Buddy Punch Time Clock

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

• Buddy Punch’s pricing model combines a per-user rate plus a flat base fee. For example, the entry-level Starter plan costs approximately $24 per month with one employee ($5.49 + $19 base on monthly billing) 
• All the plans accommodate the key time tracking features, which include employee punch in/out, overtime calculations, PTO/vacations, job costing, and simple GPS location tagging 
• The higher-tier plans include workflow and security capabilities to justify their price with scheduled features and increased accountability, such as webcam verification on punches and geofenced clock-ins 
• Beyond the base plans, Buddy Punch offers optional add-on modules where companies can add Payroll Processing for $6 per user (with a $39 monthly base) to handle payroll runs and tax filings in-platform 
• Although Buddy Punch does not have a free tier, all plans include a 14-day free trial that includes full access to features that do not require a credit card and allow onboarding employees, timesheets, and integrations without any commitment 

Here’s how each of the Buddy Punch features differs by plan: 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

To choose an appropriate plan, it is necessary to pay close attention to the alignment of each tier with the needs of your team and features. The sections below further explain each Buddy Punch plan individually, who it’s best for, what it offers, its limitations, and sample pricing scenarios to provide an example of potential costs. Based on this information, align the capabilities of a plan with your business needs and budget. 

Starter 

Ideal For: Businesses with just a handful of employees (e.g., 1–20 staff) looking for an affordable way to track hours and PTO. 

What To Know About This Plan:

Starter is a low-commitment base plan where you primarily seek to experience clean time capture. It is most effective when time management is done elsewhere, and location enforcement is not essential. The moment such controls as schedules or verification are required, the overall cost increases. 

Starter Plan Features: 

• Clock in/out via web or mobile 
• Track hours, overtime, and breaks automatically 
• Manage PTO requests and balances 
• Capture GPS coordinates on punches 
• Assign jobs, locations, and pay rates 
• Send punch reminders and attendance alerts 
• Approve timecards before payroll export 
• Export reports and timesheets to payroll 
• Use unlimited admin users at no cost 

Limitations: 

• Scheduling requires an optional add-on 
• Geofencing is not included without an add-on 
• Real-time GPS is available via an optional add-on 
• Webcam verification not included 
• Kiosk PIN and QR punching not included 
• Custom reporting requires an add-on 
• SSO and API access are not available 

Estimated Monthly Cost Scenarios: 

Disclaimer: These figures are hypothetical and intended to provide a generalized idea of how costs may scale based on usage, provider fees, and plan selection. Actual pricing may vary. 

Pro

Ideal For: Organizations roughly in the 20 to 200 employee range that are expanding their operations and need more than basic time tracking. 

What To Know About This Plan: 

Pro is the inflection point for operational discipline. It is logical when a loss is measurable because of missed shifts, off-site punches, or manual schedule coordination. The worth of the plan lies in the implementation of punch regulations and centralizing the schedules without piling on several add-ons. 

Pro Plan Features: 

• Includes all Starter features 
• Built-in employee scheduling and shift templates 
• Shift swaps, covers, and availability tracking 
• Geofencing for location-based punch control 
• Webcam photos on punches for verification 
• Kiosk PIN and QR code punching 
• Custom reporting and scheduled report delivery 
• More punch rules and compliance controls 

Limitations: 

• Real-time GPS requires an add-on 
• SSO and API access not included 
• Payroll processing requires an add-on 
• Data retention extension requires an add-on 

Estimated Monthly Cost Scenarios: 

Disclaimer: These figures are hypothetical and intended to provide a generalized idea of how costs may scale based on usage, provider fees, and plan selection. Actual pricing may vary. 

Enterprise 

Ideal For: Scenarios like multiple departments or locations with hundreds of employees, or any company that requires features such as SSO, API integration with other enterprise systems, and real-time oversight of a distributed workforce.

What To Know About This Plan:

Enterprise is for governance and connectivity at scale. Select it when you require constant location availability, central control of identity, or when data flows to other systems. It simplifies the administrative overhead by SSO access and API access, not by additional time-tracking features. 

Enterprise Plan Features: 

• Includes all Pro features 
• Real-time GPS tracking included 
• Advanced GPS dashboards and activity tracking 
• SSO support for enterprise identity providers 
• API access for custom integrations 
• Priority enterprise-grade support 

Limitations: 

• Payroll processing requires an add-on 
• Data retention extension requires an add-on 
• Highest per-user cost among plans 

Estimated Monthly Cost Scenarios: 

Disclaimer: These figures are hypothetical and intended to provide a generalized idea of how costs may scale based on usage, provider fees, and plan selection. Actual pricing may vary. 

