9 Best Time Tracking Apps for QuickBooks Online & Desktop

ByEric Czerwonka Last Updated
Illustrative image of time tracking software that integrates with Quickbooks

If you use QuickBooks Online or Desktop for accounting and payroll, it’s crucial to use a time-tracking app that integrates with QuickBooks. 

A QuickBooks integration significantly speeds up the process of running payroll. Time clock apps with QuickBooks integrations either send employee timesheet data to QuickBooks in just a couple of clicks or maintain a constant sync of data between the two platforms.

This makes running payroll faster, and it also reduces the likelihood of errors. You no longer have to bother with downloading spreadsheets, making sure they’re formatted correctly, and uploading them to QuickBooks. Instead, you just set up the integration and let it do all of the tedious manual work for you.

The 9 best time tracking software that integrates with Quickbooks

These nine time-tracking apps integrate directly with QuickBooks — either QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, or both — to help you simplify and automate payroll processing.

1. Buddy Punch – Best overall

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

Buddy Punch is an affordable, user-friendly time-tracking app that integrates directly with both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. It has one of the highest ratings of all time-tracking apps on Capterra with a 4.8 out of 5-star rating overall, as well as for ease of use and customer support.

With Buddy Punch, employees can clock in and out using web browsers, mobile devices (iPhone and Android), or tablets used as an on-site kiosk. There are a number of options employees can use to log in to Buddy Punch, including usernames and passwords, PINs, or QR codes.

Administrators can see employees’ timesheets in real time, access detailed reports, and send timesheet data directly to QuickBooks for payroll processing. Admins or managers can also be required to approve timesheets before they’re sent to payroll for processing.

Time clock features

Beyond basic time tracking, Buddy Punch also offers a lot of additional features that can help business owners keep their staff accountable, improve admin productivity, and reduce time theft:

  • Location tracking: Log team members’ GPS locations when they clock in and out, monitor their locations in real-time across the entire workday, or set up geofences that prevent employees from clocking in or out when they’re not at your job site.
  • Overtime calculations: Set up customizable rules specifying when employees hit overtime, and Buddy Punch will automatically calculate overtime and pay rates for you.
  • Reduce payroll costs: Set up rules to get notified when employees are nearing overtime, automatically round punches to the nearest preset interval, prevent employees from clocking in before they’re scheduled to work, or automatically remove breaks from timesheets to save on payroll costs.
  • Employee accountability: Require employees to take a photo of themselves when clocking in and out to prevent buddy punching, or disable clocking in and out unless the employee is connected to your office’s IP address.
  • Job costing: Set up job codes and assign them to employees or teams to easily track hours worked on specific projects, clients, or customers.
  • Employee scheduling: Use a drag-and-drop tool to create employee schedules, then automatically notify employees of new schedules and shift changes. Create recurring shifts that will get automatically added to your schedule every week.
  • PTO tracking and accruals: Set up rules for how PTO is accrued, then easily track time off for your entire company. Employees can request time off in the Buddy Punch app, which triggers an alert for their manager or admin to approve the request.

You can also set up blackout dates for days when employees cannot request time off, allow employees to clock in and out via text message, and set up single sign-on for employees to log in to Buddy Punch using Google, Okta, or OneLogin. See all of Buddy Punch’s features.

How to set up the integration

  1. Install the QuickBooks integration in your Buddy Punch account
  2. Sign in to QuickBooks
  3. Map your employees in QuickBooks to those in Buddy Punch
  4. Export your timesheet data to QuickBooks

Here are more instructions on setting up Buddy Punch to work with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop.

Pricing

Buddy Punch is one of the lowest-cost apps on this list, with pricing starting at $4.49 per user per month plus a $19 base fee.

Want to learn more about Buddy Punch? Start a free trial — no credit card required — watch a recorded demo, or request a personalized demo.

2. QuickBooks Time – Best for QuickBooks Payroll customers

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

For the most straightforward way to connect your employee timesheet data to QuickBooks, look no further than QuickBooks’ own time-tracking software: QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets). 

Because both QuickBooks’ payroll software and QuickBooks Time are Intuit products, the tools work together for seamless accounting — no automation or integration is required. You can use the products together for reporting, tracking time, generating invoices, and tracking expenses.

And while QuickBooks Time may offer the simplest integration of all of the apps on this list, it comes with a fairly hefty price tag. It starts at $8 per user per month plus a $20 base fee — almost three times as much as some of the other options on this list.

However, QuickBooks Time is included for free if you’re already subscribed to QuickBooks Payroll’s Premium or Elite plans, so it’s a great option if you’re already paying for one of those plans and need a time-tracking tool as well.

QuickBooks Time offers all of the time-tracking features you need. Employees can clock in and out using the QuickBooks Time mobile app (iOS or Android), web browser, or time clock kiosk. And administrators can generate detailed reports on employee hours and job/project costs for invoicing or to determine profitability.

