Best Retail Time and Attendance Software 2025: Top Picks and Key Features

Whether you’re upgrading from spreadsheets or switching from a clunky legacy system, finding the right time and attendance software can transform your retail operations.

In retail businesses, managing time and attendance is not just about having a system for clocking in and out. It’s a crucial part of an entire workflow that affects payroll, employee scheduling, and labor forecasting.

Modern time and attendance systems offer mobile clock-ins, automated break tracking, real-time dashboards, and even AI-powered scheduling. Many also connect with payroll software, HR, or POS tools, or offer those functions in the same platform.

Modern time and attendance systems offer mobile clock-ins, automated break tracking, real-time alerts, and even AI-powered scheduling. Many also connect with payroll, HR, or POS tools—or offer those functions in the same platform.

With so many tools in the market, how do you choose the right one?

This guide takes a look at the top time and attendance software options for retail teams. Whether you’re running a single store or overseeing thousands of employees across locations, we’ll help you find a solution that fits.

What should time and attendance software do for retail teams?

Functionality

Why it matters

Accurate clock-in and clock-out tracking

Ensures employees are paid for actual hours worked, reduces time theft, and supports compliance with labor laws

Mobile clock-ins with GPS

Enables in-store clock-ins, prevent buddy punching, and confirms employees are on-site

Automated break and overtime tracking

Adheres to labor laws around breaks and overtime, reducing the risk of violations to wage and hour rules

Real-time alerts and notifications

Enables managers to respond quickly to missed punches and no-shows

Built-in compliance safeguards

Helps retailers comply with labor laws around rest/meal breaks, predictive scheduling, and overtime

Audit trail and historical records

Provides a clear log of time entries, edits, and approvals—essential for audits and resolving disputes

Labor cost visibility

Helps managers see actual vs. scheduled hours and labor spend

Payroll integration

Automates the flow of approved hours to payroll, reducing manual errors

Self-service for employees

Enables staff to view schedules, request time off, and fix missed punches

Top Retail Time and Attendance Software Compared

Our Top Five Picks: Quick Summary

Platform

Best for

Why it stands out

Workforce.com

Mid-sized to multi-location retail teams

Built for frontline retail— live clock-in data, real-time compliance tools for breaks and shift rules, and built-in payroll

UKG Pro WFM

Enterprise retail chains

Biometric options and audit-ready records

Deputy

Growing retail chains

Mobile time clock with geolocation and break tracking

Connecteam

Small to mid-sized retailers

Geofencing, shift logs, and timesheet approvals

Homebase

Small shops and independent retailers

Simple time clock with POS integration

#1 Workforce.com

Workforce.com is an all-in-one cloud-based platform built for shift-based and frontline teams, with robust time and attendance tracking features built right alongside scheduling, HR, and payroll. It goes beyond simple clock-ins by delivering real-time visibility to employee time and compliance safeguards.

Employees can clock in and out via tablet kiosks or their mobile devices with GPS geofencing. Managers receive real-time alerts for missed breaks, early clock-outs, and unauthorized overtime, making it easy to stay fully staffed and compliant across multiple store locations.

For businesses operating in multiple states or under strict labor laws, Workforce.com automatically enforces labor rules such as meal/rest break policies, overtime, and other related state and local regulations.

Here are some key features of Workforce.com that are essential to retail teams:

