Clockie vs TimeDock: two NZ time clocks that both reach Xero Payroll
TimeDock is a well-established New Zealand time clock with QR and NFC tracking, optional wall-mounted hardware, and a direct Xero Payroll integration. Clockie covers the same clock-in job — including optional tap-and-go NFC badges and phone QR — adds visitor and contractor sign-in on the same tablet, and costs less per month as the team grows.
$69
Clockie: 20 staff, 2 sites (+GST)
2-in-1
Staff clock-in + visitor sign-in
Your call
Tap-and-go badges & QR, or PIN/face verification
Direct
Xero & Crystal payroll API
Why teams pick Clockie
Both are New Zealand-made, both run a kiosk, and both push timesheets into Xero Payroll by API. Here is where they genuinely differ.
Staff and visitors on the same tablet
Both products run on tablets you already own — TimeDock offers bring-your-own-device plans, with wall-mounted time clocks as an optional extra, and both can take an emergency roll call: TimeDock ships FireDrill for staff who have clocked in. The difference is who the roll call reaches. Clockie runs visitor and contractor sign-in alongside the staff clock, so inductions, host alerts and a single muster cover employees and visitors together. TimeDock keeps the two apart — its visitor log is a pre-beta QR form which its own page says does not integrate with FireDrill.
- Visitor and contractor sign-in included
- One muster covering staff and visitors
- Their visitor log is pre-beta and separate
Tap-and-go badges and phone QR, or verification — your call
Both cover shared kiosks and mobile clock-ins — TimeDock does field and off-site tracking through QR codes on Android and iOS, and NFC badges on supported Android. Clockie now offers tap-and-go too: an NFC badge tap on an Android kiosk, printed QR ID cards, or a rotating QR on each person’s own phone that any kiosk with a camera can scan — iPads included. The difference is the choice Clockie adds on top: a badge or QR code is a possession credential that can be handed to a workmate, so businesses that need proof of who clocked in can leave Tap to Clock off and require PIN entry and on-device face matching instead.
- Tap-and-go: NFC badges, phone QR, printed ID cards
- Or verified: PIN and on-device face matching
- Taps and scans skip PIN and face checks — opt in per business
Payroll: both direct to Xero, Clockie adds Crystal Payroll
Both products connect to Xero Payroll by API rather than a file download — TimeDock connects your Xero organisation and exports timesheets straight into it. Where Clockie goes further is Crystal Payroll: a direct API push there too. TimeDock imports into Crystal by file — its own page describes importing “using their timesheet file format”. Clockie also has formatted exports for seven more NZ systems — PayHero included — and leave balances sync back.
- Direct API to Xero and Crystal Payroll
- Leave balances sync back into Clockie
- Formatted exports for seven more NZ systems
Real-time job costing
See actual hours against budgeted hours per job, so you know which projects are profitable while they are running. TimeDock publishes job timesheets and activity codes; budget-versus-actual tracking is not stated in their published plans.
- Budget vs actual hours per job
- Profitability alerts (over budget)
- Perfect for construction & trades
Side-by-side feature comparison
How Clockie and TimeDock line up, feature by feature — so you can decide on the facts.
| Feature | ClockieNZ-built, payroll-first | TimeDockQR & NFC time clock |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Pricing model | $29 base (5 staff, 1 site) + $2/staff + $10/site | $6 per active employee + $25 base (Flexible) |
| Monthly, 20 staff, 1 site | $59 | $145 |
| Monthly, 20 staff, 2 sites | $69 | $145 (unlimited devices) |
| 5-year subscription (20 staff, 2 sites) | $4,140 | $8,700 |
| Optional hardware | None offered | $1,150 per time clock, $1 per badge |
| Deployment | ||
| Runs on tablets you own | ||
| Self-serve signup | 14-day trial, no card | Free trial registration |
| Optional wall-mounted hardware | ||
| Core features | ||
| Kiosk mode | ||
| Mobile / off-site clock-in | Web & mobile app | QR on iOS & Android, NFC on Android |
| Badge & QR clock-in | NFC badge tap (Android kiosks), phone QR & printed cards on any kiosk with a camera | QR on iOS & Android, NFC on Android |
| Offline mode | ||
| GPS verification | ||
| Face verification | Not stated | |
| Photo capture | Not stated | |
| Job tracking | ||
| Visitor & contractor sign-in | QR visitor log, pre-beta | |
| Budget tracking (actual vs budgeted) | Not stated | |
| Profitability reporting | Not stated | |
| Xero & payroll integration | ||
| Xero Payroll integration | Direct API push | Direct API push |
| Leave balance sync | Not stated | |
| Crystal Payroll | Direct API push | Timesheet file import |
| NZ payroll systems supported | 9, two by direct API | Wide published coverage |
| Support | ||
| Support channels | Phone, email & in-app chat | Phone, email, live chat |
| NZ-based support | ||
| Published support hours | Mon-Fri 9am-5pm NZST | 9am-4pm NZST |
TimeDock details are based on publicly available information and may change — check TimeDock’s own site for their latest pricing and features.
