Punch Android reviews.)
Construction controller Kerry H. is also straightforwardly upbeat about his experience with Buddy Punch, awarding it a straight 5 stars across the board – his one quibble, regarding setup (an onboarding issue typically handled by support staff or a knowledge base) seems minor, as he seems to have been able to quickly overcome it:
Great Time Clock ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: The ease of use for our employees to get their schedules for the week and clock in once on a job site.Cons: Time Off set up can be confusing, but works great once set up
(Click here for more Buddy Punch Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
For 14 days
Standard
$4.99 / mo. per user + $19 base fee
Pro
$5.99 / mo. per user + $19 base fee
Premium
$7.99 / mo. per user + $19 base fee
Enterprise
Must contact sales for pricing
Timeero
Scoring
Key Features
-
GPS time clock and time tracking with employee mileage tracking
-
Time off (vacation and PTO) tracking and management
-
Real-time employee scheduling (maps and calendars)
-
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system for home health care
-
Facial recognition for clock-in and clock-out
Good for small to midsized field services teams
EVV compliance tool for home health care businesses
Good features for blue-collar outdoor businesses (energy, agriculture, etc.)
User interface can be frustrating for managers and/or admins
Lacks job costing and project-tracking functionality
Mobile apps occasionally have issues with bugs and crashes
Only offers native integrations for payroll software (QuickBooks, Paychex, etc.)
Highlights
Timeero offers useful time-tracking to businesses ranging from agriculture to nonprofits, which is such a broad target as to present it as a something-for-everyone alternative to QuickBooks Time.
This isn’t to say Timeero doesn’t have any valued features for specific industries. It’s the only time clock app we reviewed to highlight a tool built for healthcare – its EVV compliance system for home health care agencies.
In practice, this system appears to simply be Timeero’s team working behind the scenes to ensure its GPS time- and mileage-tracking and scheduling tools comply with federal Electronic Visit Verification guidelines. That’s an undoubtedly valuable benefit for home health agencies, but it’s somewhat less meaningful to construction companies.
Anyone responsible for implementing a construction time clock app but feeling nervous about the process might also want to consider Timeero. Its support team earned far more call-outs in its user reviews than any other app we examined, as you’ll see below.
Reviews
Timeero is one of the newer construction time clock apps, reflected by the recency – and relatively small number – of its ratings. Most written reviews on the iOS App Store were posted on or after 2022, while most Timeero’s Android and Capterra reviews were given on or after 2020:
One common element in Timeero’s mobile app store reviews is its dedication to customer service and support. These words show up repeatedly, often preceded by “great” or other superlatives, as in Ty H.’s review from this past December:
Great App, even better Customer Service! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Timeero, the app itself & their customer service overall is great! 4.5 stars in its current state, rated this as these quality of life updates will streamline some time spent Reporting wise on the backend.Far as gps tracking & including time tracking, this is one of the best combos out there. (Primarily what we utilize Timeero for)
I’ve primarily worked with Katelyn H. & a few others here & there for any company/back end needs. Katelyn has been patient, receptive, listens to understand vs just reply. Is professional & has provided great customer service in the few short weeks we’ve been customers.
We’re very grateful for Timeero & Katelyn’s services. Helping us track, meet & exceed expectations when working with our in-field reps needs.
Love their ideas & feedback portal / roadmap. Helps provide both customers & Timeero current customer needs, what’s been & in the works to be implemented.
Thanks again Timeero! 🙏🙏
(Click here for more Timeero iOS reviews.)
Android user Sam Massaro also praised Katelyn’s help in overcoming an unspecified issue with his mobile app (maybe software support executives should consider hiring her away from Timeero):
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It works great awesome at keeping payroll on time. Great for writing schedules. Low cost time clock because it uses cell phones or computers we already have on site.
Unfortunately, Timeero’s amazing support team seems to be carrying a heavy load for its Android app, which has been repeatedly dinged for bugs and crashes over the past year – user Bo Hunt called out these problems less than a week before Sam praised their support experience:
⭐⭐
Latest update causes the app to no longer load. My crew now has no way of clocking in tomorrow because they broke their code. Reinstall worked, but still not happy they pushed a fix that broke the software on update.
(Click here for more Timeero Android reviews.)
Guess what Timeero’s Capterra reviewers love? If you guessed “great customer support,” you’d be right! The trend across these three platforms certainly highlights the value of world-class service, which has helped Timeero retain customers and earn better reviews despite its occasional bugs.
