A timesheet app for teams that want fair, accurate hours

A timesheet app should make logging hours easy

A timesheet app has one job: record how many hours were worked, on which project, and whether those hours are correct. The best tools make this quick enough that people do it every day, rather than in a batch on Friday afternoon. Accurate hours depend on that daily habit.

zeitfair is built around that habit. It is a timesheet app that runs in the browser, keeps data in the EU, and gives managers team and project views rather than rankings of individuals. If you are comparing options, the sections below explain what it does and where it fits.

What to look for in a timesheet app

Most small and mid-sized teams need the same core features:

• A timer and manual entries, so people can start when work begins and add forgotten hours later.
• Projects, clients and tasks, so billable time is assigned without spreadsheets.
• Breaks and absences, recorded in one place.
• Approval for absences, so managers can sign off leave.
• Exports, as CSV or PDF reports and monthly time statements.
• Corrections that leave a trace, so edits are visible later.

Features like these are routine. What separates tools is how they behave in daily use, and what they collect in the background. Tools that log keystrokes or take screenshots may look thorough, but they tend to erode trust. zeitfair does not do this.

Timesheets on the phone: a mobile web app

Many people need to log time away from a desk, whether on site, in a van or between client visits. zeitfair handles this through the mobile browser.

Why a web app, not a native store app

zeitfair is a progressive web app (PWA). Staff open it in the browser on their phone or laptop, log in and clock in or out. There is no separate download from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

This has practical trade-offs. A web app works on any device with a modern browser. It does not use the native features that some store apps offer, and it is not listed in app stores. If you need a store app specifically, check that the workflow suits your team before you buy.

Clock in from anywhere

The timer is the core of daily use. An employee starts it at the beginning of a shift or task, switches projects when the work changes, and stops it at the end. Manual entries cover the gaps, such as a meeting that ran long or a call made from home. Both paths produce the same record, so reports stay consistent.

Approvals and absences

Approval workflows matter most for leave and absences. In zeitfair, employees request leave and absences in the tool, and managers approve or decline them there. The result is one record of who is away and when, without a separate email chain.

Time entries work differently. They are recorded by the employee, with the timer or manually, and corrections are logged. Managers review team and project totals to see whether hours look right. If your payroll process needs a formal sign-off of monthly hours, agree on that step with your payroll team before rollout, and document it in your internal policy.

Monthly statements and exports

Payroll, clients and records all ask for data in different formats, so a timesheet app should export cleanly.

The monthly statement is a useful checkpoint. Each employee can see their hours for the month before payroll runs, and any errors surface while they are still easy to fix. That reduces back-and-forth at month end.

Corrections and the audit trail

People forget to log time, and mistakes happen. A timesheet app should allow corrections, but corrections should not be silent. zeitfair logs edits to time entries in an audit log, so you can see what changed and when.

This protects both sides. Employees can fix their own records without fear of an unexplained change, and managers can check that corrections are reasonable. For UK and EU teams, a traceable record also supports the duty to keep reliable working-time records. The time tracking overview explains how this fits the wider legal picture.

Timesheet apps and GDPR in the UK and EU

A timesheet app stores personal data about every person who logs time. That makes the design of the tool as important as its feature list.

The UK and EU rules point in the same direction. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in C-55/18 (14 May 2019) that employers must use an objective, reliable and accessible system to measure daily working time. UK employers must keep records that show compliance with working-time limits under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Data protection law applies to all of it.

In practice, four points matter most:

1. Collect only what you need. Working time, projects and absences are usually enough.
2. Tell staff what is recorded, why, and for how long.
3. Set a retention period and delete records when it ends.
4. Sign a processor contract. Your provider needs a data processing agreement (Article 28 GDPR).

zeitfair stores data in Frankfurt, offers a DPA online, and supports data export and deletion. For a deeper look, read our guide to GDPR time tracking. This is general information, not legal advice. Check your obligations with a lawyer or your data protection officer before rollout.

Works councils in Germany

If you run a team in Germany, a new timesheet app may require works council co-determination. The Federal Labour Court (BAG) confirmed in its decision of 13 September 2022 (1 ABR 22/21) that such systems are generally subject to it. Involve the works council early, and agree on settings and retention periods together.

How to choose a timesheet app

Use a short list of criteria when you compare tools:

Be wary of tools that promise productivity scores from screenshots or activity data. They carry GDPR risk and often damage trust. A plain timesheet app with good reports is usually the better choice.

Small teams and project work

Small businesses usually want a simple setup and a low cost. zeitfair's free plan covers up to three users, so you can try the timer, projects and exports with a real team. Paid plans scale per user: Basic at 3.90 euros, Pro at 6.90 euros and Business at 9.90 euros per user per month.

If you bill clients by the hour, the link between entries and projects is the key detail. Tag every entry, review open entries weekly and compare planned with actual hours. The project time tracking guide covers that setup step by step, and employee time tracking covers the staff side.

Get started

zeitfair is free for up to three users. Invite your team, set up your projects and ask staff to clock in from their phone browser. Once the routine settles, review the first monthly statements together and adjust the settings as needed.