Buddy Punch

Easy and affordable employee time clock software

From $5.49/mo 💰 Deals Available

About Buddy Punch

Buddy Punch is a cloud-based SaaS platform for time tracking, employee scheduling, and payroll, built for small to mid-sized U.S. businesses with hourly workers. Used by over 10,000 organizations, it offers multiple clock-in methods — web app, mobile apps (iOS/Android/ChromeOS), kiosk terminal, QR code, PIN, text-to-punch, and group punch. To ensure accountability, Buddy Punch provides GPS tracking on every punch, real-time GPS with breadcrumb trails, geofencing to restrict off-site clock-ins, photo on punch, facial recognition (Face ID), IP address locking, and device locks. The platform automatically generates timesheets with overtime calculations supporting 12+ overtime types, and includes drag-and-drop employee scheduling with shift templates and recurring shifts. PTO tracking with automatic accruals, self-service requests, and balance visibility is built in. An optional payroll add-on handles direct deposit, W-2/1099 generation, and tax filing across all 50 U.S. states. Native integrations with 20+ payroll providers (QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Paycor, Paylocity, Rippling, Workday, and more) plus Zapier allow seamless data transfer to accounting. Pricing starts at $5.49/user/month (or $4.49 annually) plus a $19/month base fee, with a 14-day free trial requiring no credit card. Rated 4.8/5 on G2 and Capterra, admin accounts are free and unlimited — only employee and manager seats are paid.

Key Features

Multi-method time clock: web, mobile (iOS/Android/ChromeOS), kiosk, QR code, PIN, text-to-punch

GPS tracking on punch and real-time GPS with breadcrumb trails

Geofencing to restrict off-site clock-ins

Photo on punch and facial recognition (Face ID) to prevent buddy punching

Automatic timesheet generation with 12+ overtime calculation types

Drag-and-drop employee scheduling with shift templates and recurring shifts

PTO tracking with automatic accruals, self-service requests, and balance visibility

Built-in payroll service (direct deposit, W-2/1099, tax filing in all 50 US states)

Native integrations with 20+ payroll providers (QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex, etc.)

IP address locking, device locks, and punch limiting for labor cost control

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extremely easy to use — intuitive interface even for non-tech-savvy employees
• Highly rated: 4.8/5 on G2 and Capterra with consistently positive reviews
• Comprehensive accountability features (GPS, geofences, photos, Face ID, IP locks)
• All-in-one platform: time tracking + scheduling + PTO + payroll in one tool
• Free unlimited admin accounts — only employees and managers are paid users
• Fast deployment — businesses report setup and go-live in as few as 2 days

Cons

• No free plan — only a 14-day free trial, all plans are paid
• Mandatory $19/month base fee on every plan in addition to per-user pricing
• Primarily focused on U.S. market — built-in payroll supports only U.S. states
• Advanced features (real-time GPS, scheduling, custom reporting) require paid add-ons or higher tiers
• No native desktop app — web-based only for computers (mobile apps for phones/tablets)
• Data is deleted upon account cancellation — users must export reports before canceling

Best For

Small businesses with hourly workers (construction, landscaping, cleaning, plumbing, HVAC) Companies with field/mobile employees needing GPS accountability Healthcare, retail, and restaurant teams needing kiosk-based time clocks Growing teams transitioning from manual timesheets or paper time cards Professional services and remote teams needing PTO management and payroll integration