Construction executive assistant Kimberly B. gave Timeero a 4-star average in no small part because of Amy’s dedication to helping fix her issues:
its worth a try ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: Amy is the best at customer support when ever i have a issue she has a solution for me in no time.Pros: the features are very customizable . for the amount you are paying competitors you could switch and save 100.00 a month.
Cons: this is a new app . they have some bugs they are working out but they all ways have customer support to fix it right away !
(Click here for more Timeero Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
For 14 days
Basic
$4 / mo. per user
Premium
$8 / mo. per user
Pro
$11 / mo. per user
Enterprise
Must contact sales for pricing (250+ users)
busybusy
Scoring
Key Features
-
Easy employee GPS time tracking with mobile time clock and timesheets
-
Heavy equipment GPS tracking app (usage-based)
-
Scheduling with map views and real-time notifications
-
Project, activity, employee, and equipment reporting
-
Compliance tracking and reporting (breaks, OT, injuries, etc.)
Good for multi-location contractors and specialty construction businesses
Equipment tracking feature for contractors with lots of big toys
More extensive compliance tracking and recordkeeping tools than many other apps
GPS tracking is sometimes less precise than needed
Workers sometimes dislike the feeling of being “constantly” tracked
Customization options (projects, scheduling) seem somewhat limited
Free trial is not fully featured (may not be able to fully assess usability)
Highlights
Busybusy (which insists on being uncapitalized, as in “busybusy,” whenever it isn’t the first word of a sentence) has two unique top-line selling points we didn’t see from the other construction time clock apps in this review.
First, it’s the only time-tracking app to promise effective equipment management tools, which could be valuable for construction companies in the demolition or excavation niches – or really, for any construction company fielding a lot of expensive, powerful, and typically yellow-painted big boy toys.
Busybusy is also the only app to promote injury reports in its labor compliance toolkit. This feature seems like a no-brainer for construction companies.
While the construction industry overall has fewer reported injuries per 100 workers than the U.S. average, the strenuous physical nature of the work can result in more serious injury when it does occur, making compliance essential to avoid legal issues and serious penalties or jury awards against your business.
Reviews
Busybusy is one of just a handful of time clock apps we reviewed to put a focus on construction companies front and center – the other apps to highlight support for construction on their homepages were Workyard, ClockShark, and ExakTime.
This focus makes it somewhat easier for construction companies to assess busybusy’s value, and at least on this basis, busybusy holds up well against these direct competitors, as Workyard’s construction time clock app is the only one with higher user ratings across these three review platforms:
langggg408 found the busybusy iOS app hard to navigate, at least to features that matter for different types of construction employees:
Isn’t easy to navigate ⭐⭐
I wish they made it simpler to see all your employees and those hours. It’s about 4-5 clicks in deep to see this info when that’s what this app is. Should be ther first thing you see as an employer. Same when I open the app it goes to my clock in page. Im the employer I don’t need to clock in I want to see who’s clocked in and the times they have… too much work to navigate it. Keep it simple.
(Click here for more busybusy iOS reviews.)
Busybusy’s Android users are divided between general contentment with the app’s accuracy and resentment at the sense they’re being tracked all the time – and frustration with some of its bugs.
As with most other apps we’ve reviewed, user resistance to “constant tracking” seems like something companies could address with more comprehensive onboarding processes, which explains why busybusy’s support staff has been seen gently pushing back against Android reviews accusing it of invading their privacy:
⭐⭐
Convenient alternative to the foreman’s tablet to clocking in and out, but the insistence on full-time location permission is invasive. It’s none of your business where I go after work. Thinking about uninstalling and going back to using the foreman’s tablet.
(Click here for more busybusy Android reviews.)
On Capterra, civil engineering administrator Kelly M. appreciates the greater ease of time-tracking and timesheet entries with busybusy, especially when integrating the app with her company’s QuickBooks accounts. She also praises busybusy’s “great customer service,” which has been shown to make a real difference in a user’s experience with construction time clock apps throughout these reviews:
Busy Busy time tracking integration/quickbooks ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: We are able to be alot more efficient with getting time entered and put through quickbooks. We were doing it manually before and we have reduced mistakes/errors.Pros: They have great customer service. They respond quickly to my problems. The initial set up was pretty seamless and the team was easy to work with.
