Free timesheet software: 8 Solutions that Won't Cost You a Dime

If you’re still tallying hours in a spreadsheet or collecting photos of handwritten timesheets on Sunday night, you’re doing extra work you don’t need. A good free timesheet software can replace that busywork with accurate totals, cleaner approvals, and a team-friendly app your employees will actually use. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to pick the best option, and put it to work fast.

TL;DR: Free timesheet software

• Why switch: Software auto-calculates hours and overtime, gives real-time visibility into labor, supports mobile clock-ins, and keeps an audit trail for approvals and compliance.
  
  
• What’s actually free: Homebase (solid free tier for small teams), Clockify (unlimited free users on the core plan), Toggl Track (limited free for solo or very small teams), and Wave (basic free time entry connected to invoicing/accounting) are all great options.
  
  
• Best by need: Freelancers/agencies: Toggl Track. Retail and restaurants: Homebase. Remote/distributed: Clockify. Construction/field services: Homebase with GPS.
  
  
• Know the limits: Free timesheet software plans often cap advanced reporting, direct payroll integrations, and multi-location controls. Upgrade when handoffs or approvals start to feel manual again.
  
  
• Rollout tip: Pilot with one location or crew, write simple rules (clock-in/out and breaks), review accuracy daily, and keep what works.

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What makes timesheet software worth switching from spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are great for quick math, not for running payroll or monitoring breaks. They don’t nudge anyone to clock in, can hide errors in formulas, and they can’t warn you when overtime is about to spike. Timesheet software closes those gaps with automation and visibility your team can feel day one.

• Automatic time calculations (no more Sunday night math sessions): Hours, breaks, and overtime are totaled consistently every pay period, with clear rounding rules.
  
  
• Real-time visibility into labor costs and overtime: See who’s on the clock now, who’s late, and who’s nearing overtime, so you can fix issues before payroll closes.
  
  
• Mobile access for remote teams and multiple locations: Employees clock in and clock out from phones or a shared kiosk, and managers approve from anywhere.
  
  
• Integration with payroll systems to eliminate double entry: Approved hours flow to payroll via export or direct sync, cutting copy-paste errors.
  
  
• Compliance tracking for break times and labor laws: Prompts and rule checks reduce missed meals and keep records audit-ready.
  
  
• Audit trails and approval workflows for accountability: Every edit has a timestamp and an approver, so disputes get resolved fast.

There’s no reason to keep wrestling spreadsheets at payroll time—with the best timesheet software, you trade guesswork and fragile formulas for clean, repeatable workflows your team can trust. 

Best free timesheet software: genuinely free vs. trial-only options

There’s “free,” and then there’s “free for 14 days.” Let’s talk about tools you can use long-term without paying, plus what’s included, what isn’t, and why each can be a fit.

1. Homebase

Easy jump from spreadsheets with mobile/kiosk clock-ins and a generous free tier, then add scheduling or payroll when you’re ready.

• Best for: Retail, restaurants, and local service businesses that want mobile clock-ins and straightforward approvals.
  
  
• What’s actually free: Core time tracking on a free tier; you can stay here as long as it meets your needs.
  
  
• Payroll integration: Clean exports come standard; direct connections and in-product payroll are available when you’re ready.
  
  
• Limitations to note: Advanced controls (multi-location permissions, deeper analytics) may require upgrading.
  
  
• Why it works: It’s employee-first and quick to learn. If your top goal is to stop chasing corrections and get consistent data into payroll, Homebase’s free tier is an easy win.

Ready to move off spreadsheets? Start free with homebase.

2. Clockify

Unlimited free users with simple timers/timesheets and basic reports (great zero-cost start).

• Best for: Remote/distributed teams and startups that need many seats for $0.
  
  
• What’s actually free: Core tracking (timers, timesheets, basic reports) for unlimited users.
  
  
• Payroll integration: CSV exports on the free plan; approvals and deeper integrations generally sit in paid tiers.
  
  
• Limitations to note: If you need sophisticated approvals or job-site controls, you’ll grow into a paid plan or a different tool.
  
  
• Why it works: The free core is generous, the interface is simple, and it scales as you add people.

3. Toggl Track

For solos/small teams: quick start and stop timers, client and project tags, and polished, billable reports.

• Best for: Freelancers and small agencies that need clean, client-ready reporting.
  
  
• What’s actually free: Limited seats with core tracking and basic reports.
  
  
• Payroll integration: Exports are easy; direct payroll links are mostly paid-tier territory.
  
  
• Limitations to note: Seat limits and admin controls are gated.
  
  
• Why it works: It takes almost no training, and the reports look good without a spreadsheet. For project billing, that matters.

