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Whether you manage a small in-house team or a sprawling remote team, you need a fast and easy way to process timesheets. If you’ve tried spreadsheets or timecards, you know how time-consuming and error-prone they can be.
Instead, you need a solution that’s more efficient and more accurate. Employee timesheet software checks both boxes and has a long list of extra perks, including scheduling, attendance tracking, and productivity analytics.
In this article, we’ll cover the 8 best employee timesheet apps so you can find the ideal software for your use case, team, and budget.
Table of Contents
5 features you need from employee timesheet software
There are dozens of options for timesheet tools. Make sure any you consider have these 5 essential features:
1. Scheduling: Manually entering working hours can be incredibly time-consuming, especially for large teams. Instead of relying on manual input, look for a tool that lets you upload schedules in bulk.
2. Time tracking: Scheduled hours don’t always align with actual time worked. With automated time tracking, you can see how many hours your employees actually worked during a pay period.
3. Attendance monitoring: Tardiness and absences can quickly get expensive for any business. Look for a timesheet tool with automated attendance monitoring to identify and address these issues.
4. Time and productivity reports: Collecting accurate data is crucial for timesheet apps, but it’s only the beginning. Seek out software that generates reports to help you analyze and improve how your team works.
5. Payroll integrations: Timesheets and payroll are inseparable, and the apps you use for these processes should be, too. For maximum efficiency, look for an app that integrates with the payroll system you already use.
8 best employee timesheet apps
Which app is best for your team? Take a look at 8 of our top timesheet software picks, starting with our own.
1. Time Doctor: Best overall employee timesheet software
Time Doctor is an employee-friendly time tracking and productivity analytics tool. With Time Doctor, you can automatically track employee activity, tasks, and projects during the workday. Then, you can generate timesheets, process payroll, and use productivity insights to help your team do their best work.
Features
Automated & manual time tracking
Whether your team needs automated or manual time tracking, Time Doctor can monitor when employees work while they’re on the clock. Our platform tracks idle and active time so you can see how employees use their time.
Scheduling & attendance tracking
For easy scheduling and attendance monitoring, you can upload employee shifts directly to the Time Doctor dashboard. It automatically tracks absences and late arrivals so you can maintain staff coverage.
Task & project tracking
Time Doctor also keeps a record of the tasks and projects employees work on as well as the websites and apps they use. With these insights, you can measure productivity and assess workflows, which helps everyone improve.
Automatic timesheets
Although Time Doctor generates timesheets automatically, employees can add manual time entries as necessary. You can export timecards from Time Doctor at the end of each pay period or send them directly to payroll.
Benchmarks AI
A standout feature is Benchmarks AI, which gives leaders context for their team’s performance by comparing it against anonymized peer groups. These insights help you identify burnout risks, workload imbalances, and opportunities to improve without micromanaging.
Integrations
Time Doctor works with payroll tools like ADP, Gusto, and Payoneer so you can pay employees and manage contractor invoices efficiently. It also integrates with communication apps like Slack, help desk tools like Intercom, and CRM tools like HubSpot to simplify project management and task tracking.
Why it’s our best overall pick
Time Doctor’s employee-friendly features set it apart from other timesheet software. While the platform allows automated time tracking for increased accuracy, it also has options that give employees more control. You can allow employees to track time manually, enable blurred screenshots, and monitor basic web and app data only.
Pricing
- Free trial: 14-day free trial available, no free plan
- Basic plan: $6.70/user per month
- Standard plan: $11.70/user per month
- Premium plan: $16.70/user per month
- Enterprise plan: Contact sales
2. Clockify: Best free option
Clockify is time tracking software that has basic timesheet and reporting tools. With Clockify, you can manage scheduling and attendance and monitor billable and non-billable time. Since the platform has a free plan, it’s ideal for companies needing to handle timesheets on a limited budget.
Features
- Timekeeping tools like a timer, employee calendar, weekly timesheets, and optional kiosk
- Reports that track time, activity, projects, and costs
- Management options for scheduling, time off, invoicing, and timesheet approval
The free Clockify plan can help teams start tracking time and managing timesheets. However, it isn’t a full-featured solution and won’t replace a robust paid plan. The free version can’t track breaks or time off and doesn’t support forecasting or expense reports.
Pricing
- Free plan: Includes unlimited tracking but limited features
- Standard plan: $5.49/user per month
- Pro plan: $7.99/user per month
- Enterprise plan: $11.99/user per month
3. Insightful: Best for call centers
Insightful is a workforce analytics tool that tracks employee time, tasks, and productivity. With Insightful, you can oversee scheduling, attendance, and timesheets while analyzing workflows and improving resource management. It’s ideal for remote and hybrid teams, making it a good choice for outsourced call centers.
Features
- Employee monitoring tools for tracking activity, apps and websites, and attendance
- Productivity analytics with insight into focus time, workflow trends, and burnout issues
- Operational efficiency tools for improving project management and resource allocation
Pricing
- Free trial: 7-day free trial available, no free plan
- Productivity management: $ 6.40/user per month
- Time tracking plan:$8/user per month
- Process improvement plan: $ 12/user per month
- Enterprise plan: Contact sales
4. My Hours: Best for small businesses
My Hours is a project-based time tracking tool for employees and contractors alike. With My Hours, you can handle basic project management, automate timesheets, and get real-time insights into team performance. The platform’s relatively low price and uncomplicated plans make it ideal for small teams.
