Comparison
How much does a time clock cost?
By the TrackBadges team · Updated · 7 min read
The short answer
A time clock can cost anything from nothing to a few thousand dollars a year. Roughly: punch card clocks cost about $100 to $400 up front plus cards, badge and biometric terminals about $150 to $1,000 or more per unit plus software, and time clock apps about $2 to $10 per user per month. Total yearly cost depends mostly on crew size and number of sites.
Key takeaways
- Hardware clocks cost roughly $100 to $1,000+ per unit, and most modern ones also need a software subscription.
- Time clock apps usually charge per user per month, roughly $2 to $10, and some add base fees.
- Hidden costs add up: time cards, ribbons, badges, installation, admin time and phone reimbursement.
- Compare a year's total cost for your crew size and number of sites, not the sticker price.
- TrackBadges is free for 3 people and $19.50 a month for 10, with no hardware to buy.
How much a time clock costs, by type
A time clock costs anywhere from $0 to a few thousand dollars a year, depending on the type, your crew size and how many sites you run. Here are typical ranges by type:
| Type | Up-front cost | Ongoing cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punch card clock | About $100 to $400 per clock | Time cards and ink ribbons | No software; hours totaled by hand |
| Badge, proximity or barcode clock | About $150 to $600 per terminal | Badges at about $1 to $5 each, plus software on most models | One terminal per entrance |
| Biometric terminal (fingerprint or face) | About $150 to $1,000+ per terminal | Software, often per user | Consent and retention rules in some states |
| Time clock app on employees' phones | $0 | About $2 to $10 per user per month, sometimes plus a base fee | Every employee needs a smartphone |
| Tablet kiosk | About $150 to $500 for a tablet and mount | Software subscription | One shared device per entrance |
| Supervisor-scanned QR badges (TrackBadges) | $0 with a phone you own; badges about $1 each | $9 a month for 3 people, then $1.50 per person | Free for 3 people |
Prices for hardware and other software are approximate, typical US market ranges in 2026, not quotes. Vendors change prices and bundle hardware with plans, so check current pricing before you buy.
Hardware time clocks
Punch card clocks
A punch card clock stamps the time on a paper card. Expect roughly $100 to $400 for the clock, plus a card per person per week (52 a year each) and replacement ink ribbons. There's no software fee, but someone has to total every card by hand or retype it into payroll, and nothing stops one worker from punching a friend's card.
Badge, proximity and barcode clocks
Workers tap or swipe a card at a wall terminal: an RFID proximity badge, a magnetic stripe or a barcode. Terminals typically cost about $150 to $600 each, badges about $1 to $5 each, and most current models sync to cloud software with a monthly fee. You need a terminal at each entrance or site, with power and a network connection where it's mounted.
Biometric terminals
Fingerprint, face and hand scanners usually cost about $150 to $1,000 for small-business units, and enterprise terminals cost more. Most also need a software subscription. Budget for compliance too: Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act requires written notice, consent and a published retention policy before you collect biometrics, and Texas and Washington also regulate biometric identifiers. See biometric time clock laws.
Time clock software and app pricing
Most time clock software is priced per user per month, typically around $2 to $10 per user, and some plans add a monthly base fee. These things change what you actually pay:
- Tiers. GPS, kiosk mode, QR codes or overtime rules are often on higher plans.
- Base fees and minimums. A low per-user price can come with a fixed monthly fee or a minimum number of users.
- Who counts as a user. Some vendors charge for supervisors and admins as well as employees.
- Annual billing. Advertised prices are often the annual-billing rate; paying monthly costs more.
- Add-ons. Scheduling, PTO and payroll are often separate charges.
For named vendors side by side, see our time clock comparisons and the best time clock apps for small business.
Total cost for a 10-person and a 25-person crew
Sticker prices mislead because each kind of clock spends money in a different place. The tables below add up year one for a single site. They're illustrative, built on midpoint assumptions: typical hardware prices, $5 per user per month for software, about 10 cents per punch card plus ribbons, $3 per proximity badge, and about $1 per printed badge with a holder. They leave out admin time, which is covered in the next section.
10 people
| Year one, 10 people | Punch card clock | Badge or prox clock | Biometric terminal | Employee phone app | TrackBadges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | $200 | $300 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
| Cards, badges, supplies | $80 | $30 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
| Software, 12 months | $0 | $600 | $600 | $600 | $234 |
| Year-one total | About $280 | About $930 | About $1,100 | About $600 | About $244 |
| Each year after | About $80 | About $600 | About $600 | About $600 | About $234 |
25 people
| Year one, 25 people | Punch card clock | Badge or prox clock | Biometric terminal | Employee phone app | TrackBadges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | $200 | $300 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
| Cards, badges, supplies | $160 | $75 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
| Software, 12 months | $0 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $504 |
| Year-one total | About $360 | About $1,875 | About $2,000 | About $1,500 | About $529 |
| Each year after | About $160 | About $1,500 | About $1,500 | About $1,500 | About $504 |
The employee phone app column assumes every worker already owns a smartphone and that you don't reimburse them for using it. A second site roughly doubles the hardware columns. The punch card clock looks cheapest until you count the time it takes to total the cards.