  • Time clock app: Track employee clock-ins that include a selfie and GPS location, whether from their mobile device or an in-store tablet. Workforce.com automatically flags missed punches and reminds staff to clock in based on their schedule, helping reduce timesheet errors and discourage buddy punching. Ideal for multi-store retailers who need visibility across all locations.
  • Shift swapping: Reassign open shifts in seconds when an employee calls out. Let employees swap shifts or enable managers to assign open shifts all within the platform. Notify available employees, fill gaps fast, and keep the floor covered.
  • Real-time attendance dashboards: Time punches are recorded instantly, giving managers live visibility into who’s clocked in or nearing overtime. Alerts flag issues like no-shows, early clock-outs, or missed breaks. It also provides managers visibility on labor costs in real-time.
  • Custom rule engine: Set rules around minor work hour limits, rounding, grace periods, meal breaks, and more. These configurations are fully customizable to your needs.
  • Break and overtime compliance enforcement: Automatically track and enforce labor laws, including meal and rest breaks, daily/weekly overtime, and minor labor regulations. Workforce.com helps retail businesses stay compliant across multiple jurisdictions and alerts managers when potential violations arise, whether during scheduling, time tracking, or payroll processing.
  • PTO and leave management: Track paid time off, sick leave, and other absences directly from the same system used for scheduling and time tracking. Employees can submit leave requests through the mobile app, and managers are instantly notified for approval. Approved leave automatically syncs with the schedule and timesheets, helping prevent scheduling conflicts and ensuring accurate payroll without manual adjustments.
  • Employee self-service: Allow staff to view their timesheets, correct missed punches, submit time-off requests, and access their schedules all from the mobile app.
  • All-in-one time tracking, scheduling, and payroll system: Attendance management is built into the same platform as scheduling and payroll. No manual exporting or data entry required. Time and hour records flow automatically from timesheets to payroll, ensuring accuracy and saving managers time every pay period.

Pros

  • Designed for shift-based and hourly retail teams
  • Accurate timesheets linked directly to schedules and payroll
  • Scales well across multiple store locations
  • Strong compliance tools for wage and hour laws
  • Easy-to-use mobile app
  • Cons

  • May consolidate multiple systems into one platform, which requires some change management
  • May be feature-rich for very small teams
  • Best for: Retail operations with multiple locations and compliance requirements. Ideal for businesses that need a time and attendance solution deeply tied to store operations and labor cost management.

    Pricing: Workforce.com provides quote-based pricing tailored to each business. Speak with our team to learn more.

    #2 UKG Pro WFM

    UKG Pro Workforce Management, formerly known as UKG Dimensions, is a workforce management platform with time and attendance tools designed for large retail operations. Users praise the platform’s ability to handle high-volume timekeeping, while some note the system can be complex to learn and maintain without dedicated admin support.

    Pros

  • Flexible configuration options for time capture and rule enforcement
  • Scalable across multiple stores and locations
  • Compliance and audit tools for time records
  • Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Setup and ongoing admin often require support
  • Best for: Enterprise retailers that need a configurable time tracking system across multiple locations and regions.

    Pricing (as of 2025): Pricing is quote-based, depending on features, modules, and workforce size.

    Note: Pricing details are based on information available as of 2025. For the most current pricing and features, please refer to UKG’s official website.

    #3 Deputy

    Deputy offers time and attendance tools for growing retail teams. Employees can clock in via a mobile app or a tablet kiosk. Managers get timesheets with auto-flagged issues like missed breaks or late arrivals. Users praise Deputy for its clean interface and mobile time clock. However, some users note that customization and reporting options can feel limited for more complex operations.

    Pros

  • Strong mobile clock-in tools
  • Easy to deploy
  • Break compliance alerts
  • Cons

  • Reporting can be limited compared to other enterprise tools
  • Some customizations and advanced analytics are only available in the Enterprise plan
  • Best for: Small retail teams looking for a simple and mobile-friendly time and attendance system

    Pricing (as of 2025):

    • Scheduling: $4.50/user/month
    • Time & Attendance: $4.50/user/month
    • Premium: $5/user/month
    • Enterprise: Custom pricing
    • Add-ons: Deputy HR - $2/per user/month, Analytics - $1.50/per user/month

    Note: Pricing details are based on information available as of 2025. For the most current pricing and features, please refer to Deputy’s official website.

    #4 Connecteam

    Connecteam is a platform that has tools for time tracking, shift scheduling, task management, and internal communication. Its time clock software has GPS tracking capabilities to ensure employees are on-site. Users love its affordability and ease of setup. However, others note that third-party integrations may be limited and may require manual exports or additional configuration, depending on your setup.

    Pros

  • GPS-enabled mobile time clock
  • Communication and task tools
  • Free tier for small teams
  • Cons

  • May require a higher tier plan if you want to set multiple geofence sites
  • No built-in payroll platform
  • Best for: Retail businesses with 10-250 employees that need a simple and affordable solution for time tracking and team communication.

