As a small business owner running an hourly team, you know how vital tracking time accurately is.
It’s a central part of your operations as it’s centrally linked to everything else: cash flow, labor costs, productivity, payroll, and even staff engagement. But juggling time tracking manually gets overwhelming fast, and ultimately just won’t cut it. You need a digital app to automate, simplify, and connect with your team.
And while increasing numbers of employees are working remotely, we know many people still want to oversee their businesses centrally, using a computer. And with 74% of computers worldwide still using Windows*, you need a time tracker that works flawlessly with your existing system.
But finding the perfect time tracker app for your Windows computer can be time-consuming. Especially when you’ve got a business to run.
That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you. In this post, we cover:
- The key features to look for in time tracker apps
- Our top pick for time tracker apps for Windows in 2023
- A comparison chart of the key features to make them easier to see at a glance
Plus, we’ve explored what each app is best for in terms of task and business type to help you choose the best option for your needs.
*Statista, 2023
Key features to look for in time tracker apps for Windows
- Works well with a wide variety of systems and devices — You’ll want your chosen tool to work well on most, if not all, possible devices for the greatest functionality, whether you’re working on-site or on the go. Check that it’s compatible with your existing systems and devices (especially Windows!)
- Has a fully functional mobile app — Nowadays, managers and workers want to be able to check their schedules and track their time from their phones when they’re on the move. That’s why you’ll want to check if your chosen tool offers very similar, if not the same, functionality as the desktop version.
- Integrates with other related tools — You likely want to track your team’s hours digitally to make other tasks, like paying staff, even easier. That’s why you’ll want to — make sure it seamlessly connects to other related tools, like timesheets, scheduling, payroll, and team communication.
- Offers free or affordable plans — Maximizing budget is a priority for every manager or business owner, so you’ll want to consider how many features are available for free or at a low cost. For example, Homebase’s time clock tool comes with the free plan, unlike many platforms that charge for this.
- Enables you to track labor costs easily — Monitoring hours isn’t just about keeping accurate records of staff timesheets and time off. It’s also about making sure you stick to your budget and stay on track with labor spending. Be sure that the tool you choose tracks labor costs and helps flag overtime.
- Lets you set up geofencing and time tracking — Nowadays, many teams work remotely or across different work sites. You’ll want to check that your hourly tracking tool has features that verify staff are really working when (and where!) they say they are to avoid time theft and maximize productivity.
- Includes features that reduce buddy punching — Alongside time theft, you’ll also want to avoid “buddy punching” — where staff sign into work for their colleagues. Avoid this and ensure each team member’s timesheets are truly accurate with tools like personalized PINs.
- Lets you set up reminders and alerts — Make sure the tool you choose lets you oversee your business with minimal effort, like automated alerts when an employee clocks in late. This ensures accuracy and makes sure tasks get done correctly.
- Offers a wide range of integrations — Even the best time tracking tool can be improved with powerful integrations to other platforms. Check if your chosen platform connects with other software solutions you already use.
Our top pick for time tracker apps for Windows in 2023 (+ the rest compared)
Of course, we believe Homebase offers the best time tracker app solution available today, simply because of how easy it is to use, how well it works on desktops and smartphones, and how seamlessly it connects with the rest of our must-have management tools.
However, even the best tool may not be right for your business, and it makes sense to check what else is available on the market before making your final decision to save time and money down the line. Here’s our entire list of the best time tracker tools out there at the moment, which all happen to work well on Windows!
