Launched as a family business in California in 2013, ClockShark is a time tracking app with core features such as time and job tracking, GPS tracking, scheduling, PTO management, payroll, and reporting.  Originally designed for field service and construction businesses, it now supports a wide range of industries, with over 9,500 clients worldwide. 

Customers praise ClockShark for its ease of use and accurate time tracking, especially the ability to track time spent on specific projects or at different locations. That said, it’s not without its faults. G2 reviewers have raised concerns about its GPS accuracy and occasional app glitches. 

I was curious to know if these complaints are warranted — and, in general, to learn how ClockShark helps managers track time, locations, and tasks. So I reviewed ClockShark from both a manager’s and an employee’s perspective, using the web interface and iOS app.

Specifically, I looked at the time clock, scheduling, PTO management, quote and invoice generation, reporting, and integrations. I also assessed how ClockShark’s pricing structure and security credentials stacked up against other time tracking apps I’ve tested.

In this review, I share the experience of my thorough, hands-on testing, highlighting where ClockShark stood out and where it could be improved.

Final verdict 

ClockShark can be a great choice for field service or construction businesses. However, its scheduling and PTO features lack flexibility, and it’s a costly choice for businesses seeking basic time tracking. 

Total Score: 3.78 / 5

(Read the full review below for more information on how each section was scored.)

Comparison Features	3.7 / 5
→ Time tracking	3.5 / 5
→ Scheduling	3.5 / 5
→ Attendance and labor costs	4 / 5
→ Timesheets and Payroll	4.5 / 5
→ Paid Time Off & Leave	3 / 5
Account Creation & Set up	3.5 / 5
User Interface & Ease of Use	4 / 5
Mobile App	3.5 / 5
Reporting	4.5 / 5
Help and Support	4 / 5
Pricing	3 / 5
Integrations	4 / 5
Security & Safety	4 / 5

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
✅ Intuitive time tracking against customers, jobs, and tasks	❌ Costly for larger teams
✅ Offline mode available — ideal for field workers with unreliable internet connections	❌ No auto-clockout despite geofencing rules
✅ Ability to add custom forms to tracked time — for compliance, customer signoff, and equipment tracking	❌ PTO management available only on Pro plan
✅ Accurate geolocation tools	❌ Scheduling tool still requires manager intervention

Account creation and setup

Overall, getting started on ClockShark was relatively straightforward — though with a couple of minor frustrations.

Signing up for the free trial was simple, with no credit card details required. I was asked to provide basic information about my business, including the industry and number of employees. What I would’ve liked to see here, though, is Google or Apple authentication for speed.

Next, I was prompted to download the ClockShark app. Helpfully, the screen had a QR code to scan, so I didn’t need to search the App Store manually. 

Compared to some time tracking apps I’ve tested, ClockShark provided less hand-holding when I was getting started. I clicked on a “Start a demo” button, which showed me multiple steps to follow. But it didn’t seem to work as expected, because tasks didn’t get marked as “completed” even after I had completed them. This was somewhat frustrating, but it didn’t significantly stall my progress.  

Overall, the setup was fairly intuitive. Adding users was straightforward. This included entering basic personal information, specifying GPS and time clock rules, applying access permissions, and activating manager settings for employees overseeing a team. 

Initially, it seemed employees needed to be added manually, but I later found a data import option in a different menu. This could be a major time-saver for larger businesses, and I wish this option was more obvious — ideally on the same page where I was adding employees. 

As I was on the Pro plan during my trial, I could also create departments, grouping employees by roles such as plasterers, painters, or electricians. This proved really useful later on.

Once employees are added, they are sent an invite to download the ClockShark app on their device. Uniquely, there’s also an option to send requests in Spanish — handy for international teams. 

At this point, I discovered one of ClockShark’s standout features: the ability to track time against jobs. 

I quickly created a list of customers, jobs, and tasks. I could assign each job its own unique job number and color, making it easy to identify them on timesheets and reports. For each job, I could record a stage to track progress, using my own labels or choosing from prebuilt options: New, In Progress, Complete, or Ready to be Scheduled. I could also apply geofence rules and assign budgeted hours.

