Comparison
TrackBadges vs QuickBooks Time
Choose TrackBadges if you want badge-verified hours for your crew at a fraction of the price, and exporting a CSV to your payroll provider each week is fine. Choose QuickBooks Time if you run payroll and job costing in QuickBooks Online and want hours to sync without an export step.
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. QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is Intuit's time tracking app for QuickBooks Online users, with a mobile app, a PIN kiosk and crew clock-in.
TrackBadges vs QuickBooks Time at a glance
| TrackBadges | QuickBooks Time | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 QuickBooks Workforce app on the employee's phone, at a kiosk with a 4-digit PIN and optional photo, or by a manager using the Crew feature. |
| Does each employee need a smartphone? | No. Employees carry a printed badge. | No — the kiosk and Crew feature cover employees without phones. |
| QR codes | Every employee gets a printed QR badge. | Not found in QuickBooks Time's pricing or feature pages. |
| One supervisor clocks in a crew | Yes — it's how it works. One phone clocks in the whole crew. | Yes — the Crew feature lets a manager clock in team members one at a time or all at once. |
| Hardware | None. Any phone or tablet; badges print on paper. | None required; the kiosk runs on a tablet. |
| Free plan | Free for up to 3 people, with every feature. | No free plan; free trial. A QuickBooks Online subscription is required. |
| 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. | Time Premium is $20 a month plus $10 per user; Time Elite is $40 plus $12 per user, billed monthly. A QuickBooks Online account is required (and billed separately). |
| Monthly cost, 10 people | $19.50/mo | $120/mo |
| Monthly cost, 25 people | $42/mo | $270/mo |
| Monthly cost, 50 people | $79.50/mo | $520/mo |
QuickBooks Time costs use Time Premium at $20 a month plus $10 per user, billed monthly — before the QuickBooks Online subscription it requires. TrackBadges is billed monthly. Prices were checked in October 2026 and change, so check QuickBooks Time's site before you buy.
What it costs a month
10 people / month
25 people / month
50 people / month
The QuickBooks question
If your books and payroll run in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Time's direct sync is its biggest advantage — hours land in payroll without an export. TrackBadges doesn't integrate directly; you approve the week and export a CSV for QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP or any provider that imports one.
Cost for a crew
| Crew size | TrackBadges | QuickBooks Time Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | $19.50/mo | $120/mo + QuickBooks Online |
| 25 people | $42/mo | $270/mo + QuickBooks Online |
| 50 people | $79.50/mo | $520/mo + QuickBooks Online |
Crew clock-in
Both let a supervisor clock in a crew. QuickBooks Time's Crew feature picks people from a list in the app; TrackBadges scans each worker's printed badge from any phone's browser, so the supervisor confirms each person is there and nobody installs anything.
QuickBooks Time: what it does well, and where it falls short
Strengths
- Tight integration with QuickBooks Online payroll and job costing.
- Kiosk and crew clock-in on the entry plan.
- Mature mobile app with GPS and geofencing (Elite).
Drawbacks
- Requires a QuickBooks Online subscription on top of its own price.
- $10 or more per user a month is expensive for a crew.
- Public reviews mention price increases and sync glitches.
Choose TrackBadges if…
Choose TrackBadges if you want badge-verified hours for your crew at a fraction of the price, and exporting a CSV to your payroll provider each week is fine.
Choose QuickBooks Time if…
Choose QuickBooks Time if you run payroll and job costing in QuickBooks Online and want hours to sync without an export step.
Frequently asked questions
How much do TrackBadges and QuickBooks Time cost?
For 10 people, TrackBadges costs $19.50/mo and QuickBooks Time costs $120/mo; for 25 people it's $42/mo against $270/mo. QuickBooks Time's figures use Time Premium at $20 a month plus $10 per user, billed monthly — before the QuickBooks Online subscription it requires, 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 QuickBooks Time?
No — the kiosk and Crew feature cover employees without phones.
What's the main difference between TrackBadges and QuickBooks Time?
QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is Intuit's time tracking app for QuickBooks Online users, with a mobile app, a PIN kiosk and crew clock-in. 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.
Do you need QuickBooks Online to use QuickBooks Time?
Yes. Intuit's pricing page says a QuickBooks Online account is required. QuickBooks Time Premium is $20 a month plus $10 per user on top of that subscription.
More comparisons
- QuickBooks Time alternativesLooking for a QuickBooks Time alternative? 6 time clocks compared on price, how employees clock in and whether they need a smartphone. Prices checked October 2026.
- vs JibbleTrackBadges vs Jibble: how employees clock in, whether they need a phone, and what 10, 25 or 50 people cost a month. Prices checked October 2026.
- vs TimeDockTrackBadges vs TimeDock: how employees clock in, whether they need a phone, and what 10, 25 or 50 people cost a month. Prices checked October 2026.
- vs ConnecteamTrackBadges vs Connecteam: how employees clock in, whether they need a phone, and what 10, 25 or 50 people cost a month. Prices checked October 2026.
- The best QR code time clock apps in 2026The best QR code time clock apps of 2026: who scans the badge, whether workers need a phone, and what 10, 25 and 50 people cost a month.
Switching from QuickBooks Time? 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.