For a 40-person hourly team across 3 locations (you and your managers included), ClockOut Pro ($249 a month) is the best time clock app if you want every site to have its own geofence and its own manager without paying per location, and Homebase Essentials ($90 a month for 3 locations) is the best pick if the sites are retail or restaurant and per-location pricing works in your favor. Deputy and Connecteam are the strongest options behind those two, Buddy Punch and When I Work fit narrower cases, and QuickBooks Time only makes sense when payroll already runs in QuickBooks. ClockOut publishes this post, so check the other six first if you want to keep us honest.
How we judged multi-location
A time clock app for multiple locations is not the same product as a time clock with a location field. We scored each app on the five things that go wrong when a team spreads across three addresses.
- Per-site geofence. Each location gets its own address and radius, so a punch at the wrong site is caught, not just logged.
- Who is working, per site. A manager standing in store two should see store two, not a company-wide list of 40 names.
- Manager scoping. Site managers should approve, edit, and schedule only their own people. Owners see everything.
- Pricing model. Per user, per location, or flat plus per person. At 40 people across 3 sites the model changes the bill more than any list price.
- Payroll export. One file or one sync for all sites, in the format your provider (ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage) actually imports.
Competitor prices and tier facts below were checked on each vendor’s pricing page on October 15, 2026. They change often, so confirm before you sign.
1. ClockOut
Who it suits: hourly teams of 5 to a few hundred people that want the time clock, schedule, and payroll export in one app and do not want a per-location charge.
Multi-location is a Pro feature. You add up to 20 locations, each with its own address and geofence radius, and give each manager a home site so the schedule board and today view filter to it. Employees clock in from the native iOS or Android app, or from a shared tablet kiosk with a PIN or QR badge. Starter already includes geofence enforcement (one fence), kiosk mode, punch limiting that blocks early clock-ins or requires a scheduled shift, schedules with confirmations, PTO, approvals, an exception inbox, groups, and job codes. Pro adds payroll runs with ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage exports, a compliance pack, device and IP locks, and photo proof on punches.
Price at 40 people: Free forever up to 2 people. Starter is $19 a month for 5 active accounts, then $3 each, so $124 for 40. Pro is $39 for 5, then $6 each, so $249 for 40. 14-day free trial, annual saves 20%.
Limitation: multi-location needs Pro, there is no built-in payroll processing, and there are no Slack or Zapier integrations.
2. Homebase
Who it suits: retail and restaurant operators with a few busy locations, especially if hiring and team messaging should live in the same app.
Homebase is priced per location, not per employee, which is the whole story for a 3-site team. Basic is free for one location with up to 10 employees. Essentials, Plus, and All-in-One all allow unlimited employees and unlimited locations. The time clock works on tablets, computers, and POS devices, and location-based clock-in with the mobile time clock (on Essentials) can stop employees clocking in before they reach the site. Assigning managers and general managers, and setting custom manager permissions, sits on Plus and above, so location-scoped managers cost more than the entry tier. Payroll is a separate add-on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid ($29 a month for teams up to 5), and Homebase also integrates with QuickBooks, ADP, and Gusto.
Price at 40 people across 3 locations: Essentials is $30 per location per month ($24 billed annually), so $90 a month or $72 annual. Plus, where manager permissions live, is $70 per location ($56 annual), so $210 or $168. Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: the pricing page lists location-based clock-in on Essentials but never uses the word geofence, and location-level manager permissions require Plus.
3. Connecteam
Who it suits: deskless teams that want chat, forms, training, and HR next to the time clock, and are happy to buy those as separate hubs.
Connecteam sells three hubs (Operations, Communications, HR) and the time clock lives in Operations. Pricing is a flat fee for the first 30 users plus a per-user charge after that, which lands well for a 40-person team. The catch for multi-location is the tier: Basic allows a single schedule and does not include geofencing. Advanced adds up to 10 geofence sites and up to 6 schedules, so a 3-location team that wants a fence per site needs Advanced. The free Small Business plan covers up to 10 users with all hubs.
Price at 40 people: Operations Advanced is $49 a month billed annually for the first 30 users, then $2.50 per extra user, so $74 a month for 40. Monthly billing is $59 plus $3 per extra user, so $89. Basic (no geofencing, one schedule) is $29 plus $0.80 per extra user, so $37 annual. Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: the pricing page does not list per-location manager permissions for the Operations hub, and every extra hub is a second subscription.