The Admin menu gives you the option to configure several functionalities, including company settings, alerts, and notifications. This initial setup can be quite time-consuming for admins, but it is a worthwhile investment. You can tailor the features to meet your business needs. 

Score: 3.5 / 5 

Overall, signing up and getting started on ClockShark was straightforward, but a more detailed “getting started” demo would have been helpful. Some useful tools, such as data import, could have been made more obvious. 

Time tracking

ClockShark features an intuitive time tracker, accessible via its web interface, mobile app (iOS and Android), and on-site kiosks.

Time clock data is automatically added to digital timesheets, allowing managers and employees to monitor hours worked at a glance. 

Time tracking for managers

ClockShark provides managers with good oversight of their field-based teams, with accurate geolocation and geofencing tools. 

I loved how time (and costs) could be tracked against specific customers and jobs, even broken down to specific tasks.

By clicking on the Map menu, I could easily see who was working, how long they’d been clocked in, their location, and even the task they were working on. I could also filter by employee or department — useful, for example, during last-minute call-outs, if I have to find a plumber located nearest to a customer.

If enabled, the “GPSTrak” feature also collects employees’ GPS locations every 15–20 minutes while they’re clocked in. This means managers can replay their team members’ movements throughout the day.  

But I was disappointed that it doesn’t automatically clock employees out when they leave the geofence. Instead, anomalies such as out-of-bounds clock-ins are flagged on timesheets for a manager to review.

An additional feature that I really liked was the ability to create shift wrap-up and compliance forms. I created a form that is automatically presented to employees when they log out. It required employees to confirm the equipment used on the job and whether a return visit was required. While this made the clock-out process a little longer for employees, it can be useful for tracking project status.

Time tracking for employees

On both the app and web browser, I could clock in and out with just a few taps, either to start a scheduled shift or to track my time manually for a specific job or task. 

I loved that I could switch jobs without clocking out. This would be very convenient for employees who visit multiple locations on the same day. 

If enabled during set-up, I could also add a break, write notes, and upload images directly to my time entry — a useful tool for recording progress and evidence of the work I’d completed.

Despite having defined geofences, ClockShark didn’t automatically clock me in when I reached the workplace. It did remind me to clock in 15 minutes before my shift was due to start. If employees forget to clock out, ClockShark logs them out automatically after 23 hours and flags a “missed punch” on the timesheet. 

Score: 3.5 / 5 

For field-based teams, ClockShark’s geofencing and GPS time tracking tools are really useful. However, they are less advanced than competitors. While the job-level tracking and shift wrap-up and compliance forms were impressive, geofence auto-clockouts and punch limiting would be helpful additions to minimize time theft. 

Scheduling

ClockShark’s flexible scheduling tool is available in both the Standard and Pro plans. It enables managers to plan and allocate work to employees, teams, or departments. 

Scheduling for managers

ClockShark’s drag-and-drop scheduling tool was easy to use, but it has several limitations that result in more manual effort for managers. 

Creating shifts was a manual process, with no option to import shift data from a spreadsheet. That said, I was able to easily create new shifts and allocate them to specific jobs and employees. The schedule was color-coded, so it was easy to identify which shift was assigned to which job or employee.

I liked that I could quickly build shifts in bulk to create recurring shifts, repeating them every day, week, other week, weekday, or month until the date of my choice.

I found it easy to publish schedules, and they sync automatically, so your employees will always see an up-to-date view in their app. 

However, unlike Buddy Punch, ClockShark doesn’t automatically send a notification to employees when a schedule is published. And it wasn’t immediately obvious that managers need to manually share schedules with employees.

When sharing schedules manually, I could send an email or push notification to the employee’s mobile phone. But while the emails were delivered quickly, I couldn’t get the mobile push notification to work. I reached out to support and was told that, at the time of writing, this feature was not yet live in their new app (though it was available on the older version). This could be confusing for users, because the option to send a push notification is still visible on the menu.

While the calendar view showed employees’ booked or pending time off, I didn’t receive any warning when I tried to allocate a shift to an employee who was on leave.

Scheduling for employees

As an employee, I could view my schedule on both the app and web browser. On the app, I could view the schedule for 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week. While this could be useful for employees who use the app, I preferred the larger view on the web browser. It allowed me to see an entire month’s schedule at a glance.