How to set up the integration

  1. Subscribe to QuickBooks Time to set up the time-tracking integration
  2. Set up your pay periods
  3. Set up your overtime settings
  4. Map your payroll items and time types between the two systems
  5. Add your team members

Here are more instructions on setting up QuickBooks Time to work with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Note that QuickBooks Time will not work with the QuickBooks Desktop application for Mac. 

Pricing

QuickBooks Time’s pricing starts at $8 per user per month plus a $20/month base fee (discounted to $10/month for the first three months). Note that you must either be a QuickBooks Online subscriber or subscribe to QuickBooks Payroll to use QuickBooks Time.

3. Clockify – Best for time and project tracking

Integrates with QuickBooks Online

Clockify is a combined time- and project-tracking tool. It’s best known for its free-forever plan that includes unlimited users, but unfortunately, its QuickBooks integration is not available on Clockify’s free plan.

Clockify’s time tracking is tied directly to projects and tasks. When employees clock in, they select the specific project/task they’re working on, and their time entries are directly tied to that task. This makes it easy for professional services businesses to track time to specific clients, calculate billable hours, and simplify billing. 

Employees who frequently switch between multiple tasks for different clients over the course of the day can also use Clockify’s built-in timer. And idle detection features can help managers and administrators identify when employees are not working to improve productivity and avoid overcharging clients.

Once you connect Clockify to your QuickBooks Online account, you can sync employees and customers between the two platforms.

How to set up the integration

  1. Install the QuickBooks integration in your Clockify account
  2. Log in to QuickBooks
  3. Map your employees in QuickBooks to those in Clockify
  4. Map your projects/customers in QuickBooks to those in Clockify
  5. Export your data to QuickBooks

Here are more instructions on setting up Clockify to work with QuickBooks Online.

Pricing

Clockify’s QuickBooks integration is available on its Standard plan and above, which starts at $5.49 per seat per month. 

4. Hubstaff – Best for time and productivity tracking

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

Hubstaff is a great time tracker for office workers and those in professional industries because it has features for both time and productivity tracking. In addition to letting employees manually clock in and out, you can improve productivity and identify time theft with features like:

  • Automatic time tracking: Employee time tracking starts and stops based on computer activity, eliminating the need for manual clock-ins.
  • Keyboard and mouse activity: Hubstaff monitors keyboard strokes and mouse movements to gauge activity levels during employee work hours. This data is used to generate activity reports that show how active an employee is during their work day.
  • Idle time detection: Hubstaff can detect periods of inactivity and prompt employees to confirm if they are still working — or to adjust their work hours accordingly.
  • Automatic screenshots: The app captures random screenshots showing what employees are working on at set intervals (e.g., every 10 minutes) during working hours.
  • App and website tracking: Hubstaff tracks the applications and websites employees visit while working.

This data can all be viewed by managers and admins in detailed reports that provide insights into hours worked, activity levels, application usage, and more. These reports help managers understand team productivity and identify areas for improvement.

One standout feature of Hubstaff’s Quickbooks integration is that once the integration is set up, time data is sent to QuickBooks every hour. This is unlike some of the other apps where data must be manually sent to QuickBooks.

How to set up the integration

  1. Install the QuickBooks integration in your Hubstaff account
  2. Log in to QuickBooks
  3. Map your customers in QuickBooks to those in Hubstaff
  4. Map your employees in QuickBooks to those in Hubstaff 
  5. Set up pay rate syncing between the two platforms

Here are more instructions on setting up Hubstaff to work with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop.

Pricing

One integration is included as part of Hubstaff’s Grow plan, which is $7.50 per user per month with a two-seat minimum. If the only integration you need to add is QuickBooks, that plan will work for you. 

If you need Quickbooks and other integrations, you’ll have to upgrade to the $10 per month Team plan with unlimited integrations.

5. Homebase – Best for small businesses

Integrates with QuickBooks Online Plus

If you don’t need some of the more advanced time-tracking features and just want the basics, Homebase is a good option to consider. It charges by location rather than user, so if you only have one location, it can be a really low-cost option.

Homebase’s Essentials plan starts at $20 per location per month and includes basic time tracking, its QuickBooks integration, employee scheduling, a point-of-sale integration that’s great for retail shops and restaurants, and several more advanced features.

How to set up the integration

  1. Install the QuickBooks integration in your Homebase account
  2. Log in to QuickBooks
  3. Import your team data from QuickBooks into Homebase
  4. Export your timesheet data to QuickBooks

Here are more instructions on setting up Homebase to work with QuickBooks Online Plus.

Pricing

Homebase’s plan which includes integration with QuickBooks Online starts at $20 per location per month.

6. Connecteam – Best for timekeeping and HR

Integrates with QuickBooks Online

If what you need is a time-tracking platform with a QuickBooks integration and HR features, Connecteam might be the right choice for you. 

Connecteam’s time clock includes GPS tracking and geofencing, and it automatically generates timesheets from clock-in and clock-out data. Managers can create and assign shifts, send notifications to employees, and handle shift swaps. The system also supports overtime calculations and custom workweeks. 

