You can track remote hours without per-user fees by using a spreadsheet (free but manual and easy to dispute), self-hosted or open-source software (flexible but needs setup), or one-time-purchase software such as Clockgauge, which runs on your own computer. Compare the cost over three years and think about who maintains it.
The options
| Option | Cost | Effort | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared spreadsheet | Free | High: people type hours | Very small teams that trust each other |
| Open-source self-hosted tool | Free software, your time | Setup and maintenance | Teams with technical staff |
| One-time purchase desktop tool | Once, sometimes with yearly updates | Low | Small teams that want timers, reports and payroll balances |
What to check
- Does it work when staff are at home and the office computer is on a home-style connection?
- Where is the data stored?
- What happens to the licence if you move computers?
- Does it handle clients, projects and billing?
Clockgauge
Free for one host and one employee; $199 once with the first year of the 20-person plan included, then $20 per year for up to 20 people or $100 per year for up to 100. See pricing and one-time and subscription compared.
A three-year view
For ten people over 36 months, a tool charging a monthly fee per person adds up to 360 person-months of fees. A one-time licence turns that into a single purchase plus a small yearly fee. Use real quotes to compare; the shape of the difference grows with team size.
Questions people ask
Is "one-time" really one-time?
The licence is. The yearly fee covers updates and support and nothing is switched off if you stop paying.
Try Clockgauge
Clockgauge is an employee and freelancer time tracker that runs on your own computer: timers, consented random screenshots, activity levels, clients, projects and tasks, budgets, payroll balances and reports, paid once instead of per user per month..