The color-coding makes it easy to differentiate between jobs.  

However, unlike many competitors, ClockShark didn’t offer me the flexibility to record my availability or shift preferences. I couldn’t accept or decline shifts either — even when I was on prebooked leave.

I’d have also loved the option to swap shifts with other employees. Instead, the admin burden of having to adjust employee schedules was pushed back to managers.

Score: 3.5 / 5 

The drag-and-drop scheduling tool is easy to use, but lacks instant alerts and conflict flagging. This means more manual effort when making adjustments.

Attendance and labor costs

ClockShark offers various options to help managers monitor attendance and labor costs, such as:

• Geofencing and geolocation tools
• Overtime rules and alerts
• Automatic and manual break tracking
• Punch rounding 
• Showcasing planned and actual hours by job 
• Early, late, and missing clock-ins

I could create clear overtime rules based on my requirements or use the handy prebuilt option to ensure compliance with stricter California rules. I appreciated the email alerts I received when an employee went into daily or weekly overtime. However, it would be more helpful to be notified before that happens, so managers can adjust schedules as needed.

I was also pleased to see a variety of break-logging options in ClockShark. As a manager, I could let employees record their own breaks manually, and they would be prevented from clocking back in for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, I could automatically activate a lunch break of a predefined duration on work days that exceeded a selected duration. 

I loved how quotes and invoices can be created and stored in ClockShark — a real positive for the service and construction industries. Via the jobs screen, I could also check at a glance how much of each job’s budget had been used and set up email notifications once a specified threshold is reached. 

The tool can strengthen its geofencing features to prevent time theft. It would be useful if managers are notified of anomalies, such as early or late clock-ins and clock-outs, missed punches, out-of-bounds time clocking, and unrecognized faces on kiosks. 

Score: 4 / 5 

ClockShark has many useful features to help managers track labor costs and compliance. I’d love to see more proactive flagging of employee overtime though — ideally when I am creating schedules.

Timesheets and payroll

ClockShark uses clock-in data to automatically create digital timesheets that employees can view at any time.

Employees do not need to submit their timesheets. Instead, managers can review and approve shifts after they’ve been completed, or approve entire timesheets in bulk at the end of the pay period — whether that’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. I could also see the total hours worked by each employee during the pay period (including details of overtime and PTO), categorized by jobs and tasks.

Helpfully, all anomalies — missed clock-ins, clocking in at unscheduled times, missing breaks, out-of-bounds movements — were clearly flagged with an exclamation mark. I loved that as I reviewed and removed flags, the tool left a clear trail of my edits. This would be a big help for audit purposes. 

When there were no anomalies, I could “approve all” timesheets with a single click.

Alternatively, I could conduct a more detailed review by approving shifts individually. This let me view employees’ location movements throughout the day, any attached photos, or job notes.  

I could also add time manually for employees who had worked additional unplanned hours.

Score: 4.5 / 5

Timesheets are easy to review, edit, and approve on ClockShark. Clear flags of anomalies can help managers resolve issues before payroll is run.

PTO and leave

ClockShark’s PTO management feature allows managers to monitor their employees’ leave balance and easily view and approve leave requests. However, this feature is available only on the Pro plan.

PTO and leave management for managers 

Before I could use ClockShark’s PTO tools, I first had to create time off policies. This process was quite straightforward.

I could give each policy a name for easy identification — such as “Annual leave” or “Annual leave 5 years+.” I could also choose from various options regarding how time off is earned and accrued. Time off can be accrued in hours only. While this could be adapted for salaried employees (e.g., a day recorded as 8 hours), I’d have preferred an option to record leave in days, too. 

I was able to specify carryover rules and waiting periods based on my requirements, but there was no option to prevent leave requests during peak periods or insist on a minimum notice. I was able to send a leave request for Tuesday at 4 pm on Monday.

When it came to assigning leave policies, I felt ClockShark missed a trick. I’d have loved to be able to assign policies to departments or groups — for example, to plasterers, or to employees who have completed 5 years of service and have higher PTO allowances. Instead, I had to assign policies to individual employees. This can be very time consuming with larger teams. 

