Best Time Tracking Software for Security Companies in 2026

The best time tracking software for a security company helps managers record guard hours, review attendance across posts, and prepare accurate payroll. Location and time records can support attendance reviews, while patrol verification requires separate operational documentation.

How do you know the overnight officer completed the 2 a.m. round? A time clock alone cannot verify patrol duties. Your guards cover remote posts, overnight assignments, and client properties where attendance and service records matter. Common security-company challenges include reviewing attendance across posts, discouraging unauthorized punches, and reconciling employee hours, applicable pay rates, and client billing records. Dedicated guard-tour checkpoints or incident logs may be needed to document patrol rounds.

No single tool wins for every security company. Here are seven options, each matched to a specific security company need, starting with small teams.

What Security Companies Actually Want From Time Tracking

Security companies need reviewable attendance records. When a client asks about a shift, managers can consult approved timecards, schedules, and separate coverage documentation. That need shapes almost every choice on this list.

They also want hours that move cleanly into pay and billing. A guard roster shifts week to week, overtime stacks up on long night posts, and the same hour feeds both the paycheck and the invoice. Supported GPS time tracking and manager review can support attendance accuracy before payroll and client billing are prepared.

And they want it simple for a lone guard. Your officers stand at a gate or walk up to a building at 3 a.m., so the punch has to be one tap on a phone or a quick PIN at a post kiosk. The right choice depends on the specific attendance, scheduling, and billing needs of your operation.

Quick Picks: The Best Time Tracking Software for Security Companies at a Glance

• OnTheClock: Best for small security companies

• Connecteam: Best for all-in-one guard operations

• Buddy Punch: Best for discouraging buddy punching at posts

• Deputy: Best for 24/7 shift coverage

• Timeero: Best for reviewing mobile patrol trips

• Jibble: Best free option for small patrols

• Hubstaff: Best for mobile job site time tracking

How We Evaluated the Best Time Tracking Software for Security Companies

We evaluated each product using the OnTheClock Security Checklist, which covers eight practical considerations for security companies:

• Location controls: GPS records and configurable geofencing that help managers review where supported punches occurred.

• Punch verification: supported photo, PIN, or facial-recognition controls that can discourage buddy punching.

• Lone guard safety: evaluate dedicated welfare checks, communications, and escalation procedures separately from time tracking.

• Mobile and kiosk punching: a one-tap phone clock or a shared post kiosk.

• Overtime alerts: notifications that help managers monitor approaching configured overtime thresholds.

• Multisite scheduling: coverage you can post and fill across many client sites.

• Clean payroll export: approved hours for payroll, with client-billing workflows verified separately.

• Total cost: the real base fee plus per-user math as you add and drop guards.

OnTheClock is a strong option for small security companies because one time tracking plan includes GPS-related attendance controls, configurable geofencing, kiosk and mobile punching, scheduling, PTO, and overtime alerts at $5/month base + $4/employee/month. Specialized patrol verification and lone-worker safety tools should be evaluated separately.

The Best Time Tracking Software for Security Companies

Here are seven time tracking software options for security companies, with a recommended choice for each situation. For each one, we cover whom it fits best, where it stands out, and where it may not be the right move.

1

OnTheClock: Best for Small Security Companies

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why OnTheClock Is Best for Small Security Companies

OnTheClock fits the lean security firm that runs a handful of posts and a small office. Picture an eight-guard company covering two retail sites and a construction gate. The owner needs reviewable attendance records, configurable punch controls, and accurate payroll-ready hours. OnTheClock supports mobile punching, GPS-related attendance records on supported devices, and a live view of employees who are clocked in.

Its time tracking plan addresses attendance, scheduling, PTO, and payroll preparation. GPS records, configurable geofencing, and IP restrictions help managers review supported punch locations. Kiosk mode with a PIN supports a shared guard shack tablet. Scheduling helps cover overnight posts, overtime alerts monitor configured thresholds, and timecard review tools help identify missing punches. OnTheClock provides phone, live chat, and email support.

Why OnTheClock Is Different

Core time tracking, GPS-related attendance controls, scheduling, PTO, and overtime features are included at $5/month base + $4/employee/month. A 10-employee security company pays $45/month for time tracking, before optional payroll. Full-service OnTheClock Payroll costs $40/month base + $6/employee/month, plus a one-time $250 implementation fee.