Most reviewers note that Buddy Punch is affordable for time tracking solutions. They mention powerful attributes at a lower price than others. According to one user, it is “cheaper than other products [with] more functions”. Buddy Punch is also popular among users who prefer clear pricing models with predictable billing. Several businesses adopt it as it offers better pricing without compromising needs. 

Meanwhile, cost concerns appear in specific cases. The base fee of $19 can be hard for small teams to afford. Another point mentioned by some users is that several Starter add-ons might add to overall expenses. Pro can be less expensive in such instances. In general, the sentiment remains positive, and users claim, “pays for itself,” as it is faster to process payroll and reduces time theft. 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

Selecting a Buddy Punch pricing plan will require consideration of the size of the workforce, scheduling, and control. In every tier, the amount of supervision you can impose and the amount of work that remains manual vary. These are the factors that can be used while shortlisting the most appropriate plan. 

• Consider the workforce and payroll complexity. Starter is suitable for small teams that require clean hours and easy exports. Pro is better when approvals, policies, and exceptions are on the rise. Enterprise is built to accommodate large multi-site operations 
• Evaluate scheduling intensity. When the shifts change frequently, Pro tends to be the baseline. It minimizes the use of manuals to coordinate and maintain schedules with punches. Starter is feasible in the case of stable schedules or managed elsewhere 
• Assess accountability requirements. In case buddy punching or dropped punches are common, Pro includes stronger controls. It helps to verify the methods and stricter rules on punches. Starter is more suited to low-risk environments 
• Determine the relative importance of location visibility. Starter captures fundamental punch positions. Enterprise is more suitable in the case of live tracking of field teams. Pro is useful when it is not necessary to track in real-time 
• Discuss security and integration requirements. Enterprise is the only level that is created with the implementation of SSO or API. Pro can be used in scenarios where standard integrations and reporting suffice 
• Plan for add-ons and growth. Pro can be a cleaner option to Starter if the latter requires several add-ons. Begin with what is needed by your processes today, and upgrade as the necessity of governance grows 

The decision of whether to invest in Buddy Punch depends on its performance in practice regarding major parameters such as value, usability, support, and features. We have deconstructed the sentiments of actual users below to assist in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Buddy Punch: 

Ease Of Use 

Buddy Punch has an ease-of-use rating of 5/5. Users usually report that the platform is easy to learn and fast to adopt. Moreover, employees and managers find it easy to work on daily punch work, which minimizes the number of missed punches and manual edits. This assists in maintaining payroll preparation cleanly and predictably. 

Customer Support 

The software has a customer support rating of 4/5. Users generally report helpful responses for setup and routine questions. Some feedback suggests complex cases can take longer to resolve. Support reliability matters most during approvals and payroll deadlines, when delays create operational risk. 

Functionality 

Buddy Punch earns a functionality rating of 5/5. Users note that the feature set covers core time tracking and operational needs. Workflows feel complete enough to avoid frequent workarounds. This supports consistent approvals, clearer reporting, and fewer process gaps as teams scale. 

Buddy Punch is a well-known time-clock scheduling system. However, below are some alternatives that can be considered if the software does not meet the budget or workflow needs of the user. 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

Based on user feedback and feature verification, Buddy Punch scores: 

• Overall rating: 4/5 
• Ease of use: 5/5 
• Customer Support: 4/5 
• Functionality: 5/5 

To finalize, list your non-negotiables: scheduling, verification, live GPS, and enterprise access. Next, estimate the cost per option on your average active headcount and include add-on expenses that displace other tools. Conduct a 14-day trial using live timecards and approvals to confirm exports in your payroll process. In case of rapid adoption and drops in edits, move ahead and validate the retention and reporting requirements with HR departments. In the case of Enterprise, engage IT to establish SSO and API. 

Methodology 

The information used in this guide to determine the pricing and plan features was obtained using the official resources of Buddy Punch as of January 2026. The plan rates, base fees, add-ons, and features included were looked into to provide a clear picture of what each tier offers. 

Authenticated user reviews were also looked at to give real-world experiences, particularly in cost transparency, usability, responsiveness of support, and impact on day-to-day workflow. This helps the readers in judging the strengths and limitations of each plan before selecting a Buddy Punch pricing plan.