What Does Time Tracking Software Actually Cost?

Time tracking software ranges from free (with significant limitations) to $10+ per user per month for full enterprise suites. For most businesses, the practical range is $2–$8/user/month depending on features.

TimeClock 365 starts from $1.90/user/month for door access control only, and $2.70/user/month for full attendance management. That puts it among the most cost-effective options for small and mid-size businesses that need real functionality — not a stripped-down free tier.

Free tools exist, but they typically cap users (under 10), limit exports, or restrict integrations to the paid tier. For any business running payroll, those limits usually become blockers within the first month.

What's Included at Each Price Point

Here's what you get at each TimeClock 365 tier:

  • $1.90/user/month — Door Access Control: Biometric and NFC door access, remote unlock, permission management, access audit reports. No attendance features.
  • $2.70/user/month — Attendance Management: 8 clock-in methods (web, app, Teams, Slack, biometric, NFC, GPS, PIN), absence management, overtime rules, payroll export, geo-fencing, automated reports.
  • $4.10/user/month — Attendance + Access Control: Everything in both plans above. Door entry creates a clock-in automatically. Single dashboard for HR and security.
  • $5.40/user/month — Tasks + Attendance: Full attendance plus task tracking per client and project, Jira and Monday integration, budget overrun alerts, profitability reporting.
  • $7.30/user/month — Field Teams: Full attendance plus real-time GPS tracking, route and trip history, geo-fencing zones, and location-based alerts for mobile workforces.

All plans include a 14-day free trial with full feature access. No credit card required.

How to Calculate Your Payroll ROI

The case for time tracking software isn't about the subscription cost — it's about what you're currently losing. The formula is straightforward:

(Employees × Hourly wage × Annual hours × Leakage %) − Software cost = Net annual saving

Here's a realistic example: A company with 50 employees earning an average of $18/hour, working 2,080 hours per year, with a 2% payroll leakage rate:

  • Annual payroll: 50 × $18 × 2,080 = $1,872,000
  • 2% leakage: $37,440/year
  • TimeClock 365 Attendance plan: 50 × $2.70 × 12 = $1,620/year
  • Net saving: ~$35,820/year

That's a 22x return on the software cost — before counting the time HR saves on manual timesheet processing.

Payroll leakage rates vary by industry: 1–2% in office environments, 3–5% in field, construction, and manufacturing settings where manual tracking is the norm.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Not all time tracking software is priced as simply as it appears. Watch for:

  • Per-user minimums: Some providers require a minimum of 25 or 50 users, making small teams pay for unused seats.
  • Setup fees: One-time implementation fees of $500–$2,000 are common with enterprise vendors.
  • Hardware not included: Biometric terminals and NFC readers are almost always priced separately. Factor in hardware cost when comparing total cost of ownership.
  • Export locked behind higher tiers: Some tools restrict payroll export formats (QuickBooks, ADP, etc.) to their top-tier plan.
  • Support costs extra: Many vendors charge for phone support or dedicated onboarding above the base plan.

TimeClock 365 has no setup fee, free onboarding for all new accounts, and payroll export included in the standard plan. Hardware is priced separately and available on request.

Free Trial vs. Freemium: What's the Difference?

Most time tracking tools offer one of two things: a freemium tier (permanently free but limited) or a free trial (full access for a limited time).

Freemium tools limit you permanently — typically to 10 or fewer users, basic reporting, and no payroll integration. They're useful for evaluating the interface but not for running actual payroll.

TimeClock 365 offers a 14-day full-feature free trial — not a limited freemium. You get every feature in the plan, with no user cap during the trial, and no credit card required. After 14 days, you choose a plan or stop. There's no sudden downgrade to a crippled free tier.

When evaluating any time tracking tool, ask specifically: "Does the free trial include payroll export, overtime rules, and integrations?" If the answer is no, you're not actually evaluating whether the tool solves your problem. See TimeClock 365 pricing and start your trial →