It stays honest about the trade-off. Employees need a working internet connection to submit punches, so test connectivity at remote gates before rollout. Specialized patrol reporting and enterprise analytics may require other tools. OnTheClock supports payroll exports or integrations involving providers such as Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, and SurePayroll; confirm the workflow for your provider.

Key Features

✓ GPS, geofencing, and IP punch controls

✓ Kiosk, mobile, and web punching

✓ Shift scheduling across sites

✓ Overtime alerts and timecard reviews

✓ PTO tracking and payroll integrations

Pros

✓ GPS-related attendance controls, scheduling, and PTO in one plan

✓ Predictable monthly base and per-employee pricing

✓ Multiple punch methods for guards working across client sites

✓ Phone, live chat, and email support

✓ 30-day free trial with no credit card required

Cons

✕ Punches need an internet or Wi-Fi connection

✕ Reporting is lighter than enterprise suites

✕ Not a dedicated guard-tour or lone-worker safety system

Pricing

• 30-day free trial, no credit card
• $5/month base + $4/employee/month (see how OnTheClock pricing works)
• Optional full-service payroll: $40/month base + $6/employee/month; one-time $250 implementation fee

2

Connecteam: Best for All-in-One Guard Operations

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Connecteam Is Best for All-in-One Guard Operations

Connecteam offers time tracking, scheduling, forms, tasks, training, and messaging across its platform. These capabilities are divided among Operations, Communications, and HR hubs, so some teams may need separate subscriptions. Supported time and location records can help managers review attendance, but patrol verification and lone-worker safety procedures require separate evaluation.

The free Small Business plan supports up to 10 users. Confirm the location controls available in that plan. Paid Operations hubs cover the first 30 users at the base price and charge for additional users. Advanced attendance controls vary by plan; Geofencing and advanced attendance controls vary by Operations plan. Verify the number of supported geofence sites before purchasing. Confirm any separately priced Communications or HR hub.

Key Features

✓ GPS-related time clock records

✓ Forms, checklists, and messaging across hubs

✓ Scheduling and attendance notifications on supported plans

✓ Geofencing and location controls on eligible tiers

Pros

✓ Time tracking and communication features across hubs

✓ Free for up to 10 users

✓ Forms and operational checklists on supported plans

✓ Mobile time clock for deskless employees

Cons

✕ Advanced attendance controls vary by plan

✕ Many modules can overwhelm a small office

✕ Additional users and hubs may increase costs

Pricing

• Free Small Business plan for up to 10 users
• Operations Basic $35/month; Advanced $59/month; Expert $119/month for the first 30 users; additional users and paid hubs cost extra

3

Buddy Punch: Best for Discouraging Buddy Punching at Posts

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Buddy Punch Is Best for Discouraging Buddy Punching at Posts

Buddy Punch offers supported Face ID and webcam photo controls to help discourage unauthorized punches and provide additional attendance records for review. Webcam photos are available on Pro and Advanced. Supported GPS coordinates and location-related tools can help managers review punch locations, but they do not independently verify guard duties.

Every Buddy Punch plan has a $19 monthly base fee in addition to its per-user price. Starter is $5.99/user/month, Pro is $7.99/user/month, and Advanced is $13.99/user/month. Supported GPS coordinates are available on eligible Starter punches, while webcam photo, kiosk, geofencing, and scheduling features vary by plan and add-ons. Compare supported photo-punch time clocks before purchasing.

Key Features

✓ Webcam photos on Pro and Advanced; Face ID options

✓ GPS punch coordinates; optional location controls

✓ PIN and kiosk punching on supported plans

✓ Overtime alerts and PTO

Pros

✓ Attendance controls can discourage buddy punching

✓ Simple, clean interface

✓ Supported photo and facial-recognition options

✓ 14-day free trial, no credit card

Cons

✕ $19 base fee hits small teams hardest

✕ Webcam photos and PIN/kiosk punching require Pro or Advanced

✕ Scheduling is a Starter add-on; included on Pro and Advanced

Pricing

• 14-day free trial, no credit card
• Starter $5.99/user/month; Pro $7.99/user/month; Advanced $13.99/user/month; each plus a $19 monthly base fee

4

Deputy: Best for 24/7 Shift Coverage

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Deputy Is Best for 24/7 Shift Coverage

Deputy was built for the schedule, and security runs on the schedule. Posts need bodies around the clock, swaps happen at the last minute, and a no-show at 11 p.m. is a contract problem. Deputy helps build schedules, manage open shifts, and record time through supported mobile and kiosk methods. Facial-recognition controls are available on eligible configurations. For a company that lives and dies by who covers which post tonight, that scheduling muscle is the draw.