Hidden costs to budget for
- Admin time. Totaling 10 punch cards at about 4 minutes each takes 40 minutes a week, or roughly 35 hours a year. At $30 an hour that's about $1,000, more than the clock itself. Software that totals hours and applies overtime removes most of it.
- Supplies. Time cards, ink ribbons, replacement badges and badge holders.
- Installation. Wall terminals may need mounting, an outlet, network cabling or an electrician, and outdoor sites need weatherproofing.
- One clock per site. Hardware is bought per location, so every new site adds a unit.
- Phone reimbursement. If employees must use their personal phones for a time clock app, California employers must reimburse a reasonable percentage of the phone bill (Labor Code 2802; Cochran v. Schwan's Home Service, 2014), and Illinois requires reimbursement of necessary expenditures (820 ILCS 115/9.5). See can employers require personal phones.
- Compliance work. Biometric clocks need consent forms and a retention policy in some states.
- Payroll errors. Every hand-totaled card is a chance to overpay or underpay, and underpaying can mean back wages.
What makes a time clock cost more or less
Five things drive the price more than the brand does:
- Head count: per-user pricing grows with every hire.
- Number of sites: hardware is bought per site; software usually isn't.
- Features: GPS, scheduling and job costing usually cost more.
- Billing: paying annually is cheaper per month but commits you for a year.
- Who needs equipment: a clock on every wall, a phone in every pocket, or one phone per crew.
The cheapest option that works, by situation
| Situation | Lowest-cost option that usually works |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 people | A free plan; several time clocks have one |
| One location, everyone comes through one door | A tablet kiosk or a punch clock |
| Crews that start together at a yard, gate or truck | Supervisor-scanned badges |
| Workers without smartphones | Badges or a shared kiosk |
| Solo workers at different sites each day | A GPS app on each worker's phone |
| Large plant with badge door access | Badge terminals that share cards with the doors |
If you're comparing against paper, paper timesheets vs time clock apps runs those numbers. Free options are listed in free time clock apps.
Where TrackBadges fits
TrackBadges is free for up to 3 people with every feature. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 people, plus $1.50 a month for each person after that ($19.50 for 10 people, $42 for 25). There's no hardware to buy: the scanner is any phone or tablet you already have, running in its browser. There's no contract, no setup fee and no separate charge for supervisors or scanners, and badges print on plain paper or card stock. Scanners and locations are unlimited on every plan. See pricing for the details.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a time clock cost for a small business?
For a crew of about 10, expect very roughly $250 to $1,100 in the first year depending on the type: a punch card clock is cheapest up front, while badge and biometric terminals add software subscriptions. Admin time, supplies and extra sites can change the total more than the clock's price does.
How much do time clock apps cost per employee?
Most time clock apps charge roughly $2 to $10 per user per month, and some add a monthly base fee or charge for supervisors too. Features like GPS, kiosk mode or QR codes are often on higher tiers. Check whether the advertised price assumes annual billing.
Is there a free time clock?
Yes. Several time clock apps have free plans with limits on users or features. TrackBadges is free for up to 3 people with every feature, and larger crews pay $9 a month plus $1.50 per person after 3.
Are biometric time clocks more expensive?
Usually. A biometric terminal typically costs about $150 to $1,000 or more per unit and most need a software subscription. In states like Illinois you also need written consent and a retention policy before collecting fingerprints or face scans, which adds compliance work.
What are the hidden costs of a time clock?
The usual ones are time cards and ink ribbons, replacement badges, installation and wiring, and a separate unit for every site. Admin time to total and fix hours often costs more than the clock itself. For phone apps, add reimbursing employees for personal phone use in states like California and Illinois.
Is a time clock cheaper than paper timesheets?
Paper costs almost nothing to buy but takes the most admin time: collecting sheets, reading handwriting, totaling hours and fixing mistakes. For most crews over a few people, an inexpensive time clock that totals hours and applies overtime pays for itself in saved office time.
Keep reading
- Pricing
- Paper timesheets vs appsPaper timesheets look free but cost hours of retyping, rounded-up times and lost sheets. Compare the yearly cost with a time clock app and switch in a week.
- The best time clock apps for small business in 2026The best time clock apps for small businesses in 2026, compared on free plans, ease of setup, buddy-punching control and what 10 or 25 employees cost a month.
- The best free time clock apps in 2026The best free time clock apps of 2026 and the real limits of each free plan: user caps, kiosks, locations and history. Compared for small teams.
- Free time clock appA free time clock app for up to 3 people with every feature: QR badges, live board, overtime and CSV export. No card to start, and no hardware to buy.
- QR vs NFC vs biometric clocksEvery type of time clock compared: PIN, punch card, RFID badge, NFC, QR code, biometric and GPS apps, by cost, phones needed, buddy-punch risk and privacy risk.
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