Top 5 employee timekeeping software for small businesses in 2024

In 2024, effectively managing a small business means keeping a close eye on your most valuable resource: your employees’ time. 

Choosing the right employee timekeeping software is crucial for seamless project tracking, payroll processing, and compliance with labor laws. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to make the right choice. 

This guide explores the top five employee timekeeping software for small businesses in 2024, providing a comprehensive analysis to help you make an informed decision.

What is Employee time tracking software for small business?

Employee time tracking software for small business includes various applications and software. It helps you track the time of an employee, a particular project, or a task. 

You can use the employee time tracking software for small business for various purposes.  

For instance, if you are trying to manage your freelancers or your hourly-based workers, such as accountants, you can use employee time tracking software.   

Things that we can look at in Employee time tracking software for small business

When you are looking for employee time tracking software for small business, you can find some of the best software that can help you meet your needs. 

Now, you are looking for one. You may have questions about how easy it will be to access the software or whether you will have access to the right tools to track employee hours.

Well, in this section, I will help you to find the answers to your questions.

1. Easiness of the tracking software

The employee time tracking software for small business must have instinctive features for those who access and manage the time tracking. 

It also needs to be easy for the stakeholders so that they can analyze the data during the audit.  

2. Access to the right kind of employee time tracking tools

Before you opt for one-employee time tracking software for small business, you need to understand your needs. It can be tracking time for a particular project, or you may want to track employee timing. 

You may also need a time-tracking software that can allow you time entry on mobile devices as well. 

3. If you need to integrate it into other tools as well 

When you are running your small business, you may need employee time tracking software to integrate with other software like payroll, invoicing, or task management tools.

You may also need the software with the feature of unlimited access to their premium users.

So, before you buy employee time tracking software for small business, you should consider your needs and necessities.   

4. How much does an employee time tracking software for small business cost? 

In some cases, you may find sellers who prefer to sell the software for a one-time fee. On the other hand, there can be other kinds of sellers who ask you to pay on a monthly basis.  

Always ensure what you are paying for or if it is worth buying for a lifetime experience. 

5. If there is plenty of support available for time tracking software. 

Yes, I have already mentioned that your time-tracking should be instinctive, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have further issues. You may still have some questions about the employee time tracking software.

So, while buying, look for a small business where you can get enough access to all kinds of documentation, manuals and proper customer support that can answer your queries. 

Insightful

Insightful helps you to manage your time and attendance through computer-based. This is one of the effective employe time tracking software for small business where you keep a track on the working hours, You can also gain a better visibility for the attendances and check how much time is being allocated to boost productivity. 

Notable features

• Automated time tracking: Insightful automates time tracking by monitoring application usage and categorizing time spent, eliminating the need for manual entries and ensuring accuracy.
• Productivity analysis: The software provides comprehensive productivity reports, pinpointing areas for improvement and optimizing workflows.
• Screenshots and activity monitoring: It captures periodic screenshots and monitors activity levels to keep employees focused and accountable.
• Stealth mode: This feature allows discreet monitoring, making it ideal for maintaining productivity in remote teams without disrupting workflow.

Pros

• Deep insights: Its advanced monitoring features offer detailed insights into employees’ time usage, empowering informed management decisions.
• Automation: Streamlines time tracking and categorization, reducing administrative workload.
• Remote team management: Well-suited for overseeing remote teams and ensuring compliance with work-from-home policies.

Cons

• Privacy concerns: Extensive monitoring capabilities may raise privacy issues among employees.
• Learning curve: Due to its advanced features, Insightful may require more time to master than more straightforward tools.

Avaza

Avaza is a fantastic project management and employee timekeeping software tool that stands out in its monitoring capabilities. 

The software offers you simple project management and time tracking features that you can easily integrate into your system. You can also get an invoicing feature, which is very easy to use.  

Notable features

• Easy to use on any device: Avaza is easily accessible even if you have not installed or downloaded the application on your device. The software is 100% optimized for any electronic gadget and supports both Android and iOS. 
• Simple interface: This cloud-based software has an easy-to-use software that allows you to manage your tasks. 
• Invoicing and payments: With Avaze, you can send more professional-looking invoices and seamlessly accept payments. 

