“Free” in time-clock SaaS rarely means what you think. Some apps cap employees, some cap features, some hide a 14-day trial behind the word. Here’s the real landscape in 2026: who’s actually free, where the catch is, and the five apps small-business owners shortlist most often. Spoiler: ClockOut is on this list, and yes, the bias is built in. We also tell you when one of the others is the right call.
The shortlist
| Free cap | Punch location | Kiosk on free | Free export | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClockOut | 2 employees | GPS stamp | ✗ | CSV |
| Clockify | 5 users | ✗ | ✗ | PDF only |
| Homebase Basic | 1 location, ≤10 employees | ✗ | ✓ | Varies |
| Connecteam | 10 users | ✓ | ✓ | Limited |
| Hubstaff Free | 1 user | ✓ | ✗ | None |
1. ClockOut Free
Best for: small shops with 1-2 employees who want a real time clock, not a stopwatch.
ClockOut is a free clock in and out app built for small hourly teams. The Free plan covers up to 2 employees, forever, with no credit card required. You get one-tap clock in/out, GPS capture, basic scheduling, pay estimates, and CSV export. The paid controls (including geofence enforcement, kiosk mode, PTO, recurring schedules, and approvals) are not included; see the exact Free plan for the full split.
Catch: 2 employees is genuinely the cap. Past that, you upgrade to Starter at $3/employee/month, which is cheap, but it is paid.
2. Clockify Free
Best for: agencies and freelancers tracking billable time on projects.
Clockify’s Free plan currently supports up to 5 users and unlimited time tracking, according to its official pricing page. It’s a timer, not an employee time clock: no GPS, no geofence, no kiosk, no PTO. If your team is hourly shift workers, this isn’t the right tool, however generous the cap.
3. Homebase Basic
Best for: single-location restaurants and retail with up to 10 employees.
Homebase lists Basic as free for 1 location and up to 10 employees on its official pricing page, and key features (advanced scheduling, hiring, performance) are gated behind paid tiers. For a single-location shop that already runs on Homebase, free works. The moment you hit 11 employees or open a second location, you need to evaluate a paid plan.
4. Connecteam Small Business
Best for: field crews up to 10 people with light scheduling needs.
Connecteam’s Small Business Plan is free for accounts with up to 10 users and includes its small-business operations, communication, and HR feature set. Above that cap, compare the current hub and plan structure for the features you need.
5. Hubstaff Free
Best for: a solo owner-operator wanting GPS and screenshots for self-tracking.
Hubstaff’s free plan is for a single user and is more of a productivity-monitoring tool than a team time clock. Useful if you’re a solo contractor billing clients hourly; not the tool for a team.
How to pick
- Hourly shift team, 1-2 employees: ClockOut Free.
- Agency/freelancers tracking projects: Clockify.
- Single-location restaurant, up to 10 staff, already on Homebase: Homebase Basic.
- Field crew under 10 with no payroll integration needs: Connecteam.
- Solo owner-operator: Hubstaff.