The 8 Best Mobile Time Clock Apps in 2025

When you have crews in the field, tracking time can get complicated fast.

One team might start the morning on a construction site while another heads across town for a service call. Midday, you’re juggling a landscaping crew covering half a dozen properties, while a few employees call in late or need to swap shifts. By the end of the week, you’re staring at a stack of handwritten timesheets or trying to reconcile hours that don’t quite add up.

It’s a constant challenge: making sure everyone’s where they need to be, paying them accurately, and keeping labor costs under control — all without spending your nights buried in spreadsheets.

Mobile time clocks allow you to shred those paper timesheets and chuck clunky punch clocks in the trash. These apps prevent time theft and reduce labor costs by helping you keep track of where everyone is — even when they work in the field or remotely. And they simplify payroll by automatically calculating hours and pay for you.

The right mobile time clock app protects your profits, automates accountability, and gives you the visibility you need to run a stronger business.

Overview of the best mobile time clocks for Android and iPhone

Here’s a quick look at the top mobile time clock apps for teams working in the field, on the road, or across multiple locations. Each one takes a slightly different approach, but all are designed to keep hours accurate, prevent time theft, and make payroll less of a headache. To learn more about a specific app, click its link to jump down to our full review.

• Buddy Punch: Simple, affordable, and effective for small to mid-sized teams. GPS tracking, geofencing, and photo verification keep employees accountable.
• Timeero: Best for mobile caregivers and service teams, with EVV for home health, segmented GPS/mileage tracking, and break compliance tools.
• ClockShark: A strong fit for construction and field service companies. Automatic GPS pings, geofencing, and job costing simplify workforce management.
• QuickBooks Time: Perfect for businesses already running on QuickBooks. Combines time tracking, geofencing, and mileage logs with payroll/accounting.
• Hubstaff: A hybrid tool for remote and field employees. Combines GPS and geofencing with productivity monitoring and project-based billing.
• When I Work: Geared toward shift-based businesses. Combines mobile clock-ins with team scheduling, shift swaps, and payroll integrations.
• Homebase: Designed for small businesses. Offers a free plan, GPS tracking, photo verification, and easy payroll exports.
• Rippling: More than just a time clock. A full HR and payroll platform with mobile time tracking, compliance automation, and scalability for enterprises.

What is a mobile time clock?

A mobile time clock is an app employees can use on their smartphones or tablets to clock in and out of work. Instead of relying on a stationary device at a single worksite or paper timesheets carried from one location to another, mobile time clocks allow punches to be made from anywhere, whether that’s a job site, a customer location, or while on the move.

Most mobile time clocks also integrate with GPS to verify where the punch happened, and many include additional tools like scheduling, PTO tracking, or payroll integration. This makes them especially valuable for businesses with remote or field-based employees, but they’re just as useful in shops, restaurants, and offices that want more flexibility and accountability.

Benefits of using a mobile time clock

The right mobile time clock can do far more than replace pen-and-paper timesheets. For businesses with field teams or multiple job sites, it becomes a central tool for reducing errors, saving money, and keeping employees accountable.

• Flexibility for field teams — Staff can clock in from wherever they’re working without needing to stop by a central office or write start and end times on paper.
• Reduced time theft — Features like GPS tracking, geofencing, and photo verification help ensure hours are accurate and prevent buddy punching.
• Streamlined payroll — Mobile time clocks automatically calculate regular hours, overtime, and PTO, and many connect directly to payroll software.
• Real-time oversight — Managers can see who’s on the clock, where they are, and how long they’ve been working, all from a dashboard or mobile app.
• Compliance support — Many apps help enforce labor rules like meal breaks, overtime thresholds, and fair workweek laws.

Key features to look for in a mobile time clock

Not every mobile time clock offers the same set of tools, so it’s worth knowing what matters most before you choose one. At a minimum, you’ll want a system that keeps hours accurate, prevents buddy punching, and makes payroll painless.

