ClockShark is a construction, landscaping, and field service companies tool starting at $40/mo base. Clock Deck takes a different approach: flat-rate pricing with unlimited employees on every plan, starting at $29/mo.
What is ClockShark?
If you manage crews in construction, landscaping, or any kind of field service, you've probably come across ClockShark. They've been a go-to name in the industry for years, and for good reason. Their platform was designed specifically for teams that work on job sites rather than in offices, and that focus shows in features like job costing, drag-and-drop crew scheduling, and GPS-powered time tracking.
But here's the thing that catches a lot of business owners off guard: ClockShark's pricing scales with every employee you add. That base fee plus per-user model might look reasonable when you're running a crew of five, but by the time you've got 15 or 25 people on the clock, you're looking at a monthly bill that keeps climbing. And that math is what brings a lot of people to this page, wondering if there's a better deal out there.
That's where Clock Deck comes in. Clock Deck takes a completely different approach to pricing. Instead of charging per employee, every Clock Deck plan covers unlimited employees for one flat monthly fee. The Basic plan is $29/mo. The Pro plan is $59/mo. No per-seat charges, no surprises when you bring on seasonal workers, no penalty for growing your team.
In this comparison, we're going to lay everything out side by side. Pricing, features, where each platform genuinely excels, and where each one falls short. By the end, you'll have a clear picture of which tool makes sense for your team and your budget.
ClockShark at a glance
ClockShark launched with a clear mission: give construction and field service companies a time tracking tool that actually understands how their work gets done. Unlike generic HR platforms that assume everyone sits at a desk, ClockShark was built around the reality that employees drive to job sites, move between locations throughout the day, and sometimes work in places where cell service barely exists.
Over the years, ClockShark has added layers to its platform. What started as a time clock app has grown into a broader workforce management tool with scheduling, job tracking, and integrations with accounting software like QuickBooks. Their Pro tier adds features like PTO management, advanced job costing, and dedicated account managers. They've also built out their mobile apps for iOS and Android, though user reviews suggest the mobile experience can be inconsistent, with reports of glitchy screens, battery drain, and GPS accuracy issues on certain devices.
ClockShark's core audience remains small to mid-size companies in construction, landscaping, plumbing, electrical, and similar trades. They understand the language of that market: jobs, tasks, crews, and change orders. If you're running a general contracting firm and you want software that feels like it was made for your industry, ClockShark has that familiarity going for it.
Pricing: ClockShark vs. Clock Deck
ClockShark uses a base-fee-plus-per-user pricing model. Their Standard plan starts at roughly $40/mo as a base fee, then adds about $8 per user per month on top of that. Their Pro plan bumps the base to around $60/mo with per-user costs of about $10/mo. These numbers can shift slightly depending on promotions or contract terms, but the structure stays the same: a fixed base plus a variable cost that scales with your headcount.
Let's run some real numbers. Say you have a 15-person crew on the Standard plan. That's $40 base plus 15 times $8, which comes out to $160/mo. Bump that up to 25 employees and you're at $240/mo. Move to the Pro plan with 15 people and you're looking at $210/mo. With 25 on Pro? $310/mo. And those costs keep climbing with every hire.
Now compare that to Clock Deck. A 15-person team on Clock Deck Basic pays $29/mo. Not $29 per person. $29 total. That same team on Clock Deck Pro, which adds GPS tracking, photo verification, and immutable audit logs, pays $59/mo total. Even Clock Deck Enterprise with geofencing, departments, manager roles, and QuickBooks integration is $129/mo for unlimited employees. At 25 employees, ClockShark Standard costs nearly twice what Clock Deck Enterprise does.
There's also the hidden cost of scaling. With ClockShark, every seasonal worker, every new hire, every temporary crew member adds to your monthly bill. If you bring on 10 extra people for a busy summer, that's an extra $80-$100/mo on top of what you're already paying. With Clock Deck, your cost doesn't change. You could double your workforce overnight and your bill stays exactly the same.
For companies that are growing or that deal with fluctuating crew sizes throughout the year, this pricing difference isn't just a nice-to-have. It's the kind of thing that affects whether you can afford to keep your software running during slow months or whether you end up cutting seats to save money.
Base fee applies regardless of team size. Per-user cost added on top for each employee.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Clock Deck | ClockShark |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited employees | ||
| Employee scheduling | ||
| Clock in/out | ||
| Break tracking | ||
| GPS tracking | Pro plan | |
| Photo verification | Pro plan | |
| Immutable audit logs | Pro plan | |
| QuickBooks integration | Enterprise plan | |
| CSV export | ||
| Offline mode | Limited | |
| Mobile app | ||
| Job location tracking | ||
| Payroll-ready timesheets | ||
| Time-off tracking | Pro plan only | |
| Team messaging | ||
| Kiosk mode | ||
| Geofencing | Enterprise plan | |
| Departments | Enterprise plan | Pro plan only |
| Manager roles & permissions | Enterprise plan | Pro plan only |
| Mileage tracking | ||
| Drag-and-drop scheduling | ||
| Job costing | Pro plan only | |
| Flat-rate pricing | ||
| Agency/CPA dashboard | Agency plan |
Where ClockShark shines
Credit where it's due: ClockShark is really good at what it was built for. Their job costing tools on the Pro plan are genuinely useful for companies that need to track labor costs against project budgets in real time. If you're a general contractor who needs to know exactly how many hours went into the framing on a specific house, ClockShark makes that easy to pull up.
