--- title: "Free or paid attendance control: what to check · Sicheca" description: "Criteria for evaluating free and paid working-time record tools." url: https://sicheca.com/en/blog/control-de-asistencia-gratis-vs-de-pago lang: en alternate_es: https://sicheca.com/blog/control-de-asistencia-gratis-vs-de-pago.md --- Comparisons · 3 min read # Free or paid attendance control: what to check Short answer Free tools are fine to get started, but check three things: whether it keeps a history of corrections, whether it delivers a report per person and what happens to your data if you stop using it. ## Questions for any provider - Does each person record their own time? - Does the original time remain if it is corrected? - Can I download everything? - How much does it cost as you grow? ## The reform in one minute The reform has two parts. On March 3, 2026, article 123 of the Constitution was amended to set the 40-hour workweek. On May 1, 2026, the Federal Labor Law was amended, which is where the detail is. - The maximum working week drops from 48 to 40 hours, two hours per year, between 2027 and 2030. - Overtime has a weekly cap: it is paid at double time up to the cap and at triple time for up to 4 more hours. - Each company must electronically record the start and end time of each person's workday. - Not keeping that record is fined 250 to 5,000 UMA. - Salary and benefits cannot go down because of the reduction in hours. What remains pending are the STPS general rules, which will define who the record applies to and what exceptions there will be. They take effect on January 1, 2027. | Year | Maximum working hours | Double-time overtime | Triple-time overtime | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026 | 48 h | 9 h | 4 h | | 2027 | 46 h | 9 h | 4 h | | 2028 | 44 h | 10 h | 4 h | | 2029 | 42 h | 11 h | 4 h | | 2030 | 40 h | 12 h | 4 h | Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 1, 2026, second and fourth transitory provisions, and article 68 of the LFT. Each change applies from January 1. ## Common mistakes - Comparing the purchase price and not the cost of operating. - Not testing the tool with the real team. - Forgetting the staff who do not work on site. - Not asking how an error is corrected. - Not checking how data is downloaded if you change providers. ## What to do now 1. Note how your team works: on site, in the field or remotely. 2. Define which report you need to deliver. 3. Try two options for a week. 4. Ask the team which one they used without help. 5. Check how you export your data. ## Related terms **[What is the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF)](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/diario-oficial-de-la-federacion-dof).** The Official Gazette of the Federation is the publication where federal laws, decrees and rules appear. **[What is PTU, or profit sharing](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/que-es-la-ptu).** PTU is the workers' share in the company's profits: 10% of the company's taxable profit, which is distributed among its staff. **[Mandatory rest days in Mexico](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/dias-de-descanso-obligatorio).** These are the holidays set by article 74 of the Federal Labor Law. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much does Sicheca cost? From $149 MXN per month. ### Does the law require a particular system? No. It asks that the record be electronic and include the start and end time for each person. ### What happens when the STPS publishes its rules? They will specify who the record applies to and its exceptions. It is worth checking them as soon as they appear in the Official Gazette of the Federation. ### Is the maximum workday per day or per week? There are two limits: a daily one, which did not change, and a weekly one, which drops from 48 to 40 hours between 2027 and 2030. ### Is overtime counted by week? Yes. The cap on double-time overtime is weekly and per person. ## Legal basis and sources - Electronic working-time record: article 132, section XXXIV, of the LFT and fifth transitory provision of the decree. - [Decree amending the Federal Labor Law on the reduction of the working week](https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/notas/docFuente/5786537). Official Gazette of the Federation, May 1, 2026. - [Federal Labor Law, current text](https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFT.pdf). Chamber of Deputies. **How we write this content.** The Sicheca team writes it from the official text of the law. When something is not yet defined by the authority, we say so. It is general information and does not replace the advice of a lawyer or an accountant. ## Keep reading [ Comparisons **How to choose a working-time recording system**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/como-elegir-un-sistema-de-registro-de-jornada) [ Comparisons **App versus wall-mounted time clock**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/app-vs-reloj-checador-de-pared) [ Comparisons **Biometric time clock versus phone app**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/reloj-biometrico-vs-app-en-el-celular) [ Hours and workday **Overtime in 2027: how much is allowed and how it is paid**](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/horas-extra-2027-limites) [See all articles](https://sicheca.com/en/blog/) Who publishes this blog Sicheca is a digital time clock for recording working time from your phone. We write these guides from the official text of the law, so any business can understand what applies to it. If you want to try it, there is a waitlist. [Join the waitlist](https://sicheca.com/en/lista-de-espera?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=articulo&utm_campaign=control-de-asistencia-gratis-vs-de-pago&utm_content=final)