When I Work is a popular workforce scheduling app used by restaurants, retail teams, health care clinics, and other shift-based businesses because it’s easy to set up and simple for employees to use.
But, many users have discovered it may not always be the best fit for long-term business success.
As your business grows, you may need more accurate time tracking, better payroll tools, clearer reporting, or stronger controls to reduce weekly schedule and timecard cleanup.
That’s why we wrote this guide. Below, we break down the best When I Work alternatives, including pricing, key features, pros and cons, and which option fits your business best.
What Most Teams Actually Want from a When I Work Alternative
When people look for a When I Work alternative, they're not typically looking for a “better app.”
They’re seeking a tool that fixes the daily frustrations that make scheduling and payroll harder than it should be.
In our experience, most teams want a platform that helps them:
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Track hours more accurately so payroll isn’t a guessing game
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Prevent time theft, like early clock-ins or buddy punching
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Track breaks and overtime automatically to reduce compliance risks
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Approve timecards faster without chasing people down
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Sync hours with payroll so managers aren’t stuck doing manual exports and math
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Manage PTO in one place instead of juggling requests and calendars
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Get better reporting so you can actually see labor costs and trends
At the end of the day, the best alternative isn’t the one with the longest feature list. It’s the one that gives you more control, minimizes mistakes, and diminishes the stress that accompanies your administrative duties.
Quick Picks: Which When I Work Alternative Best Fits Your Team
If you just want the short answer, here’s how the best When I Work alternatives compare. These picks are based on time tracking accuracy, overtime control, payroll workflow support, and how easy the system is for employees to actually use.
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OnTheClock — Best Time Tracking: If you’re tired of fixing timecards before payroll, this solution gives you cleaner punches, automatic overtime rules, and exports that actually line up with payroll.
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QuickBooks Time — Best for Location Accountability: If employees work in the field or across job sites, GPS and geofencing help you pinpoint where punches happen.
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Clockify — Best for Cost Control and Reporting: If your team size changes often, unlimited users and detailed reports help you track labor without rising software costs.
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Buddy Punch — Best for Punch Rules and Enforcement: If early clock-ins or buddy punching are the issue, custom punch rules and photo capture reduce manual edits.
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Hubstaff — Best for Remote Work: If your team isn’t always on-site, location tracking and activity visibility help answer “where did the time go?”
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Kronos Workforce Ready — Best for Large Teams: Built for complex labor rules, compliance needs, and multi-location workforces.
Each of these alternatives solves a common problem teams run into after using When I Work, helping you reduce manual edits and run payroll with fewer surprises.
How We Evaluated These When I Work Alternatives
To find the best When I Work alternatives, we focused on what actually matters to managers running a real business.
Instead of ranking platforms based on marketing claims, we evaluated each option based on whether it solves the problems teams usually run into with When I Work.
Here’s what we looked at:
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Time tracking accuracy (mobile punches, real-time timecards, fewer manual edits)
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Time theft prevention (GPS tracking, geofencing, photo capture, punch rules)
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Break and overtime controls (automatic tracking, alerts, compliance support)
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Scheduling flexibility (availability, recurring shifts, shift swaps, coverage tools)
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Payroll exports and integrations (QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex, etc.)
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Timecard approval workflow (manager review tools, edit history, audit trail)
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PTO and time-off tracking (requests, balances, visibility inside scheduling)
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Reporting quality (labor cost, hours by job, overtime reports, trends)
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Ease of use for employees (fast adoption, simple mobile experience)
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Pricing transparency and value (what you actually get for the cost)
We also flagged common dealbreakers, like hidden fees, feature limits, and platforms, that become harder to manage as your team grows.
The Best When I Work Alternatives
If When I Work no longer fits how your team tracks time and runs payroll, you’re not alone. Many businesses outgrow it once accuracy, control, and visibility start to matter more than basic scheduling.
Below, we break down the best When I Work alternatives based on how well they handle real-time tracking, overtime control, payroll workflows, and daily manager tasks, so you can choose a tool that actually reduces work rather than adds to it.
OnTheClock: Best When I Work Alternative for Time Tracking
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Most teams don’t leave When I Work because scheduling fails. They leave because payroll turns into cleanup work.
OnTheClock is built for businesses that need accurate punches, clean timecards, and fewer payroll corrections every week. It’s a strong fit for managers who are tired of fixing missed breaks, chasing down timecard edits, or trying to confirm who actually worked what.
To reduce that workload, OnTheClock includes GPS time tracking, overtime alerts, timecard approvals, PTO tracking, and payroll-ready exports that help you catch problems early and approve hours faster.
Pricing is also straightforward. Most teams pay a base monthly fee plus a per-employee rate, so costs stay predictable as your staff grows.
Support is another advantage. If something looks wrong right before payroll, you can reach real U.S.-based support without waiting days for a ticket response.
What Makes it Different from When I Work
When I Work and OnTheClock share some core features, including scheduling and mobile clock-ins. The difference is what each platform prioritizes.