4. Wave

If you’re already on Wave, its basic time entry ties hours to invoices. It’s handy for tiny teams, not shift-heavy ops.

• Best for: Microbusinesses that want hours connected casually to invoices or accounting.
  
  
• What’s actually free: Basic time entry and totals; accounting and invoicing tools are free.
  
  
• Payroll integration: Wave offers payroll in select regions; otherwise export your data.
  
  
• Limitations to note: Limited scheduling/attendance features; not ideal for multi-location, hourly shift management.
  
  
• Why it works: Convenience. If your business already lives in Wave, adding hours there keeps things in one place until you outgrow the basics.

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Free online timesheet software: cloud-based advantages

Here’s why online often beats desktop in day-to-day use, and what to expect from mobile-first free apps.

Why online beats desktop for small businesses

Cloud apps run in a browser and on phones, which means fewer I.T. chores and more flexibility. You don’t need to install updates for cloud-based timesheet software because they arrive and get installed automatically. 

Your data is backed up behind the scenes. Managers can approve from home, owners can check a report between errands, and employees can clock in on a kiosk or their own device. 

Plus, everyone is in the same system, looking at the same approved hours.

Mobile-first free timesheet apps

The best free online timesheet software feels natural on a phone. Employees tap once to clock in, get a push notification if they forget to clock out, and see their total hours for the week without asking a manager. 

When you enable GPS or geofencing in your timesheet software, the app can verify location for job sites, which reduces disputes later. Offline capability is essential for construction and events; punches should queue locally and sync when coverage returns. 

Some apps add photo or PIN verification to discourage buddy punching with minimal friction. For most small businesses, this combination—mobile clock-ins, GPS, notifications, and offline support—is what finally retires the spreadsheet for good.

Free time tracking software by business needs

Different teams use time differently, so be sure to match your pick to the work—you’ll get better adoption and faster approvals.

For project-based businesses and freelancers: Toggl Track

If you bill by the hour and organize work around clients and projects, Toggl Track is built for you. Start/stop timers are frictionless, tags make categorizing simple, and reports move cleanly into invoices. 

Think of it as a built-in timesheet calculator for billable work: fast enough to keep up, structured enough to trust.

For retail and restaurant teams: Homebase

Shifts change, availability moves, tips need tracking, and compliance matters. Homebase’s free tier gets you clock-ins, GPS/photo/PIN options, and ready-to-approve timesheets. 

When you want scheduling, tip reporting, or more granular overtime and break rules, the upgrade path is there. 

If you’re coming from pen-and-paper, this is a gentle, employee-friendly step up.

For remote and distributed teams: Clockify

When your team is scattered across time zones, seat limits get in the way. Clockify’s free time tracking software core supports unlimited users, so you can roll out to everyone at once and standardize how time is tagged. 

The reports are simple but informative, which is exactly what you want at the beginning.

For construction and field services: Homebase

Job sites move, but the punch still needs to be right. With GPS/geofencing and a mobile app that handles offline punches, Homebase keeps entries tied to where the work occurred. Crew leads get a quick way to confirm attendance, and owners get fewer surprises at payroll.

Free vs. paid timesheet software: what you actually get

Free can be more than enough depending on your business needs. The key is knowing when it might start costing you time or accuracy.

What free plans typically include

You’ll get basic clock-in/out (and editable entries), a mobile app, simple reports, and export options like CSV or PDF. Most free plans also include help articles or email support. That’s plenty to move from manual spreadsheets to a shared system and make timesheet software part of the routine.

Where free plans hit limits

The moment you want advanced analytics (labor cost by role or location), layered approvals, or direct payroll integrations, you’ll likely see a paywall. Multi-location controls and role-based permissions are usually paid, too. Compliance features (complex break rules, retention policies) and priority support also tend to sit in higher tiers.

When upgrading makes sense

The most common triggers: you’re adding locations, your approvals need guardrails, you want an audit-ready history without exporting, or you’re retyping hours into payroll and losing an hour every other Friday. When the manual steps start stacking up, upgrading typically saves more time than it costs.

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Free timesheet calculator and productivity tools

Even a free plan can save hours if it includes smart calculations and light productivity features.

Built-in calculation features

Look for automatic overtime calculations, standardized break deductions, and multiple pay rate handling. Time rounding rules help with consistency (e.g., round to the nearest 5 minutes). And weekly/monthly totals replace the mental gymnastics of adding up hours line by line.

Productivity tracking additions

In project-driven environments, being able to tag time to a client, job, or task turns raw hours into insight. Lightweight efficiency reporting shows where time actually goes—idle time detection (when available) can highlight anomalies to investigate. 

A few tools even let you set goals for billable hours or project budgets so teams can keep pace without extra meetings. Think of these as practical productivity tools that help you staff smarter and invoice accurately.