Pros

• User-friendly interface: Its intuitive design ensures that even those unfamiliar with timekeeping software can easily navigate it.
• Comprehensive features: Integrating project management and invoicing tools makes Avaza a versatile asset.
• Real-time collaboration: This enables teams to collaborate in real-time, enhancing productivity and communication.

Cons

• Limited customization: While Avaza is feature-rich, its customization options for timesheets are somewhat limited.
• Tiered pricing: Some advanced features are only accessible in higher-tier plans, which may be a constraint for small businesses.

ClickUp

ClickUp is another versatile timekeeping and project management software known for its adaptability and extensive customization options. It is a top choice for small businesses with diverse needs. Its comprehensive approach to project and time management offers unparalleled functionality.

Notable features

• Time tracking: With ClickUp, you can get access to the time tracking tools. These tools help you to keep track of how much time has been spent on a project. The application provides you with precise data. 
• Customizable workflows: The users can enhance their workflow according to their requirements for the projects.  
• Integrations: ClickUp helps you to integrate its functionality with various third-party applications. As a result, it helps you get a seamless workflow. 
• Reporting and analytics: The software offers detailed reports and analytics, providing insights into team performance and project timelines, which are crucial for informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Pros

• High customizability: Its adaptability to various business processes makes it versatile.
• Feature-rich: Beyond time tracking, ClickUp includes task management, collaboration, and reporting tools, offering a comprehensive suite for business management.
• Free tier: It offers a free tier with substantial features, making it accessible for startups and small businesses.

Cons

• Complexity: The extensive feature set can overwhelm new users, requiring a learning period.
• Performance issues: Occasionally, performance lags can occur with larger projects, potentially affecting efficiency.

Harvest

Harvest is another well-known employee timekeeping software for its user-friendly time tracking and invoicing features. It is a popular choice among creative agencies as it perfectly balances simplicity and powerful functionality.

Notable Features

• Reporting: Harvest has an efficient reporting feature that makes project management much simpler as well as insightful. 
• Timesheets: Your team members can easily log onto Harvest time tracking software and keep a record of their time as they continue to work. They can access the software through phone, browser, and desktop. 
• Invoicing: Harvest makes your invoicing process much easier. You can generate your invoices with the help of timesheets and tracking reports.   

Pros

• User-friendly interface: Even those new to time tracking software will find Harvest easy to use.
• Efficient invoicing: Simplifies and speeds up the billing process.
• Versatile integrations: Enhances its usefulness by integrating with other tools.

Cons

• Lack of advanced features: While Harvest is simple to use, it may not offer all the advanced project management features in other software.
• Cost consideration: Larger teams may find it more expensive, potentially limiting its appeal to very small businesses.

TSheets by QuickBooks

TSheets, now part of QuickBooks, is the last timekeeping tool on this list that seamlessly integrates with payroll and accounting. It’s an excellent choice for businesses that need accurate time tracking and smooth payroll integration.

Notable features

• Real-time time tracking: TSheets offers real-time tracking with clock-in/out, GPS tracking for mobile employees, and manual time entry options.
• Scheduling: Businesses can easily create and manage employee schedules to ensure adequate coverage and accurate attendance tracking.
• Time tracking: The Tsheets offer new tools that can help you streamline your time tracking.
• Mileage tracking: Quickbooks added another important feature to Tsheets, which is mileage tracking. This feature allows you to track an actual route without missing out on the major routes.   

Pros

• QuickBooks integration: Seamless integration with QuickBooks makes accounting and payroll processes more efficient.
• Mobile app: The mobile app with GPS tracking is perfect for businesses with remote or field employees.
• Robust scheduling: Comprehensive scheduling features ensure efficient shift management and attendance tracking.

Cons

• Expensive: Tsheets is much more expensive than other time-keeping software, which can create a barrier for small businesses. 
• Sync issues: there are a few small businesses that have reported issues regarding the synchronization issues of Tsheets. 

Bottomline 

If you are a small business owner, you need to focus on choosing the right employee time tracking software. The software can help you manage your time and boost your productivity.

This tool can help you streamline your operation and ensure your accurate billing as well as your payroll management. 

So try to choose which one is best for your small business and what benefits your can sought from the employee time tracking software.