5 Best Attendance Management Systems for Employees (In-Depth Look)

In this post, we’ll share how Buddy Punch (our attendance management system) can help you:
- Increase employee accountability (via features that limit employee punches to a specific location, device, and so on).
- Save time on payroll (via on-demand payroll reports where employee hours are automatically calculated, payroll provider integrations, time off tracking, and more).
We’ll also list four other attendance management systems for employees so you can see what your options are and make a well-rounded choice.
Best Attendance Management Systems
1. Buddy Punch
Brief Overview of How Our Attendance Management System Works
In this section, we’ll provide a broad 10,000 foot-view of how our platform works. (Later, we’ll dive deeper into Buddy Punch’s accountability and payroll-related features.)
1. Employees clock in and out via their phone, tablet, or desktop:

2. Our software automatically calculates regular, overtime, and time off hours. You can then download an Excel file which includes this (and other) information that’s needed for payroll.

This is faster and more accurate than traditional methods, which involve manual calculations.
Increase Employee Accountability
Geofencing

Geofencing lets you limit employee punches to a specific location.
For example, if your business was located at 123 Wilshire Blvd, you could limit employee punches to within 500 feet of that address.
If someone tried to punch in from a distant location (e.g., their home), they would receive an error message and be asked to try again from within 500 feet of your business location.
IP Address Locking

IP Address Locking lets you limit employee punches to a specific device (e.g., an in-office computer) or Wi-Fi network.
Photos on Punch

If you activated this feature, employees would need to take a photo of themselves each time they punched in or out.
You could then examine the photos via a central dashboard and verify the validity of the punches:

Additional Features to Increase Employee Accountability
So far, we’ve covered just a few of Buddy Punch’s accountability features. We also offer Facial Recognition Punching, GPS Tracking, and more.
Visit our features page to explore all the options at your disposal.
Save Time on Payroll
Payroll Reports on Demand

As we’ve mentioned, our software automatically calculates regular, overtime, and time off hours. You can then download an Excel file which includes this (and other) information that’s needed for payroll.
This is one of the key benefits of using an attendance management system. As one of our customers stated in their review: “No more adding times, calculating, and then punching them in redundantly. Buddy punch has taken the work out of payroll and time keeping.”
Payroll Provider Integrations

Buddy Punch integrates with a large number of payroll providers, including QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, SurePayroll, and so on (see complete list here).
Rather than manually transferring employee hours to your payroll provider (which is time consuming and error-prone), you can now do it in just a couple of clicks.
As one of our customers stated in their review: “The thing about Buddy Punch that I love most is the ability to sync/ integrate employee’s times with accounting software. This feature has made it incredibly easy to manage payroll”.
Time Off Tracking

Within the Buddy Punch app, administrators and employees can:
- View a time off balance report
- Request paid and unpaid time off
- And so on.
Click here to learn about additional time off tracking features.
Accruals

Buddy Punch makes it easy to add time off accrual rules. If this pertains to your business, we’ve created a video (see here) which goes over it in detail.
Explore Additional Features
Buddy Punch offers many features which are not outlined above. Just to name a few:
- Employee Scheduling
- Time Card Approvals
- Job Codes / Project Tracking
- Overtime Calculations
- Multiple Punch and Login Options
- Adding, Editing, or Deleting Punches
- And many more
Visit our features page to explore the full list.
See What Customers Have to Say
At the time of writing, Buddy Punch has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra (based on 648 reviews).