Integration with payroll: free timesheet software connections

Integrations are where you feel the biggest payoff. When approved time moves into payroll in a click or two, you stop retyping, and the risk of error drops.

Direct integrations

On free plans, you’ll often rely on exports, but some tools still offer useful connections. 

Homebase to Homebase Payroll: Approved timesheets flow directly into payroll in the same system, with overtime/break rules applied automatically. On the free tier, you can export hours until you’re ready to upgrade.

Clockify to QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP: Connectors are available (typically on paid plans). On the free plan, use CSV exports to move approved hours into your payroll provider.

Wave Time to Wave Payroll: Native handoff where payroll is supported; otherwise export timesheets to process payroll elsewhere.

Excel/CSV exports: This universal fallback is standard across most tools. Set a consistent export schedule, standardize employee IDs/names, run a test before payroll, and keep approved files as your audit trail.

Making integration work on free plans

If you’re on a free plan, smooth payroll handoffs come from good processes. Set a simple routine and follow the steps below.

1. Set up consistent export schedules

Pick a fixed time (e.g., every other Friday at 2 p.m.) so managers always know when approvals must be done and payroll gets clean files.

2. Standardize employee data formats

Align names, IDs, pay rates, and departments with your payroll system to prevent mismatches and rework.

3. Test data transfer before payroll deadlines

Run a dry run in week one to catch mapping issues (columns, date formats, overtime fields) before the real pay run.

4. Maintain backup records for compliance

Save approved timesheets and export files each period (PDF/CSV) so you can resolve disputes and satisfy audits quickly.

How to implement free timesheet software successfully

Rolling out time tracking is a habit change. The smoother you make day one, the faster people adopt.

Pre-implementation checklist

Before you flip the switch, use this quick checklist to set up a smooth rollout:

• Evaluate team size and growth plans:

Count employees, locations, and roles today, plus where you’ll be in 6 to 12 months. Note device mix (phones vs. shared iPad) and any off-site crews that need GPS/offline support.

• Identify must-haves vs. nice-to-haves:

Mark blockers (e.g., GPS/geofencing, kiosk mode, payroll export, approvals) versus later upgrades (job codes, advanced reports, multi-location rules).

• Plan training for adoption:

Schedule a 10-minute kickoff per shift, name a trainer/“floor champion,” and prep a one-pager covering clock-in/out, breaks, and correction requests.

• Set up data migration:

Clean your employee list (names, emails, IDs, roles/rates), locations, pay periods, and any PTO balances; map fields to your payroll IDs and load via the vendor’s import template.

Training your team

Keep it simple. Show where to clock in, when to take breaks, and how to request a time correction. If you’re using a kiosk, do a quick practice punch so everyone sees the flow. If your staff uses personal phones, have them download the app and log in while you’re there. You’ll also want to make sure you set clear policies for break tracking, so everyone is on the same page.

First month best practices

In week one, keep a close eye on missed punches and late clock-ins, and fix small time clock issues immediately so they don’t become habits. Compare a few timesheets against your old process to build confidence. 

Invite feedback: what’s confusing, what’s helpful, and what would make it easier next shift? This will let you address questions and help employees overcome initial resistance quickly. 

By the end of the month, the software should feel like part of the shift, not an extra task.

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FAQ about free timesheet software

Is Google timesheet free?

You can absolutely track hours in Google Sheets with a template, and for a very small team that might be enough. But Google Sheets won’t remind anyone to clock in, it won’t calculate breaks or overtime consistently without careful formulas, and it won’t give you an approval history. 

For quick totals, a timesheet calculator in a spreadsheet works. For a team-ready system, free online timesheet software is the better path.

Is there a free timesheet app?

Yes. Homebase (free tier), Clockify (unlimited users on the free plan), and Toggl Track (limited free) are great starting points. You’ll get accurate hours and exports to payroll; direct, automated payroll connections usually live in paid tiers.

Is there a free timesheet for tracking my hours?

If you’re solo, Clockify or Toggl Track are great zero-cost options. If you run shifts and want employee-friendly clock-ins and approvals, Homebase’s free tier is a better fit.

Is Clockify actually free?

Clockify’s core plan is free forever for unlimited users and includes timers, timesheets, and basic reports. Approvals, advanced reporting, and certain integrations are paid add-ons.

Start tracking time without tracking expenses

You don’t need a budget to get out of spreadsheet purgatory. Pick one of the tools above, run a one-week pilot with simple rules (clock-in/out, breaks, correction requests), and watch how fast the accuracy improves. Free timesheet software gives you the essentials today and a path to upgrade only when you outgrow them.

Ready to leave spreadsheets behind? Start free with Homebase and see how much smoother your next pay run can be.

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