5-year total cost
Real numbers for a 20-person team.
Clockie
- Monthly (20 staff)
- $69/month
- 5-year cost
- $4,140
TimeDock
- Monthly (20 staff)
- $145/month
- 5-year cost
- $8,700
Subscription only, 20 staff across 2 locations, NZD excluding GST, no hardware on either side. Clockie: $29 base (includes 5 staff and 1 location) + 15 extra staff at $2 + 1 extra location at $10 = $69. TimeDock Flexible Plan: 20 active employees at $6 + $25 base = $145; their plan includes unlimited devices, so the second site adds nothing. TimeDock pricing read from their pricing page on 24 August 2026. Optional TimeDock hardware ($1,150 per time clock) is excluded — it is not required.
What TimeDock does better
An honest look at where TimeDock is the stronger fit.
Ruggedized hardware for harsh environments
TimeDock sells purpose-built time clocks as an optional extra, with a two-year warranty and NFC badges. Clockie sells no hardware. To be clear, this is not about mounting: a Clockie kiosk can be wall-mounted in any standard tablet enclosure, which is what most sites do. The real difference is that TimeDock builds and warrants the device itself, so if you want a single supplier for the hardware as well as the software, that is a genuine reason to choose them.
Wider payroll system coverage
TimeDock publishes a wider list of supported payroll systems than Clockie does, across New Zealand, Australia, the UK and North America. Clockie supports 9 NZ payroll systems, three of them by direct API. If your payroll sits outside that list, TimeDock is more likely to cover it.
Choose TimeDock if…
- Sites that want a purpose-built clocking device supplied and warranted by the vendor
- Businesses whose payroll system is outside Clockie's NZ list
- Sites wanting vendor-supplied time clocks, badges and cards under a two-year warranty
Choose Clockie if…
- Businesses that need visitors and contractors signed in as well as staff
- Teams that want tap-and-go badges or QR with the option of PIN/face verification
- Teams that need both kiosk and personal device tracking (crew + office)
- Businesses using Xero Payroll (direct API push)
- Teams that need job costing (actual vs budgeted hours)
Switching from TimeDock in 3 steps
Done in 15 minutes. No data loss.
Export from TimeDock
Download your staff list as CSV.
Import to Clockie
Bulk CSV import into Clockie (one-click upload).
Set up the kiosk
Open Clockie on your existing iPad/tablet. Done.
Need a hand? We’ll walk you through it.
Common questions
Do I need to buy hardware for either product?
No. Both run on tablets you already own — TimeDock offers bring-your-own-device plans, and sells wall-mounted time clocks as an optional extra. Clockie offers no hardware at all: open clockie.nz in Safari or Chrome on any iPad or Android tablet.
Does Clockie work offline like TimeDock?
Yes. Clockie works perfectly offline—staff can clock in/out with zero internet. Everything syncs automatically when you're back online. No data loss, ever.
What about GPS and photo verification?
Yes, both included. Optional GPS verification ensures staff are on-site when clocking in. Photo capture at clock-in prevents buddy punching. Face verification also available (uses device camera, no hardware needed).
Does Clockie do NFC badges and QR codes like TimeDock?
Yes — optionally. Switch Tap to Clock on and staff can clock in with an NFC badge tap on an Android kiosk, by showing the rotating QR from their personal clock page at any kiosk with a camera (including iPads), or with a printed QR ID card. Taps and scans clock staff in without PIN or face verification, so businesses that want verified clock-ins can leave it off and use PIN or face matching instead.
Can I track job codes like TimeDock?
Yes. TimeDock publishes job timesheets and activity codes. Clockie tracks jobs too and adds budget-versus-actual hours, so you can see which jobs are profitable while they are still running.
How do the Xero Payroll integrations compare?
Both are direct API integrations — you connect your Xero organisation and timesheets go straight in; neither requires downloading a file and importing it by hand. Where Clockie goes further is the rest of the NZ payroll market: direct API to Crystal Payroll as well, formatted exports for seven more systems including PayHero, and leave balances syncing back into Clockie.
Does Clockie have hardware options?
No, Clockie is software only. That does not stop you fixing it to the wall — a tablet running Clockie sits in any standard wall enclosure, which is how most sites run it. What TimeDock offers is a device it builds and warrants itself, as an optional extra. If you would rather buy the hardware and the software from one supplier, that is a fair reason to choose them.
Staff and visitors, sorted on one tablet
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