Cons: The speed when trying to click into different parts on the website can be very slow at times. It is delayed or just spins.
(Click here for more busybusy Capterra reviews.)
Pricing
Free Trial?
“Free Forever” free tier with limited features
Pro
$11.99 / mo. per user
Premium
$17.99 / mo. per user
The Bottom Line
You’ve got tons of options for a construction time clock app. Choosing the right one can save your business thousands of dollars — per employee — far sooner than you might expect.
Workyard user April Callaway switched to simplify worker time tracking and discovered payroll waste of $43,000 a week, which Workyard allowed her company (AV Decking) to quickly surpass their projected annual payroll savings in just six weeks.
Click here to see April’s story, and discover what other construction professionals have achieved by switching their worker time tracking systems to Workyard.
Over 10,000 contractors already trust Workyard to help them manage their construction time tracking needs and minimize time theft and payroll waste.
Workyard’s GPS tracking system is widely considered the most accurate on the market for mobile and/or field teams, and recent updates have introduced an auto clock-in and clock-out feature that minimizes the need for your workers to pull out their phones to clock in at the job site while preserving accurate location data, minute by minute.
See how Workyard’s construction time clock app can help your business, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today!
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Customer Support: 10%
- Value for Price: 10%
- Integrations: 10%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 20%
- Job Tracking: 10%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Customer Suppor
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
Determining the best construction time clock app depends on specific business needs, such as integration capabilities, ease of use, and specific features like GPS tracking or job costing. Here are some of the top contenders based on the provided sources:
1. ClockShark
ClockShark is highly recommended for the construction and field service industries. It offers features like GPS tracking, job costing, and a drag-and-drop scheduling tool, making it a robust choice for managing workforce efficiently.
2. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets)
QuickBooks Time is ideal for businesses already using QuickBooks for financial management. It provides real-time tracking, customizable alerts, and detailed reporting, which are invaluable for keeping projects on budget and on schedule.
3. Workyard
Workyard is a comprehensive workforce management solution with precise GPS tracking and smooth integration with popular payroll systems. It is designed specifically for construction teams, ensuring accountability and accuracy in time tracking.
4. ExakTime
ExakTime is known for its rugged time clock app that can handle tough field conditions. It includes facial recognition to reduce buddy punching and GPS tracking to monitor worker locations, making it a strong choice for construction companies.
5. Buddy Punch
Buddy Punch combines simplicity with powerful features like GPS tracking and job coding. Its user-friendly interface and flexible settings make it an excellent choice for streamlining time tracking processes in construction businesses.
6. Timeero
Timeero offers GPS time tracking, mileage tracking, and geofencing, which are essential for mobile teams in the construction sector. Its easy-to-use mobile app ensures that employees can clock in and out effortlessly, while managers can keep track of time for accurate billing and payroll.
7. Clockify
Clockify is a free time tracker and timesheet app that allows unlimited users, making it an affordable option for growing construction firms. It provides basic features needed for effective time tracking, along with reporting and project management tools.
While each of these apps has its strengths, ultimately, the best app will depend on your specific business requirements and existing systems.
1. Clockify
Clockify is highlighted as one of the best free time tracking apps for construction companies. Some key points about Clockify:
- It is completely free to use, with no limits on the number of users
- Offers basic time tracking features like online timesheets, project/task tracking, reporting
- Simple and easy to use interface, available on multiple platforms
- Lacks some advanced construction-specific features like GPS tracking, job costing etc.
2. Jibble
Jibble is another excellent free time tracking solution specifically mentioned for the construction industry. Its key features include:
- Completely free to use with no restrictions
- Offers auto clock-in/out, multiple location tracking for mobile workers
- Clean and simple user interface
- Lacks advanced integrations and has some compatibility issues reported
While not entirely free, some other apps like Buddy Punch and Timeero offer free trial periods to test out their construction time tracking capabilities before subscribing to a paid plan.
It’s important to note that while free apps can provide basic time tracking, they may lack advanced features like GPS tracking, job costing, scheduling tools etc. that are crucial for construction businesses. Paid apps like ClockShark, QuickBooks Time, and Workyard offer more robust industry-specific solutions but at a cost.
Ultimately, the best free app depends on your specific requirements. Clockify and Jibble stand out as capable free options, but paid apps may be necessary for more complex construction time tracking needs.
1. GPS Tracking
GPS tracking is highlighted as a crucial feature for construction time clock apps across multiple sources. It allows companies to accurately track the location of their mobile workforce when clocking in/out, ensuring accountability and preventing time theft.
