busybusy Alternative: When a Free Time Clock Isn't Enough
busybusy's free plan is a real deal for basic time tracking. Here's an honest look at what it covers, what upgrading costs, and when a compliance-focused alternative makes sense.
5 min read
Let's start with the honest part: busybusy's free plan is a genuinely good deal. Unlimited users, GPS time tracking and job costing for $0 is hard to argue with. If all you need is to get crews off paper timecards, it may be all you need.
So why look for an alternative? Usually because a contractor has outgrown "who clocked in" and needs "can I prove it."
What busybusy offers
As listed on busybusy's pricing page in November 2026:
- Free: GPS time tracking, job costing, equipment tracking and unlimited users.
- Pro: $9.99 per user per month billed annually, or $11.99 billed monthly. Adds GPS breadcrumbing, supervisor tools, safety reports, photos and notes, and scheduling.
- Premium: $14.99 per user per month billed annually, or $17.99 billed monthly. Adds daily project reports, documents and progress tracking.
The paid plans also list an admin license fee, and busybusy doesn't require a contract.
Where a basic time clock stops
A time clock logs a check-in. For many contractors that's enough. The questions that push people to look further are usually these:
- Can it stop a worker with an expired certification from checking in? If your sites require OSHA 10, fall protection or other training, the check should happen at the gate, not during an audit.
- When someone gets hurt, does the incident report fill itself from verified data? OSHA Form 301 asks for the time the employee began work that day. A verified check-in record answers that without guessing.
- Do workers have to install an app? On crews with older phones, full storage or high turnover, getting everyone set up is half the battle.
Ask these questions of any vendor, busybusy included. Features change, and the right answer depends on your crews.
How CrewVerify is different
- No app to install. Workers check in from a text link with a one-time code.
- Certification tracking with check-in gating. Warn, or block check-in, when a required certification is missing or expired.
- OSHA 301 auto-fill. Logging an incident pulls the worker's verified arrival time, hours on site and who else was checked in.
- Month to month. No contract.
What it costs
| Crew size | busybusy Free | busybusy Pro (annual) | CrewVerify |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 workers | $0 | about $100/mo plus admin license | $69/mo (Starter) |
| 25 workers | $0 | about $250/mo plus admin license | $199/mo (Pro) |
CrewVerify Starter covers up to about 15 workers on up to 3 sites. Larger crews use Pro at $49/month plus $6 per worker.
When to stay with busybusy
If you need free, or you rely on its equipment tracking and daily project reports, busybusy is a strong product. CrewVerify is built for contractors whose bigger risk is proving who was on site, and whether they were qualified to be there.
Competitor pricing as listed on the vendor's website, last checked November 7, 2026. Always check current pricing before you decide. Start a free CrewVerify trial.