Below are just a couple of reviews highlighting Buddy Punch’s ease of use and great customer service:
“The Customer Support team is super responsive, thorough, and effective. Their support software allows for much quicker response times than you could get on the phone. Their team is knowledgeable about my organization and the way that we use the platform – I have received many helpful suggestions to how we can best leverage the Buddy Punch platform in our sometimes complicated organizational structure. We have had very few issues, but have always received immediate resolutions when anything has come up. The software is straightforward and well-run, and was easily understood by our team of 55+ non-technical staff of all ages.”
Click here to read the full review.
“We signed up for the trial period, and our employees were impressed immediately. They were able to start recording their time immediately with zero training or assistance, which was a priority for us. The system is also very easy to use from an administrator end (editing punches, viewing timecards, etc.) Buddy Punch produces concise reports which can assist with transferring employee hours to any payroll system that you may be using. If you do experience any issues or have questions, it’s very easy to place a support ticket and a response is usually given within 1-2 hours at the most. Customer Service definitely seems to be a priority which we appreciate. Once our trial period had concluded, it was a no-brainer to continue with this easy, intuitive solution.”
Click here to read the full review.
Click here to see all of Buddy Punch’s Capterra reviews.
Learn More about Buddy Punch
To explore the full capabilities of our attendance management system:
2. OnTheClock
OnTheClock offers a plethora of features. They include but are not limited to:
At the time of writing, OnTheClock has 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra (based on 497 reviews).
Below, we share just one review highlighting why it’s a solid attendance management system:
“Overall it was exactly what I needed. The tools are very simple and easy to manage. The reporting is direct and to the point. It doesn’t offer many thrills, but for the cost it’s well worth the price.”
Click here to read the full review.
Click here to see all of OnTheClock’s Capterra reviews.
3. Connecteam
Connecteam offers a plethora of features. They include but are not limited to:
- Employee Scheduling
- Employee Time Clock
- Checklists and Forms
- Employee Task Management
- Employee Communication
- Employee Training
- And more
At the time of writing, Connecteam has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra (based on 134 reviews).
Below, we share just one review highlighting why it’s a great attendance management system for employees. (Click here to see all of their Capterra reviews.)
“I have several old-school folks on my team. I tend to get a lot of push back when I introduce a new form of technology. We don’t have a central meeting location therefore I can’t have one time clock for everyone to punch. This app works great and my team really seems to like it. It is very easy to install and user friendly.”
Click here to read the full review.
4. Hubstaff
Hubstaff offers a plethora of features. They include but are not limited to:
- Online Time Reporting
- Employee Scheduling
- GPS Location Tracking
- Employee Productivity Monitoring
- Automated Payroll & Invoicing
- And more
At the time of writing, Hubstaff has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Capterra (based on 1217 reviews).
Below we share just one review highlighting why it’s a great attendance management software:
“Hours and productivity are tracked easily day to day and the platform provides useful feedback. I have recommended it to other business leaders also.”
Click here to read the full review.
Click here to see all of Hubstaff’s Capterra reviews.
5. Clockify
Clockify offers a plethora of features. They include but are not limited to:
At the time of writing, Clockify has 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra (based on 1609 reviews).
Below we share just one review highlighting why it’s a great attendance management system:
“Well, my overall experience would be that I’m totally satisfied and would purchase again if I had to. Give them a try. This software is definitely moving you into the digital age which is fantastic. My employees love it because it’s so simple and doesn’t take up their time clocking in and out by logging into a system. They just scan their faces, push a button, and done.”
Click here to read the full review.
Click here to see all of Clockify’s Capterra reviews.
Learn More about Buddy Punch
To explore the full capabilities of our attendance management system:
You May Also Like…
- 9 Best Apps to Track Employee Attendance and Time (In-Depth Post)
- 5 Best Time Tracking and Payroll Software (Real-Time Reports)
- Time and Attendance Tracking: The Ultimate Guide
- How to Automate Time Tracking and Save Hundreds Weekly
- Buddy Punch Features and Functionalities
- 4 Best Ways to Track Employee Work Hours (In-Depth Look)
- Buddy Punch’s Biometric Facial Recognition Feature
- 7 Best Software & Apps to Streamline Employee Scheduling
- Choosing the Best HR Management Software for Your Small Business
- 6 Best Time Tracking Systems (In-Depth Comparison)
- Why Your Small Business Needs Human Resources Management Software
- 6 Best Clock In Clock Out Systems (In-Depth Comparison)
- Time Management Activities For Employees
- Buddy Punch’s Time and Attendance Reports
- How Time Clock Software Can Streamline Workforce Management
- The Challenges with Managing Remote Work Employees
- Lower Your Labor Costs by Eliminating Time Theft
- Employee Time & Attendance Tracking Using Excel Spreadsheets: Templates, Downsides & Alternatives
- How to Deal with Employee Absenteeism
- 5 Best Timekeeping Software for Employees (Desktop and Mobile App)
- 8 Best Mobile Time Clock Apps That Work With Android and iPhone (iOS)
- 5 Employee Time Tracking Software for Android and iPhone (iOS)