In 2025 there are more time clock apps available than ever before. This can make it difficult to choose the right one for your business. While all time clocks provide some type of time-tracking features, some are focused on web application productivity while others provide features for shift work time-tracking when managing shift work employees and multiple clients and locations.
We tested out the platforms to give you a list of 5 best time clock apps to choose from, each with its own focus, features, pros and cons. This article will guide you through the review process and highlight the features and best use cases for each of the platforms.
What is the best time clock for 2025? We tested out features for our 5 top choices for this year to understand which features each one offers and how these can benefit your workflows. Our list has the best time clock apps for both small and large businesses, for complex needs and simple, straightforward setups as well as for both creative freelancers and large staffing companies.
We tried and tested seven of the best clocking-in apps UK companies should look for when deciding to implement a new time-tracking system. We condensed our experience into the following reviews, highlighting the main features, pros, and cons to help you choose the best fit for your business.
The best time clock apps for 2025 are listed below.
The Parim time clock app provides a simple solution for employees working with shift schedules and multiple locations to clock in and out with their mobile devices. Managers and supervisors receive instant updates each time a staff member has clocked in, out or started their breaks. It offers the best GPS time clock for geofencing to give you an overview if everyone is at their shifts or if someone is running late.
Parim time tracking software integrates the payroll into this workflow to make it a quick and seamless process. Custom pay rules with overtime rates and multipliers are automatically calculated based on time clock data. Furthermore, Parim operates as a comprehensive workforce management solution, providing scheduling automation for complex patterns and irregular hours. Parim’s unique pricing structure offers one of the best scalable solutions for your business operations, as all plans have unlimited users.
Timely is a modern time-tracking solution designed to track time and projects for billable hours. This makes it a good choice for accountants, creative agencies and other professionals who operate with clients and partnerships.
Quickbooks Time provides simple and straightforward scheduling and time-tracking options for small companies. It's a good step up from manual scheduling if you don't require advanced features or manage complex schedules.
Deputy is a staff scheduling tool with a time clock feature for shift work employees to clock in and out. Its features and pricing structure make it a sound choice for small to medium-sized shift work businesses, such as retail.
Desktime is a time tracking system for desktop work, using methods such as the Pomodoro technique to balance focus with rest breaks to maintain a healthy workload and a healthy work-life balance. Desktime is a good fit for individuals and small teams requiring automatic time tracking and freelancers who are focused on productivity analysis.
First and foremost, you should always look for something that is easily accessible, available and usable. A user-friendly mobile app and efficient desktop environment for managers and supervisors help quickly adapt a new system within your organisation. And while time-tracking itself is great for data collection, the real value comes from streamlining the timesheets and payroll process. This is why we have listed the top 5 features of employee clock-in apps:
If you want to know how to select the best time clock software, it’s important to first define your work type to better understand which features you need. For individuals working mostly with computers, web productivity software tools like Desktime or Time Doctor might be the best fit.
Organisations operating shift work for multiple locations, such as healthcare facilities, security companies and event staffing agencies, will want their time clock apps to ensure staff attendance while providing accurate real-time data. For these types of businesses, Parim is the best-fitting solution, providing a real-time overview of all job sites and clock-ins while ensuring accountability with GPS and geofencing features.
Another thing to consider for managing employees with shift schedules is the working time regulations UK organisations must follow. Having a time tracking system that ensures compliance with labour regulations will significantly improve your organisational efficiency and reduce any legal risks.
