Comparison
TrackBadges vs Connecteam
Choose TrackBadges if a supervisor should clock in the crew, some workers don't have or won't use smartphones, and you want buddy-proof scans without anyone installing an app. Choose Connecteam if your whole team has smartphones and you want scheduling, chat and forms in one app — its free plan for 10 users and $35 Basic plan are cheaper than TrackBadges for larger single-app teams.
The short answer
TrackBadges is a QR badge time clock: a supervisor scans each employee's printed badge with any phone, so the crew needs no app or smartphone. Connecteam is an all-in-one app for deskless teams — time clock, scheduling, chat, forms and training — where employees clock in on their own phone or at a shared kiosk with a PIN.
TrackBadges vs Connecteam at a glance
| TrackBadges | Connecteam | |
|---|---|---|
| How employees clock in | A supervisor (or a shared tablet) scans each employee's printed QR badge. Scan once to clock in, again to clock out. | In the Connecteam app on the employee's phone (with GPS), at a shared kiosk with a 4-digit PIN and optional selfie, or by tapping NFC tags placed at a site. |
| Does each employee need a smartphone? | No. Employees carry a printed badge. | Not with the kiosk, which takes a PIN. Otherwise each employee uses the Connecteam app on their own phone. |
| QR codes | Every employee gets a printed QR badge. | Not found in Connecteam's pricing or help pages; it uses PINs, selfies, GPS and NFC tags. |
| One supervisor clocks in a crew | Yes — it's how it works. One phone clocks in the whole crew. | No. Per Connecteam's help center, admins can't clock someone in directly; they add the time to the timesheet instead. |
| Hardware | None. Any phone or tablet; badges print on paper. | None required. Any tablet can be a kiosk; NFC tags are optional. |
| Free plan | Free for up to 3 people, with every feature. | Free for up to 10 users (Small Business plan), with one time clock. |
| Pricing | Free for up to 3 people. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 people, plus $1.50 a month for each person after that. | Free for up to 10 users. Operations Hub Basic is $35 a month billed monthly ($29 annually) for the first 30 users, then $1 per user; Advanced ($59) adds auto clock-out and geofences. |
| Monthly cost, 10 people | $19.50/mo | Free |
| Monthly cost, 25 people | $42/mo | $35/mo |
| Monthly cost, 50 people | $79.50/mo | $55/mo |
Connecteam costs use the free Small Business plan up to 10 users, then Operations Hub Basic at $35 a month for 30 users plus $1 per extra user, billed monthly. TrackBadges is billed monthly. Prices were checked in October 2026 and change, so check Connecteam's site before you buy.
What it costs a month
10 people / month
25 people / month
50 people / month
Price first, honestly
For many team sizes Connecteam costs less: it's free up to 10 users, and Basic is $35 a month for up to 30 users. TrackBadges is free for 3 people, then $9 a month plus $1.50 per person ($42 a month for 25). If price is the only thing that matters and everyone on your team has a smartphone, Connecteam is a strong deal.
The real difference: an employee app vs a supervisor's scanner
Connecteam is an app your employees use: they clock in on their own phones, read the team chat, fill out forms. Its kiosk takes a 4-digit PIN with an optional selfie. There's no way for a foreman to clock in a crew — Connecteam's help center says admins add the time to the timesheet instead.
TrackBadges is the opposite. Employees never use anything but a printed badge. The supervisor scans each person at the gate, the truck or the door, so a crew of eight is on the clock in under a minute, and every person scanned was standing in front of the person scanning.
| TrackBadges | Connecteam | |
|---|---|---|
| Clock-in done by | The supervisor, or anyone at a shared tablet | Each employee |
| What employees need | A printed badge | A phone with the app, or a kiosk PIN |
| Buddy punching | Supervisor sees every scan | PIN + optional selfie |
| Auto clock-out | Every plan | Advanced tier |
| Scheduling, chat, forms | No | Yes |
Which crews fit which
Pick Connecteam for a retail, hospitality or service team where everyone already lives in their phones and you want one app for everything. Pick TrackBadges for construction, landscaping, cleaning, warehouse and farm crews that start the day together — especially when phones are banned on the floor or some workers don't carry one.
Connecteam: what it does well, and where it falls short
Strengths
- Free for up to 10 users, and Basic covers 30 users for $35 a month.
- Scheduling, chat, forms, checklists and training alongside the time clock.
- Kiosk with PIN and optional selfie, plus NFC tags for site check-ins.
Drawbacks
- No supervisor or crew clock-in: an admin can't clock someone in directly.
- Kiosk PINs can be shared; the selfie only helps if someone reviews it.
- Auto clock-out and geofencing start on the Advanced tier.
- A lot of app to roll out if all you need is hours.
Choose TrackBadges if…
Choose TrackBadges if a supervisor should clock in the crew, some workers don't have or won't use smartphones, and you want buddy-proof scans without anyone installing an app.
Choose Connecteam if…
Choose Connecteam if your whole team has smartphones and you want scheduling, chat and forms in one app — its free plan for 10 users and $35 Basic plan are cheaper than TrackBadges for larger single-app teams.
Frequently asked questions
How much do TrackBadges and Connecteam cost?
For 10 people, TrackBadges costs $19.50/mo and Connecteam costs Free; for 25 people it's $42/mo against $35/mo. Connecteam's figures use the free Small Business plan up to 10 users, then Operations Hub Basic at $35 a month for 30 users plus $1 per extra user, billed monthly, checked in October 2026. TrackBadges is free for up to 3 people; Pro is $9 a month plus $1.50 per person after 3.
Do employees need a smartphone for Connecteam?
Not with the kiosk, which takes a PIN. Otherwise each employee uses the Connecteam app on their own phone.
What's the main difference between TrackBadges and Connecteam?
Connecteam is an all-in-one app for deskless teams — time clock, scheduling, chat, forms and training — where employees clock in on their own phone or at a shared kiosk with a PIN. TrackBadges is a QR badge time clock: employees carry a printed badge and a supervisor's phone scans the whole crew in and out, so nobody on the crew needs an app, login or phone.
Can a manager clock in employees in Connecteam?
Not directly. Connecteam's help center says admins can't clock someone in; they add the shift to the timesheet instead, and the employee then can't clock out from their phone. In TrackBadges a supervisor clocks people in by scanning their badges.
Is Connecteam free?
Connecteam's Small Business plan is free for up to 10 users with one time clock. Above that, Operations Hub Basic is $35 a month billed monthly for the first 30 users, plus $1 per extra user.
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Switching from Connecteam? Your crew could be scanning in today.
Print a QR badge for everyone and scan them in and out with any phone or tablet. Free for up to 3 people — try it with your real crew before you sign up.