When I Work vs OnTheClock

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared When I Work vs OnTheClock based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Time and Attendance Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

When I Work is a cloud-based platform that helps design, communicate and track work schedules for hourly workers. It replaces the hassle of spreadsheets and paper schedules with a user-friendly interface for creating and publishing schedules in minutes. You get features like drag-and-drop tools, schedule and timesheet templates, customizable automation, and reporting.

It offers built-in time tracking, communication tools and payroll integrations. Employees can clock in and out directly through the native app. They can also swap shifts and submit time-off requests from their profiles. It lets you access timesheets, identify labor cost trends and control overtime expenses.

Team messaging helps you coordinate staff members and avoid over or understaffing during peak seasons. While pricing varies based on company size and required features, the platform offers a free trial and multiple subscription tiers. This allows you to choose a plan that fits your budget and specific needs.

read more...
OnTheClock is a small-business-oriented time clock program focused on affordability and accessibility. Scaled pricing based on company size offers a straightforward approach to payroll, paid time off requests and fulfillment, administrative shift organizing and employee tracking.

It allows for easy export of data to take to an accountant and integrates seamlessly with payroll providers. It also offers intuitive, customizable and convenient features suitable for small business owners.
read more...
$2.50/User, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$3.45/Employee, Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Top-Ranked Scheduling Solution: When I Work stands out as a leader in employee scheduling, with an analyst rating of 85 in our research. This puts it alongside industry heavyweights like Deputy (87) and 7Shifts (86). It offers a comprehensive set of features, including scheduling, time tracking and team communications, all of which are ready to use immediately, reducing setup time.
  • Effortless Shift Management: Our research shows that When I Work offers 96% of tools for creating and managing employee shifts out-of-the-box. These include everything from creating recurring shift templates and customizing layouts to features like open shift bidding and automatic vacant shift assignment. You can also add feedback, task notes, swap shifts and receive automated reminders.
  • Powerful Mobile App: The mobile app keeps everything you need for streamlined scheduling at your fingertips. It offers mobile scheduling, time tracking, geofencing, customizable push notifications and built-in chat for easy team communication.
  • Seamless Integrations: When I Work scored 92 for integrations in our analysis, effortlessly connecting with a wide range of business tools. These include accounting solutions like QuickBooks Online, Google and Apple Calendars, HR and payroll software like Rippling and Gusto, Square POS systems, and integration platforms as a service (iPaaS) such as Zapier and Tray.io.
read more...
  • Affordable and Non-Committal: Get a 30-day free-trial, competitive pricing and monthly contracts. No additional fees for setup and licensing. Absolutely free for companies of fewer than three employees. 
  • Streamlined Tracking for Paid Time Off: Track paid time off with details like accrual and allotment. Admins can set up company policies and approve paid time off, as and when requested by employees within the system. 
  • Time Theft Prevention: Utilize employee accountability methods to prevent “buddy punching” or remote punching, and ensure employee efficiency. 
  • Easy Employee Management: Simplify employee organization through shift scheduling, project organization and real-time error corrections. Allow employees to leave notes for effective communication. 
  • Straightforward and Simple: Get a user-friendly interface with suitable functionalities and avoid feature overload for daily usage. 
read more...
  • Employee Scheduling: Create work schedules in one click based on employee availability and eligibility. View team availability, manage time off and track shift trades from one place. Allow employees to pick up and trade shifts while boosting workplace efficiency and productivity. Schedule multiple teams across job sites while preventing unnecessary overtime.
  • Time and Attendance: Track attendance, time off and breaks while turning any internet-connected device into an online time clock. Integrate schedules to control costs while applying pay rules. Implement an online time clock with a GPS facility for uniform clock-ins and outs across devices. Let remote employees log in and out using any device while receiving attendance data in real time.
  • Timesheets: Record weekly attendance changes into timesheets while setting differential pay rates for multiple positions. Monitor labor costs while auditing time records with labor distribution reports. Audit and approve timesheets from mobile or desktop while preventing overtime before it happens. Configure paid and unpaid breaks on schedule and time clock.
  • Shift Planning: Plan, swap and approve shifts using a mobile or desktop while empowering teams to collaborate on schedules. Ensure cost-effective shift coverage while creating schedules that work for the entire team.
  • Scalability: Start with a single team or location and scale to multiple teams across geographical locations as per business growth. Schedule multiple teams across various job sites.
  • Push Notifications: Send important messages to the entire staff in one go. Employees get email and text alerts for missed logins or outs. Notify all employees when you update or create new schedules.
  • Geo Check-In: Use GPS tracking and live map views to ensure that employees log in from their designated job sites. Monitor field staff’s real-time location, eliminating the need for employees to update their locations constantly in the office.
read more...
  • GPS Tracking: Ensure employee accountability through geo-fencing for clocking in and out and use the “Who’s In” feature to check who has clocked in/out from where on a given day and correct timecard mistakes. 
  • Fingerprint Scanning: Ensure the identity of the employee punching in and out with a browser-supported biometric device. 
  • Payroll Reporting: Integrate with leading payroll systems and export payroll reports and data in several formats such as Excel, CSV and PDF. 
  • Web-Based: Access the system, view changes and corrections in real time and get nightly data backups on any device with web browsing capability. Get app support for both Android and iOS devices for ease of access. 
  • Project Organizing: Organize projects with features like employee task selection and employee time tracking. Export project costing reports on completion. 
  • Shift Scheduling: Streamline and visualize employee schedules with an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interface, notify employees in real time and allow automated clock ins and clock outs with tethered paid/unpaid options. 
read more...