• GPS and geofencing — Confirm employees are where they need to be when clocking in or out.
• Photo or biometric verification — Prevent buddy punching with selfies, facial recognition, or fingerprint scans.
• Offline functionality — Allow employees to punch in even when cell service is spotty, with data syncing when back online.
• Overtime and break alerts — Avoid unexpected labor costs and compliance risks with built-in alerts.
• Scheduling integration — Connect work schedules directly to time tracking for a clearer picture of attendance.
• Payroll integration — Automatically send time data to payroll providers to save time and reduce errors.
• Mobile accessibility — Ensure the app works smoothly on both Android and iPhone so all employees can use it without issues

The 8 best mobile time clocks for Android and iPhone

Each of the eight best mobile time clocks below bring a slightly different strength to the table — from GPS-powered accountability to payroll-ready integrations — but all are designed to make time tracking simpler, more accurate, and accessible from any smartphone.

Tool	Best for	Standout features	Starting price
Buddy Punch	Affordability and simplicity	GPS tracking, geofencing, photo verification, payroll integrations	$4.49 per user/month (+$19 base fee)
Timeero	Caregiving and home health workers	EVV for home health, segmented GPS/mileage tracking, break compliance	$4 per user/month
ClockShark	Construction and field service	Automatic GPS pings, geofencing, job costing, customer management	$40 base fee + $9 per user/month
QuickBooks Time	QuickBooks users	Automatic mileage tracking, payroll integration, geofencing	$​​20 base/month + $8 per user/month
Hubstaff	Hybrid remote and field teams	GPS + geofencing, productivity monitoring, invoicing	$4.99 per user/month
When I Work	Shift-based businesses	Scheduling + time clock, geofencing, payroll integrations	$2.50 per user/month
Homebase	Small businesses	Free plan, GPS + photo verification, automated timesheets	$24 per location/month
Rippling	All-in-one HR and payroll	GPS time clock, compliance automation, scalable HR suite	No public pricing. Must contact sales.

1. Buddy Punch – Best for affordability and simplicity

Buddy Punch is an easy-to-use and affordable time clock app that’s available for iOS and Android devices. Employees can use it to clock in and out no matter where they work. But its big advantage is its simplicity: the app has a big button for clocking in and out, so it’s easy for employees to understand what they need to do. It’s intuitive for even your least tech-savvy employees and is available in both English and Spanish.

Buddy Punch’s simplicity extends to the admin interface too. You can easily add employees, approve timesheets, make edits to time cards, and run reports for payroll. Regular hours, overtime hours, and pay are all automatically calculated for you. But don’t let its intuitiveness fool you. Behind the simple interface is a powerful suite of tools for tracking time, preventing time theft, and keeping employees accountable.

Features to keep track of your team

Buddy Punch has a ton of features designed to help you keep track of your team, reduce labor costs, make sure you’re paying employees properly, and prevent time theft:

• GPS tracking: Keep track of where your field employees are with Buddy Punch’s GPS tracking features. You can log employees’ locations on their time cards when they clock in and out, or you can track their movements over an entire workday with real-time GPS tracking.
• Geofence time tracking: Geofences let you create virtual barriers around all of your job sites. If employees try to clock in and out when they’re not in a geofence, the system blocks the action. This makes it easy to prevent employees from billing time when they’re not actually at work.
• IP address locking: For office workers, you can use IP address locks instead of geofences. This feature requires employees to be connected to your office’s Wi-Fi network to clock in and out, preventing off-site punching.
• Photos on punch: Require employees to take a selfie when clocking in and out to reduce buddy punching. All photos are added to timesheets and can be reviewed at any time. Or take things a step further and add facial recognition on iOS devices to prevent buddy punching altogether.
• Overtime alerts: Get a notification when an employee is nearing overtime so you can shift their schedule and avoid unplanned overtime costs.
• Attendance reports: If you also use Buddy Punch for employee scheduling, you can view attendance reports that will show you who clocked in late, who clocked out early, and anyone who didn’t show up for their shift.

Features to streamline payroll

Buddy Punch helps you streamline and simplify your payroll processes in three different ways. You can:

• Use Buddy Punch as your payroll provider. This means you don’t need multiple apps to handle time tracking and payroll. You can just use Buddy Punch.
• Integrate Buddy Punch with your existing payroll provider. If you already have a payroll system that you want to keep using (like QuickBooks, ADP, or Gusto), you can integrate it with Buddy Punch to send your time data to payroll in seconds.
• Export payroll reports. If Buddy Punch doesn’t integrate with your existing payroll provider, you can download time tracking reports in Excel, CSV, and PDF formats.

