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TimeDrop by LotHill is a time tracking software designed specifically for businesses to track employee hours for payroll purposes. As a business owner, accurately tracking your employees' time and attendance is crucial for paying them correctly as well as for understanding your labor costs. TimeDrop aims to make this process simple and streamlined.

In this review, I'll provide an in-depth look at TimeDrop's features, pricing, pros and cons, and how it compares to other popular time tracking software. Whether you're just starting out with time tracking or looking to switch to a new system, this review will help you determine if TimeDrop is the right fit for your business.

Overview of TimeDrop

TimeDrop is developed by LotHill, a company that focuses solely on time tracking software. It is a downloadable Windows application that runs on your PC - there is no web-based version. The basic functionality includes:

- Clock in/out for shifts
- Track time off and breaks
- Generate reports
- Export data


It does not include advanced features like project tracking, invoicing, or scheduling. The target customer is small businesses who just need simple punch in/out time tracking for payroll.

TimeDrop is relatively affordable at a one-time price of $39 per computer. You can install it on as many computers as needed. The first 30 days include free support, and after 30 days support is $25/month if you need it. There is also a free 15 day trial available.

Getting Started With TimeDrop

Downloading and installing TimeDrop is quick and easy. It works on any Windows computer running Windows 7 or newer.

The interface is clean and intuitive. Employees can clock in by clicking the "Clock In" button, and clock out by clicking "Clock Out". Optional fields allow entering a job code, department, or note if desired.

Employees can view their own timesheets and totals, but cannot edit or delete any data. Only managers have access to edit, delete, or override clock in/out times.

Managers can view reports on employee hours for any date range - daily, weekly, monthly etc. Reports can also be filtered by employee or department. And all reports can be exported to Excel or PDF.

TimeDrop doesn't include any scheduling features. The focus is purely on tracking hours worked. But it does have options to enter time off, sick time, vacation, etc. So managers have a complete record of each employee's time.

Advanced Features

While TimeDrop covers the basics well, there are some more advanced features worth mentioning:

- IP address tracking - The software logs the IP address with each clock in/out event, to prevent employees from clocking in remotely.

- Inactivity lockout - If an employee forgets to clock out, the software will automatically clock them out after a defined period of inactivity.

- Overtime alerts - Get notified if an employee exceeds daily or weekly overtime thresholds you set.

- Pay period totals - At a glance monitor hours worked per pay period for each employee.

- Autobreaks - Configure the system to automatically deduct break time if an employee works beyond a defined number of hours.

- Multiple locations - Track time across multiple business locations using the same TimeDrop account.

The advanced features are nice for larger businesses or for anyone who wants deeper insights into employee time beyond just totals per day. But the basic features alone are sufficient for most small business needs.

Integrations

Being a desktop-only software, TimeDrop does not integrate or sync data with any web services or mobile apps. The only integration is the ability to export timesheets and reports to Excel or PDF.

This is fine if you only need TimeDrop's standalone functionality. But lack of integrations could be a limitation if you were hoping to feed data to your payroll system, HR system, project management tools, etc. You would need to export from TimeDrop and import/re-enter that data into other programs.

For example, importing the Excel timesheets into your payroll system instead of having a direct sync. This adds extra steps to your workflow but can certainly still work. Just depends on your requirements.

Pros of TimeDrop

- Simple to learn and use
- Affordable one-time pricing
- Free 30 day support (then just $25/month)
- No monthly fees or subscriptions
- Accurately tracks employee in/out times
- Ability to edit, override, or delete entries
- Filters and reports give insights into labor costs
- Option for overtime alerts to control labor spending
- Easy Excel/PDF exports for payroll system


Cons of TimeDrop

- Desktop-only, no web or mobile access
- No integrations with other software
- Limited features beyond time tracking
- Requires manual data export for payroll
- May not scale well beyond 10-15 employees


Compared To Other Time Tracking Software

How does TimeDrop stack up against popular competitors like TSheets, TimeCamp, Clockify, and Hours?

TimeDrop is significantly cheaper at just $39 vs over $100 per year for most competitors. But competitors offer web and mobile access, more features, better automation and many integrations.

For example, TSheets starts at $20 per month per user, but integrates directly with payroll systems like QuickBooks. So TSheets would save on manual work, but costs a lot more.

TimeCamp and Hours cost a bit less than TSheets but also have many more features, mobile apps, etc. However, Clockify is free for unlimited users, with just some limitations on reporting - so it's hard to beat free!

Overall, TimeDrop is cheaper but more limited in features. The competitors cost more but you get more advanced functionality, mobility, and automation. TimeDrop focuses exclusively on simple time tracking at a bargain price point.

Is TimeDrop Right For Your Business?

TimeDrop is best suited for small businesses with under 10 employees who just need basic punch in/out time tracking for payroll. The low one-time price makes it affordable. And it's easy to use without too many complex features.

If you want mobility, lots of automation, or integration with other systems - TimeDrop likely won't meet your needs. Then a more full-featured solution like TSheets or Clockify would be better options albeit at a higher price.

But if your use case is simple, TimeDrop delivers accurate and affordable time tracking. The free trial is a great way to evaluate if TimeDrop will work for your business needs or not. And with the first 30 days of support included free, it's easy to get started and get your questions answered.

Getting Support For TimeDrop

As mentioned, TimeDrop includes free email support for the first 30 days after purchase. This is helpful while getting started to answer any initial questions.

After the first 30 days, you can purchase ongoing priority email support for $25 per month. For a single fee, you can email the TimeDrop support team anytime you need help.

Phone support is not offered, but issues can be resolved over email fairly quickly based on reviews. Typical queries include:

- How do I edit an incorrect clock in or out time?
- What causes the overtime alerts and how do I adjust the thresholds?
- How do I add a new employee into the system?
- How do I export my employee timesheets?


The support team is reportedly very responsive over email and aims for 24-48 hour resolution on most issues.

You could also visit the TimeDrop knowledge base which contains documentation on getting started, using the features, and troubleshooting advice. Between the knowledge base and paid email support, you should be able to get answers when needed.

TimeDrop Community & Reviews

As a relatively small software company, TimeDrop does not have a large user community or forums. But it is starting to gain some traction particularly with small service businesses like auto shops, contractors, and beauty salons.

Review sites like Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice have a limited number of ratings for TimeDrop, averaging around 4/5 stars.

Positive feedback mentions the easy tracking of employee hours, handy reporting, and good value for money. Negative feedback notes the lack of mobile or web access, integrations, and more advanced features. Also, some users have complained about glitches with the inactivity lockouts.

But overall, TimeDrop scores well for basic time tracking functionality, especially considering the low one-time price. For simple employee time tracking, most users seem happy with TimeDrop.

Conclusions & Recommendation

TimeDrop by LotHill is worth considering if you just need basic time clock features to track employee hours for payroll purposes. The simple punch in/out tracking, reporting, exporting, and overtime alerts provide good value for only $39.

However, the lack of web/mobile access, integrations, scheduling, deeper analytics, and reliance on manual data exports are significant limitations. Competitors like TSheets or Clockify deliver more automation and functionality, albeit at a higher price.

So I would recommend TimeDrop for businesses with under 10 employees who want basic time tracking on a tight budget. It can deliver good ROI without overly complex features. But evaluate carefully based on your specific requirements. Be sure to try the free trial to confirm TimeDrop suits your needs before purchasing.

For larger businesses or those who want more mobility, automation, and advanced features - TimeDrop likely won't suffice. The competitors often provide free trials as well, so you can compare hands-on before committing.