# FirstStarHR Essentials vs TimeWorksPlus Employee

The clearest difference is rating: FirstStarHR Essentials at 3.3 against TimeWorksPlus Employee's 1.9. FirstStarHR Essentials also leads on device support (3 vs 1). TimeWorksPlus Employee's advantage is ratings volume (255 vs 7) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

FirstStarHR Essentials holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TimeWorksPlus Employee has 255 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of FirstStarHR Essentials's written reviews are positive against 13% of TimeWorksPlus Employee's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FirstStarHR Essentials ships an update every 10 months, TimeWorksPlus Employee every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FirstStarHR Essentials | TimeWorksPlus Employee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firststarhr-essentials/id1328531032/reviews)** | [1.9 (255 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timeworksplus-employee/id1435954468/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **255** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **12.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 57 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FirstStarHR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1328531031) | [Swipeclock LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146553204) |

## What reviewers say

### FirstStarHR Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firststarhr-essentials/id1328531032)

This app gives employees easy access to their payroll and HR information. Employees can clock in/out, submit timesheets, request time off, and view pay stubs and important employment documents.

**Highlights:** Clock in/out, Submit timesheets, Submit PTO requests, View pay stubs, View PTO balances, Access employment documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### TimeWorksPlus Employee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timeworksplus-employee/id1435954468)

This app allows employees to easily track their work hours, manage schedules, and request time off. It provides access to paystubs and company documents, with push notifications for important updates. Designed for users of specific workforce management systems.

**Highlights:** Clock In/Out with breaks, View work schedule, Request time off, View paystubs and documents, Push notifications for updates, Pickup open shifts

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Accurate time tracking
- 👍 Convenient mobile access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent log-outs
- 🔒 No password recovery options
- 👎 Unreliable app performance
- 🔍 Confusing user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Login credentials not recognized
- Time entries disappearing or incorrect
- App crashing or freezing
- Inability to access account after update

**Requested features**

- Add password reset functionality
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Streamline clock-in/clock-out process
- Integrate with company calendar


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FirstStarHR Essentials free?

FirstStarHR Essentials is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TimeWorksPlus Employee free?

TimeWorksPlus Employee is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FirstStarHR Essentials or TimeWorksPlus Employee?

FirstStarHR Essentials is rated higher. FirstStarHR Essentials averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while TimeWorksPlus Employee averages 1.9 from 255 ratings.

### Do FirstStarHR Essentials or TimeWorksPlus Employee have ads?

Neither FirstStarHR Essentials nor TimeWorksPlus Employee shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FirstStarHR Essentials or TimeWorksPlus Employee?

FirstStarHR Essentials ships an update every 10 months, and TimeWorksPlus Employee every 4 months. Most recently, FirstStarHR Essentials was updated on October 2, 2026 and TimeWorksPlus Employee on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*