The QuickBooks Time Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about QuickBooks Time in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
QuickBooks Time
The Insider’s Guide
Employee time clock and scheduling tied to QuickBooks payroll
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among time tracking apps, read from QuickBooks Time’s own pages.
Made by Intuit · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from QuickBooks Time’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on QuickBooks Time’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade
QuickBooks Time, formerly called TSheets, is Intuit's employee time tracking product. Staff clock in from a phone app, a web browser or a shared kiosk, managers build schedules by job or shift, and approved hours sync to QuickBooks for payroll and invoicing. Pricing combines a monthly base fee with a per-user fee, and the pricing page states that a QuickBooks Online account is required.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about QuickBooks Time, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for staff time clocks that feed QuickBooks payroll
QuickBooks Time, the old TSheets, is a time clock for staff: they clock in on a phone or a shared kiosk, you build the schedule, and approved hours flow into QuickBooks for payroll.
- 2
Paid plans start at $20 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $20 / month base fee plus $10 per user / month.
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial for new subscriptions, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Mobile time clock
Employees clock in and out and sign and submit timesheets in the QuickBooks Workforce app on iPhone, iPad and Android, with GPS location points recorded while on the clock.
- 6
Time kiosk
A shared punch clock for on-site teams that runs on a tablet, desktop or laptop. It is part of both the Premium and Elite plans.
- 7
Scheduling
Managers create schedules by job or by shift, then edit, publish and share them with the team.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 0 of 42
That is against the other time tracking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
QuickBooks Time at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $20 / month base fee plus $10 per user / month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial for new subscriptions, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Intuit
- Category
- Time Tracking
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for staff time clocks that feed QuickBooks payroll
QuickBooks Time, the old TSheets, is a time clock for staff: they clock in on a phone or a shared kiosk, you build the schedule, and approved hours flow into QuickBooks for payroll. It needs a QuickBooks Online account, charges a $20 base fee on top of $10 a user, so one person costs $30 a month, keeps project tracking and mileage for Elite, and has no desktop app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Time Premium is a $20 monthly base fee plus $10 a user, so one person costs $30 a month against the $6.67 a time tracker typically asks. Elite is $40 plus $12 a user, and you need a QuickBooks Online account on top. New subscriptions get 50% off the base fee for 3 months. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. New subscriptions get a 30-day free trial and it asks for no credit card, and that's the only way to see it without paying. |
| Features | C | Clock in and out from the Workforce app with GPS points, a shared kiosk, schedules by job or shift, time off, and hours that sync to payroll. But nothing tracks automatically, project tracking and mileage are Elite only, and none of it runs without a QuickBooks Online account. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Clocking in from a phone or a kiosk is easy enough for staff, but somebody sets up the jobs, the schedules and the QuickBooks connection first, and that somebody needs to know QuickBooks. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone, iPad and Android, plus a kiosk that runs on a tablet, desktop or laptop, and Intuit says it works with more than 50 accounting and payroll apps. No Mac or Windows app is listed, so computers use a browser. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who QuickBooks Time is for
- Fits if your accounting or payroll already runs in QuickBooks Online
- Works for field crews who clock in from their phones, with GPS points recorded on the clock
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't use QuickBooks Online, because an account is required
- Pricey if you're a small team, with a $20 base fee before the $10 for each user
- Not for you if you're a freelancer timing client projects, as project tracking is Elite only, at $40 plus $12 a user
- Watch out: there's no free plan, and the 30-day trial is the only way to see it without paying
- Too light for desk work, as no Mac or Windows app is listed and nothing tracks automatically
Good to know
Good for
- Businesses that already run accounting or payroll in QuickBooks
- Field and mobile crews that clock in from phones with GPS
- Shift-based teams that need schedules and a shared time clock
Worth knowing
- The pricing page states that a QuickBooks Online account is required to use QuickBooks Time.
- There is no free plan, and both plans charge a monthly base fee on top of the per-user fee.
- Mileage tracking, project tracking and timesheet signatures are limited to Time Elite.
- No Mac or Windows desktop app is listed; computers use a web browser or the time kiosk.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$20
A month to start
QuickBooks Time is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $20 / month base fee plus $10 per user / month.
Time Premium
$20
per month base fee, plus $10 per user / month
Base fee includes 1 admin. Workforce app, payroll and invoicing sync, time off, alerts, photo attachments and the time kiosk.
Time Elite
$40
per month base fee, plus $12 per user / month
Everything in Premium plus mileage tracking, project tracking, project estimates vs. actuals, a project activity feed and timesheet signatures.
Trying it first
30-day free trial for new subscriptions, no credit card required
Read from quickbooks.intuit.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
50% off the base fee for 3 months
Intuit lists 50% off the monthly base price for the first 3 months of new subscriptions. The discount does not apply to per-user fees.
