Time Tracking Software With Every Feature Included: What 'All Features' Pricing Really Means
Per user, per location or per role? How all-features time tracking pricing works for multi-site teams, plus hidden costs and a worked example.
On this page
- Time tracking software with every feature included: what it actually means
- The three pricing models compared
- Hidden costs to check before you sign
- How to work out your true monthly cost
- Worked example with ClockLap pricing
- What “every feature” covers in ClockLap
- FAQ
- Is all-features pricing always cheaper than tiered pricing?
- Do managers cost more than staff?
- Are integrations included in an all-features plan?
- How do I compare vendors fairly?
Time tracking software with every feature included means you pay one price per person and get the whole product: scheduling, geofencing, approvals, overtime rules, reports and integrations, with nothing held back for a higher tier. The catch is that “all features” pricing still comes in different shapes, per user, per location or per role, and the shape decides what a multi-site team actually pays.
If you manage hourly staff across several locations, the sticker price on a pricing page rarely matches the invoice. This guide explains the three common pricing models, the add-ons that quietly raise the bill, and how to work out a true monthly cost before you commit.
Time tracking software with every feature included: what it actually means
A genuine all-features plan has three traits:
- One plan, not a ladder. There is no “Pro” or “Premium” tier that unlocks GPS, scheduling or payroll exports.
- No paid add-ons for core work. Geofences, kiosks, approvals and reports are part of the price, not extras per site or per module.
- Price scales with people, not features. Your bill grows when your team grows, not when you need one more capability.
Many tools in this market, including well-known scheduling and time clock apps, use tiered plans instead. Tiers aren’t wrong, but for multi-site managers they often put the features you need most, such as location controls, multi-level approvals and payroll integrations, on the more expensive plans. Always read the feature comparison table on a vendor’s own pricing page, and note the date you checked, because plans change.
The three pricing models compared
| Model | How you’re billed | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiered per user | A price per user that rises with each plan level | You only need basic punches | Key features locked to top tiers; every user pays the higher rate once you upgrade |
| Per location | A flat fee per site, sometimes with a user cap | Few sites with many staff each | Paying for a full site license at small or seasonal locations |
| Per role, all features | Different rates for staff and managers, one plan | Many sites, mixed team sizes | Confirm who counts as a manager and how inactive users are billed |
Most hourly teams have far more staff than managers, so the per-role model tends to track the real value you get. It’s the model ClockLap uses.
Hidden costs to check before you sign
Even “simple” pricing can carry extra charges. Ask every vendor about:
- Setup or onboarding fees. Some charge for implementation or data import.
- Contracts and annual-only billing. A monthly price may only apply if you prepay a year.
- Seat minimums. A minimum seat count can make small teams pay for people they don’t have.
- Paid support plans. Phone or priority support is sometimes a separate line item.
- Per-site or per-device fees. Kiosks, extra geofences or additional locations can be billed on top.
- Integration add-ons. Payroll and HR connections are sometimes a premium feature.
- How inactive people are billed. Seasonal and part-time staff can inflate the bill if every profile counts, even in months they don’t work.
How to work out your true monthly cost
Use your real headcount, not the vendor’s example team.
- Count everyone who clocks in during a typical busy month.
- Count everyone who builds schedules or approves timesheets.
- List the features you can’t run without: geofencing, kiosk mode, overtime rules for your state or province, break tracking, payroll export.
- For each vendor, find the cheapest plan that includes all of item 3, and multiply by your headcount.
- Add any setup fees, site fees, seat minimums and paid support from the checklist above.
- Compare the monthly total, and the total over a year.
Worked example with ClockLap pricing
ClockLap has one plan, “Every feature. No upgrades.”: $1 per staff member per month (anyone who clocks in) and $2 per manager or admin per month (anyone who approves or schedules), in USD. There are no setup fees, contracts or paid support plans, and you get 30 days free with no card needed.
For a team of 40 hourly staff and 4 managers across several sites:
| Role | People | Monthly rate | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | 40 | $1 | $40 |
| Managers and admins | 4 | $2 | $8 |
| Total | 44 | $48 |
Each month is billed on the most people active on any single day, so a quiet month with fewer people working costs less. Teams with 500 or more people can ask about enterprise volume pricing.
What “every feature” covers in ClockLap
So you can compare like for like, here is what’s included in the $1 and $2 prices:
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android, plus web and desktop, with geofenced auto clock-in and out, photo at clock-in, supervisor crew clock-in and kiosk mode with PINs or QR badges.
- Scheduling with open shifts and shift swaps.
- Pay rules for US state and Canadian provincial overtime, break compliance for California and Washington, accruals and holiday pay.
- Multi-level approvals, job costing and an audit log.
- Ready-made integrations with payroll tools such as ADP Workforce Now, RUN by ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks Online, Paychex Flex and Rippling, HR systems such as BambooHR and Workday, and automation tools like Zapier, Make and n8n. ClockLap labels its payroll and HR connections as beta while they are verified with live accounts.
- AI features that answer report questions in plain English and turn a photo of a paper form into a draft to check. These use your own AI key, so ClockLap doesn’t add an AI surcharge to the plan.
FAQ
Is all-features pricing always cheaper than tiered pricing?
Not always. If you only need basic punches for a few people, an entry tier can cost less. All-features pricing usually wins once you need location controls, approvals or payroll integrations, because those tend to sit on higher tiers elsewhere.
Do managers cost more than staff?
In a per-role model, yes. In ClockLap, managers and admins are $2 per month and staff are $1, because managers use scheduling and approval tools that staff don’t.
Are integrations included in an all-features plan?
They should be, but check. With ClockLap, integrations are part of the same plan, with payroll and HR connections currently marked beta.
How do I compare vendors fairly?
Use your own headcount, list the features you must have, and price the cheapest plan that includes all of them, plus any setup, site or support fees. Note the date you checked each pricing page.