TL;DR Best Time Tracking Apps for Solar Contractors
Tool | Best For | Indicative Pricing | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Solar contractors or trade businesses managing field crews | From $40/month base + $9/user/month (14 day free trial offered) | ~4.6/5 | |
Construction and solar installation crews need job costing | Free plan available; $11–$17.99/user/month (plus admin license) | ~4.8/5 | |
Office-heavy teams, agencies, and businesses tracking billable hours | Free for 1 user; ~$9–$11/user/month | ~4.3/5 | |
Mobile workforce teams needing time tracking + team management | Free (≤10 users); $29–$99/month base tiers | ~4.6/5 | |
Budget-conscious teams and small businesses | Free plan; $5.49–$12.99/user/month paid tiers | ~4.5/5 | |
Contractors needing labor tracking tied to payroll and job costing | Starting from ~$10/user/month | ~0/5 | |
Remote or distributed teams needing activity monitoring | ~$4.99–$10/user/month | ~4.4/5 | |
Companies already using QuickBooks for payroll/accounting | ~$15–$27.50/user/month | ~4.5/5 | |
Teams needing GPS mileage and route tracking | ~$3.66–$10/user/month | ~4.8/5 |
ClockShark
ClockShark is a field-first time tracking platform and one of the leading solar business time tracking software options available today. Built specifically for contractors managing crews on the road and on job sites, it gives solar installation businesses the tools to track time by job, monitor crew locations, and stay on top of labor costs in real time.
Solar installation teams rarely stay in one place. Crews may move between residential rooftops, commercial installations, inspections, and maintenance visits throughout the day. Time tracking tools for solar installers, such as ClockShark, allow technicians to clock in and out directly from the job site using their mobile devices. At the same time, managers gain a clear view of where time is being spent across projects, helping them monitor productivity, control labor costs, and keep installations on schedule.
Key Features
Complete Time Tracking Software
An integrated system combining timesheets, GPS verification, job costing, and reporting with direct connections to QuickBooks, Sage, ADP, and other accounting platforms you already use.Mobile Time Tracking
Your crew clocks in and out from their phones on-site, which means paper timesheets and manual data entry become obsolete.GPS Time Clock App
Every clock-in automatically captures location, verifying that workers are on-site and providing documentation for client billing.Geofence Time Tracking
Define virtual perimeters around work sites so employees can only clock in when they're there, eliminating time theft and buddy punching.Clock In/Clock Out
An intentionally simple interface that works on any device, making accurate time tracking accessible to everyone on your team.Web Punch Clock
Office staff or anyone without a smartphone can clock in through any web browser, maintaining consistency across your entire operation.Kiosk Time Clock
Deploy a shared tablet at your shop or job site trailer where multiple team members can clock in and out, particularly useful for larger crews.Employee Scheduling
Build schedules, assign people to jobs, and send automatic notifications so everyone shows up at the right place, at the right time.
Pricing
Standard Plan: $40/month base + $9/user/month
Trial: 14 days free
View pricing
Urban Design Solar installs residential and commercial solar systems and needed a reliable way to track field labor across multiple crews. Paper timesheets created delays and inaccuracies when calculating payroll and job costs.
After adopting ClockShark, the company gained clear visibility into crew hours and job progress. Managers could review labor costs in real time and verify when crews arrived on site, improving accountability and helping leadership better understand how installation time affected project profitability.
“The Quickbooks integration feature is very helpful in limiting the amount of time we spend each week on payroll.” - Sean M., Owner of Urban Design Solar
Try ClockShark free → 9,500+ contractors already use it.
BusyBusy
Busybusy is built specifically for construction and heavy field operations, making it well-suited to solar contractors working on large installations or utility-scale projects. Its platform focuses on capturing accurate field data, including GPS time tracking, equipment usage, and labor hours tied directly to projects and cost codes.
Key Features
GPS time tracking for crews
Equipment tracking and usage logs
Job and project costing reports
Offline time tracking for remote sites
Employee scheduling and shift management
Digital timesheets and approvals
Cost code and task assignment
Overtime tracking and alerts
Progress and productivity reports
Integration with payroll and accounting systems
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Strong labor and equipment tracking | Limited scheduling features |
Built for field service workflows | Not a full job management system |
Simple for crews to use | Reporting depth varies by plan |
Pricing
Free plan & 14-day trial available, with paid tiers starting at $9.99/ month. Premium package unlocks advanced job costing and reporting.
