Clocking in system
The clocking in system with no machine to buy
Staff clock in from their own phone, an iPad by the door or an NFC tag on the wall. There is no clocking in machine to buy, no installation visit and no support contract: punches become timesheets automatically, and a team of up to 10 people runs it free.
No credit card required. Free plan for up to 10 people.
Updated July 2026
01
An iPad replaces the clocking in machine
Mount any iPad by the door and it becomes the clock-in point: PIN for everyone, face recognition for staff who opt in. It works on iPads up to ten years old, so the "hardware" is probably in a drawer already. Kiosks pair to your account with a one-time code.
02
Phones, tags and a desk clock pill too
Staff on the move clock in from their own phone with a GPS stamp and geofence check. An NFC tag by the door gives a two-second tap-to-clock-in. Desk staff use a Mac menu-bar clock pill. Every punch lands on the same timesheet.
03
Timesheets and payroll, not just punches
A clocking in machine gives you a pile of clock times. Here punches match against scheduled shifts, exceptions are flagged for approval, and approved hours export to payroll with integrations for Xero, Staffology, QuickBooks and FreeAgent.
04
Honest about location, by design
Location is checked when someone clocks in or out, never through the day. No screenshots, no activity scores, no continuous tracking: proportionate by design under UK GDPR, and staff can see exactly what is recorded.
| This system | Traditional clocking in machine | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront hardware | None; any iPad, phone or NFC tag | A wall unit, typically installed |
| Support contract | None; software updates itself | Common, billed annually |
| Face recognition | On any iPad, on-device, opt-in with PIN fallback | Only on premium biometric units |
| Adding a new site | Minutes: pair a kiosk or write a tag | Order and install another unit |
| Output | Timesheets, approvals and payroll export | Raw clock times to re-key |
Small team? It's free. Properly free.
Up to 10 people at one location, with rotas, a time clock, tasks, chat, announcements and time off included. No time limit, no card, and no nagging to upgrade until you actually grow.
Works together with
Questions about clocking in system
Do we need to buy any hardware at all?
No. Staff phones, any iPad you already own and optional NFC tags costing pennies cover every clock-in route. There is no wall unit, no reader and no installation.
What replaces the fingerprint or face machine?
The kiosk app turns any iPad into a face-recognition clock-in terminal for staff who opt in, with matching done on the device and a PIN always available as the alternative UK GDPR expects.
How much does a clocking in system like this cost?
Free for up to 10 people at one location. Paid plans are a flat monthly fee covering the first 30 people, and there is no hardware line item, ever.
What stops someone clocking in for a colleague?
GPS stamps and geofence flags tie the punch to the place, kiosk PINs or face recognition tie it to the person, and every punch is timestamped and auditable.
Does it work without signal?
Yes. Offline punches save on the device with their true time and sync when signal returns, so basements and back-of-house dead spots do not lose anyone a minute.
Can office staff use it too?
Yes. A Mac menu-bar clock pill gives desk staff one-click clock-in, and everything lands on the same timesheets as the frontline punches.
See it with your own team
Set up takes minutes: add your people, build a week and publish. Free for 14 days on every paid plan, free forever for small teams.
No credit card required.