The whole reason to upgrade from paper is honest punches. Biometric (Face ID or fingerprint) and PIN entry are the two main ways to confirm who’s clocking in. Here’s how they compare so you can pick the right one.
Biometric (Face ID / fingerprint)
- Pros — nearly impossible to fake; nothing to remember or share
- Cons — some staff have privacy concerns; a few states regulate biometric data
PIN entry
- Pros — simple, no biometric data stored, works on any device
- Cons — PINs can be shared unless paired with a supervised kiosk
Our top pick: ClockAll
The strongest setup uses both: a supervised tablet kiosk with Face ID, plus a personal PIN as a fallback. ClockAll supports Face ID and per-person PINs and adds GPS so a shared PIN still can’t be used off-site.
- Stops buddy punching with Face ID and per-person PINs
- Any tablet becomes a kiosk — no proprietary hardware to buy
- GPS & geofencing verify staff are on-site when they punch
- Scheduling, breaks, PTO and overtime built in, not bolted on
- Multiple locations from one dashboard with an audit trail
- Free for your first 3 months, then from $5.99/month
ClockAll is built for small and growing teams that want an honest, simple system without enterprise pricing or clunky hardware.
Frequently asked questions
Is a biometric time clock legal?
Generally yes, but a few states (like Illinois) regulate biometric data collection. PIN entry avoids that entirely.
Which is more secure, fingerprint or PIN?
Biometric is harder to fake. PIN is fine when used on a supervised kiosk so codes can’t be passed around.
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