Clockie vs RosterElf: a roster from real clock-ins priced in NZD
RosterElf is a capable Australian rostering app that sells into New Zealand and prices in Australian dollars. Clockie is built here: the roster, the verified time clock and visitor sign-in are one NZD subscription, and next week’s roster can start from the hours your team actually worked.
$59
Monthly, 20 staff (NZD)
NZD
No AUD conversion
8 weeks
Of clock-ins behind every draft
Direct
Xero & Crystal payroll
Why teams pick Clockie
RosterElf is built around the roster and charges for every user, managers included. Clockie starts from the time clock: the roster is included in the plan, and it is drafted from what your team really did.
A roster that starts from what happened
Clockie reads the last eight weeks of clock-ins and proposes next week’s shifts, each with a plain reason such as “Worked Tue 8:00 to 16:00 in 6 of the last 8 weeks”. You accept them, change them or discard them. RosterElf suggests staff for a shift with its Perfect Match feature; its site does not describe drafting a week from clock-in history.
- Drafted from real clock-ins
- A reason on every proposed shift
- Always a draft until you publish
Priced in NZD, by staff on the clock
RosterElf’s New Zealand pricing page shows Australian dollars plus GST: $8 per employee per month on the monthly Core plan, with admins and managers counted as billable staff (read 19 September 2026). Clockie is $29 NZD a month including 5 staff, then $2 per extra staff member, with the roster included.
- $29 NZD base includes 5 staff
- +$2 a month per extra staff member
- Roster included, no higher tier
Staff are told without an app
Publishing a Clockie roster emails each person their week, or sends a text message (WhatsApp when they have opted in), and their shifts appear on their personal clock page in the browser. RosterElf’s help centre says staff view rosters in its smartphone app.
- Email, text message or WhatsApp
- No app store download
- SMS estimate shown before you publish
Verified clock-ins and visitor sign-in on one tablet
Clockie’s kiosk checks a PIN, a photo or an on-device face match, keeps working offline, and signs in visitors and contractors with inductions and an evacuation roll-call. Turn the optional Tap to Clock setting on and the same kiosk also takes an NFC badge or fob tap on Android, a printed QR card, or the rotating QR code from a staff member’s own phone on any kiosk with a camera, iPads included; it is off by default, works offline, and a tap or scan replaces the PIN and face check rather than adding to it. RosterElf describes a tablet clock with a 4-digit PIN and an optional photo; its site does not describe visitor sign-in.
- PIN, photo or face match
- Offline-first kiosk and phone clock
- Visitor and contractor sign-in included
Side-by-side feature comparison
How Clockie and RosterElf line up, feature by feature, so you can decide on the facts.
| Feature | ClockieNZ-built, payroll-first | RosterElfRostering app (AU) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Monthly cost, 10 staff | $39 NZD | AUD $80 + GST (Core, monthly) |
| Monthly cost, 20 staff | $59 NZD | AUD $160 + GST (Core, monthly) |
| Monthly cost, 30 staff | $79 NZD | AUD $240 + GST (Core, monthly) |
| Currency on the NZ pricing page | NZD | AUD |
| Who is billed | Staff on the time clock | Every user, including admins and managers |
| Minimum | $29 base (5 staff included) | 3 active staff (monthly plans) |
| Free trial | 14-day trial | 15-day trial |
| Time clock & on-site | ||
| Kiosk mode (shared tablet) | ||
| Identity check at clock-in | PIN, photo or face match | PIN, optional photo |
| Offline clock-in (full sync) | Kiosk + mobile | Not described |
| Visitor & contractor sign-in | Not described | |
| Evacuation muster roll-call | Not described | |
| Scheduling & rostering | ||
| Weekly roster grid, copy last week, templates | ||
| Draft the week from clock-in history, with a reason per shift | Not described | |
| Import a pasted roster or whiteboard photo | Not described | |
| How staff are told | Email, text message or WhatsApp | App push, SMS, in-app |
| Rostered vs actual hours | ||
| Staff suggestions for a shift (Perfect Match) | ||
| Open shifts and shift confirmation | ||
| Shift swaps between staff | ||
| Clock-in limited by the roster | Never: the clock always works | Optional, per role |
| NZ payroll & integrations | ||
| Xero Payroll | Direct API push | Integration |
| Crystal Payroll | Direct API | Not named |
| Other NZ payroll systems | Formatted CSV for 9 more | Smartly and MYOB named |
| Award interpretation (Australia) | ||
| Support | ||
| Support based in | New Zealand | Australia |
| Priority support | All plans | Not described |
RosterElf details are based on publicly available information and may change. Check RosterElf’s own site for their latest pricing and features.