Their geofencing feature is another solid addition. You can set up virtual boundaries around job sites so that employees get automatic reminders to clock in when they arrive and clock out when they leave. For companies managing crews across multiple locations, this reduces the "forgot to clock in" problem without requiring managers to babysit timesheets. The kiosk mode is also a practical touch for job sites where multiple workers share a single device.
ClockShark also benefits from years of being in the market. They have a mature integration ecosystem, a support team that understands construction workflows, and a library of resources tailored to their audience. If you're running a mid-size field service company with 30+ employees, need advanced job costing, and don't mind paying the per-user premium, ClockShark delivers a polished product that's been refined through years of customer feedback.
ClockShark was built from the ground up for construction and field service companies. Features like job costing, clock-out questions, and multi-department controls reflect years of listening to that specific market.
Their Pro plan includes detailed job costing tools that let managers track labor costs against project budgets. For companies that bill by the job and need tight cost visibility, this is a genuinely useful feature.
ClockShark has been around for years and has a well-known name in the construction and landscaping world. They have case studies, integrations, and a support team that understands field service workflows inside and out.
ClockShark offers geofencing to auto-remind employees to clock in when they arrive at a job site, plus a kiosk mode for shared devices at fixed locations. Clock Deck now offers geofencing on its Enterprise plan as well, but ClockShark's version includes kiosk mode which Clock Deck currently doesn't have.
Where Clock Deck wins
The most obvious win for Clock Deck is pricing, and it's a big one. When you're paying $29/mo for unlimited employees instead of $160-$310/mo for a team of 15-25 people, the savings are hard to ignore. That's money you could put toward equipment, fuel, or just keeping more cash in the business. And the savings compound over time. Over a year, a 20-person team switching from ClockShark Standard to Clock Deck Basic saves over $1,600.
But it's not just about being cheaper. Clock Deck Pro at $59/mo includes features that ClockShark doesn't offer at any price. Photo verification captures an image at clock-in, giving managers visual proof that the right person showed up at the right job site. Immutable audit logs create a tamper-proof record of every time entry, which is valuable for compliance, disputes, and just keeping everyone honest. These aren't gimmicks. They solve real problems that field service managers deal with every day.
Clock Deck's Enterprise plan now matches ClockShark on geofencing and goes beyond it in other areas. You get location-based clock-in enforcement, departments to organize your crews, and granular manager permissions so your supervisors only see what they need to. All of that for $129/mo flat. A 20-person team on ClockShark Standard with geofencing pays about $200/mo, and you still don't get photo verification or audit logs.
Clock Deck's offline mode is another area where it pulls ahead. The app works fully offline and syncs data when connectivity returns. This isn't a "limited offline mode" with half the features disabled. Employees can clock in, clock out, and log breaks whether they're in a basement, a rural job site, or a concrete building with zero signal. ClockShark users have reported issues with the app requiring internet for key functions, which can be a dealbreaker when your crew works in places where Wi-Fi isn't an option.
There's also the simplicity factor. Clock Deck is designed to be set up in minutes, not days. There's no need for onboarding calls or training sessions. The interface is clean and focused on what matters: tracking time, managing schedules, and getting data out when you need it. For small business owners who don't have an IT department and just need something that works, that simplicity is worth a lot.
Clock Deck charges a single monthly fee regardless of how many employees you have. Add 5 people or 50 people, the price stays the same. With ClockShark, every new hire bumps the bill.
Even the $29/mo Basic plan supports unlimited employees. A 25-person team on Clock Deck Basic pays $29/mo total. That same team on ClockShark Standard pays around $240/mo.
Clock Deck works offline out of the box and syncs when connectivity returns. Field crews on remote job sites or in basements with no signal can clock in and out without issues. ClockShark's offline support is limited and many features require an active internet connection.
Clock Deck Pro includes photo verification at clock-in, giving managers a visual record that the right person showed up at the right place. ClockShark doesn't offer this feature on any plan.
Clock Deck is designed to get out of your way. Most teams are up and running in under 10 minutes. No training sessions, no onboarding calls, no thick user manuals.
Hiring season doesn't mean a surprise jump in your software bill. Clock Deck's flat pricing means you can budget accurately month after month, year after year.
The verdict
Here's the straightforward take. If you're running a larger construction or field service company with 30+ employees, you need advanced job costing, and geofencing is a must-have for your workflow, ClockShark is a solid choice. It's expensive, but it was built specifically for your industry and it shows. The per-user pricing stings, but if those specialized features are non-negotiable, ClockShark delivers.
For everyone else, Clock Deck is the smarter pick. If you're a small to mid-size company that needs reliable time tracking, GPS, scheduling, and clean reporting without watching your software bill grow every time you hire someone, Clock Deck gives you all of that for a fraction of the cost. The flat-rate pricing alone makes it worth trying. Add in photo verification, true offline mode, and audit logs, and you're getting features that ClockShark can't match regardless of what you pay.
Try Clock Deck free and see for yourself. Most teams are tracking time within 10 minutes of signing up, and your wallet will thank you by the end of the first month.