Managing a remote team across different locations and time zones can make it difficult to understand working hours, project time, attendance, and productivity.

Time tracking software for remote teams helps businesses record employee working hours, track time spent on tasks and projects, monitor attendance, and understand how teams use their working time.

In this guide, we compare 10 of the best free or free-to-start time tracking software for remote teams in 2026.

10 Best Free Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams

Software	Best For
AIWI Team	All-in-one remote workforce management
Clockify	Free team time tracking
Toggl Track	Simple time tracking
Jibble	Attendance and time tracking
Hubstaff	Time and productivity monitoring
Connecteam	Remote and frontline teams
Time Doctor	Remote employee monitoring
DeskTime	Automatic time tracking
Harvest	Time tracking and billing
TMetric	Time tracking for remote teams

1. AIWI Team — Best All-in-One Time Tracking Software

AIWI Team is an Employee Time Tracking System designed for office, remote, and hybrid teams.

Instead of providing only a timer, AIWI Team connects time tracking, attendance, productivity, tasks, projects, leave, payroll, and workforce management in one platform.

Key features

Automated employee time tracking
Online and offline time tracking
Employee attendance
Active working time
Task and project time tracking
Optional employee screenshots
Activity insights
Daily, weekly, and monthly reports
Leave integration
Resource availability tracking
Payroll-related workflows

AIWI Team can automatically record logins, logouts, breaks, and active hours, reducing the need for manually maintained timesheets.

For remote teams, managers can also review active users, current tasks, sessions, and working hours through centralized dashboards.

AIWI Team supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it practical for distributed teams using different operating systems.

Best for: Remote teams that want time tracking combined with HRMS and workforce management.

2. Clockify — Best Free Team Time Tracking

Clockify is a popular time tracking platform for teams, freelancers, and project-based businesses.

It focuses on tracking time against projects and tasks and provides reports for understanding where working hours are spent.

Best for: Teams looking for straightforward time tracking.

3. Toggl Track — Best for Simple Time Tracking

Toggl Track focuses on easy-to-use time tracking for individuals and teams.

It is particularly useful for remote teams that need to track time across projects, clients, and tasks without implementing heavy employee monitoring.

Best for: Small remote and project-based teams.

4. Jibble — Best for Attendance and Time Tracking

Jibble combines employee time tracking and attendance management.

It can be useful for remote teams that need clock-in/clock-out functionality and working-hour visibility.

Best for: Remote teams prioritizing attendance and time tracking.

5. Hubstaff — Best for Productivity Monitoring

Hubstaff combines time tracking with workforce-management and productivity-monitoring features.

Depending on the plan, businesses can use features such as screenshots, activity monitoring, reporting, and workforce insights.

Best for: Remote teams requiring deeper productivity visibility.

6. Connecteam — Best for Workforce Operations

Connecteam combines time tracking with scheduling, communication, and workforce-management tools.

It is particularly focused on frontline and distributed workforces.

Best for: Remote, field, and deskless teams.

7. Time Doctor — Best for Remote Employee Monitoring

Time Doctor combines employee time tracking with productivity monitoring and reporting.

It can help managers understand working hours, tasks, projects, and employee activity.

Best for: Remote teams that need time and productivity monitoring.

8. DeskTime — Best for Automatic Tracking

DeskTime provides automatic time tracking and productivity insights.

It can monitor time spent on applications and websites and provide reports on employee working patterns.

Best for: Teams wanting automatic time tracking.

9. Harvest — Best for Time Tracking and Billing

Harvest combines time tracking with project management and invoicing capabilities.

It can be useful for agencies, consultants, and remote teams that bill clients based on tracked hours.

Best for: Client-service and billable-hour teams.

10. TMetric — Best for Remote Project Teams

TMetric provides time tracking, project management, task tracking, and reporting features.

It can help remote teams understand how much time is spent on different projects and activities.

Best for: Remote project-based teams.

What Is Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams?

Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams is a digital system that records employee working hours and time spent on tasks or projects.