I could check pending leave requests at any time through “Requests” on the Time menu and kept receiving email reminders until I actioned them. However, it was frustrating that I couldn’t quickly view an employee’s calendar when I was approving their leave request and had to go to another screen to check their schedule. It also surprised me that I could approve a leave even when an employee was scheduled for a shift during the same time — ClockShark didn’t notify me about this clash.  

Unlike Timeero, however, hours were deducted from employees’ leave balance as soon as they requested a leave. If I declined the request, the deducted hours were added back. 

PTO and leave management for employees

As an employee, I found it easy to view my entitlements and request leave on both the app and web browser. I could also see details of previously approved and rejected requests.

When requesting leave, I had to select a time off policy, so it’s important that policies are clearly named.

I could book full or half days and add a description if needed, although this was not mandatory. 

Interestingly, ClockShark did not block me from requesting leave even when I didn’t have any leave balance. I also didn’t receive any notification when my leave request was approved for a day when I was on shift. The approved leave was simply added to my schedule.

Score: 3 / 5 

Creating PTO policies is simple in ClockShark, and it’s easy for employees to request leave. However, the PTO function could be better integrated with schedules, and conflicts could be flagged more clearly. I was also disappointed that PTO management is only available on the Pro plan, making it a costly add-on for smaller teams. 

Reporting

ClockShark has a designated reports section, which offers a range of reports to track time and labor data. I could view:

• Timesheet reports (by job, task, or employee)
• Labor cost reports (by job or task)
• Employees’ location history

Unlike some competitors that focus on time and job reporting, like Timeero, I loved that I could also dig deeper into individual employee behavior. I could review their time off history and any timesheet flags such as out-of-bounds clock-ins. This can help managers identify employee trends and manage attendance concerns proactively.

The reports are detailed and flexible, and you can filter down to your desired detail level. There are no visual dashboards on ClockShark, but the reports are sufficiently functional: You can easily export them to CSV or Excel to create graphs or charts or run deeper analyses.

Score: 4.5 / 5 

Despite the lack of visual dashboards, ClockShark’s suite of pre-built reports is strong, and they can be heavily filtered to dig deep into the data.

User interface and ease of use

Manager view

ClockShark has a simple blue and white color scheme that I found to be clear and easy on the eyes. The tool offers six menus: Time, Schedules, Work, Reports, Admin, and Map. PTO sits within the Time menu.

The manager view defaults to timesheets, which helped me see immediately if any of my team members had failed to clock in for a planned shift. This made the view quite busy though.

Within the Map menu, I could also clearly see who was working at which location.  

I also loved the simple “New” button on the top right. I could click on it to quickly add a new customer, job, task, quote, invoice, or employee, without having to navigate through the main menus.

I did run into a few minor issues with the web browser during testing, and I felt some menu items could be more obvious. The Work and Admin menus have several options, so sometimes I needed to spend time searching for the feature I needed.

I was disappointed that some functionalities, such as sharing schedules, came only with visual icons and no text descriptions. This may cause confusion and extend the learning curve for admins.

Lastly, the location of the demo button was inconvenient. It partially blocked my view of the support screen when I attempted to use the live chat. The support team promptly investigated this issue.

Employee view

The employee view of ClockShark is much simpler than in competitors like QuickBooks Time — ideal for employees who are not technologically savvy. 

As soon as I logged in, I could see my time clock on the left-hand side of the screen. I could also quickly toggle between the “My timesheet,” “My schedule,” and “My time off” tabs. This let me find the information I needed with minimal effort. 

Within the Work menu, I could view details of my assigned customers and jobs, but there was no obvious “back” button to return to the main dashboard. This could make navigation difficult.

Score: 4 / 5 

ClockShark has a modern interface that’s easy to navigate. Still, some menu items could be clearer.

ClockShark’s mobile app

ClockShark has several apps on the App Store, including their legacy app, so be sure to scan the QR code during registration to find the correct app. The latest app is the one with an orange background. 

• Google Play Store Score: No ratings at the time of writing
• Apple App Store Score: 3.2 (based on 52 ratings)

Manager view

To managers, the ClockShark mobile app offers functionalities similar to the web browser. 