4. Buddy Punch
Who it suits: teams that want a plain paid time clock with broad payroll integrations and are fine with a base fee.
Buddy Punch tracks hours by job, department, or site on every tier, and its Groups feature is the multi-location handle: Starter allows 1 group, Pro allows 3, Advanced is unlimited. Manager permissions (assign managers to employee groups with view or approve access) and the PIN kiosk are Pro and above, and geofences that control where punches occur are listed from Pro on the plan cards. So a 3-location team with a manager per site fits Pro exactly, and a fourth site pushes you to Advanced. Payroll integrations are on every tier. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial with no card.
Price at 40 people: every plan carries a $19 base fee. Pro is $6.99 per user per month billed annually ($7.99 monthly), so $298.60 a month annual or $338.60 monthly for 40. Starter is $4.99 ($5.99 monthly), so $218.60 annual, without kiosk or manager permissions. Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: per-user pricing plus a base fee makes it one of the most expensive options here at 40 people, and the 3-group cap on Pro means a fourth location is a tier change.
5. When I Work
Who it suits: teams whose main pain is the schedule (open shifts, swaps, multiple locations) and who want the time clock inside one per-user price.
When I Work now sells two plans: one for a single location or schedule, and one for multiple locations or schedules, so a 3-site team needs the multiple locations plan. Role permissions, which is how you scope a manager to a site, were listed on the old Pro tier; the live page shows only the two plans, so confirm them during the trial. Time and attendance with GPS clock-in is included in every plan, and the FAQ says teams can clock in using GPS or geofencing. Payroll exports cover ADP, Gusto, and QuickBooks. 14-day trial, no free plan.
Price at 40 people: the single location plan is $2.50 per user per month, but 3 locations need the multiple locations plan at $5, so $200 a month with the time clock included. No annual price is published. Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: adding a second location moves every user to the $5 rate, which doubles the bill, and no annual price is published.
6. QuickBooks Time
Who it suits: businesses that already run payroll in QuickBooks and want hours to land there with no export step.
QuickBooks Time (the old TSheets) is a capable GPS time clock with job codes and project tracking, and the sync into QuickBooks Payroll is as tight as you would expect. For multiple locations the tier matters: geofencing is available in Time Elite only, and it works as a reminder to clock in or out when someone enters or leaves a job site rather than a hard block on the punch. The pricing page says all plans include scheduling, but it does not mention open shifts or shift swaps. Every plan has a monthly base fee on top of the per-user price, with one free admin. 30-day trial, no free plan.
Price at 40 people: Time Premium is a $20 base fee plus $10 per user, so $420 a month. Time Elite (geofencing) is a $40 base fee plus $12 per user, so $520. Intuit runs a 50% base-fee promotion for the first 3 months. Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: the most expensive option on this list at 40 people, geofences remind rather than block, and open shifts and shift swaps are not listed.
7. Deputy
Who it suits: multi-site retail, hospitality, and care teams with complex rotating rosters who want scheduling depth and are fine with per-user pricing.
Deputy bundles scheduling and time and attendance in every plan. Lite already includes geofencing, open shifts, and shift swaps. Core adds the biometric kiosk, auto-scheduling, and demand forecasting. Pro adds location hierarchies and custom access levels, which is how you give each site its own manager with limited reach, so a 3-location team that wants scoped managers ends up on Pro. Payroll integrations include ADP and QuickBooks; check your specific export format during the trial. There is a minimum monthly spend of $30 on monthly plans and no free plan.
Price at 40 people: Lite is $5.50 per user per month on monthly billing ($5 annual), so $220 ($200 annual). Core (biometric kiosk) is $7.25 ($6.50), so $290 ($260). Pro (location hierarchies, custom access levels) is $10 ($9), so $400 ($360). Checked October 15, 2026.
Limitation: location-scoped manager access is a Pro feature, which nearly doubles the Lite price, and there is no offline clock-in for sites with poor signal.