“The platform allows me to simply clock in and out with the click of a button, which makes it user-friendly. It effectively helps me keep track of my working hours when I'm doing tasks from home, relieving me from the hassle of logging hours manually.” - Courtney M, G2 Review
Harvest
Harvest is a well-established time tracking and invoicing platform trusted by agencies, consultancies, and service-oriented businesses around the world. While it isn't purpose-built for field crews or solar installation teams, solar contractors with office-based or project management-heavy operations can get real value from its polished time tracking, seamless invoicing, and clear budget reporting, all in one place.
Key Features
Time tracking by project or client
Expense tracking for billable costs
Invoicing directly from tracked hours
Budget and time reporting dashboards
Integrations with accounting tools including QuickBooks and Xero
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Combines time tracking and invoicing in one workflow | Not designed for field crews or job sites |
Clean, intuitive client billing | No GPS tracking or job-site validation |
Strong reporting for billable hours and budget burn | Limited functionality for trades and crew management |
Easy to get started with minimal training | No crew scheduling, dispatch, or shift management |
Pricing
Free for one user, with a free trial available for teams. Paid plans run $9–$11/user/month, scaling with team size.
“As a Harvest user, I can say that it is an accessible and efficient platform for organizing and visualizing the performance of all your work operations, giving you total control over each of your professional activities.” - Adrian C, Instructional Designer, G2 Review
Connecteam
Connecteam is an all-in-one workforce management platform combining time tracking, scheduling, and employee communication in a single mobile-friendly app. Solar contractors managing larger field teams will find the breadth of tools particularly useful, from GPS time clocking on job sites to internal messaging and digital checklists that keep crews aligned without needing multiple systems.
Solar contractors with larger teams may benefit from its broader workforce management features.
Key Features
GPS time clock for field-based check-ins
Employee scheduling and shift management
Internal communication and announcements
Mobile forms, checklists, and task management
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Comprehensive all-in-one workforce platform | Feature-heavy, smaller teams may not need everything |
Strong fit for large, distributed field teams | Initial setup and onboarding take time |
Intuitive mobile design built for non-desk workers |
Pricing
Free for teams of up to 10 users - a genuine no-cost option for smaller contractors. Paid plans are structured in base tiers ranging from $29–$99/month, with the cost covering your whole team rather than charging per user at the entry level.
“I have been using connectteam from last three years and this is the platform that always help us in managing our overall staffs and other employees that work on fields in different part of the country and in remote areas. This is the platform that help us in assigning tasks and also checking the attendance of our team members by giving them real time instructions.” - Subham A, G2 Review
Clockify
For solar contractors keeping a close eye on costs, Clockify offers an accessible entry point into time tracking, with a free plan that imposes no user limit. While it isn't built specifically for field operations, smaller solar businesses and startups can use it to bring structure to project tracking, labor hours, and budget reporting without committing to a paid tool from day one.
Key Features
Time tracking and detailed reporting
Project and task tracking across clients
Mobile time clock for on-the-go logging
Team dashboards and productivity overviews
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Generous free plan with no user limit | Limited GPS tracking for field crews |
Quick and easy to get started | Not purpose-built for solar or field service operations |
Strong reporting for projects and budgets | Advanced features locked behind paid tiers |
Pricing
Free plan available with no user cap, ideal for small solar teams getting started. Paid plans range from $5.49–$12.99/user/month for access to advanced features including GPS tracking, scheduling, and priority support.
“Clockify makes it easy to track work across multiple clients, projects, tasks, and team members. We use it every day to keep our billables accurate and it allows project managers to ensure work is staying within budget.” - Chris Z, G2 Review
JCards
JCards is designed from the ground up for trades businesses, making it a practical option for solar installation companies tracking labor costs against specific projects, cost codes, and payroll.