    Pricing (as of 2025):

    • Small business: Free for up to 10 users
    • Basic: $29/month for the first 30 users, $0.5/month for each additional user
    • Advanced: $49/month for the first 30 users, $1.5 for each additional user
    • Expert: $99/month for the first 30 users, $3 for each additional user
    • Enterprise: Customized pricing

    Note: Pricing details are for the Operations module and based on information available as of 2025. For the most current pricing and features, please refer to Connecteam’s official website.

    #5 Homebase

    Homebase is a simple time tracking and scheduling solution ideal for small businesses. It offers a free tier with a basic time clock, timesheet approvals, and team messaging, making it a good option for retailers just starting out with digital tools.

    Pros

  • Free plan for small teams
  • Simple time clock with overtime alerts and payroll exports
  • User-friendly
  • Cons

  • Cost tends to go up depending on required features and functionality
  • Advanced time tracking features are only available on a premium plan
  • Best for: Small retail shops and owner-operators who need basic time tracking and scheduling without the complicated setup.

    Pricing (as of 2025):

    • Basic – Free - 1 location, up to 10 employees
    • Essentials – $30/month
    • Plus – $70/month
    • All-in-One – $120/month
    • Optional Add-Ons:
    • Payroll – $39/month base + $6/month per employee
    • Tip Manager – $25/month per location
    • Background Checks – $30 each
    • Task Manager – $13/month per location
    • Hiring assistant – $150 per post

    Note: Pricing details are based on information available as of 2025. For the most current pricing and features, please refer to Homebase’s official website.

    Other Notable Options

    These payroll tools didn’t make the top five but may be worth considering depending on your team size, budget, and business needs:

    ADP Time and Attendance

    Best for: Retailers already using ADP for payroll

    Why consider it: Enterprise-grade time and attendance system with audit support

    Pros: HR and payroll integration and compliance tools

    Cons: UI may feel dated for frontline retail teams

    QuickBooks Time

    Best for: Retailers already using Quickbooks for payroll and accounting

    Why consider it: A convenient time tracking add-on for QuickBooks Payroll

    Pros: Easy setup if you’re in the QuickBooks ecosystem, mobile app with geolocation

    Cons: Best suited for basic time tracking, but may be limited for full workforce management needs

    What are the common time and attendance pain points for retail businesses?

    Managing time and attendance in retail is rarely straightforward. Many retailers struggle with outdated processes, leading to payroll mistakes, compliance issues, and poor visibility. Below are some of the most common challenges retail businesses face when tracking time and attendance:

    • Lack of real-time visibility: Without the right time and attendance system, store managers often can’t see who’s currently clocked in, who’s late, or who didn’t show up. This makes it challenging to reassign vacant shifts or prevent understaffing.
    • Buddy punching and time theft: Without verification tools like GPS or selfie capture, employees clocking in for each other will be hard to spot. As a result, businesses end up paying for hours worked and risk inflating labor costs.
    • Missed breaks and overtime: Manual time and attendance processes increase the risk of missed required rest periods or overlooked overtime hours. Failing to catch these in real-time can lead to unexpected labor costs and potential violations.
    • Disconnected schedules and time data: When schedules are managed in one system and time tracking in another, managers must manually compare hours scheduled vs. worked, leading to delays and potential mistakes.
    • Manual payroll processing: Without an automated time-to-payroll workflow, retail managers spend hours reconciling time data exports and re-entering data into payroll. This increases the risk of pay inaccuracies.

    Final Thoughts: Choosing the best time and attendance software for your retail business

    Finding the best time tracking software comes down to how well it fits your operations. Aside from tracking time accurately, look for platforms that help reduce manual work, enforce labor laws, and provide real-time visibility into who’s on the floor. It’s also crucial to consider how systems integrate with your scheduling, payroll, human resources, and POS tools.

    If you’re looking for a solution built specifically for shift-based teams in retail, Workforce.com is the clear choice. Time and attendance, scheduling, HR, and payroll are all built into a single platform, so employee data moves seamlessly from clock-in to paycheck, without the need for manual re-entry or syncing between systems. When evaluating providers, prioritize those that streamline shift-based operations and eliminate the need for workarounds.

    See why leading retailers trust Workforce.com. Book a demo today.