Buddy Punch also offers PTO tracking features that keep your payroll data accurate. You can use Buddy Punch to automatically calculate PTO accruals, accept PTO requests, and automatically add taken PTO hours to timesheets to make sure employees get paid for their paid time off.

Beyond time tracking and payroll, Buddy Punch offers break time tracking, employee scheduling, and a job costing time clock. You can view a full list of its features here.

Customer reviews

Buddy Punch has one of the highest customer ratings of any mobile time clock on the market, with 4.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra. Customers praise the app for its simplicity, great customer service, and affordability. Here are some relevant testimonials from customers:

• “We like the tracking of the punches on mobile. Most of our crew is remote. It gives us that security and control aspect to see where their in and out punches are taking place.”
• “I love how simple Buddy Punch is for my staff. Having the mobile app helps tremendously while allowing geofencing.”
• “I like that the employees can clock in and out on their phones since we have construction sites where there isn’t a mobile office. It also lets them select the job they are working on so we can have accurate billing. It is helpful for our laborers who are often on multiple projects throughout the day.”
• “Simple interface for mobile punches. My employees had no trouble instantly using and understanding the various permissions they had.”

Pricing

• Starter — $4.49/user/month (+$19 base fee). Includes GPS on punches, mobile apps, time tracking, time off tracking, alerts, job tracking, payroll integrations, and reporting.
• Pro — $5.99/user/month (+$19 base fee). Adds scheduling, basic geofencing, QR codes, kiosk PIN, and webcam punches.
• Enterprise — $10.99/user/month (+$19 base fee). Adds real-time GPS tracking, dedicated support, API access, and SSO.

2. Timeero – Best for caregiving and home health workers

Scheduling, time and mileage tracking, PTO accrual, facial recognition, and payroll integrations are all included in Timeero’s mobile timecard app, which is available on both iOS and Android. 

For GPS and mileage tracking, Timeero has a segmented tracking feature to ensure you can review workers’ routes without requiring that they clock in and out throughout the day. Timeero also offers geofencing, including alerts for out-of-bounds locations so you can see if drivers are not following the appropriate routes.

But what really sets Timeero apart is its electronic visit verification (EVV) system for home care. This feature cuts down on fraud and patient neglect, increasing accountability for caregivers and protecting patients from overbilling. To enhance this accountability, Timeero includes facial recognition features to verify employees’ identities.

Plus, Timeero includes scheduling and GPS time tracking features. In addition to features typical of time trackers (e.g. digital timesheets, automatic calculations, and payroll integrations), it also has the ability to manage California meal and rest breaks compliance, ensuring employees get the breaks they’re entitled to and business owners are protected from litigation. 

Employees can request PTO through the mobile app, and employers can create custom time-off categories.

Key features

• Electronic visit verification (EVV) — Confirms caregivers are on-site, cutting down on fraud and increasing patient safety
• Facial recognition logins — Ensures the right person is clocking in and out, reducing buddy punching and boosting accountability
• Segmented GPS & mileage tracking — Captures accurate routes without requiring constant clock-ins, ideal for mobile crews
• Geofencing alerts — Flags employees who try to clock in outside approved work zones
• Break compliance management — Tracks and enforces state-mandated meal and rest breaks, including strict California requirements
• PTO requests & custom time-off categories — Lets employees manage their availability while keeping payroll records up to date

Pricing

• Basic ($4/user/month, max 10 users) — Includes core time tracking, GPS tracking, and mileage tracking. Best for very small teams that just need essentials without advanced compliance or scheduling.
• Pro ($8/user/month) — Everything in Basic, plus job tracking, scheduling, geofencing, integrations, and company-wide messaging via blast notifications.
• Premium ($11/user/month) — Everything in Pro, plus advanced compliance and reporting features. Includes clock-out when GPS is off, commuter and suggested mileage tracking, HIPAA compliance, location addresses, signatures, custom fields, and time-off management.
• Enterprise (Custom pricing) — For organizations with 1,000+ employees. Includes everything in Premium, with dedicated account management, priority support, and custom implementation.

