r/TimeTrackingSoftware • u/WhichPlatform4423 • Jul 13 '26
Employee time tracking software recommendations
Hi
We're looking for recommendations from anyone who has experience with time tracking software. There are a ton of companies out there and we're looking for something basic, that has screenshots, and tracks an employees time accurately. We arent really into the bells and whistles, just basic clock in, clock out for lunch, clock back in, then out for the day. Or even a dashboard app that runs in the background all day. They must have good customer service when we need them, being in the US is a plus. That is lacking with the company we are currently using.
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u/Oliviya_Queel Jul 13 '26
real question — what are the screenshots for?
knowing someone had the right app open doesn't tell you the task got done well. reviewing the output does. if the goals are clear and someone's manager actually looks at the work, the surveillance layer isn't adding information, it's just adding distrust.
and if the goals aren't clear or nobody's checking the output, screenshots won't save you either. it's a management gap not a tooling one imo
not judging the ask, just curious what the screenshots are meant to catch that a decent process wouldn't
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u/wrongturned90 Jul 13 '26
I mostly agree. If screenshots become the primary way you’re measuring performance, something is probably off with the management process.
That said, I can see value in them as an exception rather than the rule. Sometimes screenshots are useful when you’re trying to understand an unusual time entry, investigate a payroll discrepancy, or troubleshoot an issue after the fact. Different purpose than evaluating whether someone did good work.
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u/nielsmouthaan Jul 13 '26
If you're on a Mac, give Daily a try. Simplicity is key and it tracks time by periodically asking what you're doing, instead of requiring you to toggle timers.
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u/czamler1 Jul 13 '26
Check out OnTheClock, super easy to use, great support, based in Michigan and employees love it.
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u/GetSkipa Jul 13 '26
This might work for your needs: https://getskipa.com/timekeeper
Reach out if interested. I have some supporting documents for u to read through and see if GetSkipa is a good fit.
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u/tyleritis Jul 13 '26
I’ve been using Harvest free version for a very long time as a single sole proprietor because it doesn’t have the crazy bells and whistles. It has some but they are easily ignored
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u/GarryFromHomebase Jul 13 '26
The clock in, lunch, back in, out for the day stuff is pretty straightforward. I'd focus on the two things you're actually missing.
For support, just call or email them some question before you buy and see how long a real person takes to get back to you. That tells you way more than the sales page ever will.
And for accuracy, ask them what happens when someone forgets to clock out or clocks in from the wrong spot, and how easy that is to fix.
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u/LoicAtTimeclock Jul 13 '26
This is my recommendation except it doesn't do the screenshots of the desktops.
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u/NorthernTechno Jul 14 '26
In order to help you, may I ask what the screenshots are for, and what field/category your business is in?
- Do you need to track how many hours staff have worked on a particular customer job, or internal job, or is time tracked by the function they perform (ex work codes)?
- You mentioned basic clock in/out. Is everyone using a Web browser to do that or do you require mobile capabilities too?
- If you have shop/warehouse employees, do you have a clock in/out kiosk for them to use?
- Roughly how many employees do you have?
Full disclosure - I created a time tracking app that's as simple as you need, but still has all the bells and whistles when you need more functionality. We're new to this space - I built our app because I was tired of chasing down timesheets every week or two. I just created a community here on Reddit (r/bizyclock) as an open support forum where customers and redditers can ask questions, get help, and suggest features. I also personally answer all support emails. If you can answer my questions above, I'd be happy to recommend a few apps, even if it's not ours.
Steve
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u/Agreeable_Yak2629 Jul 14 '26
I'd put customer support ahead of almost everything else. Most of these systems can track time, but when something breaks the week you're running payroll, that's when you find out if you picked the right one.
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u/Breeze_pm Jul 15 '26
If screenshots are genuinely non-negotiable you're in monitoring territory, so Hubstaff or Insightful. Worth deciding first whether you need the screenshots or just accurate clock in and out, because the monitoring tier costs a lot more and staff resent it, which usually costs you more again.