Unlike some competitor apps, I could easily schedule shifts and review timesheets on my phone. I could also quickly see who was logged in at which location, and even clock in a group of employees manually using the CrewClock feature. 

I did find it harder to build schedules on the app because of its limited view. While I could view my own PTO, I sadly couldn’t review requests from my team on the app. There’s no access to quotes, invoices, or reports either, so for detailed insights on jobs and customers, I needed to return to the web browser.

Employee view 

As an employee, I found the iOS app easy to use. I was able to quickly clock in, switch jobs, and clock out, with options to upload photos and add notes. When geolocation settings were enabled, the app tracked my movements, but only when I was clocked in. 

Via the menus at the bottom, I could also:

• View my schedule — for 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week
• Review my leave entitlements, request time off, and see pending requests
• View my timesheet, with overtime or double time clearly marked

Within the Work menu, I could view my customers and their contact details — handy if employees need to contact the customer during a shift. 

I was happy that the ClockShark app worked offline too. It tracked my time and location even when I had poor connectivity and synced relatively quickly once my phone came online. Some customer reviews stated that location tracking drained the phone battery, but I didn’t notice any significant impact on battery life.

Score: 3.5 / 5 

For employees, I found the app user-friendly and functional, and with the exception of push notifications (which aren’t yet live on the new app, according to the support team), everything worked as expected. Managers can use most functions via phone, although the scheduling view is limited. 

Pricing 

ClockShark offers two simple, straightforward pricing plans: Standard and Pro. Some features, including PTO management, are available only on the Pro plan.

Unlike Connecteam and Clockify, however, it doesn’t offer a free plan for small businesses. This means ClockShark could become quite costly as your team grows — especially if you’re using PTO management. The base fee is substantial, plus there’s a monthly cost per employee. There’s also no additional discount for annual payments.

Some competitors may be more cost-effective. Homebase charges a fixed fee for unlimited users, for example. Buddy Punch’s Starter plan offers GPS tracking and PTO management for almost half the cost.

	Standard plan	Pro plan
Price per month	$9/user/month + $40 base fee	$11/user/month + $60 base fee
Example: 25 users, monthly	$265	$335
Example: 60 users, monthly	$580	$720
What’s included?	– Time and attendance tracking – GPS tracking – Job and task tracking – Built-in Spanish language support – Drag and drop scheduling – Manager roles and approvals – Third-party integrations – Draft schedules	Everything in the standard plan, plus: – PTO – Multi-department/office controls – Advanced job costing controls – Shift wrap-up and compliance forms

Score: 3 / 5 

Overall, ClockShark feels quite costly compared to competitors. However, it does offer advanced job costing controls, which could justify its price for construction or service businesses.

Customer support

In addition to a detailed Help Center, ClockShark offers customer support via phone, email, and live chat. However, the support team works limited hours, and users outside the U.S. could face longer response times. 

Nonetheless, I found ClockShark’s customer support responsive and helpful. Unlike other time tracking apps I’ve tested, the ClockShark team offered support without making it feel like a hard sell.

I started a conversation with ClockShark’s AI chatbot, “Sharky,” which quickly passed on my issue to a human agent. I appreciated that the agent took my questions and complaints seriously and worked hard to resolve them. They also offered to pass on feedback to the development team.

ClockShark has a packed Help Center — although as I discovered, some elements, including push notifications, need updating as they still refer to the earlier version of the app. 

Score: 4 / 5 

I found ClockShark’s support helpful and responsive. While the missing push notifications may be a temporary issue, the resource library should be updated to avoid confusion. 

Integrations

ClockShark integrates with many leading payroll and accounting tools, including Gusto, ADP, Paychex, and QuickBooks. While there’s no open API to create customized integrations, I love that you can also use Zapier. This lets you sync ClockShark data to thousands of other apps, including Gmail, Google Sheets, and Slack.

Importantly, integrations are available on both plans, so you don’t have to pay extra to streamline your payroll. 

Score: 4 / 5

ClockShark offers direct payroll integration on both plans. However, the options are more limited than those of some competitors, including Buddy Punch and Homebase.

Security

As I wrote above, ClockShark has strong GPS tracking.