3. ClockShark – Best for construction and field service teams

ClockShark’s mobile time clock is available on iOS and Android and is geared toward field work, serving industries like construction, landscaping, plumbing, and roofing, among others. This is largely supported by their GPS functionality. You can set up geofences, check clock-in and clock-out locations, receive location pings every 10–15 minutes, and view a map of all clocked-in employees. 

You can track time via kiosk, desktop, and mobile devices. Because of the GPS capabilities, workers who travel or are at field sites don’t have to worry about recording their time or location, since this is automatically tracked for them. It also includes reminders for employees to clock in and out to ensure accuracy. It also has scheduling and time off tracking features.

Finally, ClockShark includes tools for job management and finances. For example, their job costing feature lets you track and manage jobs, generate financial reports, and restrict permissions to information to the people who need them. There’s also a customer management menu where you can organize customer records, making it easier to provide workers with accurate information on open jobs and contact info.

Key features

• GPS-powered time tracking — Logs clock-in and clock-out locations, with location pings every 10–15 minutes to keep track of mobile employees
• Geofencing — Creates virtual jobsite boundaries to prevent off-site punches
• Mobile and kiosk options — Teams can clock in via iOS, Android, desktop, or a shared kiosk device
• Automated reminders — Sends clock-in and clock-out alerts so workers don’t forget to track time
• Job costing tools — Links hours worked to specific jobs or tasks for more accurate budgeting and reporting
• Customer management features — Stores client records and job details so employees always have the right information in the field
• Scheduling & time off requests — Includes built-in scheduling tools with the ability for staff to request leave digitally

Pricing

• Standard ($40 base fee + $9/user/month) — time tracking, GPS, scheduling, job/task tracking
• Pro ($60 base fee + $11/user/month) — adds PTO management, multi-department controls, advanced job costing, clock-out questions

Want to learn more? Read our in-depth comparison of Buddy Punch vs. ClockShark, discover the best construction time tracking software, or find the best ClockShark alternatives.

4. QuickBooks Time – Best for QuickBooks users

QuickBooks Time is an employee-friendly app that connects with QuickBooks Online and Payroll. Its mobile time clock app lets you track employee hours and mileage; the latter is based on an automatic GPS feature that kicks in whenever a clocked-in employee starts driving. This lets you combine time tracking and GPS tracking with their all-in-one payments and accounting workflows. 

QuickBooks Time lets you categorize trips as business or personal, letting you more easily verify which trips need to be reimbursed. You can also generate detailed reports by mileage and vehicle.

In addition to the features above, QuickBooks Time includes geofencing and GPS tracking while workers are clocked in. There’s also a mobile scheduling feature, and it has alerts and custom notifications, including overtime alerts. Finally, the app generates timesheets and reports that can easily be reviewed by managers.

Key features

• Seamless QuickBooks integration — Syncs directly with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll for accurate pay runs and financial reporting
• Automatic mileage tracking — Uses GPS to record miles driven while on the clock, making reimbursements easy and accurate
• Geofencing — Creates jobsite boundaries and alerts managers when employees clock in or out outside of designated areas
• GPS location tracking — Captures employee locations while they’re working to confirm hours and routes
• Mobile scheduling — Lets employees view schedules and get alerts for shift changes through the iOS and Android apps
• Overtime & custom alerts — Notifies managers when employees are nearing overtime or working outside of set rules
• Detailed reports — Generates timesheets, mileage reports, and labor cost insights for payroll and project tracking

Pricing

• Time Premium ($20 base/month + $8 per user/month) — Includes mobile Workforce app, time & attendance, GPS tracking, scheduling, time kiosk, customizable reports, alerts & notifications, and unlimited support.
• Time Elite ($40 base/month + $10 per user/month) — Everything in Premium, plus mileage tracking, project estimates vs. actuals, project activity feed, timesheet signatures, and geofencing.

Related: Compare Buddy Punch vs. QuickBooks Time, discover the best time tracking software that integrates with QuickBooks, or find the best QuickBooks Time alternatives.

5. Hubstaff – Best for hybrid remote and field teams

Hubstaff is a multi-purpose time tracking app for remote employees. It tracks employee time, offers location tracking on its mobile apps, and tracks employee productivity on its desktop apps. It has a unique habit tracker feature that lets employees identify how long they spend on different activities, letting them identify possible barriers to productivity. Similarly, it has tools designed to measure and enhance the remote work experience. 