Price climbs with the features. The Lite plan covers scheduling, time sheets, and the time clock at $5 per user a month, Core adds auto-scheduling and demand forecasting at $6.50 per user a month, and Pro layers on single sign-on and custom access at $9 per user a month. Per-user pricing can add up for large guard rosters, so compare costs for your full team. If the cost climbs, see why some teams switched in our Deputy alternatives guide.

Key Features

✓ Auto-scheduling and open shifts

✓ Supported time clock and kiosk attendance controls

✓ Shift swaps and demand forecasting

✓ Payroll and POS integrations

Pros

✓ Strong around-the-clock scheduling

✓ Fast fill for open posts

✓ Kiosk controls support manager attendance reviews

✓ Clean payroll export

Cons

✕ Per-user fees add up at scale

✕ Some tools sit on the Pro tier

✕ More scheduling than a tiny team needs

Pricing

• Free trial available
• Lite $5/user/month; Core $6.50/user/month; Pro $9/user/month; $30 monthly minimum

5

Timeero: Best for Reviewing Mobile Patrol Trips

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Timeero Is Best for Reviewing Mobile Patrol Trips

Timeero suits companies whose guards drive between client sites. GPS-related time records, mileage tracking, and optional Segmented Tracking can help managers review available trip, stop, and mileage information. These records do not replace guard-tour checkpoints or independently verify completed patrol duties.

Basic supports up to 10 users, while geofencing, scheduling, and additional tracking tools depend on eligible plans. Optional Segmented Tracking costs from $5/user/month on Pro and Premium and cannot be used with automatic clock-in/out. Review device settings and the tracking configuration before using trip records for reimbursements or service documentation.

Key Features

✓ GPS time clock and supported location reports

✓ Automatic mileage tracking

✓ Geofencing and scheduling on eligible plans

✓ Optional Segmented Tracking on eligible plans

Pros

✓ Trip, stop, and mileage review options

✓ Flat per-user rate, no base fee

✓ Automatic mileage for vehicle patrols

✓ 14-day free trial, no credit card

Cons

✕ Advanced features and tracking options vary by plan

✕ Basic plan caps at 10 users

✕ Payroll processing requires a separate provider

Pricing

• 14-day free trial, no credit card
• Basic $6/user/month; Pro $9/user/month; Premium $12/user/month; optional Segmented Tracking from $5/user/month on Pro and Premium

6

Jibble: Best Free Option for Small Patrols

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Jibble Is the Best Free Option for Small Patrols

Jibble offers a free time clock for unlimited users. Supported facial recognition and GPS-related records can provide additional information for managers reviewing attendance. Available liveness-detection features may help discourage photo-based spoofing, but no verification control guarantees identity or the completion of patrol duties.

The free plan is useful for basic attendance needs. Paid subscription names have changed to Essential, Growth, and Pro, while advanced attendance policies, geofencing, and integrations vary by configuration. Published checkout prices should be confirmed before purchasing.

Key Features

✓ Free for unlimited users

✓ Facial-recognition options on supported configurations

✓ GPS-related records on supported punches

✓ Geofencing options vary by subscription

Pros

✓ Genuinely free for unlimited users

✓ Facial-recognition options support punch reviews

✓ Simple mobile punching for guards

✓ Supported liveness checks add a verification control

Cons

✕ Payroll processing requires a separate provider

✕ Advanced location controls vary by plan

✕ Paid-plan pricing requires checkout verification

Pricing

• Free forever for unlimited users
• Essential $3.49/user/month; Growth $5.99/user/month; Pro $10.99/user/month. Verify current rates at checkout

7

Hubstaff: Best for Mobile Job Site Time Tracking

Available on: Web, iOS, Android

Why Hubstaff Is Best for Mobile Job Site Time Tracking

Hubstaff can suit companies whose guards travel among multiple client sites. Supported GPS job site records and project reports can help managers review time associated with configured locations. Available location information is not a substitute for guard-tour verification or site-service records.