- Homebase: Best all-in-one solution
- Clockify: Best for tight budgets
- Traqq: Best for analytics and reports
- Everhour: Best for project management
- Apploye: Best for remote/field workers
- Hubstaff: Best for larger teams
- Timeular: Best for making new time-tracking habits
- Time Doctor: Best for helping staff focus
Comparison chart: Top 8 time tracker apps for Windows in 2023
|
Software |
Works on Windows (and others) | Has a mobile app | Free plan or trial? | Labor cost tracking? | Alerts and reminders | Geofencing and anti-buddy punching features | Pricing |
 |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Plans range from free to $99.95 per location per month. Homebase payroll costs $39 per month base fee plus $6 per month per employee. You can also save 20% when you commit to an annual plan. |
 |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | From free to $4.99 to $11.99 per user per month. |
 |
✓ |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
From free to $7 per user per month. Enterprise on request. Offers 21-day free trial. |
 |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
From free to $6 to $10 per user per month. Offers a free 14-day trial. |
 |
✓ |
✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | From $4 to $7 per user per month. Enterprise on request. Offers a 10-day free trial. |
 |
✓ |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
From free to $7 to $10 per user per month. Enterprise on request. Offers a 30-day free trial. |
 |
✓ | ✓ | X | X | ✓ | X |
From $9 to $19 per user per month. Offers a 14-day free trial. |
 |
✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X |
From $7 to $20 per user per month. Offers a 14-day free trial. |
A breakdown of the 8 best time tracker apps for Windows
1. Homebase: Best all-in-one solution
Homebase is an all-in-one small business management platform that includes time tracking as one of its core features among a wider toolbox, which includes timesheets, hiring and onboarding, payroll, team communication, and employee happiness tools. Its powerful software suite is designed to make hourly based team management easy — all with one tool that works on mobile and desktop.
Top features
- Tracks hours, breaks, overtime, and personal time off (PTO)
- Works on multiple devices, including computers, as well as tablets, smartphones, and POS systems via our web-based platform
- Features to avoid buddy punching, like personalized PINs and selfies
- Offers alerts connected to time clocking, including warnings if staff check in late
- Includes built-in messaging to communicate hours, PTO requests, and scheduling to team members easily
- Cuts down on expensive overtime by preventing early clock ins and reduces extra hours with auto clock-outs and break reminders
- Tracks labor costs and lets you import sales data to set targets
- Connects seamlessly with other Homebase tools like payroll, hiring and onboarding, and HR and compliance
- Integrates with a wide range of other platforms for payroll, point of sale (POS), and job boards
Pros and cons
Clients love how “easy to use” Homebase is and how much functionality the app offers in particular. However, if you’re looking for a simple time tracker without much else, then our platform may offer more tools than you need.
Pricing
- Basic. Free for one location and up to 20 employees. It includes basic scheduling, time tracking, and employee management.
- Essentials. $24.95 per month per location. Everything in Free, plus advanced time tracking and scheduling and team communication.
- Plus. $59.95 per month per location. Everything in Essentials, plus hiring, time off controls, and departments and permissions.
- All-in-one. $99.95 per month per location. Everything in Plus, plus employee onboarding, labor cost management, and HR and compliance.
Users can also save 20% on their overall cost when they sign up for an annual plan.
2. Clockify: Best for tight budgets
As its name suggests, Clockify specializes in doing one thing very well — time tracking. It’s a free, simple-yet-powerful time clock and timesheet app that lets you record hours across team members and projects.
Top features
- Has a desktop app for Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Works on web browsers, including Edge and Chrome, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices
- Includes a timer and timesheets to track hours in real-time
- Shows time visually on a color-coded calendar
- Monitors app and website use for easy time and activity tracking
- Allows staff to clock in from a central kiosk device
- Lets you analyze and export tracked time and create forecast estimates
- Enables admins to manage time off, approve requests, and see availability at a glance
- Records expenses and fees for projects and allows users to view earnings, costs, and profits
Pros and cons
Users like that the Clockify platform is “straightforward” to set up and use and enjoy how useful the reports are. Also, it has a comprehensive free plan, which makes it an attractive option for businesses with smaller budgets. However, Clockify only does time clocking (and closely-related tools), so it may leave you lacking when it comes to other capabilities.
Pricing
It’s free to access many features with Clockify. However, for more features, you can upgrade.
- Basic: $4.99 per user per month. All Free features, plus extra tools like customizable reports and break reminders.
- Standard: $6.99 per user per month. Includes everything in Basic, plus PTO management and attendance tracking.
- Pro: $9.99 per user per month. Includes everything in Standard, plus scheduling, forecasting, expenses, budgeting, GPS, and alerts.
- Enterprise: $11.99 per user per month. Includes everything in Pro, plus custom domain and control accounts.
3. Traqq: Best for analytics and reports
Traqq is time tracking software that works for teams of between just a few people to a few hundred. It aims to make it easy for managers to eliminate manual errors, coordinate cash flow and core HR features, boost productivity, calculate labor costs, and oversee business with analytics reports.
