As a CEO of a time tracking and attendance app company my team and I are constantly looking at the best B2B software to know what’s going on in the market. That means we’re often researching about and/or playing around with their products, you know, it’s part of the job. Here, I share my findings of that research, giving credit to those products where credit is due and being honest about which products I believe you really need to avoid. And so, there you have it, this review, and in it, I try to be honest, fair, and insightful. I hope it helps you make the right decision…
Overview
In this article, I’ll dive into the best attendance software for small businesses that need to keep track of on-site as well as remote employees. They can be especially helpful for businesses with more than one location, and they’ll make keeping track of employee attendance easier and more accurate.
Apps like these can help businesses meet compliance requirements by various government agencies, including the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). If your business has a federal contract, you’ll have to comply with the DCAA’s particularly strict timekeeping requirements. Attendance apps can help you meet these requirements and maintain compliance with a wide range of agencies. They can also help you keep up with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Using time tracking and attendance software can help reduce human error in employee timesheets. The apps I’ve selected for this list have a lot of features to make timekeeping both easy and accurate, including time tracking, GPS tracking, leave management, shift scheduling, and more.
What Qualifies as a Small Business in the US?
In the US, any independent business that has fewer than 500 employees counts as a small business. While big enterprises get a lot of press and attention, it’s the small ones that drive the American economy. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, there are 33.2 million small businesses today, which make up a whopping 99.9% of all businesses in the country.
Furthermore, small business employees make up about 46% of the US workforce. Though lots of businesses closed down or were negatively impacted by the pandemic, small businesses have created 5.5 million jobs for Americans despite the recession.
The Definitive List
1. Jibble
Jibble is a feature-rich time tracking and attendance app that makes it easier for small businesses to record and track attendance. Employees can use Jibble to clock in and out from their cell phones or PCs, and the software automatically determines their working hours and creates data for payroll. Jibble’s main features include geolocation monitoring, real-time tracking, biometric device interaction, and leave management. Its mobile app enables users to record attendance from any location and has an offline mode for when they do not have internet access. The offline mode can subsequently sync to the database. Jibble works particularly well for companies with mobile workforces, especially in places with spotty internet access.
Along with an efficient attendance kiosk, Jibble’s real-time reporting generates intelligent insights and summaries of work progress. The software offers first-rate customer service and a variety of pricing options, including a fully-stacked free edition.
Sure, Jibble is our product, but independently it is actually the highest-rated app according to the aggregate of reviews on sites such as Capterra, GetApp, G2, App Store, and Play Store.
What Users Like
- Free
- Easy to use
- Affordable with a stacked free version
- Accurate time-tracking due to facial recognition and GPS tracking
- Excellent customer support
- Feature-rich software
What Users Don’t Like
- The CEO wears crazy white glasses
Key Features
- Attendance kiosk makes punctual attendance a habit
- Entry settings
- RFID and Nfc attendance
- Extensive reports and analysis
- Facial recognition and GPS tracking eliminates buddy punching
- Automated timesheets and reports
- Automated alerts
- Mobile access
The obvious advantage that Jibble has is that it’s a timesheet software. Start using Jibble right now.
2. Clockify
Introducing COING’s third product aimed at more efficient team management, Clockify is a time tracking and attendance app that helps teams easily track, bill, and schedule their work hours.
While it can be used by freelancers, the software shines when used for teams, helping small businesses track their projects and overview their productivity. Clockify’s free version lets users have access to all the core time tracking features, proving its use without upgrading to any additional payment plans. Its easy-to-use interface enables users to start their work quickly and easily, and with good ratings on most review websites, it puts Clockify in very high regard.
Despite Clockify’s acclaim, users report frequent bugs in its Android app. While the UI is easy-to-use, the mobile app faces slow processing times and frequent crashes. Furthermore, the app does not work as efficiently without an internet connection, making it inconvenient for users in the service industry.
What Users Like
- Auto tracker
- Rich free version
- Easy-to-use interface
- Good customer service
- 80+ integrations
What Users Don’t Like
- Reporting issues
- Buggy mobile app
- App synchronization issues
- Slow processing
- Glitchy with low internet
Key Features
- Kiosk
- API and Webhooks
- Expense tracking
- Time tracking integrations
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Clockify review?
3. Deputy
Let me tell you about Deputy, the cloud-based attendance app that helps small businesses manage employee scheduling and time tracking. With features like attendance tracking, overtime monitoring, and break compliance, Deputy makes it a breeze to stay on top of employee management. And its accessibility on desktop and mobile devices makes it simple for employees to clock in and out from anywhere.
Some of the coolest things about Deputy’s time tracking software are its real-time digital timesheets, GPS location stamps, and facial recognition for timesheet verification. With automatic wage calculation, break compliance, and dynamic reporting to compare labor hours and profits, it’s a good choice for all your employee management needs. And the fact that it integrates with payroll systems like Xero is a great benefit.
However, Deputy does push my buttons when it comes to certain things. While it is cost-effective, I feel its time tracking software is a bit too complicated. And if you’re an Android user, you might be disappointed to know that the Android app has fewer features than the iPhone app. Plus, the design framework is not very customizable.