Its more conventional productivity monitoring tools (available on desktop only) include the ability to take screenshots of what employees are doing on their computers, track how much time they spend on specific apps and URLs, and detect when employees are idle (not using their keyboard or mouse) while on the clock.

For mobile time tracking, you’ll get access to geofencing, GPS tracking, and general clock-in and out functions. Employees can also see any schedules you’ve created for them in Hubstaff.

Finally, Hubstaff comes with features for work order management and invoicing, with tracked employee time being able to be attached to specific tasks and projects for accurate client invoicing.

Key features

• Mobile time tracking — Employees clock in and out via iOS or Android, with time automatically logged to digital timesheets
• GPS tracking & geofencing — Tracks employee locations in real time and sets jobsite boundaries for accurate attendance records
• Productivity monitoring (desktop only) — Screenshots, app/URL tracking, and idle time detection give insight into how employees spend their work hours
• Task & project tracking — Assigns time entries to specific tasks or projects for accurate job costing and client invoicing
• Work order management — Helps teams plan, assign, and track field or office jobs within the same system
• Invoicing & payments — Converts tracked time into invoices and integrates with payment systems to streamline billing
• Employee self-service — Staff can view schedules, hours worked, and tasks directly from the app

Pricing

• Starter ($4.99/user/month, 2-user minimum) — Includes basic time tracking and productivity tools for small teams at an affordable cost.
• Grow ($7.50/user/month, 2-user minimum) — Everything in Starter, plus advanced reporting tools and one software integration. Designed for growing teams that need deeper insights.
• Team ($10/user/month, 2-user minimum) — Everything in Grow, plus payments, employee scheduling, and unlimited integrations. A good fit for larger teams that want all-in-one workforce management.
• Enterprise ($25/user/month, billed annually) — Everything in Team, with added custom setup, account provisioning, and dedicated support. Built for complex organizations with enterprise-level needs.

Want to learn more? Read our in-depth Hubstaff review or compare Buddy Punch vs. Hubstaff.

6. When I Work – Best for shift-based businesses

When I Work is a widely used scheduling and time tracking solution for shift-based industries like retail, restaurants, and healthcare. Its mobile time clock makes it easy for employees to clock in and out from their iOS or Android devices while giving managers real-time visibility into attendance and labor coverage. That combination makes it a strong choice for businesses that rely on hourly workers and flexible schedules.

One of its biggest strengths is its focus on preventing costly scheduling headaches. Managers can instantly share schedules through the app, and employees are automatically notified of new shifts or updates. If someone can’t make it, the system makes it easy to find coverage without endless back-and-forth.

For compliance and accountability, When I Work includes geofencing tools to ensure employees can only punch in when they’re physically at approved locations. This helps eliminate time theft while making recordkeeping easier for managers. The app also tracks attendance and hours worked automatically, creating timesheets that flow directly into payroll.

Because it integrates with popular payroll providers, When I Work saves significant time at the end of each pay period. Instead of chasing down time cards and correcting errors, managers can review digital timesheets and send accurate data to payroll in minutes. For shift-heavy businesses that want an all-in-one scheduling and time clock solution, it’s a highly practical choice.

Key features

• Mobile clock-in/out — Employees clock in and out from their phones, ensuring easy access wherever they work
• Geofencing controls — Only allows punches from approved job sites to prevent time theft
• Shift scheduling & notifications — Publish schedules instantly and notify employees through the app
• Team messaging — Built-in chat keeps staff and managers on the same page
• Payroll integrations — Send timesheet data directly to payroll systems like ADP, Gusto, or QuickBooks

Pricing

• Single Location or Schedule ($2.50/user/month) — Includes labor forecasting, budgeting, task management, geofencing
• Multiple Locations & Schedules ($5 /user/month) — Offers unlimited schedules and job sites along with expanded reporting

7. Homebase – Best for small businesses

Homebase is designed with small businesses in mind, offering an easy-to-use mobile time clock that’s available on both iOS and Android. Unlike many competitors, Homebase offers a free plan with core scheduling and time tracking features, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious owners and managers.

