What users appreciate: When the full Sage ecosystem is in use, the seamless flow from field time entry to job cost reporting to payroll is a significant operational benefit. Teams managing complex public works projects with certified payroll requirements tend to see the clearest value.

Considerations: The lowest rated on the list, Sage’s native time tracking tools are generally considered a complement to a full ERP implementation rather than a standalone time clock solution. Field-facing functionality, particularly for crews without reliable connectivity, often requires pairing Sage with a dedicated mobile time tracking tool. Sage HR is not construction-specific and lacks features like GPS-verified clock-ins, geofencing, or hardware kiosk options. Pricing varies widely depending on which Sage product is in use.

“The tool is very easy to use. The dashboard is well designed, so each user can clearly see their upcoming time off, as well as the time off scheduled for other colleagues. The mobile app is somewhat limiting in terms of the experience you get compared with the web version. On mobile, you can get the bare minimum done, like requesting or approving leave, but for anything beyond that you’ll need to use the web experience. The web version, on the other hand, has no performance flaws whatsoever.”

Pricing: Sage HR starts at approximately $6.50/user/month. Timesheets requires another $3.25/user/month. 30-day free trial.

The Takeaway: Because Sage HR isn’t construction specific, the base price doesn’t include time tracking, which requires an additional fee. Its timesheets solutions lack the features offered at the base level of most solutions.

Best for: Mid-to-large specialty contractors and subcontractors (25 employees and up) who need verified, hardware-based time capture directly on the jobsite

SmartBarrel combines AI-powered facial verification with rugged jobsite time clock hardware and, more recently, mobile clock-in options. Its core product is a jobsite time clock with biometric facial verification: workers clock in by entering a phone number and having their photo taken. The system verifies identity, records the timestamp, assigns cost codes, and pushes the data directly to the payroll or ERP system.

SmartBarrel has prioritized job clock hardware for most of its history and only recently added broader mobile device support. A mobile app option is now available for smaller sites or workers who prefer it, though the hardware clocks remain the company's primary focus.

Key features:

• Biometric facial verification for clock-in
• Ruggedized hardware
• Geofencing
• Cost codes
• Integration with Procore, Viewpoint Vista, CMiC, and Foundation
• Bilingual support
• Mobile clock-in app, added more recently and secondary to the jobsite hardware

What users appreciate: The elimination of buddy punching is the most cited benefit. The system requires no app download or phone dependency from workers.

Considerations: SmartBarrel's hardware model requires upfront investment in devices and deployment. It is best suited for mid-to-large operations where the scale justifies the setup. Pricing is not publicly available and varies by hardware needs and team size. The platform is focused primarily on verified clock-in and cost code capture rather than broader HR and payroll workflows, so companies that also want scheduling, PTO administration, or job costing in the same system may need to pair it with additional tools. Some users have noted blurry photo capture and occasional hardware reboot requirements. The customization options may not suit every workflow.

Pricing: Varies based on hardware needs and team size. A free trial is not readily available.

The Takeaway: SmartBarrel's biometric hardware helps prevent buddy punching, but its narrower focus on verified clock-in and cost codes means contractors who also need scheduling, PTO administration, or job costing in the same system will likely need to pair it with additional tools.

4. Workyard

Best for: Contractors who need precise GPS time tracking and want automated job cost assignment across multiple active sites

Workyard was built by a founder who managed a 700-worker contracting business, and that background shows the way the platform handles multi-site complexity. Its continuous GPS tracking and geofencing are designed around construction workflows, including automatic clock-in on geofence entry, drive time detection, and auto-assignment of hours to the correct project.

The mobile app has strong offline functionality, which matters for crews working in areas with unreliable service. A kiosk mode with photo verification provides an additional layer of accountability for sites where shared devices make more sense than individual clock-ins.

Key features:

• GPS tracking

• Geofencing

• Cost codes

• Supervisor crew clock-in

• Integrations with QuickBooks, Sage, Foundation, and other ERPs

• Offline mode with automatic sync

What users appreciate: GPS accuracy and the automated assignment of hours to projects are the most consistently praised features. Field crews tend to find the app intuitive to pick up.

Considerations: Some users have flagged that Workyard has limited support for prevailing wage categories, which is a real limitation for contractors with certified payroll obligations. The $50 monthly base fee is a meaningful fixed cost for smaller teams. Scheduling and project management tools are more basic than platforms designed primarily for project oversight. Some reviews note that continuous GPS tracking raises privacy questions among employees.

“I like Workyard's ease of use, which makes it user-friendly. I also appreciate the accuracy of the time clock, which is important for keeping track of hours. I am very disappointed that the app forces me to give unrestricted access to my precise location even when I am not using the app. Also, the initial setup was not easy.”

Pricing: Plans start at: $6/user/month + $50/month base. Pro: $13/user/month + $50/month base. 14-day free trial available.

The Takeaway: While prices are low, it lacks the compliance features that contractors must have to reduce their chances of fines and penalties.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right construction time tracking solution depends on your company’s unique needs, whether that is complying with payroll regulations, using it to track job costs, and getting your employees to use it regularly.

Here are some factors to consider:

• Your primary pain point. If buddy punching and payroll inflation are the main problems, having a GPS-enforced app with safeguards, like biometrics and geofencing, may be the right starting point. If integrating with your ERP is the bigger challenge, your chosen solution needs to integrate with your existing software to reduce friction on your office teams.
• Crew size and structure. Some solutions only work well for smaller crews. Platforms with dedicated hardware or enterprise integrations like Arcoro Time are more suited to companies managing 25 or more workers across multiple sites.
• Connectivity in the field. If your crews regularly work in areas without reliable cell service, offline mode is not optional. A solution that offers offline functionality is a must.
• Compliance requirements. Certified payroll, Davis-Bacon, and prevailing wage compliance require tools that can support multiple pay classifications, generate WH-347 reports, and maintain audit trails. Not all tools on this list handle those workflows. Evaluate this carefully before committing.
• Whether you need time tracking alone or alongside HR. If time tracking is one piece of a broader HR challenge that includes onboarding, benefits, performance, and compliance, a platform like Arcoro that connects all functions may deliver more value than a standalone clock-in app.

Arcoro built its time tracking solution specifically for the construction industry. We’ve been doing this since 1999, and we understand the unique challenges contractors face daily. Plus, our award-winning customer service team has your back before, during, and after the implementation process.

Start your 14-day free trial today.

Read part one and part two.

• Top Construction Time Tracking Software: An Honest Comparison
• Top Construction Time Tracking Software: Part 2

This comparison was compiled using publicly available product information, user reviews from Capterra and G2, and vendor documentation current as of 2025 and 2026. Pricing is subject to change; verify directly with each vendor before making a purchasing decision.