What RosterElf does better
An honest look at where RosterElf is the stronger fit.
Open shifts, shift confirmation and swaps
RosterElf lets staff claim open shifts, confirm the shifts they are given and swap with each other, and it suggests who best fits a shift. Clockie’s roster has none of these. It is a weekly grid that can draft itself from your clock-in history.
Australian awards and an HR suite
RosterElf interprets Australian awards and sells HR onboarding, contracts, policies and document storage alongside the roster. If you employ people in Australia, or want HR in the same product, that matters more than Clockie’s NZ focus.
A long record with Xero users
RosterElf is rated 4.88 from 93 reviews on the Xero App Store NZ (read 14 September 2026). Clockie’s roster is new, and has no review record yet.
Choose RosterElf if…
- You want staff to claim, confirm and swap shifts in an app
- You employ staff under Australian awards
- You want HR onboarding and contracts in the same product
- You are comfortable being billed in AUD for every user
Choose Clockie if…
- You want next week drafted from the hours people really worked
- You want the roster, time clock and visitor sign-in on one NZD bill
- You’re on Xero or Crystal and want hours pushed directly
- Your staff would rather get an email or a text than install an app
Switching from RosterElf in 3 steps
Done in 15 minutes. No data loss.
Bring your roster across
Inside Clockie, paste this week’s roster as text, or upload a photo or screenshot of it, into Import your roster and check the proposed shifts.
Import your staff
Bulk-import your staff list into Clockie in one upload.
Set up the kiosk
Open Clockie on any tablet, pair it, and staff can clock in the same day.
Need a hand? We’ll walk you through it.
Common questions
Is Clockie cheaper than RosterElf?
For most small NZ teams, yes, and it is billed in NZ dollars. RosterElf’s New Zealand pricing page showed AUD $8 plus GST per employee per month on the monthly Core plan when we read it on 19 September 2026, with admins and managers billable, so 20 people is AUD $160 a month. Clockie is $29 NZD including 5 staff plus $2 per extra staff member, so 20 staff is $59 NZD a month excluding GST, with the roster and visitor sign-in included.
Does Clockie’s roster do everything RosterElf’s does?
No. RosterElf has open shifts staff can claim, shift confirmation, shift swaps and staff suggestions. Clockie has a weekly grid per location, copy last week, templates, approved leave shaded on the grid, publishing by email, text message or WhatsApp, and a draft built from your clock-in history or, inside Clockie, from a roster you paste or photograph. If the first list is why you are buying, RosterElf is the better fit.
How does Clockie draft a roster from clock-ins?
On an empty week, choose Start from what actually happened. Clockie looks at the last eight weeks and proposes a shift wherever someone worked the same weekday in at least four of them, at their usual start and finish rounded to 15 minutes. Every proposal shows its reason and stays a draft until you accept it and publish.
Does RosterElf connect to NZ payroll?
RosterElf’s New Zealand payroll page names Xero, MYOB and Smartly (read 19 September 2026). Clockie pushes approved hours directly to Xero Payroll and Crystal Payroll, and exports a formatted CSV for nine more NZ payroll systems, including PayHero, iPayroll, Smartly and PaySauce.
Do staff need an app to see the roster?
Not with Clockie. When you publish, each person gets their week by email or text message (WhatsApp if they have opted in), and their upcoming shifts show on their personal clock page in the browser. There is nothing to download from an app store.
Start next week from a real one
Try Clockie free for 14 days. No credit card. Roster, time clock and visitor sign-in on one NZD plan.
No credit card • Cancel anytime • NZ-based support