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2026 Australian Buyer Guide

Best Timesheet Apps in Australia (2026 Side-by-Side Comparison)

When Australian small business owners search for a timesheet app, almost every roundup list is written for desk workers or US software buyers. If you run a cleaning crew, trade business, security team, home care service, or multi-site maintenance crew in Australia, your real-world checklist looks very different:

What Australian Field & Trade Crews Actually Need in a Timesheet App

Will the crew actually use it on Monday morning?

If workers have to install a heavy app, remember a password, or use an iPhone-only tool when half the crew carries Android, you are back to chasing texts on Friday afternoon.

What happens to your bill when you have casuals or subcontractors?

Per-user pricing ($6 to $55 per person/month) punishes businesses with rotating casuals, seasonal workers, or subbies.

Where do your site checklists and dockets live?

Most apps lock your forms inside their own cloud or charge a high-tier upgrade just to build custom forms.

Master Comparison Table (Verified October 2026)

Competitor pricing and feature availability verified from each vendor's public Australian/global pricing page as of October 2026. Where a vendor publishes prices in USD, figures are clearly labelled US$ alongside approximate A$ equivalents. Vendors change plans and pricing over time; check each vendor's website for current rates.

Master Comparison Table (Verified October 2026)
Product Pricing Model (Published Oct 2026) Est. Monthly Cost for 20 Active Crew / Subbies How Crew Clock In & Out Custom Site Forms & Dockets AI Assistant / MCP Support
ZimQi Flat monthly band + active worker-day credits (Starter A$19/mo ex GST [A$20.90 inc GST]; Solo A$49/mo ex GST [A$53.90 inc GST]; Team A$149/mo ex GST [A$163.90 inc GST]) A$149/mo ex GST (A$163.90/mo inc GST) on Team (unlimited crew & sites, 2,500 credits = ~1,250 worker-days) Telegram bot (iOS & Android) or personal browser link — no ZimQi app install Included (paper/PDF to digital form via AI + auto-files to your Google Drive or Dropbox) Yes — 77-tool MCP server + REST API on every plan (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) + BYO-AI
Deputy Per user / month (Lite A$6.50, Core A$9.00, Pro A$13.50 ex GST; A$30/mo minimum spend) A$130–A$270/mo ex GST (plus paid add-ons for advanced HR/analytics) Dedicated Deputy mobile app or iPad kiosk Basic shift tasks; not a paper-to-digital form converter with BYO-cloud filing Proprietary internal features; no open customer MCP server
Tanda Per user / month (typically ~A$6–$12+/user/mo by quote) ~A$160–A$240+/mo (charges per active profile in billing period) Dedicated Tanda app or fixed wall clock Roster & attendance focused No public MCP server
Tradify Per user / month (A$47–A$55/user/mo depending on tier) A$940–A$1,100/mo (if all 20 field staff & subbies need logins) Dedicated Tradify mobile app Job service reports & safety forms inside Tradify No public MCP server
ServiceM8 Per job volume (Starter A$29 to Growing A$99 to Prosper A$249/mo) A$99–A$249/mo (depending on monthly job count) Apple iOS (iPhone/iPad) app only — no native Android app for field crew Custom forms included, filed inside ServiceM8 ServiceM8 AI add-ons (iOS ecosystem only)
Connecteam Per hub (Small Business free up to 10 users; paid hubs from US$29/mo per hub — Operations, Comms, HR billed separately) ~US$87–US$150+/mo (~A$135–$230+/mo across hubs) Dedicated Connecteam app Custom forms inside Operations Hub (tier limits apply) No public MCP server
Clockify Per seat / month (Free basic; Basic US$3.99, Standard US$5.49, Pro US$7.99, Enterprise US$11.99/seat/mo) US$110–US$240/mo (~A$170–$370/mo on Standard/Pro for approvals & GPS) Dedicated Clockify app / browser timer No paper-to-digital site docket workflow No native MCP server
Jibble Per seat / month (Free basic; Premium ~A$4.99, Ultimate ~A$9.99/user/mo) ~A$100–A$200/mo on paid approval/multi-group tiers Dedicated Jibble app / facial kiosk Attendance & facial kiosk only — no site forms No public MCP server
Xero Payroll (Xero Me) Included with Xero Payroll plans (Comprehensive A$95/mo up to 5 employees, Premium 10 A$115/mo, etc.) Requires higher Xero Payroll tier + employees only (does not cover non-salaried subcontractors) Xero Me app (salaried/payroll employees only) None Xero JAX (accounting focus)

Honest Buyer Guide: Which One Should You Pick?

Pick Deputy or Tanda if:

You run a hospitality venue, retail store, or large shift-based workforce where complex award interpretation, automated shift-bidding, and wall-mounted iPad kiosks are your primary need.

Pick Tradify or ServiceM8 if:

You want an all-in-one job quoting, invoicing, and parts-ordering suite for a small trade team (and, in ServiceM8's case, your entire crew uses iPhones).

Pick Clockify if:

You run a desk-based or remote agency that tracks billable project hours on laptops using a stopwatch timer.

Pick ZimQi if:

You run an Australian field crew (cleaners, tradies, security, care, facilities) across multiple sites, you want zero app-install friction (crew check in and out on Telegram across both Android and iPhone), you want flat-band AUD pricing where casuals and subcontractors don't cost a monthly seat fee on days they don't work, and you want AI assistant (MCP) + BYO-cloud form filing included out of the box.

ZimQi Single-Price Summary (ex GST & inc 10% AU GST)

Every account starts with a free trial: 30 days or 100 credits, whichever comes first (no card required, includes 3 free AI form template imports). Starter: A$19/mo ex GST (A$20.90/mo inc GST) · Solo: A$49/mo ex GST (A$53.90/mo inc GST) · Team: A$149/mo ex GST (A$163.90/mo inc GST, unlimited crew & sites) · Scale: A$299/mo ex GST (A$328.90/mo inc GST, unlimited crew & sites). 2 credits = 1 active worker-day (~A$0.10–$0.20/day). BYO-AI (Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, Grok) = A$0 / 0 ZimQi credits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most cost-effective timesheet app in Australia for crews with casuals and subcontractors?

Most timesheet apps charge per user every month (from A$6.50 to A$55 per user), meaning you pay a full monthly fee even if a casual or subcontractor only works two days. ZimQi uses flat monthly bands starting at A$19/mo ex GST (A$20.90/mo inc GST) for up to 3 crew, A$49/mo ex GST (A$53.90/mo inc GST) for up to 10 crew, and A$149/mo ex GST (A$163.90/mo inc GST) on the Team plan with unlimited crew and sites. Credits are only used on days a worker actually checks in (2 credits per active worker-day).

Is there an Australian timesheet app that doesn't require workers to download a new app?

Yes. With ZimQi, field crew check in, check out, and submit daily site notes directly inside Telegram (on both Android and iPhone) or via a personal browser link, with no separate ZimQi app to install.

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