If you use Connecteam for both time tracking and HR, you get lots of additional features. Manage important documents by uploading and storing contracts, certifications, and performance reviews. Or create onboarding checklists, ensuring new hires complete necessary tasks and receive essential information.

You can also create training programs and track certifications to ensure employees complete any required training. Regular performance reviews can be conducted and stored within the employee’s profile, making them easily accessible for future reference.

How to set up the integration

  1. Make sure your payroll periods match in both Connecteam and QuickBooks
  2. Install the QuickBooks integration in your Connecteam account
  3. Log in to QuickBooks
  4. Map your employees in QuickBooks to those in Connecteam
  5. Export your timesheets to QuickBooks Online

Here are more instructions on setting up Connecteam to work with QuickBooks Online.

Pricing

While all of the time clock, communications, and HR tools are part of the Connecteam platform, the different features are packaged into three different suites that all have their own pricing. 

A free plan is available on each package for up to 10 employees (though the QuickBooks integration isn’t available on the free plan). Paid plans that include the integration with QuickBooks start at $29 per user, per month, per suite for up to 30 users.

7. Time Tracker by eBillity – Best for law firms

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

As far as time tracking goes, Time Tracker by eBillity has all of the basic time clock features: employee time tracking, GPS tracking, geofencing, employee scheduling, and project tracking. However, as a simple time tracker, it’s one of the more expensive options on this list.

Where Time Tracker shines is with its additional features for lawyers and legal teams. You can use the platform to check for conflicts, run realization reports, use LEDES and LAA invoice formats, add ABA codes, and create trust accounts. Additionally, you can track expenses and attach them to client invoices.

How to set up the integration

  1. Set up the Sync Manager
  2. Log in to QuickBooks
  3. Connect to QuickBooks in Time Tracker
  4. Follow the instructions in the connection wizard to set up the integration
  5. Run the sync manager to sync your time-tracking data to QuickBooks

Here are more instructions on setting up Time Tracker by eBillity to work with QuickBooks Online or Desktop.

Pricing

Time Tracker by eBillity’s basic time-tracking plan is $7.20 per user per month. For the legal-specific features, you’ll need to be on the LawBillity plan, which is $24 per user per month. Additionally, the QuickBooks integration is an add-on product that costs an additional $5 per month.

8. BigTime – Best for professional services

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

BigTime is a professional services automation platform that has both time tracking and everything else you need to run a professional services business. Its time-tracking features connect directly to its project management features, allowing you to easily tie employee hours to billable and non-billable tasks.

As far as project management features, you can create budgets, schedules, and scopes for projects; view project progress on Gantt charts; set project KPIs and monitor progress toward them; track time and expenses toward projects; and identify who on your team is available to work on new projects.

On BigTime’s higher-cost plans, there are also features that allow you to follow FAR and DCAA compliance, track expenses and send invoices in multiple currencies, and set up multi-level approval workflows.

How to set up the integration

  1. Connect to QuickBooks from within BigTime
  2. Select which data you want to push from BigTime to QuickBooks
  3. Manually post selected timesheets or expenses to QuickBooks

Here are more instructions on setting up BigTime to work with QuickBooks Online or Desktop.

Pricing

BigTime’s plans start at $15 per user per month and include time tracking, expense management, and project management features, as well as its QuickBooks integration.

9. Hour Timesheet – Best for FAR and DCAA compliance

Integrates with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop

We mentioned in the BigTime section that it has plans that include FAR and DCAA compliance, but its plans that include these features start at a whopping $35 per user per month. So if that’s what you need but not all of the other bells and whistles BigTime offers, Hour Timesheet is a more affordable option.

Hour Timesheet is a great time-tracking app if your company often works on government or defense contracts: 

  • It provides a detailed audit trail of all timesheet entries, including usernames, IP addresses, and date and time stamps.
  • Automated timesheet reminders make sure everyone remembers to record their time daily.
  • Users can track time to both billable and non-billable tasks.
  • Employees and managers can both sign submitted timesheets.
  • Charge codes can be limited to only the employees approved to work on them.
  • Supervisors and admins receive alerts when timesheets are edited, and the person editing the timesheet must provide a reason why it was edited.

How to set up the integration

Setting up Hour Timesheet’s QuickBooks integration takes place as part of the initial setup of Hour Timesheet. You’ll simply add your employee profiles, set them up with the time-tracking app, and then push your timesheet data to QuickBooks when it’s time.

Pricing

Hour Timesheet has only one plan, which is $8 per user per month and includes all of its DCAA compliance features and its QuickBooks integration.

Choosing the right QuickBooks time tracking solution

Choosing the right QuickBooks time tracking solution can make a big difference in how smoothly your business operates. Integrating your time-tracking app with QuickBooks’ accounting software can simplify payroll processing, save time, minimize errors, and make your process hassle-free. 

Whether you need advanced features like GPS tracking, productivity tracking, and project management or are just looking for simple clock-in/clock-out functions, there’s a solution here that can meet your needs and help you run your business more efficiently.