When I Work is a scheduling platform first. OnTheClock is designed to keep time tracking accurate from clock-in through payroll.
That shows up in areas that matter most once your team grows:
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Stronger timecard approval workflows that reduce end-of-week cleanup
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Better overtime control with alerts before costs get out of hand
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Cleaner payroll exports that reduce manual math and spreadsheet fixes
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More visibility into edits so you can review changes without confusion
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PTO tracking tied to payroll so time off doesn’t get missed or miscounted
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Built-in GPS tracking that supports accountability without extra setup
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Payroll-focused reporting that helps you spot overtime and missing hours faster
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More accessible support when payroll deadlines are tight
If your main goal is to publish schedules and manage shift swaps, When I Work may still be enough.
But if your bigger issue is timecard accuracy and payroll efficiency, OnTheClock is built for that workflow.
Key Features
Integrations:
Pros
Cons
Pricing
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Plans start at $5/month base fee + $4 per user/month
QuickBooks: Best When I Work Alternative for Location Accountability
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is a strong When I Work alternative for teams that need proof of where work happened, not just when someone clocked in.
It’s built for businesses with mobile crews, job sites, and multiple locations where time tracking can easily turn into disputes. Instead of relying on trust or manual check-ins, QuickBooks Time uses GPS tracking and geofencing to help confirm employees are clocking in from the right place.
Managers also get better visibility into location history during shifts, which helps reduce time theft, tighten payroll accuracy, and avoid “I was there” arguments at the end of the week. If your team works in the field, QuickBooks Time is one of the most reliable options for location-based accountability.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
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Free 30-Day Trial
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Plans start at $20 per month + $8 per employee
Clockify:
Best When I Work Alternative for Cost Control and Reporting
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Clockify is a time tracker and reporting platform that gives you deep visibility into how hours are spent and where labor costs go, even if your team is large or project-focused. It lets employees log time with a timer or manual entry and then breaks those hours down into summary, detailed, and weekly reports so you can analyze work by user, project, client, or date range.
The real advantage of Clockify is how flexible its reporting is. You can group time entries any way you want, filter by tags and billable status, and export data in common formats (PDF, CSV, Excel) for payroll or client billing.
Managers also get dashboards that show team time at a glance, plus report options that help identify overtime, productivity trends, and where effort is going across different parts of your business.
For teams that need clear data and low long-term cost, Clockify’s reporting tools are a major reason to consider it as an alternative to When I Work.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
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Free Plan Forever
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Plans start at $6.99 per user per month
Buddy Punch: Best When I Work for Punch Rules and Enforcement
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Buddy Punch is a strong When I Work alternative for teams that need stricter control over clock-ins and want to cut down on time theft, early punches, and “I forgot to clock out” excuses.
It’s built around enforcement features that help managers trust the hours before they approve payroll. Buddy Punch supports GPS tracking on punches, real-time GPS maps, and GPS breadcrumbs, so you can verify where employees were during a shift. For tighter control, it also includes geofencing that automatically blocks off-site punches.
For indoor teams, Buddy Punch offers IP address locks that let you restrict clock-ins to approved Wi-Fi networks. It also includes photos on punch and facial recognition, which helps prevent buddy punching and makes timecards harder to fake.
If your biggest issue with When I Work is that employees clock in too early, clock in from the wrong place, or stretch hours when no one is watching, Buddy Punch is designed to solve that problem.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
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14-day free trial available
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Plans start at $19 per month + $4 per employee
Hubstaff: Best When I Work Alternative for Remote Work
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Hubstaff is a strong When I Work alternative if you manage remote or distributed teams and need visibility into where time goes, even when people aren’t on-site. It combines time tracking with location tools, activity levels, and work session insights so you can see what your team is doing and when they’re doing it.
Employees can start timers or log hours manually from the web or mobile app, and managers get real-time tracking, screenshots (optional), GPS tagging, and activity summaries that help ensure accountability without constant check-ins. Hubstaff also integrates with popular tools for project management and payroll, which helps reduce manual handoffs.
If your biggest issue with When I Work is knowing what gets done when your team isn’t in the office, Hubstaff gives you more context than simple shift scheduling or basic clock-ins.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
- 14-day free trial is available
- Plans start at $4.99 per employee
Kronos Workforce Ready: Best When I Work Alternative for Large Teams
Available on: Web, iOS, Android
Kronos Workforce Ready (now part of UKG Ready) is a workforce management and time tracking suite built for larger teams and organizations that need more than basic scheduling and punches. It combines time and attendance, payroll integration, scheduling, and compliance tools into a single platform, so you can manage your workforce at scale with consistent accuracy.
Unlike simpler tools, Kronos Workforce Ready gives you real-time visibility into labor hours and exceptions, automated tracking across devices, and support for complex pay rules and workforce policies. It also supports mobile time capture, geofencing, and mobile self-service, and configurable dashboards that help you monitor hours, attendance, and labor cost trends.