Key Features
Job-based time tracking by project and site
Cost code tracking for detailed labor costing
Payroll integration to streamline crew payments
Crew management tools for field teams
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Strong job costing built for contractors | Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms |
Designed specifically for trades and field crews | Smaller integration ecosystem |
Ties labor tracking directly to payroll |
Pricing
JCards is priced from approximately $10/user/month, making it a straightforward option for solar contractors needing job costing without complex pricing tiers.
“Very intuitive and easy to use, user friendly app. Great App support through their support team also.” - Libero Piffaretti, Google Review
Hubstaff
With built-in GPS tracking, payroll integrations, and detailed workforce analytics, Hubstaff gives solar businesses real visibility over where their teams are and how time is being spent across projects. It's a good fit for time tracking for solar contractors who need accountability and reporting without manual admin overhead.
Key Features
GPS location tracking for field crews
Productivity analytics and activity monitoring
Payroll integrations for streamlined crew payments
Project-based reporting and budget tracking
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Detailed workforce insights and GPS visibility | Activity monitoring can feel intrusive for field crews |
Strong project and budget reporting | Not purpose-built for solar installation workflows |
Payroll integration reduces admin burden |
Pricing
Plans start from approximately $4.99–$10/user/month, making it a competitive option for solar contractors needing GPS-enabled time tracking without a large per-head cost.
“Hubstaff is very easy to use for tracking work time. I like that I can quickly start and stop the timer while I’m working on my tasks, and it records my hours accurately. It helps me stay organized and makes it simple to log each work session.” - Dipanshu J, G2 Review
QuickBooks Time
For solar contractors already running their finances through QuickBooks, QuickBooks Time is the natural choice for time tracking. The direct integration removes the unnecessary double-entry between timesheets and payroll, reducing admin overhead and keeping job costs accurate without extra effort.
Key Features
Mobile time clock for solar crews
Payroll synchronization directly with QuickBooks
GPS tracking for job site visibility
Job tracking and project-based reporting
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Strong accounting integration | One of the pricier options - costs increase with team size |
Reliable, accurate payroll syncing | Field reporting features are relatively limited |
GPS tracking keeps field crews accountable | Best value only if already using QuickBooks |
Pricing
Plans run from approximately $15–$27.50/user/month — higher than many alternatives, but the payroll and accounting integration can offset that cost for solar contractors already invested in the QuickBooks ecosystem.
“What I like best about QuickBooks Time is how user-friendly it is. It makes tracking hours simple and quick, especially with the mobile app. I also like how easy it is to see time entries in real time, which helps with accuracy and keeps everything organized without feeling complicated.” - Becca G, G2 Review
Timeero
For solar contractors whose crews are constantly moving between job sites, Timeero's GPS and mileage tracking capabilities make it one of the most practical tools for time tracking for solar contractors on the road.
Key Features
GPS time tracking for field-based solar crews
Mileage tracking for travel between job sites
Route history for full visibility over crew movements
Scheduling tools for day-to-day crew management
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Excellent GPS and mileage tracking for field teams | Smaller integration ecosystem than larger platforms |
Simple, intuitive mobile interface | Limited job costing capabilities |
Quality location accuracy |
Pricing
Plans start from approximately $3.66–$10/user/month, making Timeero one of the more affordable GPS-enabled options for solar contractors needing accurate travel and site tracking.
“Timeero has been incredibly easy to use from day one. The interface is simple and intuitive, making onboarding quick and painless. The tracking accuracy is outstanding, by far the most accurate of all the apps we’ve tried. On top of that, their customer service is excellent: response times are fast, and the team is always friendly and helpful. Timeero truly stands out and is easy to recommend.” - Karrie D, G2 Review
Choosing the Right Time Tracking App for Solar Installation Businesses
Understanding the benefits of time tracking software goes beyond payroll accuracy - when solar contractors know exactly how long installations take and where labor costs are going, they can price jobs more accurately, reduce errors, and build stronger margins as their business grows.
When you know exactly how long installations take and where labor costs are going, you can price jobs more accurately, reduce payroll errors, and build stronger margins as your business grows.
ClockShark is a leading time app for solar contractors. Track time by job, monitor crew locations, and get real-time visibility into labor costs, all in one place.
Ready to take control of your crew hours and job profitability?
Book a demo of ClockShark today.