Top features
- Works on multiple devices, including Windows and Macs
- Automates timesheets by learning how productive your employees are
- Monitors employee check ins and check outs, plus breaks and activity levels
- Generates reports to compare labor costs and boosts profitability
- Measures and analyzes efficiency to optimize performance
- Works even without an internet connection
- Sends smart alerts and notifications to remind staff to track and take breaks
- Syncs to user profiles so managers can see who’s checked in and online
Pros and cons
Users say that Traqq is “user-friendly” and helps with accuracy. They also like its “intuitive reports.” However, Traqq’s tools are mainly designed for desk-based teams that rely on screens, so it may not be suitable for hourly workers in other environments.
Pricing
- Premium Starter. Free for three users max per month
- Premium Teams. $7 for teams of between four and 100 people
- Enterprise: Custom plans for teams of more than 100 people
Traqq also offers a 21-day free trial.
4. Everhour: Best for project management
Everhour is designed to integrate time tracking with popular project and task management tools like Asana, Monday.com, and Notion. It combines time tracking tools with a range of other business features, like billing, task management, and scheduling.
Top features
- Works on the web on a desktop via Chrome extension and as an iOS smartphone app
- Enables clock ins and clock outs, plus breaks
- Tracks PTO, sick days, and leave
- Has a browser extension for Chrome and works on Windows and Mac computers
- Includes an iPhone app for time tracking and project management
- Lets you set labor forecasts and stick to your budget
- Visualizes schedules, staff availability, and absences
- Lets you track expenses, create invoices, and make custom reports
Pros and cons
Users call Everhour’s interface “super easy” and “quick and painless” to use, and they particularly like its Chrome extension and integrations. However, while Everhour has a lot of powerful time tracking features, you have to sign up for the more expensive plans to get all of the necessary tools, like time off and scheduling.
Pricing
- Free. $0 per month for up to five users. Includes time tracking, project planning, and reports.
- Lite. $6 per month per user for two to ten users. Everything in Free, plus reminders, budgets, invoicing, and integrations with Asana and other project management tools.
- Team. $10 per month per user, starting at five users and up to an unlimited number. Everything in Lite, plus time cards, time off, scheduling, and expenses.
Everhour also offers a free 14-day trial.
5. Apploye: Best for remote/field workers
Apploye sets itself apart by aiming to be a time tracking app that’s suitable for all types of workforce: desk, mobile, and remote. This means you can manage your team from a desktop, but enable your staff to use the app wherever and whenever they need. It also claims to boost productivity by 20% and manage scaling businesses.
Top features
- Offers time tracking with a desktop and mobile app
- Works on Windows, Apple, and Linux, as well as on a smartphone iOS and Android app and with a Chrome extension
- Lets you customize timesheets by day, week, or month
- Enables team members to clock in and out of work and lets managers check attendance
- Manages projects, tracks project times, assigns roles, and keeps your budget on track
- Lets you create and assign tasks to employees
- Creates automated invoices and client databases
- Includes tracking in the field with GPS tracking across job sites
- Tracks and monitors the productivity of remote staff and contractors
- Keeps you updated with a reporting and metrics dashboard
- Connects hours worked and timesheets with payroll to pay staff accurately
Pros and cons
Reviewers say Apploye helps to analyze staff efficiency and improve productivity. However, while it has many time tracking features, it doesn’t offer extras like team happiness or HR tools.
Pricing
- Solo: $4 per for one user per month. Only one user allowed. Includes most core features, except scheduling (although Apploye says this is coming soon to the Solo plan).
- Standard: $5 per user per month. Includes everything in Solo, plus integrations, team and admin tools, payroll, and attendance tracking.
- Premium: $6 per user per month. Includes everything in Standard, plus field service extras like GPS location, geofencing, project view, and location notes
- Elite: $7 per user per month. Includes everything in Premium, plus app usage tracking, screenshot monitoring, and activity analytics.
- Enterprise: Price upon request.
Apploye also offers a free 10-day trial.
6. Hubstaff: Best for larger teams
Hubstaff’s main aim is to boost productivity, and its time tracking tools offer time clocking, reporting, online timesheets, and geofencing, as well as activity monitoring, payroll tracking, task assignment, and scheduling.