Because it’s designed to handle large headcounts, multiple locations, and complex labor rules, Kronos Workforce Ready works best for businesses that need enterprise-grade time management and compliance support alongside scheduling and payroll workflows.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
- 14-day free trial is available
- Plans start at $4.99 per employee
A Side-by-Side Comparison of When I Work Alternatives
Why Choose OnTheClock?
See how we stack up against the competition.
| Tool | Pricing & Feature Access | GPS + Mobile | Scheduling + Payroll | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OnTheClock | Simple pricing, core features included | Built-in GPS | Strong payroll exports | U.S.-based support |
| QuickBooks Time | Base + per user | GPS & geofencing | Time + schedule | Standard support |
| Clockify | Free; paid plans add features | Basic mobile | Limited payroll | Online support |
| Buddy Punch | Base + per user | GPS + photo capture | Basic scheduling | Responsive support |
| Hubstaff | Per user | GPS & activity tracking | Scheduling add-ons | Online help |
| Kronos Workforce Ready | Enterprise pricing | GPS + mobile | Full suite | Enterprise support |
Comparison data is approximate and subject to change by respective providers.
What’s the Best Option for You?
When I Work is a great tool if your main goal is to build schedules quickly and keep employees updated on shifts. For many teams, it’s an easy starting point.
But if you’re looking for an alternative, it usually means something isn’t working anymore. Maybe payroll takes too long. Maybe overtime keeps slipping through. Maybe you don’t trust the hours.
The best way to choose the right replacement is to start with one simple question:
What problem are you actually trying to fix?
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If your biggest frustration is cleaning up timecards before payroll, you need a tool built around time tracking accuracy and approvals.
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If your team works across job sites and you need proof of where employees clocked in, you need GPS and geofencing that actually enforces location rules.
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If your main issue is cost control, you need predictable pricing and reporting that helps you understand labor trends without paying more every time you hire.
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And if your real concern is time theft, you need punch rules that prevent early clock-ins and buddy punching before those hours ever hit a time sheet.
At the end of the day, the best When I Work alternative isn’t the one with the most features.
It’s the one that helps you run payroll faster, trust your hours, and stop spending your week fixing problems the software should prevent.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buddy Punch Alternatives
Is When I Work Still Worth It?
When I Work is still a solid option for basic scheduling and shift communication. It works well for teams that mainly need to post schedules, manage availability, and handle shift swaps. However, many businesses outgrow it once payroll accuracy and timecard control become bigger priorities. If you’re spending time fixing hours, tracking down missed punches, or dealing with overtime surprises, it may be time to switch.
What Is the Best When I Work Alternative Overall?
The best When I Work alternative depends on what problem you’re trying to solve. If you want cleaner timecards and easier payroll processing, OnTheClock is often the best fit. If you need strong GPS tracking for field teams, QuickBooks Time is usually a better option. The right tool is the one that reduces weekly admin work, not the one with the longest feature list.
Which When I Work Alternative Has the Best Scheduling Tools?
If scheduling is your main focus, tools like Deputy and UKG/Kronos typically offer deeper scheduling controls than When I Work. They support complex labor rules, recurring patterns, and multi-location scheduling better. These platforms are usually best for larger teams or businesses with strict scheduling requirements.
Which When I Work Alternative Is Best for Payroll?
If payroll is your main pain point, look for a platform with strong approval workflows, overtime tracking, and payroll-ready exports. OnTheClock is a strong option because it focuses on clean timecards and simple payroll workflows. Gusto can also work well if you want hours to flow directly into payroll with fewer manual steps.
Do When I Work Alternatives Track GPS Automatically?
Some do, but GPS features vary by platform. Tools like QuickBooks Time and Buddy Punch offer stronger location enforcement, including geofencing and punch restrictions. That matters if your employees work off-site and you need confidence that clock-ins happened where they should.
What Is the Cheapest When I Work Alternative?
Clockify is one of the cheapest options because it offers a free plan and low-cost upgrades. It’s a strong choice for teams that want basic time tracking and reporting without paying a monthly base fee. Just keep in mind that low-cost tools may not include the same punch controls or payroll features as more workforce-focused platforms.
Which When I Work Alternative Is Best for Preventing Time Theft?
Buddy Punch is one of the best tools for preventing time theft because it includes punch enforcement features like geofencing, photo verification, and IP restrictions. These controls reduce buddy punching and off-site clock-ins before those hours hit payroll.
Is Hubstaff a Good When I Work Alternative for Remote Teams?
Yes. Hubstaff is a strong alternative if your team works remotely and you need more visibility than a basic clock-in system provides. It includes activity tracking and optional screenshots, which can help managers understand where work time goes.
Can I Export My Data from When I Work?
Yes. When I Work allows you to export employee and scheduling data, and most alternatives support CSV imports. For the smoothest transition, many teams export their employee list first, then run both systems for one pay period to confirm the hours match.
How Hard Is it to Switch from When I Work to Another Tool?
Switching from When I Work is usually straightforward, especially if your new platform supports employee imports. Most teams can set up users, configure rules, and start tracking time in the same day. The safest approach is running a parallel payroll for one pay period before fully switching over.