DeskTime vs Jibble vs OpenTimeClock

DeskTime, Jibble, and OpenTimeClock solve time tracking from three different angles: DeskTime automatically tracks computer activity without anyone clocking…

DeskTime

Freemium · From Free

Best for: Teams that want passive, automatic tracking of computer activity and a built-in productivity score without requiring employees to manually clock in or out.

Jibble

Freemium · From Free

Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses or field, retail, and hospitality teams that need free, unlimited-user attendance tracking with GPS and facial recognition to stop buddy punching.

OpenTimeClock

Freemium · From Free (unlimited users); Paid plan from $39/month

Best for: Schools, nonprofits, franchises, and other organizations with large or fluctuating headcounts that need unlimited free users and are comfortable with a flat-fee upgrade instead of per-seat pricing.

At a Glance

 DeskTimeJibbleOpenTimeClock
Primary categoryTime TrackingTime TrackingTime Tracking
RatingNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumFreemium
Starting priceFreeFreeFree (unlimited users); Paid plan from $39/month
Free planYesYesYes
Free trialYesYesNot documented
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Mac, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android, Mac, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Public APIYesYesNot documented

Standout Differences

Only DeskTime tracks automatically

DeskTime starts and stops tracking based on computer activity with no clock-in step, while Jibble and OpenTimeClock are both built around an explicit clock-in and clock-out event, often verified with GPS or facial recognition.

DeskTime, Jibble, OpenTimeClock

Two free plans with no user cap

Jibble and OpenTimeClock both let an unlimited number of employees use the free tier at no cost, while DeskTime's free plan is limited to a single user, pushing small teams toward a paid plan almost immediately.

Jibble, OpenTimeClock

Biometric identity verification is a Jibble and OpenTimeClock feature

Both Jibble and OpenTimeClock support GPS geofencing and facial recognition to confirm who is clocking in and where, a fraud-prevention layer that is not part of DeskTime's documented feature set.

Jibble, OpenTimeClock

OpenTimeClock prices by the account, not the seat

OpenTimeClock's Paid Plan is a flat $39/month (or $399/year) regardless of user count, unlike DeskTime's $7/user/month and Jibble's $4.49/user/month, making it comparatively cheaper as a team grows larger.

OpenTimeClock

Jibble's paid tiers got notably more expensive

Jibble's own documentation notes that Premium and Ultimate prices rose roughly 60 to 80 percent in March 2026, which buyers evaluating long-term cost should factor in even though the free tier remains unlimited.

Jibble

Feature-by-Feature

Tracking and verification method

FeatureDeskTimeJibbleOpenTimeClock
Automatic time tracking without manual clock-inAvailableUnavailableUnavailable
GPS location tracking and geofencingNot documentedAvailableAvailable
Facial recognition or biometric verificationNot documentedAvailableAvailable
Screenshot capture for verificationAvailableAvailableNot documented

Scheduling and leave management

FeatureDeskTimeJibbleOpenTimeClock
Shift schedulingAvailableLimitedAvailable
PTO or leave accrual trackingLimitedAvailableAvailable

Pricing and access

FeatureDeskTimeJibbleOpenTimeClock
Free plan supports unlimited usersLimitedAvailableAvailable

Pricing Compared

Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.

DeskTime

Free — $0 N/A
Pro — $7/user/month ($6.42 annual) Monthly or annual
Premium — $10/user/month Monthly or annual
Enterprise — Custom Annual contract

Jibble

Free — Free forever
Premium — $4.49/user/month billed annually
Ultimate — $7.99/user/month billed annually
Enterprise — Custom pricing annual contract

OpenTimeClock

Free Plan — Free N/A
Paid Plan (Monthly) — $39/month Monthly
Paid Plan (Yearly) — $399/year (~$33.25/month) Annual
Sponsor Link — Free (in exchange for a homepage link) N/A

Pros & Cons

DeskTime

Pros

  • Fully automatic tracking removes the need for employees to manually start and stop timers.
  • Built-in productivity scoring works out of the box with minimal configuration.
  • Free plan available for single users, making it accessible for freelancers.
  • Combines time tracking, scheduling, and invoicing in a single product.

Cons

  • Screenshot capture and scheduling tools are gated behind the higher Premium tier.
  • Employee monitoring features like screenshots can raise privacy concerns among tracked staff.
  • Free tier is limited to a single user, so teams must move to a paid plan almost immediately.
  • Enterprise pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales.