Top features
- Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as on an iOS and Android app, plus a Chrome extension
- Tracks hours accurately and links to correct timesheets
- Generates timesheets from digital or manual time entries
- Creates time reports to improve business processes
- Tracks staff with GPS and geofencing for automated clock ins and outs
- Monitors work to ensure the right tasks are getting done
- Simplifies scheduling with automated attendance tracking
- Tracks payroll and pays teams accurately and fast
Pros and cons
Users say Hubstaff is very “effective” and like its activity tracking to bill clients accurately. However, to get the full array of features, users need to sign up for Hubstaff Field and/or Hubstaff Desk, which are separate modules and have their own pricing plans.
Pricing
Hubstaff Time has the following plans available:
- Time Free: Free for one user only. Includes time tracking and timesheets, plus limited reporting and payroll.
- Time Starter: $7 per user per month. Starts at $14 for two users. Includes everything In Free, plus one integration, 24-hour support, management roles, and time edit tools.
- Time Pro: $10 per user per month. Starts at $20 for two users. Includes everything in Time Starter, plus payments and payroll, PTO management, invoices, and expense tracking.
- Enterprise. Customized plan. Available on request.
Hubstaff also offers a free 30-day trial.
7. Timeular: Best for making new time tracking habits
Timeular’s main focus is to help companies to boost profits with accurate reporting on where their time goes. It also has its own physical ‘tracker’ device, which is an eight-sided physical tool that works within the app on both mobile and desktop. It lets users set activities and develop time tracking habits physically.
Top features
- Works on desktop, on Windows, Mac, and Linux, or by web app, plus iOS and Android apps
- Enables an overview of time spent on different business areas, like admin, meetings, or research
- Creates accurate timesheets based on hourly tracking
- Automated custom reminders and weekly reports
- Enables you to drag-and-drop events to calendars
- Tracks billable and non-billable time
Pros and cons
Users like the “easy customization” and email updates, plus the “well-designed app.” However, Timeular isn’t specifically created for small businesses, so it may not work for you if you manage a lean or hourly team.
Pricing
- Personal: $9 per user per month
- Personal Pro: $14 per user per month
- Team: $19 per user per month
The Timeular Tracker costs $69 and offers each user a two-month free subscription for every new tracker. Timeular also offers a 14-day free trial.
8. Time Doctor: Best for helping staff focus
Time Doctor’s main aim is to make companies more efficient and track staff time and activities so managers can make informed, data-based decisions. It includes a wide array of features, including customizable alerts for managers and workers, plus tools to avoid distraction and staff burnout.
Top features
- Works on all devices with Windows, Mac, and Linux, plus Android and iOS apps and Chrome
- Tracks time and monitors employees and measures productivity
- Manages projects and budgets, assigns tasks, reviews progress, and creates reports
- Sends customizable email notifications to help managers stay informed of issues
- Includes integrations and open API to connect with your own software
- Measures productivity and creates summary reports
- Sends distraction alerts to help keep team members on track with tasks
- Spots signs on burnout to help staff boost work-life balance
Pros and cons
Users say Time Doctor helps them track time by individual clients and explain that it improves productivity through work monitoring. However, it’s one of the more expensive tools available, so it may not be best for companies on smaller budgets.
Pricing
- Basic: $7 per user per month. Includes time tracking, tasks and projects, and activity tracking.
- Standard: $10 per user per month. Includes everything in Basic, plus payroll, integrations, and email notifications.
- Premium: $20 per user per month. Includes everything in Standard, plus VIP support, extra reporting, and unlimited data history.
Time Doctor also offers a 14-day trial.
Time tracking: Accurate hours for accurate business
Any of these tools might be the best choice for you depending on your needs, size, and goals. However your team works (whether desk-based or remote, on client projects or internal tasks), it makes sense to track where their time is going. Without tracking those hours, you can’t improve efficiency or productivity or make data-based decisions.
Homebase knows how important accurate time tracking is to small businesses and makes it part of a wider roster of must-have tools. Our platform seamlessly blends time tracking with timesheets, payroll, team communication, HR and compliance, and staff happiness tools into one single dashboard that works well on all systems and devices, including Windows.
So, you can track hours correctly and translate that accuracy across the rest of your business for less time wasted and higher productivity and profits on a system that works for you.
**The information above is based on our research on time tracker apps for Windows. All user feedback referenced in the text has been sourced from independent software review platforms, such as G2 and Capterra, in March 2023.
Remember: This is not legal advice. If you have questions about your particular situation, please consult a lawyer, CPA, or other appropriate professional advisor or agency.