Passwords have to be at least 8 characters long, and optional two-factor authentication for admins offers an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access. To clock in or out at kiosks, employees must use their 4-digit PIN, or you could enable face recognition. This prevents unauthorized access and buddy punching.

ClockShark also has strong security credentials to keep personal data safe and complies with strict privacy laws such as GDPR. 

With role-based access controls, feature-specific permissions, and restrictions, admins can determine what each user can view and action. 

While ClockShark’s website mentions that it encrypts personal data, the level of encryption isn’t disclosed. It also doesn’t mention whether ClockShark meets HIPAA requirements – the additional security needed when handling sensitive medical or health data. 

Score: 4 / 5

ClockShark has robust access controls and provides good protection against data breaches and loss, but it’s not immediately clear if it’s HIPAA compliant.

Top 3 ClockShark alternatives

If, after reading this review, you’re not convinced that ClockShark is the right time tracking app for your team, here are three ClockShark alternatives you can consider.

1. Buddy Punch: Best for affordability and ease of use 

The best and more affordable alternative to ClockShark is Buddy Punch. This flexible, easy-to-use time tracking app supports salaried, hourly, and shift-based teams, including remote, mobile, and field-based employees. With GPS on punch, strong geofencing tools, and real-time GPS tracking, you can easily see your employees’ movements throughout the day. 

• Capterra Rating: 4.8/5 (1,115 reviews)
• Starting at: $4.49 per user

Time tracking 

Buddy Punch offers multiple time tracking methods, including via a web browser, mobile app, or kiosk. Using job costing, managers can easily track time (and labor costs) for specific departments, customers, and projects.

PTO management

PTO tracking is included on all of Buddy Punch’s plans. You can build a range of PTO policies, including vacation, sick, and personal leave, with flexible accrual rules. Unlike ClockShark, managers can quickly view pending and approved requests on the calendar. You can also prevent employees from requesting PTO if their PTO balances won’t cover the request and set blackout dates to prevent leave bookings during peak periods.

Scheduling 

Buddy Punch has customizable drag-and-drop scheduling tools. With support for shift templates, recurring shifts, and instant notifications, schedules are easy to build and edit. And, unlike in ClockShark, employees can set their availability and directly swap shifts with a colleague. 

Attendance management 

With location tracking, geofencing, facial recognition, and IP address locking, Buddy Punch provides real-time visibility into your workforce. You can receive helpful alerts to manage attendance issues such as late logins or no-shows. 

And much more

Buddy Punch also offers seamless payroll integrations (even on basic plans), customized project tracking, automatic break and overtime calculations, and much more.

2. QuickBooks Time: Best for payroll integration 

For businesses already using QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time allows accurate time and cost tracking across jobs and projects, with strong GPS tracking, invoicing, and seamless payroll integrations. However, its monthly base fee, plus the cost of QuickBooks Online, may be too costly for smaller teams.

• Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 (6988 reviews)
• Starting at: S8 per user ($10 with Scheduling)

3. Homebase: Best for small businesses

Homebase covers the core aspects of scheduling, time tracking, payroll, and PTO for small and mid-sized teams. Its mobile app in particular is easy to use, but lacks flexibility with GPS, reporting, and integrations.

• Capterra Rating: 4.6/5 (1141 reviews)
• Starting at: $24 per user, including scheduling

Methodology: How I tested ClockShark 

As an experienced HR professional, I have tested multiple HR information systems and time tracking tools and have genuine insights into the features that are most valuable for managing a team.

I signed up for a free 14-day trial, creating a fictional business, manager account, and several employees, allowing me to review ClockShark from both perspectives thoroughly. 

Using real-world scenarios, I tested ClockShark’s core time tracking and GPS tools, scheduling, and PTO management before running reports to showcase my data. I accessed ClockShark via web browser on my MacBook and the iOS mobile app. 

I examined the help center, watching videos and reading guides, before reaching out to ClockShark support for advice or clarification.  

I took screenshots during testing, noting my observations to highlight standout features and potential areas for improvement.  

Finally, I reviewed ClockShark’s pricing model to understand which features and functionalities are included in each plan. I also checked its security credentials to understand if your team’s personal data will be stored safely.  

After reviewing each section, I assigned it a score out of 5. I then used each section’s score to calculate an overall weighted score out of 5.