Attendance tracking software: Top tools and what to look for

As a staffing agency, businesses depend on you for two main services: to hire qualified workers and to manage the administrative details of their employment. This includes making sure staff are paid accurate wages for their exact work hours.

But with multiple job sites, varied shifts, and dozens (or hundreds) of team members moving between assignments, keeping accurate tabs on attendance records can feel like herding cats. 

That’s why leading staffing agencies are turning to smart attendance tracking software to streamline time tracking, reduce payroll processing errors, and build client trust through real-time transparency.

However, not all time and attendance software is created equal. To find the right system for your company, you need to know which capabilities to look for, which providers stand out in the market, and a few best practices for adoption.

The 5 best attendance tracking software options

To start your search, it can be helpful to analyze the functionality and features of five of the best attendance management solutions available, including: 

1. Teambridge
2. Hubstaff
3. Connecteam
4. Clockify
5. Paychex

Teambridge

Teambridge is an all-in-one workforce management software solution that integrates a full suite of timekeeping tools with scheduling, documentation, automation, and a self-service mobile app for employees. 

The platform is composable, meaning you can customize it to meet your existing workflows rather than rebuilding your processes around it. Teambridge's drag-and-drop dashboards let you create tailored solutions based on your business needs—no coding required.

Key features:

• Geofencing time clock: Automatically clock workers in and out based on when they enter and exit a job site to ensure accurate attendance reports.
• Mobile clock-in and clock-out: Let staff clock in and out using their Android or iOS mobile devices, and verify their time stamps using GPS tracking. 
• Custom break rules: Send real-time notifications when it’s time for staff to start or end a break.
• Staff rewards: Use attendance data to tier staff and award top performers with perks like early access to preferred shifts.

Limitations: 

• No built-in payroll: Teambridge doesn’t currently have a built-in payroll system, but it’s in the works. However, it can still be integrated with third-party payroll systems.
• Fewer analytics: While Teambridge offers standard workforce analytics, it lacks deeper insights like real-time focus levels and performance metrics.

Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a workforce management solution with time-tracking tools alongside automated payroll and invoicing. It offers an employee stopwatch, GPS tracking, and automatic timesheet generation to reduce manual errors.

The platform also periodically captures users’ screens and tracks app usage and URL visits to identify time-wasting activities. Other capabilities include an overtime tracker and workforce analytics.

‍Key features:

• Productivity metrics: Identify changes in performance, focus, and time allocation to find opportunities for increased productivity.
• Unusual activity alerts: Detect apps or hardware that generate fake activity and receive alerts to help prevent fraud.
• Project cost management tools: Track time against tasks and projects to stay on budget and plan future assignments more accurately.

Limitations: 

• Few customization options: Hubstaff is largely an off-the-shelf solution, meaning you’d likely need to adapt your workflows in order to implement it.
• Worker privacy concerns: Features like screenshot capture and activity monitoring may cause discomfort among staff who feel their privacy is being compromised.

Connecteam

Connecteam is an employee management system that combines employee time tracking, scheduling, internal communication, training, and HR management into one solution. It lets employees clock in via a mobile app or on-site kiosk when starting their shift.

In addition to attendance management, the platform accommodates time-off requests, pay rules, and overtime tracking. It sends real-time notifications for late or missed clock-ins, and administrators can message team members through the app to ask if they’re on their way. 

Key features:

• Timesheet inconsistency alerts: Receive alerts about schedule discrepancies, such as exceeded overtime limits or double bookings.
• Employee chat: Communicate with deskless staff via mobile app with read receipts for confirmation.
• Automated PTO requests: Send instant notifications of approved or rejected time-off requests, update PTO amounts, and give employees balance transparency within the app.

Limitations: 

• Limited integrations: Connecteam only works with a handful of other solutions, which could be limiting to businesses needing broader integration options.
• Feature overload: Features like company directories, event support, training experiences, and employee recognition might be overkill and add unnecessary complexity for those only needing an attendance tracking system.

Clockify

Clockify is a free, web-based time tracker that records employee hours across clients and projects. Users can manually enter time per project or use a stopwatch to track work on a specific task. 

The free version includes unlimited tracking, integrations, and basic reporting covering attendance, expenses, and time spent on tasks. The platform also has four paid plans that add advanced features like GPS tracking, custom fields, screenshots, and more.

Key features:

• Tiered pricing: Access basic functionality with the free plan option.
• Force timer: Require team members to track their hours exclusively via a timer and ensure accuracy by disabling their ability to adjust start and end times. 
• Tracking targets: Set daily, weekly, and monthly targets for workers to trigger email alerts if they log too few or too many hours.