What Users Like
- Automates complex pay calculations
- Dynamic reporting
- Logging shifts through the mobile app
- Value for money
What Users Don’t Like
- Lack of functionalities in Android app
- Lack of user-specific customizations
- Outdated user interface
- Complicated time tracking
Key Features
- Time tracking and real-time attendance
- Payroll integrations
- Auto-scheduling
- Employee break compliance
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Deputy review?
4. BambooHR
As an attendance app, BambooHR knows how to combine all the essential tools for managing a team, from time tracking to payroll integrations and progress reports. But what really stands out to me is its self-service option that allows employees to enter their information and save HR time.
When it comes to time tracking, BambooHR makes it a breeze with simple clocking in and out, timesheet creation, and attendance and PTO monitoring. But let’s not forget, time tracking is just one of the many management features this software offers. The software’s employee welfare surveys make sure your team is happy and well taken care of. And for those on-the-go, the software also has a mobile app, although it may not be as feature-rich as its desktop counterpart.
Adding to the software’s limitations, while the reporting feature can give you the numbers you need, it can be a bit inflexible and lacks the customization options that many users crave. On top of that, some users have found the add-ons to be a bit pricey, which can be a deal-breaker for small businesses. And while the training feature is helpful, it could use a bit more oomph to really make it shine. A little more customization and interactivity would go a long way toward making BambooHR truly effective.
What Users Like
- Great to store employee information in one place
- Applicant tracking system
- Simple form filling and acquiring e-signatures
- Employee welfare surveys
- Easy to use and enjoyable interface
What Users Don’t Like
- The reporting feature is limited for many users
- Expensive as add-ons have extra cost
- The training feature is lacking
- Mobile app not as feature-rich
Key Features
- Time tracking with PTO
- Payroll records
- Employee data and analytics
- Recruitment tools
- Employee welfare and performance reports
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, BambooHR review?
5. When I Work
Well, let’s talk about When I Work – a time tracking and attendance app.
With its time tracking, attendance management, and payroll functionalities, When I Work has all the key features a small business needs to run scheduling and time tracking smoothly.
What I love about When I Work is its communication system. It makes it extremely easy to relay shifts and schedule changes instantly. That’s probably why the software has such a high 4.5 rating on Capterra.
But wait, there’s more! The time clock feature allows for instant clocking in and out and even comes with extra precautions for employees who forget to log time. Plus, the generated timesheets are easily editable, ensuring that payroll is always precise and error-free. The software also offers GPS tracking and geofencing for on-site teams!
Unfortunately, though, When I Work has quite a lot of glitches that slow down workflows and are extremely frustrating. I have also noticed that the time clock and mobile apps don’t always smoothly sync with the desktop app, resulting in the loss of logged hours. And I feel the notifications aren’t always very visible or even present.
One thing’s for sure though, When I Work doesn’t mess around when it comes to inactivity and if you’re not paying attention, it’ll log you out. So be warned, or you might find yourself losing valuable time and having to go back and edit everything.
What Users Like
- Friendly customer service
- Easy to navigate
- The dashboard gives a detailed overview
- The scheduling feature has many sub-features
- Good chat system
What Users Don’t Like
- Glitches
- Notifications are not fully effective
- Automatically signs out
- The mobile app does not sync well with desktop
Key Features
- Time clock and geofencing
- Timesheets and payroll
- Attendance tracking
- Employee scheduling
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, When I Work review?
6. Time Tracker by eBillity
Alright so, eBillity’s Time Tracker – a time tracking and attendance app that offers small businesses some great features that can simplify workflow.
Firstly, Time Tracker allows employees to clock in and out, take breaks, and submit their time for approval, ensuring that their work hours are tracked and accounted for.
What I love is that it offers features such as timesheet approvals, notifications, alerts, payroll tracking, scheduling, and time off (leave) management – this software can take care of all your employee management needs. You can rest easy knowing that all aspects of employee attendance and productivity are being efficiently tracked.
Another great feature is Time Tracker’s integration with other payroll and accounting software like LawPay. It can automatically remind staff to track their time and also has a special feature for legal time tracking called LawBillity. This feature allows for legal expense tracking per case and receipt tracking, which can save you and your team a significant amount of time.
However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with Time Tracker. There is a confusing error message that pops up when entering a non-billable time, which is quite frustrating. The inability to differentiate between billed and unbilled time entries is another major issue, along with the software’s confusing administrative interface. Furthermore, I feel the software can be slow to load, and bugs occasionally force users to re-enter data, resulting in wasted time that no one wants from software that is supposed to increase efficiency.
What Users Like
- Easy-to-understand time logs
- Affordable and easy billing
- Multiple timer options for tasks
- Options to delete timecards for easy corrections
What Users Don’t Like
- Perplexing administrative interface
- Pop-up of confusing error messages when entering non-billable time
- Slow to load
- Re-entry of data due to bugs
Key Features
- Legal time tracking for law firms
- Employee scheduling
- Project tracking
- Time and billing
Why not check out our full, and of course completely honest, Time Tracker by eBillity review?
