Employee time tracking software that connects to payroll
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Employee time tracking with payroll costs $109 a month for 10 staff on Homebase ($49 + 10 x $6 payroll, free scheduling) and $187.50 on Deputy annual Core with Deputy Payroll, according to their pricing pages (checked October 16, 2026). Payroll providers with time tracking built in or added on run $113 to $210 for 10 people.
The real decision is where hours live. Either the scheduling app runs payroll, or it hands hours to a payroll provider you choose. Each path has different costs and different ways to break.
Time tracking software records hours worked by each employee, through a clock app, timesheet or GPS punch, and passes approved hours to payroll so pay and overtime are calculated from the same records.
Our picks at a glance ranked by published score out of 100
- 1HomebaseBest time tracking with payroll in one bill$30 a month77See pricing
- 2ConnecteamRemote and field time tracking$35 a month72See pricing
- 3DeputyBest when you also want forecasting$100 a month62See pricing
- 4When I WorkCheap tracking if Essentials covers it$100 a month58See pricing
- 57shiftsRestaurant tip trackingNot published21See pricing
On this page
The short answer
- Lowest all-in, 10 staff
- $109 a monthHomebase Basic + payroll
- Lowest all-in, 20 staff
- $183 a monthPatriot + Time and Attendance
- GPS tracking documented
- Connecteam$35 for first 30 users
- Payroll tied to annual plan
- DeputyCore or Pro only
Patriot's figure includes payroll and a time and attendance add-on but no scheduling app. Homebase at 20 staff is $199 with scheduling included.
Time tracking apps ranked by score
Ordered by our scheduling scores out of 100; payroll integration is worth 15 points of that. See how the scores are built.
Homebase
Clock-ins feed Homebase payroll directly. 10 staff: $0 scheduling + $49 + 10 x $6 = $109 a month. 20 staff: $30 + $49 + 20 x $6 = $199.
How the score adds up
- Price30/30
- Scheduling tools15/25
- Payroll link15/15
- Contract terms11/15
- Complaints record6/15
Connecteam
GPS time clock documented, $35 a month for the first 30 users. You add your own payroll on top, and the integration is not on the free plan.
How the score adds up
- Price30/30
- Scheduling tools15/25
- Payroll link5/15
- Contract terms13/15
- Complaints record9/15
Deputy
Payroll by Paycor at $49 + $8 per user, but only if you commit to an annual Core or Pro plan. 20 staff on annual Core with payroll: $326 a month.
How the score adds up
- Price20/30
- Scheduling tools20/25
- Payroll link10/15
- Contract terms7/15
- Complaints record5/15
When I Work
$2.50 to $8 per user. Payroll through Rippling, which quotes rather than publishes prices, so the all-in bill is unknown until you ask.
How the score adds up
- Price20/30
- Scheduling tools15/25
- Payroll link7/15
- Contract terms11/15
- Complaints record5/15
7shifts
Tip pooling documented and a payroll add-on, but no published prices in our research.
How the score adds up
- Price0/30
- Scheduling tools10/25
- Payroll link8/15
- Contract terms0/15
- Complaints record3/15
All-in cost: tracking plus payroll for 10 and 20 staff
| Provider (score) | How payroll works | 10 staff | 20 staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase (77) | Own payroll: $49 + $6 per employee paid, plus the scheduling tier | $0 + $49 + 10 x $6 = $109 | $30 + $49 + 20 x $6 = $199 |
| Connecteam (72) | No payroll of its own; connects to outside payroll (not on the free plan) | $35 + your payroll bill | $35 + your payroll bill |
| Deputy (62) | Deputy Payroll (by Paycor): $49 + $8 per user, annual Core or Pro only | Core yearly 10 x $6.50 less 10% = $58.50, + $49 + 10 x $8 = $129: $187.50 | Core yearly 20 x $6.50 less 10% = $117, + $49 + 20 x $8 = $209: $326 |
| When I Work (58) | Payroll through a Rippling partnership; Rippling quotes only | $50 on Pro + Rippling quote | $100 on Pro + Rippling quote |
| 7shifts (21) | Own payroll add-on; price not published (promo: 3 months of 7shifts Payroll free) | Not published | Not published |
Source: Homebase, Connecteam, Deputy, When I Work, 7shifts and Rippling pricing pages, checked October 16, 2026. Payroll taxes are extra. Deputy shows "10% off annual"; we apply it to the per-user price. Rippling's FAQ says plans "start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee" without naming the product or the base fee.