Limitations: 

• Not an all-in-one solution: Clockify was built specifically for time tracking, so it has limited shift management and documentation features.
• Limited automation: The solution offers fewer automations than other systems, requiring more manual effort.

Paychex

Paychex is a benefits, HR, and payroll company that tracks employee attendance data alongside employee benefits administration, business insurance, and financial services. 

The platform offers multiple types of time clocks for accurate punch-ins, a multilingual mobile app, and tools for employees to monitor PTO balances and request pay adjustments. Its time-tracking features integrate with its payroll system.

Key features:

• Biometric time clock: Use facial recognition or fingerprints to ensure reliable clock-ins.
• Proximity time clock: Allow employees to clock in and out using their personal proximity badge for accurate tracking.
• Smart watch access: Access current labor costs across mobile devices, including smart watches.

Limitations: 

• Complex user experience: Some users find the system difficult to navigate and wish it were more user-friendly, per Paychex reviews on G2. 
• Slow customer support: Users have reportedly experienced long hold times and unhelpful representatives.

Essential capabilities of any good attendance tracking software

While each attendance tracking software comes with unique features, certain core functions are essential in any system you consider.

Real-time geofencing and GPS tracking

According to a 2025 Business.com report, 24% of US workers say they overreport or otherwise manipulate their timesheets when tracking time—and those are just the team members who admit to it. 

The best way to avoid time theft is to prevent opportunities for falsifying records. GPS tracking verifies workers are on-site when they check in, eliminating buddy punching. Automatically clocking employees in and out as they enter and exit a designated geofence also helps ensure accuracy.

Self-service PTO and leave management

Self-service time-off portals not only empower employees to manage their own PTO requests—they also reduce the administrative burden on HR teams. 

With tools like Teambridge, workers can check their current time-off balances without contacting HR. Requests automatically route to the correct reviewer for each employee, who is notified to review it based on staffing needs. Managers can see each staff member’s accrual and usage to uphold company policies.

Custom automations

Automation is the true time-saver within attendance tracking software. The right software should enable you to put your existing workflows on autopilot to simplify timekeeping. 

For example, Teambridge lets you build no-code automations in three steps:

1. Choose a trigger: Select the event that sets off the automation, such as someone clocking in.
2. Set your conditions: Refine when and how the trigger fires, such as by staff role or location.
3. Assign your action(s): Define what automatically happens when the trigger and conditions are satisfied, like sending a notification or updating a worker’s PTO bank.

If you aren’t sure where to start, you can choose from a library of more than 100 pre-built automation templates before experimenting with your own.

Attendance tracking software adoption tips and best practices

Once you’ve decided on a software vendor, it’s time to start the adoption and integration process. Here are a few tips to help this step go smoothly:

• Confirm integration with current systems: Identify which current systems will be replaced by the new software and which will integrate with it. Work with the vendor to set up integrations and transfer data where needed.
• Offer employee training: Ensure schedulers and other team members know how to use the software before it goes live to increase confidence and adoption. Supplement hands-on training with additional resources like written guides and visual tutorials as extra support.
• Set clear expectations: Define which activities to track and how often. Clarify the difference between billable and nonbillable hours and specify whether employees should round their time to the nearest 5- or 15-minute mark or use a stopwatch.
• Don’t micromanage: Use the data you collect to improve overall productivity and efficiency—not to scrutinize an individual’s performance.
• Make it a habit: Build time tracking into your company’s culture and routine. Encourage consistency by sending automated reminders or follow-up emails to those who miss a day of tracking.

Improve efficiency and attendance with smart time tracking tools

The right attendance tracking software can save you money by minimizing lost productivity, preventing time theft, and reducing administrative manpower. It helps optimize operations and keeps your team focused on a common goal: your company mission.

With real-time visibility and smarter reporting, Teambridge drives accountability and offers insights that support informed decisions around resource allocation. 

See Teambridge's geofencing attendance tracking software in action. Watch the three-minute on-demand demo or sign up for a personalized demo.

FAQs about attendance tracking software

How do I create an attendance tracker?

Teambridge makes it easy to get started by automatically tagging shifts with attendance outcomes like late arrivals, early departures, and no-shows. These tags appear in reports and performance dashboards, and you can customize them to trigger follow-up actions.

What is the best software for attendance? 

Teambridge is a popular choice because of its unique customization and automation capabilities. It combines advanced features like a geofencing time clock with custom, no-code dashboards, permissions, automations, shift fields, pay rates, break rules, and more. This means teams don’t have to change their existing workflows when adopting the solution.