Location-related controls, scheduling, and project features depend on the subscription and available add-ons. Screenshot and activity-monitoring functions may be more intrusive than some security teams need. Hubstaff carries a two-seat minimum, including for a one-person subscription.

Key Features

✓ GPS-related job site records on supported plans

✓ Location controls for supported field configurations

✓ Scheduling and shift management

✓ Productivity and activity insight

Pros

✓ Time and location records across client sites

✓ Project reporting helps organize hours by client or job

✓ Invoicing and project budgets built in

✓ 14-day free trial, no credit card

Cons

✕ Location features vary by plan and add-ons

✕ Screenshots and activity monitoring can feel intrusive

✕ Two-seat minimum even for one user

Pricing

• 14-day free trial, no credit card
• Starter $7/user/month; Grow $9/user/month; Team $12/user/month; two-seat minimum. Confirm location-related add-ons

What's the Best Time Tracking Software for Security Companies?

The best option depends on where your hours leak, not on the longest feature list. Start with one question: what breaks most often on payroll day?

• Need attendance controls, scheduling, PTO, and payroll-ready hours in one affordable plan? OnTheClock fits small security companies.
• Need a time clock alongside checklists and messaging? Connecteam offers these across its available hubs.
• Fighting buddy punching at a shared post? Buddy Punch offers supported Face ID and photo controls to discourage unauthorized punches.

Match the tool to your biggest problem, and the rest of the decision gets easier.

What Is Time Tracking Software for Security Companies?

Time tracking software for security companies records employees' work hours and, on supported configurations, location or job assignment details. It helps replace paper time sheets with reviewable digital attendance records.

Supported GPS records and configurable attendance controls can help managers review punches, while payroll exports support accurate pay preparation. Guard-tour records and client-billing documentation should be verified separately.

Who Needs Time Tracking Software in the Security Industry?

Security businesses with hourly employees assigned across client sites can benefit from reviewable time records. Time tracking becomes especially valuable when managers coordinate multiple posts and prepare payroll based on remote attendance data.

Guard firms, patrol services, event security, and in-house teams all qualify. If you're calling posts to confirm a guard showed, you're the audience.

Why Security Companies Rely on Time Tracking Software

Guards often work at client properties, so inaccurate time records can create payroll corrections and coverage questions. Approved timecards can support payroll and billing review, but they do not independently verify every guard duty or service obligation.

The old way fails twice over. A missed punch becomes a wrong paycheck, and a thin coverage report at once, and federal rules expect accurate hour records anyway. The U.S. Department of Labor requires employers to keep complete and accurate time records under the FLSA recordkeeping rules. Good software keeps those records and exports them cleanly to scheduling and payroll.

How Time Tracking Software Works for Security Companies

It starts at the punch. A guard clocks in using a supported mobile device or post kiosk. The software records a timestamp and, when configured and supported, may capture location or job-assignment information.

Managers can review recorded hours, schedules, and applicable overtime hours before approving timecards for payroll. Depending on the platform, approved hours may be assigned to jobs or client sites and exported for billing review. Client coverage should also be evaluated using operational records.

Key Features Security Time Tracking Software Should Have

Before you compare prices, make sure any tool covers the basics a guard force actually needs.

• GPS and geofencing: supported location records and configurable restrictions that help managers review punch locations.

• Punch verification: supported photos, PINs, or facial-recognition controls that can discourage unauthorized punches.

• Lone guard safety: separate welfare-check and emergency-escalation procedures for solo posts.

• Multisite scheduling: coverage you can post and fill across client sites.

• Overtime alerts: notifications for approaching configured overtime thresholds.

• Clean payroll export: approved hours for payroll, with client invoicing checked separately.

How to Choose the Right Time Tracking Software for Security Companies

Step 1: Count your guards and posts, then do the pricing math. Start with real numbers. Count the guards you run in a busy week and the posts they cover, because per-user pricing decides your true cost, not the headline rate.

Run two quotes side by side. A 15-employee security company pays $65/month for OnTheClock time tracking, before optional payroll. At $9/user/month, 15 Hubstaff Grow seats cost $135/month before optional add-ons; the two-seat minimum does not add a fee for a 15-person team.

Now factor churn. Security adds and drops guards constantly, so compare each vendor's rules for billing active, inactive, seasonal, and returning employees, including minimum seat requirements.