Stated on quickbooks.intuit.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Employee time clock and scheduling tied to QuickBooks payroll. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: time tracking, invoicing, reports.
But nothing tracks automatically, project tracking and mileage are Elite only, and none of it runs without a QuickBooks Online account.
- Mobile time clock
- Employees clock in and out and sign and submit timesheets in the QuickBooks Workforce app on iPhone, iPad and Android, with GPS location points recorded while on the clock.
- Time kiosk
- A shared punch clock for on-site teams that runs on a tablet, desktop or laptop. It is part of both the Premium and Elite plans.
- Scheduling
- Managers create schedules by job or by shift, then edit, publish and share them with the team.
- Payroll and invoicing sync
- Tracked hours sync to accounting and payroll rather than being re-entered. Intuit says QuickBooks Time integrates with more than 50 accounting and payroll apps.
- Projects and mileage
- Time Elite adds GPS mileage tracking, project tracking with estimates against actual hours, a project activity feed and timesheet signatures.
- Reports and time off
- Customizable reports cover job costs and payroll planning, and both plans include time-off management with alerts and notifications.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Time is made by Intuit.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/42
Other time tracking apps it is graded above
QuickBooks Time's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 11 of 42) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 35 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 26 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 43 time tracking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. QuickBooks Time’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 42
- CFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 42
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 42
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 42
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 11 of 42
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 39 time tracking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. QuickBooks Time is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
You could make the core of QuickBooks Time for yourself: time tracking, reports and invoicing. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $240 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking, reports and invoicing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. QuickBooks Time’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Buddy Punch, Jibble, Hubstaff, Clockify and TimeCamp
The 5 tools QuickBooks Time is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Buddy Punch
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Online time clock with GPS, scheduling and payroll add-ons.
- QuickBooks Time also covers invoicing.
- 3.4GPA
Jibble
Free plan
Free time clock and attendance tracker with GPS and face recognition.
- Jibble has a free plan. QuickBooks Time does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Jibble lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only Jibble lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Hubstaff
Free trial · from $4.99/mo
Time tracking with screenshots, activity levels and payroll.
- Only Hubstaff lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Hubstaff lists a browser extension.
- Hubstaff also covers tasks.
- 3.2GPA
Clockify
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Team time tracker and timesheets with a free plan for 5 users.
- Clockify has a free plan. QuickBooks Time does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Clockify lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Clockify lists a browser extension.
- 3.2GPA
TimeCamp
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Time tracking with attendance, billing and a free plan for any team.
- TimeCamp has a free plan. QuickBooks Time does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TimeCamp lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only TimeCamp lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is QuickBooks Time free?
No, QuickBooks Time is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial for new subscriptions, no credit card required.
How much does QuickBooks Time cost?
QuickBooks Time lists 2 plans. Time Premium: $20 per month base fee, plus $10 per user / month.
What platforms does QuickBooks Time work on?
QuickBooks Time is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does QuickBooks Time offer any discounts?
QuickBooks Time publicly lists the following: 50% off the base fee for 3 months.
Does QuickBooks Time have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. QuickBooks Time is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does QuickBooks Time have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. QuickBooks Time is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is QuickBooks Time open source?
QuickBooks Time is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does QuickBooks Time integrate with?
QuickBooks Time's listing names QuickBooks Online. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes QuickBooks Time?
QuickBooks Time is made by Intuit.
What are the alternatives to QuickBooks Time?
The closest alternatives to QuickBooks Time in our directory are Buddy Punch, Jibble, Hubstaff, Clockify and TimeCamp.
How does QuickBooks Time compare with other time tracking apps?
QuickBooks Time's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 0 of the 42 other time tracking apps we grade, and level with 3.
Is QuickBooks Time good value for money?
ToolGPA grades QuickBooks Time D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $6.55 for the category: 35 of the 35 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of QuickBooks Time?
A time tracker at its plainest is a start button, a stop button and a table of hours.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from QuickBooks Time’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Intuit's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-08.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Intuit. Prices change, so check quickbooks.intuit.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- QuickBooks Time, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-time
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "QuickBooks Time: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-time
Know someone choosing between time tracking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks-time/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded time tracking apps after QuickBooks Time, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Time Tracking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 43 time tracking apps we grade, compared
- Jibble Insider's GuideFree time clock and attendance tracker with GPS and face recognition3.4 GPA
- Clockify Insider's GuideTeam time tracker and timesheets with a free plan for 5 users3.2 GPA
- TimeCamp Insider's GuideTime tracking with attendance, billing and a free plan for any team3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what QuickBooks Time’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. QuickBooks Time is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Intuit. Prices and plans change: check quickbooks.intuit.com before you buy.