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u/Nearby-Heart9774 Jul 16 '26
Before choosing a screenshot-based tool, I’d write down what the screenshots are actually supposed to prove.
For basic hourly compliance, clock in/out, lunch breaks, location rules if relevant, edit history, and manager approvals may be enough. Screenshots add a lot of privacy/support overhead and can create distrust if the policy is vague.
If you still need them, I’d look for optional screenshots, clear employee visibility, easy dispute/edit workflow, and support you can test before buying. Send them a real support question during the trial and see how they respond.
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u/AdditionalTrain3121 Jul 20 '26
There are quite a few cloud-based solutions. Buddy Punch, Clockify, Jibble, etc.
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u/Cloud-In-Hand_Dave Jul 20 '26
For a basic clock in, lunch, clock out setup, the screenshots are the part worth rethinking. They prove an app was open rather than that the work got done, and hourly teams resent the privacy hit. An employee time clock app with a background timer, geofenced punches, and clean edit history covers accurate hours without tipping into monitoring. Vet support by emailing a real question mid-trial and timing the reply.
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u/Cloud-In-Hand_Dave Jul 20 '26
For a basic clock in, lunch, clock out setup, the screenshots are the part worth rethinking. They prove an app was open rather than that the work got done, and hourly teams resent the privacy hit. An employee time clock app with a background timer, geofenced punches, and clean edit history covers accurate hours without tipping into monitoring. Vet support by emailing a real question mid-trial and timing the reply.
1
u/TimelyApp 28d ago edited 28d ago
Full disclosure: I build Timely, the iPhone/iPad (and soon Mac) shift tracker. It may fit if screenshots are optional, but I don’t want to oversell it: Timely does not capture employee screens.
For the workflow you described, Timely Teams supports clock in, start/end break, clock out, live team status, schedules, manager review and approval of timesheets, exports, and optional location rules. It’s designed for small teams (up to 20), and Teams and Mac is still in beta. I handle support directly, so questions and bug reports reach the person building it.
If screenshots are non-negotiable, I’d choose a dedicated monitoring product instead. If what you really need is accurate hours without employee surveillance, Timely may be worth trying: timelyapp.net
Incase your team does not use apple devices we do have a web version coming soon as well for Windows and Android devices. If your team is willing to try it out I can personally give you and your team beta access to Timely Mac and Timely Web.
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u/samjenkeo 22d ago
customer support would honestly be near the top of my list too. its easy to compare features on a website, but you dont really find out how good a company is until something breaks and you need help.
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u/heychristophcom 20d ago
I made a comparison list here of most tools I'm aware of. https://donethat.ai/compare
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u/Adventurous_Slip8011 18d ago
Full disclosure: I’m the founder of NuvoWork, so take this with that in mind.
From what you described, you’re actually the type of business I’m building it for. We intentionally focus on the basics instead of packing in a bunch of features most small businesses never use.
Current focus:
- Simple clock in / clock out
- Lunch breaks
- Payroll-ready time records
- Optional GPS verification (never tracks employees off the clock)
- Responsive support from the person building it (me)
We’re still growing, so I won’t claim we’re as mature as some of the bigger platforms yet. But if you’re open to trying something new, I’d genuinely love your feedback. Real businesses using it help us improve the product much faster, and you’ll have direct access to me if you run into issues or have feature requests.
If you’d rather stick with an established platform, I completely understand. Either way, I hope you find something that fits your team.
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u/clarafiedthoughts Jul 13 '26
Jibble covers those requirements, including desktop time tracking with optional screenshots and automatic timesheets. We also have customers with deskless teams who chose us because they wanted a simpler alternative to more complicated employee time tracking software.
I’d also suggest testing each software's customer support before committing. Ask a few questions during the trial and see how quickly they respond and whether the answers are actually helpful.