Depending on the platform, it may include:

Clock-in and clock-out
Automatic time tracking
Timesheets
Task tracking
Project tracking
Attendance
Screenshots
Activity monitoring
Productivity reports
Payroll integration

For remote organizations, time tracking can create visibility without requiring employees and managers to work from the same physical location.

Why Remote Teams Need Time Tracking

Remote teams can face challenges such as:

Different time zones
Flexible schedules
Manual timesheets
Unclear working hours
Difficult project billing
Limited workforce visibility
Attendance tracking challenges
Workload imbalance

An Employee Time Tracking System can centralize this information and give managers a clearer understanding of working time.

AIWI Team goes further by connecting time data with attendance, leave, productivity, projects, and payroll-related workflows.

Time Tracking vs Employee Monitoring

These terms are often confused.

Time tracking answers:

How much time was worked?

Employee monitoring can answer:

What applications, websites, tasks, or activities were involved during that time?

Some businesses only need basic time tracking. Others need productivity insights or optional screenshot monitoring.

The right approach depends on the team's workflow and the organization's privacy and monitoring policies.

How to Choose Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams

Before choosing a Time Tracking Solution, consider:

1. Automatic Tracking

Can the platform automatically record working time instead of relying entirely on manual timesheets?

2. Remote Access

Can employees and managers use the software from different locations?

3. Task & Project Tracking

Can employees connect time with specific tasks and projects?

4. Attendance

Does the platform include attendance and clock-in/clock-out functionality?

5. Productivity

Can managers understand work patterns without relying only on total hours?

6. Screenshots

If your business requires them, does the platform offer optional screenshot monitoring?

7. Reporting

Can managers generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports?

8. Payroll

Can tracked hours and attendance support payroll workflows?

9. Operating Systems

For distributed teams, check whether the tracker supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Which Free Time Tracking Software Is Best for Remote Teams?

There is no single best tool for every remote team.

AIWI Team: Best for all-in-one HRMS and workforce management
Clockify: Best for basic free time tracking
Toggl Track: Best for simplicity
Jibble: Best for attendance
Hubstaff: Best for productivity monitoring
Connecteam: Best for workforce operations
Time Doctor: Best for remote employee monitoring
DeskTime: Best for automatic tracking
Harvest: Best for billing
TMetric: Best for project-based teams

If you only need a timer, a dedicated time tracking tool may be enough.

If you need time + attendance + productivity + tasks + projects + leave + payroll + workforce management, an integrated platform such as AIWI Team can provide a more complete solution.

Final Verdict

Remote teams need more than a simple timer. They need accurate working hours, project visibility, attendance, productivity insights, and reliable workforce data.

For basic time tracking, tools such as Clockify or Toggl Track may be sufficient.

For businesses looking for a broader Remote Workforce Management Software solution, AIWI Team combines:

Time Tracking → Attendance → Productivity → Tasks → Projects → Leave → Payroll → Reporting

in one centralized platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free time tracking software for remote teams?

The best option depends on your requirements. AIWI Team is a strong choice for businesses that want time tracking connected with HRMS and workforce management, while Clockify and Toggl Track are suitable for simpler time-tracking requirements.

Can remote teams track employee working hours?

Yes. Time tracking software can record employee working hours, sessions, breaks, tasks, and project time. AIWI Team supports automated employee time tracking for remote and hybrid teams.

Can time tracking software monitor productivity?

Some platforms provide productivity monitoring in addition to time tracking. AIWI Team provides active-time and activity insights and optional screenshot capture.

Can AIWI Team track remote employees?

Yes. AIWI Team supports remote, hybrid, and office-based teams and provides centralized time, attendance, productivity, and workforce visibility.

Does AIWI Team support Windows, Mac, and Linux?

Yes. AIWI Team's Team Tracker supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Is AIWI Team free?

AIWI Team currently offers a 90-day free trial with access to its features.

Aiwi Team

Aiwi Team

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