Features
- Weekly timesheets for employees to log hours manually or track with a stopwatch
- Time and cost analysis reports that offer insights into payroll, tasks, projects, and clients
- Basic project and task management tools to help monitor profitability and estimate costs
Pricing
- Free plan: upto 5 users
- Pro plan: $8/user per month
- Enterprise plan: Contact sales
5. Beebole: Best for PTO and absence management
Beebole is time management software that helps teams of all sizes track and report the hours they log on internal projects and client tasks. With Beebole, you can measure non-billable and billable hours, manage employee attendance, and track paid time off (PTO) in one place.
Features
- Flexible tracking so you can get the data you need to monitor tasks, projects, and clients
- Desktop and mobile apps that track time and activity using almost any device
- Integrations with Excel and Google Workspace for creating custom reports
Pricing
- Free trial: 30-day free trial available, no free plan
- Everything but the kitchen sink plan: All features for $9.99/user per month
6. Timely: Best for automated tracking
Timely is an automatic time tracker that monitors the work your team completes across web and desktop apps. It works in the background to create an accurate record of time spent on projects, tasks, and communication. Timely’s automated tracking is ideal for cutting down on timesheet administration resources.
Features
- Time tracking tools that report billable hours and monitor overtime
- Project planning tools with real-time insight into employee capacity and team collaboration
- Integrations with accounting apps for easier payroll processing
Pricing
- Free trial: 14-day free trial available, no free plan
- Starter plan: $9/user per month
- Premium plan: $16/user per month
- Unlimited plan: $22/user per month
- Enterprise plan: Contact sales
7. Deputy: Best for in-person team scheduling
Deputy is a team scheduling and employee tracking tool designed for retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and other in-person businesses. With Deputy, you can monitor employee working hours and costs, manage labor law compliance, and generate timesheets automatically.
Features
- Scheduling and time tracking tools that create timesheets automatically
- Time clock tools with facial recognition and attendance verification
- Labor compliance tools for monitoring breaks, managing overtime, and ensuring a fair workweek
Pricing
- Lite: $5.50/user per month
- Core: $6.50/user per month
- Pro: $9/user per month
8. Timeero: Best for mileage and time tracking
Timeero is a GPS-based time and mileage tracking app for distributed teams in the energy, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, food service, and property management industries. With Timeero, you can monitor employee locations and hours worked to create timesheets and run payroll more efficiently.
Features
- GPS capabilities to track each employee’s hours and location in real time
- Geofencing tools that restrict time tracking in the field and send automatic reminders to clock in or out
Pricing
- Free trial: 14-day free trial available, no free plan
- Basic plan: $4/user per month
- Pro plan: $8/user per month
- Premium plan: $11/user per month
- Enterprise plan: Contact sales
Employee timesheet software comparison
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price (Paid) | Key Features |
| Time Doctor | Overall functionality | $6.70/user/month | Automated/manual tracking, productivity reports, scheduling, payroll integrations |
| Clockify | Free option | $5.49/user/month | Time tracking, scheduling, invoicing, reports |
| Insightful | Call centers, remote teams | $6.40/user/month | Productivity analytics, attendance tracking, process optimization |
| My Hours | Small businesses | $8/user/month | Project-based tracking, manual/automatic entry, real-time reports |
| Beebole | PTO and absence management | $9.99/user/month | PTO tracking, Excel & Google integrations, detailed reporting |
| Timely | Automated time tracking | $9/user/month | Auto-tracking, project planning, billable hour reporting |
| Deputy | In-person scheduling | $5.50/user/month | Time clocks with facial recognition, labor compliance, scheduling tools |
| Timeero | GPS & mileage tracking | $4/user/month | GPS/geofencing, mileage logs, mobile-first tracking |
Get started with employee timesheet software
With the right timesheet software, you can save time and reduce errors while managing time tracking, payroll, and even productivity for your team. The right employee timesheet software takes the guesswork out of scheduling, attendance, and payroll while giving you deeper visibility into how your team works.
With Time Doctor, you don’t just get accurate timesheets—you gain actionable insights into productivity and team performance. Automated tracking, flexible privacy settings, and seamless payroll integrations ensure accuracy and efficiency. And with Benchmarks AI, you can compare your team’s performance to peer groups, helping you identify imbalances, prevent burnout, and make smarter decisions.
Frequently asked questions(FAQs)
A timesheet is a structured record of hours worked (often weekly or monthly). A time tracking tool helps capture that data (via manual entry, timer, automatic tracking), manage it, produce reports, integrate with payroll/invoicing, and often add analytics.
Not necessarily. It depends on your trust model and compliance needs. Some tools offer optional activity monitoring (app usage, idle detection) that you can enable or disable, balancing oversight vs privacy.
Yes, many tools support export (CSV, Excel) and integrations with payroll systems like QuickBooks, ADP, Xero, Gusto, etc. When choosing a tool, ensure it supports your local payroll or export format.
Look for mobile apps, GPS / geofencing, offline capability, and location-based clock-in/clock-out features.
It’s a balance. For creative / white-collar work, too much monitoring may feel intrusive and harm morale. For hourly / field work, more oversight may be justified. Always be transparent about what is tracked and why.
Carlo Borja is the Content Marketing Manager of Time Doctor, a workforce analytics software for distributed teams. He is a remote work advocate, a father and an avid coffee drinker.