2. Geofencing
Several top apps like Timeero, Connecteam, and Hubstaff offer geofencing capabilities. This allows setting up virtual boundaries around job sites, only allowing clock-ins/outs within those designated areas.
3. Job/Task Tracking
The ability to track time against specific jobs, tasks or projects is essential for construction firms. Apps like ClockShark, Workyard, and Buddy Punch provide this functionality for accurate job costing and billing.
4. Mobile Apps
With construction workers being highly mobile, top time clock apps offer easy-to-use mobile apps for iOS and Android. This allows convenient clocking in/out from the field using smartphones or tablets.
5. Scheduling/Crew Management
Robust apps like ClockShark and QuickBooks Time offer scheduling and crew management tools tailored for construction. This helps in efficiently deploying the right workers to the right jobs.
6. Payroll/Accounting Integration
Seamless integration with payroll providers and accounting software like QuickBooks is a valuable feature highlighted for apps like QuickBooks Time and Workyard.
7. Reporting/Analytics
Detailed reporting on hours worked, productivity, job costing etc. is crucial for construction project management. Apps like Time Doctor and Insightful provide in-depth analytics.
8. Facial Recognition
To prevent buddy punching, facial recognition for clock-ins is an important feature offered by apps like ExakTime.
While free apps like Clockify and Jibble provide basic time tracking, paid solutions like ClockShark, QuickBooks Time and Workyard are highlighted as having the most comprehensive, construction-specific features.
Construction time clock apps typically handle overtime and breaks in the following ways:
Overtime Tracking
Most top construction time clock apps offer robust overtime tracking capabilities:
- They automatically calculate overtime hours based on predefined rules and thresholds
- Managers can set overtime policies like overtime rates, daily/weekly overtime limits etc.
- Apps like Workyard and QuickBooks Time provide real-time alerts when employees approach overtime limits
- Detailed overtime reports are available, breaking down regular vs overtime hours for payroll purposes
Break Tracking
Handling breaks accurately is crucial for construction firms to remain compliant with labor laws. Time clock apps offer:
- Options to clock in/out for paid and unpaid break periods
- Automatic break deductions if employees miss clocking in/out for breaks
- Alerts/notifications for missed or incomplete breaks
- Reporting on total break time taken by each employee
Some advanced apps like ClockShark and Workyard even allow setting up break enforcement rules based on shift length, preventing employees from working extended periods without breaks.
Additionally, many apps provide geofencing capabilities to ensure employees are clocking in/out and taking breaks within designated work areas using GPS tracking.
Overall, the best construction time clock apps offer robust and configurable overtime and break handling to ensure accurate payroll, prevent labor violations, and maintain a productive workforce. Apps like Workyard, ClockShark and QuickBooks Time are highlighted as leaders in this aspect.
Here are some of the top construction time clock apps that integrate with QuickBooks:
1. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets)
QuickBooks Time is the native time tracking solution from Intuit, designed to seamlessly integrate with QuickBooks accounting software. Some key features for construction companies:
- Mobile app for clocking in/out from job sites
- GPS tracking and geofencing capabilities
- Scheduling tools and crew management
- Facial recognition and photo capture to prevent buddy punching
- Automatic data transfer to QuickBooks for payroll processing
2. Workyard
Workyard is highlighted as a comprehensive workforce management solution tailored for construction teams, with tight integration with QuickBooks and other payroll providers.
- Precise GPS tracking and geofencing
- Job and project tracking with real-time job costing
- Scheduling and compliance management features
3. Connecteam
Connecteam is an all-in-one team management app that offers full integration with QuickBooks Online through a simple one-click export process.
- Mobile app for location-based time tracking
- Kiosk mode for shared devices at job sites
- Task management and employee communication tools
4. Buddy Punch
Buddy Punch combines time tracking features like GPS, job coding and payroll integration, with a simple and user-friendly interface suitable for construction firms.
5. Clockify
While not construction-specific, Clockify is a free time tracking app that allows exporting timesheets to QuickBooks for payroll processing.
QuickBooks Time and Workyard are among the most robust, construction-focused solutions that tightly integrate with QuickBooks for functions like payroll, job costing, scheduling and more. Apps like Connecteam and Buddy Punch offer more affordable alternatives with core time tracking and QuickBooks integration capabilities.