If you start from payroll instead, several providers sell time tracking on top:
| Payroll provider | Published price | 10 employees | 20 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Full Service + Time and Attendance | $37 + $5 per worker; add-on $6 + $2 per employee | $37 + $50 + $6 + $20 = $113 | $37 + $100 + $6 + $40 = $183 |
| OnPay + Time Tracking | $49 + $6 per worker; add-on $15 + $4 per worker | $49 + $60 + $15 + $40 = $164 | $49 + $120 + $15 + $80 = $264 |
| Gusto Plus (time tracking included) | $80 + $12 per person | $80 + 10 x $12 = $200 | $80 + 20 x $12 = $320 |
| Justworks Payroll + Time Tracking | $50 + $8 per employee; add-on $8 per employee | $50 + $80 + $80 = $210 | $50 + $160 + $160 = $370 |
Source: Patriot, OnPay, Gusto and Justworks pricing pages, checked October 16, 2026. Promotions left out. Payroll taxes extra.
Patriot is cheapest on paper but has no scheduling. Gusto Plus is the priciest of the payroll-first options but also adds multi-state payroll. See Gusto plan by plan, the Patriot review and OnPay's add-on prices.
Which payroll each app connects to
| App (score) | Payroll route | Published payroll price | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase (77) | Own payroll | $49 + $6 per employee paid; also "$29 per month for teams up to 5" | Multi-location payroll only under the same EIN; 50 states and DC |
| Connecteam (72) | Integration with outside payroll | Your provider's price | Not on the free plan; partners not named in our research |
| Deputy (62) | Deputy Payroll, run by Paycor | $49 + $8 per user | Annual Core or Pro plans only |
| When I Work (58) | Rippling partnership | Quote only | Rippling's FAQ: from $8 per employee plus a base fee not stated |
| 7shifts (21) | Own payroll add-on | Not published (promo: 3 months free) | Terms not captured |
Source: vendor pricing pages, checked October 16, 2026.
We list only what is documented. Connecteam's payroll partners are not named in our research, and we have no published list of payroll integrations for Deputy, When I Work or 7shifts beyond the routes above. If you already use a payroll provider such as Square Payroll or Gusto, ask the scheduling vendor for the integration page and test an export during the trial.
Remote and field employees
For staff who start at customer sites or work from home, a phone clock with location is the usual answer. Connecteam is the only one of the five that documents a GPS time clock. None documents geofencing by name or screenshot-style activity monitoring on the pages we checked. If you need proof of location, test it in a trial and confirm the plan. More detail is in our time clock app comparison.
Scores in full
| Provider | Total (100) | Price for 20 staff (30) | Features (25) | Payroll link (15) | Contract (15) | Complaints (15) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase | 77 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 6 |
| Connecteam | 72 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 9 |
| Deputy | 62 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
| When I Work | 58 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 5 |
| 7shifts | 21 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
HRPricing.com scores as of October 17, 2026. Payroll integration is the 15-point column; prices and Trustpilot ratings were read October 16, 2026.
Overtime, breaks and exempt staff
Time tracking matters most for non-exempt workers, whose hours drive overtime pay. Under the federal rule, a salaried employee generally must earn at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year) to be exempt; the 2024 increase was vacated and DOL restored the 2019 level on May 15, 2026 (29 CFR 541.600; 91 FR 27833). States can set higher thresholds. See exempt vs non-exempt rules.
Our research does not source state daily overtime, break or predictive scheduling rules, so we do not rate how each app handles them. Deputy and 7shifts document labor compliance tools; ask them which rules for your state are built in.
Common mistakes with time tracking and payroll
- Paying twice for time tracking. Gusto Plus includes time tracking. Adding a scheduling app with a clock on top may duplicate it.
- Assuming the integration is on every plan. Connecteam's payroll integration is not on the free plan, and Deputy Payroll needs an annual Core or Pro plan.
- Buying on per-user price alone. When I Work at $2.50 looks cheapest, but payroll through Rippling is quote only.
- Skipping the tax side. The software is a small share of payroll cost. Estimate employer taxes with our employer cost calculator and set rates against 2026 minimum wages by state.
More: scheduling software hub, best payroll software, workforce management for larger teams and the vendor pages for Homebase, Connecteam, Deputy, When I Work and 7shifts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest time tracking and payroll software?
Which time tracking apps have their own payroll?
Does Gusto include time tracking?
What time tracking software works for remote employees?
Do I need to track time for salaried employees?
Sources (13)
- Homebase: Homebase pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Connecteam: Connecteam pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Deputy: Deputy pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- When I Work: When I Work pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- 7shifts: 7shifts pricing page (no prices shown) (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Rippling: Rippling pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Gusto: Gusto pricing page (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Square: Square Payroll pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- eCFR: 29 CFR 541.600, salary level for exempt employees (checked Oct 2026)
- Federal Register: 91 FR 27833, technical final rule restoring 2019 salary levels (May 15, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- Patriot Software: Patriot payroll pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- OnPay: OnPay pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Justworks: Justworks pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules and rates change, so check the official source linked above before you file or sign a contract. Read our disclaimer.