Jibble

Pros

  • Unlimited users on a genuinely free-forever plan with no credit card required
  • Biometric facial recognition and geofencing help prevent buddy punching even on the free tier
  • Works across web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and shared kiosk devices
  • Fast setup and simple interface suited to non-technical hourly workforces
  • Strong offline support for field, construction and remote teams

Cons

  • Advanced reporting, screenshots and priority support require paid Premium or Ultimate tiers
  • Premium and Ultimate prices rose sharply in March 2026, roughly 60 to 80 percent higher than before
  • Less scheduling and shift-planning depth than dedicated workforce platforms like Deputy or When I Work
  • Some users report occasional GPS or facial recognition accuracy issues on older mobile devices
  • Support responsiveness can be slower for customers on the free plan

OpenTimeClock

Pros

  • Free plan supports unlimited employees, which is rare among time-tracking competitors that charge per seat.
  • Paid plan is inexpensive relative to per-user competitors, especially for larger teams.
  • Supports multiple clock-in methods, including GPS, facial recognition, and offline mode.
  • Includes job costing and PTO accrual tracking typically reserved for pricier platforms.
  • Nonprofit-friendly pricing and a free 'Sponsor Link' option for cost-conscious organizations.

Cons

  • Free plan loses PDF/Excel report export after the initial 30-day trial period.
  • Company does not publicly disclose a physical headquarters or leadership team, which may concern due-diligence-conscious buyers.
  • Interface and design feel dated compared to newer, VC-backed time-tracking competitors.
  • Smaller integration ecosystem with payroll and HR platforms than larger competitors like TSheets/QuickBooks Time or Deputy.
  • Customer support is phone/email based with limited hours rather than 24/7 live chat.

Use Cases

Choose DeskTime: Teams that want passive, automatic tracking of computer activity and a built-in productivity score without requiring employees to manually clock in or out.
Choose Jibble: Small and mid-sized businesses or field, retail, and hospitality teams that need free, unlimited-user attendance tracking with GPS and facial recognition to stop buddy punching.
Choose OpenTimeClock: Schools, nonprofits, franchises, and other organizations with large or fluctuating headcounts that need unlimited free users and are comfortable with a flat-fee upgrade instead of per-seat pricing.

DeskTime

  • Remote team productivity monitoring — Distributed teams use DeskTime to automatically track work hours and understand productivity patterns without manual timesheets.
  • Freelance client billing — Freelancers use DeskTime's automatic tracking and invoicing to accurately bill clients for hours worked on specific projects.
  • Outsourced team verification — Companies working with outsourced or contractor teams use DeskTime's screenshot capture and productivity reports to verify billed work.

Jibble

  • Field service and construction attendance — GPS-verified clock-ins and geofencing confirm crews are on the correct job site before hours are logged, reducing payroll disputes.
  • Shift-based retail and hospitality teams — Kiosk mode lets multiple hourly staff clock in on one shared device with facial recognition to prevent buddy punching.
  • Remote and distributed agency billing — Project-level time tracking and automated timesheets let agencies convert tracked hours directly into client invoices.

OpenTimeClock

  • Small business payroll-ready time tracking — Small businesses use the free or paid plan to track hourly employee attendance and export data for payroll processing.
  • Multi-site and field-service workforce tracking — Companies with mobile or multi-location employees use GPS geofencing and offline clock-in to verify attendance away from a central office.
  • Nonprofit and school attendance tracking — Nonprofits and schools with large or fluctuating headcounts use the unlimited-user free tier to track staff or volunteer hours without per-seat costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these three has a free plan for an unlimited number of employees?

Jibble and OpenTimeClock both offer free plans with no cap on user count. DeskTime's free plan is limited to a single user, so small teams typically need to move to a paid plan quickly.

Which tool tracks time automatically without requiring employees to clock in?

DeskTime is the only one of the three that starts and stops tracking automatically based on computer activity. Jibble and OpenTimeClock are both built around an explicit clock-in and clock-out action.

Which is cheapest as a team grows larger?

DeskTime and Jibble both charge per user ($7 and $4.49 per user per month respectively at their entry paid tiers), so cost scales with headcount. OpenTimeClock charges a flat $39/month regardless of user count, which can make it cheaper for larger teams.

Which tools support facial recognition or GPS-verified clock-ins?

Jibble and OpenTimeClock both support GPS geofencing and facial recognition verification. This is not part of DeskTime's documented feature set, which instead relies on activity tracking and optional screenshots.

Which company has been operating the longest?

OpenTimeClock states it has been in business since 1997, making it the longest-running of the three. DeskTime was founded in 2011 and Jibble in 2016.

Can any of these generate invoices from tracked hours?

DeskTime includes automated invoicing based on tracked billable hours, and Jibble converts billable hours into client invoices. Automated invoicing is not documented as a feature of OpenTimeClock, though it does support job and project cost tracking.

Read the full DeskTime review · Read the full Jibble review · Read the full OpenTimeClock review