Relentify Timesheets vs Clockify: When Free Time Tracking Isn't Enough

Clockify is one of the most popular free time tracking tools. Its pitch is simple: unlimited users, unlimited tracking, free forever. It has attracted millions of users — freelancers, agencies, and small teams who need to track where their hours go.

But Clockify is a time tracker, not a timesheet management system. If you need GPS-verified clock-ins, shift scheduling, break compliance, and manager approval workflows, Clockify's free tier falls short — and its paid plans may not be the most cost-effective option.

Relentify Timesheets is built for businesses that employ people and need to track their working time accurately, compliantly, and with verification. Here is how the two compare.

Different tools for different problems

Before comparing features, it is important to understand the fundamental difference:

Clockify is a time tracker. It is designed for knowledge workers, freelancers, and project teams who need to log hours against tasks and projects. You start a timer, stop it, and the hours are recorded.

Relentify Timesheets is a workforce timesheet system. It is designed for businesses with employees who clock in and out of shifts, work at specific sites, take regulated breaks, and need their hours approved by a manager before payroll.

If you are a freelancer tracking billable hours or a marketing agency tracking project time, Clockify is the right category of tool. If you employ hourly workers, manage shifts, or need to prove when and where employees worked, Relentify Timesheets is purpose-built for that use case.

Pricing

| Plan | Relentify Timesheets | Clockify | |------|---------------------|----------| | Free tier | Yes (up to 5 workers) | Yes (unlimited users) | | Basic/Starter | £3/worker/month | $3.99/user/month (~£3.10) | | Standard/Professional | £5/worker/month | $5.49/user/month (~£4.30) | | Premium/Pro | Custom | $7.99/user/month (~£6.30) | | Enterprise | Custom | $11.99/user/month (~£9.40) |

At headline prices, both are affordable. But the value comparison depends on what you need.

Feature comparison

| Feature | Relentify Timesheets | Clockify | |---------|---------------------|----------| | Timer tracking | No (clock in/out model) | Yes | | Clock in/out | Yes | Yes (Kiosk - paid) | | GPS verification | Yes (all plans) | Yes (Pro - $7.99/user) | | Photo verification | Yes | No | | Geofencing | Yes | No (GPS tracking only) | | Shift scheduling | Yes | Yes (Pro) | | Break tracking | Yes (automatic rules) | Manual | | Overtime calculations | Automatic (UK rules) | Basic | | Timesheet approval | Yes | Yes (Standard+) | | Leave management | Yes | Yes (Pro) | | Project tracking | Basic | Yes (core feature) | | Billable hours | Basic | Yes (core feature) | | Client invoicing | No | No (integrations) | | Reporting | Workforce-focused | Project-focused | | Compliance alerts | Yes (UK WTR) | No |

The feature sets reflect the different purposes. Clockify excels at project-based time tracking; Relentify excels at workforce time management.

GPS and location verification

This is where the tools diverge most sharply.

Clockify offers GPS tracking on its Pro plan ($7.99/user/month). It records the location when users start and stop their timer, and tracks routes for field workers. It is useful for knowing where people work, but it is not designed as a verification system.

Relentify Timesheets uses GPS as a verification mechanism. Workers clock in at a specific site, the system confirms they are within the geofenced area, and the clock-in is recorded with location data. If they are outside the boundary, the clock-in is flagged. This prevents time fraud — no one can clock in from home when they should be on site.

| Location feature | Relentify Timesheets | Clockify | |------------------|---------------------|----------| | GPS at clock-in | Yes (verified) | Pro plan (tracked) | | Geofencing | Yes | No | | Photo at clock-in | Yes | No | | Location history | Yes | Pro plan | | Site-based tracking | Yes | No (GPS route) | | Alerts for violations | Yes | No |

For businesses that need to prove where employees were when they clocked in — construction, cleaning, security, care agencies — Relentify's verification approach is significantly more robust.

Break tracking and compliance

UK employment law requires specific break entitlements based on shift length. Getting this wrong can result in penalties.

Clockify allows users to log breaks manually. There are no automatic break rules, no compliance alerts, and no enforcement of minimum break requirements.

Relentify Timesheets automates break compliance:

Configurable break rules by shift length (e.g., 20 minutes after 6 hours)
Automatic break deductions when appropriate
Alerts when breaks are missed or too short
Break records included in timesheet reports
Compliance with UK Working Time Regulations

For any business that employs hourly workers, this automation reduces risk and saves management time.

Shift management

Clockify added scheduling features in recent versions, available on the Pro plan. The scheduling is functional but basic — it is a newer addition to what remains primarily a timer-based tool.

Relentify Timesheets is built around shifts:

Create and assign shifts to workers and sites
Shift templates for recurring patterns
Availability management
Shift swap requests
Open shift broadcasting
Schedule publishing with notifications

Timesheet approval

Clockify offers timesheet approval on the Standard plan ($5.49/user). Managers can lock and approve timesheets. The workflow is straightforward.

Relentify Timesheets includes approval on all paid plans with additional capabilities:

Multi-level approval chains
Disputed timesheet handling
Bulk approval across sites
Automatic escalation for overdue approvals
Audit trail for all changes
Notes and adjustment history

Reporting focus

The reporting reflects each tool's purpose:

Clockify reports focus on projects, tasks, and billable hours. Who worked on what project for how long? What is billable versus non-billable? These reports serve project managers and agencies.

Relentify Timesheets reports focus on workforce metrics. Total hours per worker, overtime calculations, attendance patterns, site-level labour costs, and compliance adherence. These reports serve operations managers and payroll teams.

| Report focus | Relentify Timesheets | Clockify | |-------------|---------------------|----------| | Hours per worker | Yes | Yes | | Hours per project | Basic | Yes (core) | | Overtime tracking | Detailed (UK rules) | Basic | | Attendance | Yes | Limited | | Labour cost per site | Yes | No | | Compliance | Yes (WTR) | No | | Billable hours | Basic | Yes (core) | | Client reporting | No | Yes |

Mobile experience

Both platforms have mobile apps. Clockify's app is centred around the timer — start, stop, categorise. Relentify's app is centred around the clock-in experience — arrive at site, verify location, take photo, clock in.

For desk workers tracking project time, Clockify's timer interface is natural. For field workers, site employees, and hourly staff, Relentify's clock-in interface is more appropriate.

Who should choose which?

Choose Relentify Timesheets if:

You employ hourly workers who clock in and out of shifts
GPS and photo verification are important for your business
UK Working Time Regulations compliance matters
You need shift scheduling alongside time tracking
Break tracking automation would save you time

Choose Clockify if:

You need project-based time tracking for knowledge workers
Billable hours and client reporting are primary needs
You are a freelancer or agency tracking time against tasks
A timer-based workflow (start/stop) suits your team
The free unlimited-user tier meets your needs

The bottom line

Clockify and Relentify Timesheets solve different problems. Clockify is a time tracker for projects; Relentify Timesheets is a workforce management system for shifts.

If your team sits at desks and tracks hours against projects, Clockify is a fine choice. If your team works shifts, clocks in at sites, and needs verified time records for payroll and compliance, Relentify Timesheets is purpose-built for exactly that — with GPS verification, photo capture, break compliance, and shift management that Clockify's project-focused platform does not match.

Try Relentify Timesheets free and see what purpose-built workforce management looks like.