The staff clock-in tablet built for the counter.
Clock In Now is a facial recognition clock-in tablet for cafés — $89 one-time, no subscription. Replaces the paper timesheet on the fridge and the endless "did you clock in?" question.
What café mornings actually look like
The 6:00 AM shift starts. The barista walks in, hands full of milk crates. The dishy is already at the sink. Somewhere on the fridge is a paper timesheet nobody wants to fill in with wet hands, or an app that needs each person's phone unlocked. By Sunday night, you're piecing shifts together from memory and gut feel.
A tablet on the counter fixes this because it's visible. Staff walk past it. The tablet sees their face, ticks them in, and shows the current shift on screen. No decision to make.
Why facial recognition beats PINs in a café
- Hands are wet, floury or covered in coffee grounds. Face works, fingers don't.
- PINs get shared. Buddy-punching disappears with face matching.
- New casual on Saturday? Take a photo in setup, they're clocking in five seconds later.
- No phone required — which is a plus for underage staff and phone-off policies.
What it costs a café over a year
A typical 8-person café pays $30–$50 per user per month on a workforce app once you add clock-in and scheduling. That's $2,880 to $4,800 in year one. Clock In Now is $89, and year two is $0. The break-even is about a fortnight.
What it does not do (and what to pair it with)
Clock In Now doesn't build rosters, apply penalty rates or send pay runs. Most cafés we hear from already do rosters in a WhatsApp group or Google Sheet, and let Xero apply hospitality award rates from the imported CSV. If you need rostering and award interpretation in one app, Deputy or Tanda is still worth the money — we say so on the Deputy comparison page.
Setting it up in your café
- Install the app on your Android tablet and enter your activation code
- Stand it on the counter or the shelf near the back-of-house door, on power
- Join the shop wifi (it remembers it)
- Take a phone photo of each staff member — takes about a minute for a team of eight
- They clock in on tomorrow's shift
Replacements and second locations
If the tablet gets a coffee bath in month three, install the app on another Android tablet — your licence comes with you. Opening a second shop? One licence per site, no per-location subscription, and bulk pricing on 3+.
Related pages: Tablet time clock in Australia · How the face clock-in works · For retail shops.
Frequently asked
How long does it take a barista to clock in?
About a second. They walk up, the tablet recognises their face, done. No PIN, no phone, no app, no card.
What if the café wifi drops out mid-service?
The tablet keeps working. Face matching runs on-device, so clock-ins are recorded locally and sync when wifi is back.
Where does the tablet sit?
Most cafés put it next to the POS or on a shelf near the back-of-house door. It's a 7-inch tablet with a small footprint.
Does it work with Xero or MYOB payroll?
Yes. Export a CSV at the end of the pay period; both Xero and MYOB accept it as a timesheet import.
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Try it free for 30 days.
No credit card, no personal information. After 30 days, keep it forever for $89 — one-time, no subscription.