--- title: "Essential Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Essential Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Time Tracking products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/231845/Essential/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Essential Software Review 2026: Features, Reviews, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on September 17, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Essential ## What is Essential? Essential is a time tracking software for micro and small companies that records attendances and evaluate the absences of its employees. The subscription includes: • Attendance record; • Justification of absences; • Holiday requests; • Automatic calculation of overtime; • Self-service portals for employees and managers. Intuitive, functional and simple use, Essential is a cloud solution for use as a service through a subscription. ## What is Essential used for? [Attendance Tracking](https://www.capterra.com/attendance-tracking-software/)[Time Clock](https://www.capterra.com/time-clock-software/)[Time Tracking](https://www.capterra.com/time-tracking-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 1 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive \- Neutral \- Negative \- Starting price €19.9 Per User, Per Month Free trial available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Essential?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/essential/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Essential 5.0 (1) VS. [4.6 (5,315)](https://www.capterra.com/p/153140/Connecteam/reviews/) Starting Price €19.9 Per User, Per Month Starting Price $29 Flat Rate, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 5.0 (1) Ease Of Use 4.7 (5,315) Value For Money 5.0 (1) Value For Money 4.5 (5,072) Customer Service 5.0 (1) Customer Service 4.6 (5,086) ## Essential alternatives Highest Rated [4.9 (4,881)](https://www.capterra.com/p/172127/Rippling/reviews/) Starting price $8.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.9 (4,312)](https://www.capterra.com/p/205015/Deel/reviews/) Starting price $5.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.7 (100)](https://www.capterra.com/p/129186/Synerion/reviews/) Starting price $2.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (3,558)](https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/reviews/) Starting price $10.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars ## FAQs about Essential Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Essential built for? Essential is designed for micro and small companies in any industry. It is aimed at organizations that need a solution suited to smaller business operations rather than larger enterprise environments, and its target audience is not limited to a specific sector. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Essential? Essential offers time tracking, timesheet management, employee scheduling, attendance tracking, and leave tracking for workforce oversight. It also includes payroll management, billable and non-billable hours, overtime calculation, reporting and analytics, role-based permissions, approval process control, and mobile access for clock in/out and time entry. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Essential offer? Essential offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, knowledge base, and chat support. These channels give users several ways to find answers or contact support. No reviewer feedback about support experience is available, so no claims can be made about response speed, helpfulness, or common frustrations. ## Features AI summary Based on 25,810 Time Tracking reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the top priorities when choosing time tracking software: - **Clock In/Out** (**60%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Online Time Tracking** (**52%**) - **Project Time Tracking** (**55%**) Essential supports **Clock In/Out** and **Online Time Tracking**, giving teams an easy way to record work hours and monitor time from anywhere. However, it does not include **Project Time Tracking**. Instead, it offers other highly rated capabilities, including **Payroll Management** (**57%**), **API** (**58%**), and **Mobile Access** (**49%**), which can help businesses connect time data with payroll systems, link the platform to other tools, and let employees track time on the go, helping businesses keep records accurate and day-to-day operations efficient. Clock In/Out 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track employees' arrival and departure timings for payroll purposes Payroll Management 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Manage employee salary processes, data, taxes, and records administration efficiently Employee Database 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository Employee Scheduling 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Assign working shifts or tasks to employees based on their availability Leave Tracking 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Manage and track employee attendance Timesheet Management 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track the amount of time spent on a job or task Essential 45 features ### All Features - Access Controls/Permissions: Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems - Accounting Integration: Integrate with a third-party accounting system - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Approval Process Control: Manage the process of evaluating documents or requests submitted for approval - Attendance Tracking: Track the attendance of specific individuals or groups - Automated Scheduling: Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications - Automatic Time Capture: Automate recording of time to reduce human error - Billable & Non-Billable Hours: Track billable hours and/or non-billable expenses for work performed - Biometric Recognition: Facial or other physical recognition to confirm identity - Calendar Management: Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar - Clock In/Out: Track employees' arrival and departure timings for payroll purposes - Compliance Management: Track and manage adherence to policies for any service, product, process, or supplier - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Employee Database: Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository - Employee Management: Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks - Employee Portal: Online portal where employees can access and track their own information - Employee Scheduling: Assign working shifts or tasks to employees based on their availability - Employee Time Tracking: Track and measure time worked for employees - Leave Tracking: Manage and track employee attendance - Mobile Access: Access software remotely via mobile devices - Multi-Location: Manage and support multiple locations - Multiple Billing Rates: Different tiers of pricing and billing for different employees and situations - Offline Time Tracking: Track employee and task times without internet connection - Online Time Tracking: Track employee and task times using internet connection - Overtime Calculation: Manage and record overtime hours for hourly employees - Payroll Management: Manage employee salary processes, data, taxes, and records administration efficiently - Projections: Estimate or forecast of a future scenario based on the study of present trends - Punch card: Clock in and out online or with a card - Real-Time Data: Receive data and information in real time - Real-Time Notifications: Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs - Real-Time Reporting: Active reporting of data and metrics - Real-Time Updates: Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made - Reminders: Timed notification for any upcoming task, deadline, appointment, or activity - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Role-Based Permissions: Set & manage permission levels based on user roles and restrict access to only authorized individuals - Self Service Portal: Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information - Sick Leave Tracking: Track and manage sick leave time - Time & Expense Tracking: Log and record hours worked and costs spent to assist in billing and invoicing - Time Tracking: Measure and track time including hours worked and paid time off (PTO) - Timesheet Management: Track the amount of time spent on a job or task - Vacation/Leave Tracking: Request, track, and manage time off requests and vacation time - Workflow Management: Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 5.0 (1) 5.0 Based on 1 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 5.0 (1) Free Trial Basic €19.90 Per User,Per Month Value for money 5.0 (1) 5.0 Based on 1 reviews Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 5.0 (1) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 5.0 (1) 5.0 Based on 1 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 5.0 Based on 1 reviews Filter by rating 5(1) 4(0) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent AN Anonymous User Administrativo Online Media ### "Qualidade e execelencia" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 8, 2024 Gostei muito e pretendo adquirir assim que puder. Pros Excelente software para o dia a dia, ajuda bastante. Cons Demora ao abrir o software, deverá ser rápido. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.