Step 2: Name the single problem that costs you most. Pick one. Unreviewed time records, unauthorized punches, and payroll rework each point to a different tool, and chasing all three at once leads to an overbuilt plan you won't use.

Be honest about the dollars. If 25 guards each have 6 minutes of verified inaccurate paid time across 20 shifts in a month, that amounts to 50 hours, or $1,000 at $20/hour, before employer payroll costs. Location records may support attendance review but do not independently verify coverage.

Write the top problem down before you demo anything. It keeps a slick sales call from selling you features that don't fix your leak.

Step 3: Match the punch method to lone and overnight posts. A roving guard needs a one-tap phone punch. A staffed gate needs a kiosk with a PIN or a photo. A solo officer also needs a separate, reliable welfare-check and escalation process.

Most companies mix all three. OnTheClock, Buddy Punch, and Connecteam offer supported mobile and shared-device punch options. Confirm the kiosk and web capabilities available in each selected plan.

Test the punch on a cheap tablet and a guard's own phone before you roll it out. The device that fails in the cold or the dark is the one that creates the missed punch you're trying to prevent.

Step 4: Review GPS records and geofencing options for each post. This is the security-specific step. Time and location records can help managers investigate attendance discrepancies, while client coverage requires separate operational documentation.

Review how each product records supported GPS punches and handles geofences. OnTheClock includes configurable GPS-related attendance controls; Timeero supports trip and mileage reviews; Hubstaff offers location-related job site records on eligible plans. Ask to see the location reports in a trial.

Pull one shift through the trial. Compare recorded punch locations with assigned posts and investigate any discrepancies before approving time records.

Step 5: Establish safety check-ins and an escalation process for lone guards. Lone-worker safety requires well-defined communication and emergency response procedures. Time tracking records can support attendance reviews but should not substitute for welfare checks or dedicated safety monitoring.

Decide how much it matters. If missed check-ins require immediate intervention, verify the product's notification and escalation features. Basic employee reminders should not be treated as emergency alerts.

Write a missed-check-in policy identifying whom supervisors should contact, when to escalate, and how to confirm an employee's safety.

Step 6: Configure overtime rules before your first payroll run. Overtime errors can create payroll corrections and compliance risks. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered nonexempt employees generally receive at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in an established workweek, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Set the rules before payday, not after. Configured overtime alerts can help managers monitor approaching thresholds and staffing needs while ensuring all hours worked are paid correctly. Overnight shifts crossing midnight or payroll cutoffs must be allocated to the employer's established workweek.

Map your state rules too. Some states impose additional daily overtime or meal-and-rest-break requirements, so verify that the chosen software supports applicable federal, state, and local rules.

Step 7: Confirm the payroll and billing export path. Trace one hour from punch to approved timecard, payroll, and client billing. Verify how employee hours are reconciled with contract rates, because payroll and client invoices may use different calculations.

Check the named integrations. OnTheClock offers payroll exports and integrations for popular providers, including QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, Paychex, and SurePayroll. Available connection methods vary by provider. Hubstaff has integrations involving QuickBooks, Gusto, PayPal, and Deel. Optional full-service OnTheClock Payroll costs $40/month base + $6/employee/month, plus a one-time $250 implementation fee. Verify the separate client-billing workflow.

Run a test export during the trial. A file that needs hand-editing every week is a hidden labor cost no demo will mention.

Step 8: Test the tool through a full pay period before you commit. A 14-day or 30-day trial only proves something if you run real punches through it. Test through a complete pay period when the trial permits; for shorter trials, request an extension or test payroll exports with sample data.

Watch the rough edges. Time how long approvals take, count the missed punches, and check whether support answers fast when a punch goes wrong on payroll night.

Then add up the true monthly cost with your real headcount. Choose the tool that provides accurate time records and a manageable payroll workflow.

Tips for Implementing Time Tracking Software in a Security Company

• Train your supervisors first. Show each shift supervisor the punch and approval flow before go-live, so they can coach their own guards on day one instead of calling the office.

• Set geofences per post early. Configure geofences before rollout and test supported punch restrictions or notifications.

• Lock overtime and break rules from the start. Configure them before payroll and check applicable federal, state, and local requirements in addition to the federal overtime standard.

Frequently Asked Questions