Payroll and attendance without the biometric hardware.

Why small businesses choose Timekeep over ClockSmart

ClockSmart is a solid system for businesses that already have biometric hardware in place. Timekeep is built for businesses that want payroll and attendance running today, without buying a device, scheduling an installation, or paying twice as much per month.

Timekeep vs ClockSmart: feature comparison

An honest, side-by-side comparison. ClockSmart is a capable system if biometric hardware fits your workflow. Timekeep is the right fit if you want payroll and attendance without the hardware dependency and at a lower monthly cost.

ClockSmart pricing reflects publicly available plan details as of 2026: PHP 1,000/month (LITE, up to 5 employees), PHP 2,000/month (Essential, up to 10 employees), PHP 120/month per additional employee, and PHP 150/month per additional location. For the latest ClockSmart pricing, visit clocksmart.ph. Timekeep pricing is current as of 2026.

ClockSmart vs Timekeep: which should you choose?

Both handle Philippine payroll, attendance, and government compliance. The decision comes down to whether you want to invest in biometric hardware and whether ClockSmart's pricing fits your budget.

The honest trade-off is hardware. If your business process genuinely requires a physical fingerprint or face-scanner device and you already have ClockSmart equipment installed, switching has an upfront cost. If you are starting fresh or your current biometric device is aging out, Timekeep saves you both the hardware purchase and the higher monthly fee. Most small Philippine businesses find a tablet-based kiosk with face verification sufficient.

How to switch from ClockSmart to Timekeep

Switching takes less than an afternoon. The 30-day free trial covers at least one full pay period, so you can verify your numbers before cutting over.

1. 1

   Start a free trial

   Sign up with no credit card. You get 30 days of full access, which is enough time to cover at least one complete pay period.

2. 2

   Import your employee list

   Export your staff from ClockSmart (or your spreadsheet) and import them into Timekeep. Set pay rates, schedules, and each employee's government contribution details.

3. 3

   Set up your kiosk

   Open the Timekeep kiosk on any spare tablet or phone. Employees tap their name and take a quick face photo to clock in. No biometric device to configure or mount.

4. 4

   Run a parallel test payroll

   Process one pay period in Timekeep alongside your ClockSmart run. Compare the results line by line, including SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and BIR deductions.

5. 5

   Switch over

   Once the numbers match, make Timekeep your system of record and cancel your ClockSmart subscription. Your trial converts to a paid plan only when you are ready.

Who Timekeep is built for

Timekeep is the right payroll system if you are a Philippine small business owner who handles HR, payroll, and scheduling yourself and wants to keep overheads low.

• Cafes, restaurants, and food and beverage businesses with multiple shifts
• Salons, spas, and personal service businesses
• Retail shops with rotating staff schedules
• Local service businesses where the owner runs payroll manually today
• Any Philippine SMB that needs SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and BIR compliance without biometric hardware

Common questions about switching

Is Timekeep a good alternative to ClockSmart for small businesses?

Yes. Timekeep is built for Philippine small businesses that need payroll, attendance, scheduling, leave management, and government deductions in one place. It starts at PHP 999/month for up to 10 employees, with no biometric hardware required. ClockSmart starts at PHP 1,000/month for only up to 5 employees and requires purchasing their biometric device for clock-ins. If you want to skip the hardware cost and keep monthly fees low, Timekeep is the better fit.

How much does Timekeep cost compared to ClockSmart?

Timekeep costs PHP 999/month for up to 10 employees, then PHP 49/month per additional employee. ClockSmart's LITE plan is PHP 1,000/month for up to 5 employees; the plan covering 10 employees costs PHP 2,000/month, with PHP 120/month for each employee above that. For a 15-person team, Timekeep costs PHP 1,244/month (about PHP 14,928/year) versus ClockSmart's PHP 2,600/month (PHP 31,200/year). That is more than PHP 16,000 in annual savings.

Does ClockSmart require biometric hardware?

Yes. ClockSmart's clock-in system is built around their own biometric hardware devices. Only ClockSmart-brand devices are supported; third-party biometric scanners are not compatible. You need to purchase a ClockSmart biometric device to use the attendance features. Timekeep does not require any hardware: its kiosk mode turns any tablet or phone into a shared clock-in station with face verification using the device camera.

Does Timekeep handle SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and BIR like ClockSmart does?

Yes. Timekeep automatically computes SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and BIR withholding tax using current Philippine contribution and tax tables. Both systems cover government deductions. The difference is that Timekeep does it without requiring hardware, at a lower monthly price.

Can I switch from ClockSmart to Timekeep?

Yes. You can import your employee list from a spreadsheet into Timekeep. The 30-day free trial gives you enough time to set up your team, run a test payroll cycle, and confirm SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and BIR figures are correct before you move off ClockSmart. No new hardware is required; any tablet or phone becomes a kiosk immediately.

What attendance methods does Timekeep support without biometric hardware?

Timekeep supports kiosk clock-in (employees tap their name on a shared tablet or phone and verify with a live photo), manager-recorded clock-ins from the dashboard, and employee self-service clock-in from the mobile portal. Face verification uses the device camera to confirm identity, providing a fraud check without a fingerprint scanner or dedicated biometric terminal.