The 7 apps side by side
| Per-location geofence | Location-scoped managers | Pricing model | 40-person price | Payroll export | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClockOut | Yes, up to 20 sites (Pro) | Yes (Pro) | Flat fee for 5, then per person | $249 Pro / $124 Starter | ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Sage (Pro) |
| Homebase | Location-based clock-in on Essentials (no geofence wording) | Plus and up | Per location | $90 Essentials, 3 locations ($210 Plus) | QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto; own payroll add-on |
| Connecteam | Advanced, up to 10 sites | Not listed on pricing page | Flat for 30 users, then per user, per hub | $74 Advanced annual ($89 monthly) | Payroll integrations, check tier |
| Buddy Punch | Pro and up | Pro (3 groups) | $19 base fee plus per user | $298.60 Pro annual | All tiers |
| When I Work | GPS or geofencing, every plan | Role permissions (confirm plan) | Per user, $5 for multiple locations | $200 (multiple locations plan, time clock included) | ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks |
| QuickBooks Time | Elite only, reminder not block | Not listed on pricing page | Base fee plus per user | $420 Premium / $520 Elite | Direct to QuickBooks Payroll |
| Deputy | Lite and up | Pro (custom access levels) | Per user, $30 monthly minimum | $290 Core / $400 Pro ($260 / $360 annual) | ADP, QuickBooks (check format) |
40-person prices are monthly totals from list prices checked October 15, 2026, using the cheapest tier that actually covers a 3-location setup where the vendor states it. Where a vendor hides a number (When I Work’s annual price) we say so rather than guess.
Our pick by situation
- 3 locations, retail or restaurant, 40 people: ClockOut Pro at $249 if you want a fence and a scoped manager per site plus payroll export in one bill. Homebase Essentials at $90 if per-location pricing beats per-person for you and you can live without manager permissions until Plus.
- Field crews moving between job sites: ClockOut Pro for up to 20 geofenced sites and photo proof on punches, or Deputy Core at $290 a month ($260 annual) if roster depth matters more. See the field crew roundup for offline clock-in details.
- Already on QuickBooks Payroll: QuickBooks Time Elite at $520 if the no-export sync is worth the premium and reminder-style geofences are enough. Otherwise ClockOut Pro exports a QuickBooks-ready file for $249.
- Tightest budget: Connecteam Operations Advanced at $74 a month billed annually is the cheapest verified total with per-site geofences at 40 people. ClockOut Starter at $124 is next if one geofence and one manager view is enough for now, with Pro a toggle away when it is not.
Related reading: 7 best clock in clock out apps, Connecteam vs When I Work, and ClockOut vs Homebase.
FAQ
What is the best time clock app for 40 employees across 3 locations?
ClockOut Pro ($249 a month for 40 people, counting you and your managers) if you want a geofence and a scoped manager per site plus payroll export in one bill. Homebase Essentials ($90 a month for 3 locations) if per-location pricing suits you and retail or restaurant tools matter. Deputy Core ($290 monthly, $260 annual) and Connecteam Operations Advanced ($74 annual) are the strongest alternatives. Prices checked October 15, 2026.
Can employees clock in at different locations with one app?
Yes. All seven apps here let one employee punch at any site the company has set up. The difference is whether each site has its own geofence (ClockOut Pro, Connecteam Advanced, Buddy Punch Pro, Deputy Lite, QuickBooks Time Elite) and whether the punch is tagged to the right location for reports and payroll, which is why job codes or location tracking on the punch matters.
Do multi location time clocks charge per location or per employee?
Both models exist. Homebase charges per location with unlimited employees. Deputy, Buddy Punch, When I Work, and QuickBooks Time charge per user (some with a base fee). ClockOut and Connecteam charge a flat fee that covers a block of people, then a per-person rate, with no per-location charge.
Can a manager see only their own location?
On ClockOut Pro, yes: scoped managers see and approve only their assigned location. Homebase needs Plus for manager permissions, Buddy Punch Pro assigns managers to groups, When I Work’s role permissions sat on its old Pro tier (confirm which current plan has them), and Deputy needs Pro for custom access levels. Connecteam and QuickBooks Time do not list this on their pricing pages, so ask before you buy.
Is there a free time clock app for multiple locations?
Not for 40 people. ClockOut is free for up to 2 people, including you, Connecteam is free for up to 10 users, and Homebase Basic is free for one location with up to 10 employees. Once you have three sites and 40 staff, the cheapest verified totals are Connecteam Operations Advanced at $74 a month billed annually and Homebase Essentials at $90.