With Homebase, employees can clock in and out from their phones, and the system supports GPS tracking and photo verification to ensure accuracy. That means owners can feel confident their team is on-site when they say they are, reducing the risk of time theft. Managers can review punches in real time and correct errors quickly if needed.

Timesheets are automatically generated from clock-in and clock-out data, cutting down on manual calculations. These digital records make payroll processing easier and more accurate, whether you use Homebase’s built-in tools or export data to providers like Gusto, ADP, or QuickBooks.

Homebase also includes employee self-service tools, which give staff more control over their schedules. They can request time off, update availability, and even swap shifts through the app, reducing administrative burdens for managers. Combined with built-in team messaging, it keeps everyone aligned and connected.

For small businesses that want a cost-effective, user-friendly solution without sacrificing functionality, Homebase strikes a balance between simplicity and powerful features.

Key features

• Free plan for small businesses — Get core time tracking and scheduling at no cost
• GPS tracking & photo verification — Ensures staff are where they need to be when clocking in
• Automated timesheets — Saves hours by creating payroll-ready timesheets automatically
• Employee self-service — Staff can handle availability, time-off requests, and shift swaps in-app
• Payroll integrations — Compatible with leading payroll software like QuickBooks, ADP, and Gusto

Pricing

• Basic (Free for 1 location, up to 10 employees) — Includes basic scheduling, basic time tracking, point-of-sale integration, and access to the payroll add-on.
• Essentials ($24/location/month, unlimited employees) — Everything in Basic, plus advanced scheduling, advanced time tracking, and team communication tools. Payroll add-on available.
• Plus ($56/location/month, unlimited employees) — Everything in Essentials, plus hiring tools, PTO and time-off management, and department/permission controls. Payroll add-on available.
• All-in-One ($96/location/month, unlimited employees) — Everything in Plus, plus employee onboarding, labor cost management, and HR and compliance tools. Payroll add-on available.

8. Rippling – Best for all-in-one HR and payroll

Rippling takes a different approach than most mobile time clock apps by embedding clock-in/out functionality within a full HR and payroll platform. That makes it especially powerful for businesses that want one system to handle not just time tracking, but also onboarding, benefits, compliance, and payroll.

On iOS and Android, employees can clock in and out with GPS verification to ensure accuracy. Managers can view attendance data in real time and monitor labor costs across locations. Because Rippling is tightly integrated with payroll, hours flow directly into pay runs, reducing errors and saving time during every pay cycle.

Beyond time tracking, Rippling provides automation for HR and compliance. Businesses can configure custom rules for overtime, breaks, or premium pay requirements, ensuring they stay aligned with local, state, and federal labor laws. That makes it a strong choice for businesses in regulated industries or multi-state/country operations.

Another strength of Rippling is scalability. While it works well for smaller teams that want streamlined payroll and time tracking, it also has the infrastructure to support enterprises with hundreds or thousands of employees. Its modular design allows companies to start with time and attendance, then add more HR features as they grow.

For companies that want more than just a mobile time clock — and would prefer one platform to manage the entire employee lifecycle — Rippling stands out as one of the most comprehensive options on the market.

Key features

• Mobile time clock with GPS verification — Ensures employees clock in and out from approved locations
• Automatic timesheet sync — Hours flow directly into payroll for faster, error-free processing
• Customizable compliance rules — Handle overtime, breaks, and pay codes across different states
• All-in-one HR suite — Includes payroll, benefits, onboarding, and compliance alongside time tracking
• Scalable solution — Flexible enough for both small teams and enterprise-level workforces

Pricing

Rippling does not publish pricing on its website. While most Rippling products are billed on a simple per-employee, per-month basis, some may be charged at (or include) a monthly base fee.

Choosing the right mobile time clock for your team

The right mobile time clock app gives your team a tool that fits the way they actually work. 

If your team needs a simple, affordable way to clock in from anywhere, Buddy Punch is a strong all-around choice. If you need specialized features — like Timeero’s electronic visit verification for home healthcare or Rippling’s full HR and payroll suite — there’s an option built for your use case.

The key is to match your choice to your business reality:

• Do you need advanced compliance tools?
• Do you want everything integrated with payroll?
• Or do you just need an app that makes clocking in effortless for field workers?

Answer those questions, and you’ll quickly narrow down the list to the app that will save you the most time and money while keeping your team running smoothly.