Product Ranking

#12

among all
Time and Attendance Software

#24

among all
Time and Attendance Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

79
67
83
50
78
98
98
65
Show More Show More
Employee Scheduling
Mobile Capabilities
Dashboards & Reporting

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

When I Work
OnTheClock
+ Add Product + Add Product
Compliance Dashboards & Reporting Employee Scheduling Leave & Absence Management Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Project Tracking Time Clocks Time Tracking 83 78 98 80 89 84 81 41 75 50 98 65 70 66 84 64 43 83 0 25 50 75 100
83%
0%
17%
50%
0%
50%
78%
0%
22%
100%
0%
0%
100%
0%
0%
67%
0%
33%
80%
0%
20%
70%
0%
30%
86%
0%
14%
64%
0%
36%
86%
0%
14%
86%
0%
14%
83%
0%
17%
67%
0%
33%
40%
0%
60%
40%
0%
60%
75%
0%
25%
83%
0%
17%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

63%
0%
37%
38%
0%
62%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1454 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 946 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

When I Work has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 1454 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

94%
of users recommend this product

OnTheClock has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 946 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (11)
4.3 (12)
4.4 (286)
4.5 (13)
n/a
4.7 (511)
4.5 (1093)
4.7 (410)
4.4 (64)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated When I Work and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Compliance. When I Work stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Compliance Award

OnTheClock stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive and Efficient: Users appreciate the user-friendly interface and comprehensive features that centralize managing all scheduling needs from a single app.
Prompt Customer Support: Users report getting timely and helpful assistance from the vendor’s support team through live chat and email.
Enhanced Employee Experience: The app boosts staff productivity by offering them flexible tools to control their work schedules.
Improved Integration and Accessibility: Most users have had a positive experience connecting the platform with other necessary third-party tools.
Show more
User Friendly: Nearly 97% of the users who talk about ease of use note that the software is user-friendly.
Cost: Affordability is a great advantage of OnTheClock, as reported by approximately 92% of users who mention product pricing.
Time Tracker: Nearly 81% of users who refer to the product’s core functionality recommend it for accurate time tracking.
Customer Support: About 89% of users who mention customer support report that customer support is responsive and knowledgeable with a friendly demeanor.
Payroll: 60% of users who talk about payroll mention that payroll integrations are seamless and save a lot of time for users.
GPS-based Logins: Approximately 70% of users who refer to GPS-based logins note that the ability to track locations helps monitor remote and on-site employers.
Reports: Getting quick, detailed and customizable reports is a positive trait for nearly 58% of users who mention reporting.
Show more
Pricing and Transparency Issues: Users have complained about the vendor’s pricing practices, which include hidden costs and a lack of clear information before signing up.
App Glitches: Users reported issues with iPhone and Android apps, particularly with tasks like staff punch-ins and location tracking using the phone’s GPS.
Show more
Paid Time Off / Vacations: 52% of the users who mention paid time offs and vacations feature report that the feature is glitchy.
Alerts: Approximately 62% of users who refer to alerts note that the system fails to alert users if they miss clocking in or out, leading to errors in time cards.
Interface: A clunky interface with complicated navigation is one of the biggest drawbacks of OnTheClock, as mentioned by nearly 77% of the users who refer to it.
Show more

According to the reviews, users praise When I Work’s user-friendly design and all-in-one features for scheduling and time tracking. The customer support team is another win — responsive and helpful via chat and email. However, the pricing structure is a point of contention for some users, with complaints about hidden fees and a lack of transparency before signing up.What truly set it apart was its affordability for small and medium businesses. The starter plan, costing just $1.50 per location per month, offers unlimited employee scheduling and auto-scheduling — features usually reserved for top-tier plans in competitors like 7Shift and Homebase.However, communication features are restricted. During testing, I could send individual and group messages, but there's no bulletin board or newsfeed functionality, and message read receipts are absent.Security is another concern. The platform lacks biometric clock-in options, opening the door to potential time theft through buddy punching. Additionally, it doesn’t support geofencing or GPS tracking. I couldn’t remotely track staff shifts to ensure they were following established procedures.Overall, When I Work offers a compelling solution for small and medium businesses with a user-friendly interface, robust features and a budget-friendly starter plan. However, be mindful of the pricing concerns and other limitations, which can be a problem for growing teams and businesses.

Show more

OnTheClock, a cloud-based time and attendance software, has established itself as a practical solution for businesses seeking efficient employee time management. User feedback from the past year highlights its strengths in simplifying payroll processes, ensuring accurate timekeeping, and addressing common pain points associated with manual time tracking. The software's features, such as GPS tracking, PTO management, and clock-in restrictions, have been praised for their ability to enhance accountability and streamline operations. For instance, businesses with multiple job sites or remote employees find the mobile app and GPS functionality particularly beneficial in verifying employee locations and preventing time theft. However, some users have expressed concerns regarding OnTheClock's pricing structure and the perceived limitations in its feature set compared to more comprehensive workforce management systems. While OnTheClock excels in core time and attendance functionalities, it may not offer the same level of depth in areas such as scheduling, project management, or advanced reporting as some competitors. Businesses with complex scheduling needs or those requiring extensive integrations with other business systems might find alternative solutions better suited to their requirements. Overall, OnTheClock is well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses across various industries that prioritize accurate time tracking, simplified payroll, and improved workforce management efficiency. Its user-friendly interface, affordability for smaller teams, and focus on core time and attendance features make it a valuable tool for streamlining operations and ensuring compliance with labor regulations.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Time and Attendance Software


Buddy Punch

Clockify

Harvest Time Tracking

Hubstaff

isolved Time

Jibble

OnTheClock

QuickBooks Time

Time Doctor

Time Tracker

TimeClock Plus

Tmetric

Toggl

uAttend

Related Categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings