Buddy Punch is time clock software with GPS, geofencing, scheduling, PTO, and payroll. Plans start at $4.99/user/month plus a $19 base fee. 14-day free trial.
Researched and fact-checked by Bartu Cavusoglu · Updated October 26, 2026
Buddy Punch is time clock software for businesses whose hourly employees work in more than one place, such as job sites, patients' homes, retail storefronts, plant floors, or delivery routes. It turns punches into payroll-ready timesheets and also covers scheduling, PTO tracking, attendance monitoring, and an optional built-in payroll service.
According to its About page, Eric Czerwonka and Nick Murphy built the first version after Czerwonka struggled with illegible timesheets and buddy punching at his franchise locations. The company lists an Appleton, Wisconsin address and reports a 4.8 out of 5 rating on G2 and Capterra.
How does Buddy Punch work?
The site describes three steps: add users individually or in bulk, start tracking time, and run reports. Employees punch in from a computer, a mobile phone, or a time clock kiosk using a PIN, facial recognition, or a QR code, and they do not need unique email addresses to be added.
Dashboards and time cards fill in automatically from punch data. Regular hours, overtime, and pay are calculated for you, and hours can move to payroll through integrations, downloadable reports formatted for a payroll provider, or the optional built-in payroll service.
Key features of Buddy Punch
Location and accountability controls are central. GPS on punches is included in every plan. Geofences can be 50 to 1,500 meters wide and block punches made offsite, and alerts show when someone leaves a geofence without clocking out. Photo capture, IP address locks, and punch limiting add further checks.
Other tools cover break rules, automatic break deductions, custom overtime policies, overtime alerts, and timesheet approvals. A drag-and-drop scheduler handles recurring shifts and availability, PTO accrues by rule, and job codes track hours by project, optionally tied to a geofence.
Key Features
Multi-device punching — Employees clock in and out from computers, mobile phones, or a time clock kiosk using a PIN, facial recognition, or QR code, without needing unique email addresses.
GPS and geofencing — GPS captures location with each punch. Geofences from 50 to 1,500 meters block offsite punches, and alerts fire when an employee leaves a geofence without clocking out.
Photo and network controls — Selfie capture on punches, IP address locks tied to business Wi-Fi, and punch limiting help prevent buddy punching and early clock-ins.
Breaks and overtime — Break rules remind employees to take required breaks, automatic breaks remove unpaid time, and custom overtime policies flag overtime hours, with alerts when employees near overtime.
Drag-and-drop scheduler — Build schedules with recurring shifts, assign roles or locations, view availability, and send published schedules and changes to employees automatically.
PTO tracking — Accrual rules add hours to balances, employees request time off in the app, and approved time off is deducted, added to timesheets, and shown on schedules.
Job costing — Job codes track hours by project, and linking a code to a geofence limits the codes employees see when they are on site.
Integrations and built-in payroll — Sync to payroll providers, download formatted reports, or add the built-in payroll service with direct deposit, tax filings, W-2s, and 1099s.
Approvals and reporting — Timesheet approvals before payroll, reports on timesheet corrections, error logs for offsite punch attempts, and on-demand time and attendance reports.
API, SSO, and MCP access — An external API manages employees, geofences, and locations, SSO supports providers such as Okta and OneLogin, and MCP access connects AI assistants to account data.
Pros & Cons
Pros
GPS, geofencing, photo capture, and IP locks give several ways to verify where and when employees punch.
Time tracking, scheduling, PTO, and optional payroll are available in one product.
Lists integrations with many payroll and accounting tools, including QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP.
Unlimited free administrator users on every plan.
Employees can punch from phones, computers, or a shared kiosk without unique email addresses.
14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Cons
No free plan is shown; evaluation is limited to a 14-day trial.
A $19 monthly base fee applies on top of per-user pricing on every plan.
Geofencing, QR codes, kiosk punch, and API access require the Pro plan or higher.
Scheduling costs $1/user/month extra on Starter, and payroll is a separate add-on with its own base fee.
Pricing
Starter $4.99/user/mo Per user per month, plus $19 base fee per month
Pro $6.99/user/mo Per user per month, plus $19 base fee per month
Advanced $12.99/user/mo Per user per month, plus $19 base fee per month
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Buddy Punch?
Buddy Punch is time clock software for businesses whose hourly employees work in more than one place. It handles time tracking, GPS and geofencing, scheduling, PTO tracking, and payroll-ready timesheets.
How much does Buddy Punch cost?
Plans start at $4.99/user/month for Starter, $6.99 for Pro, and $12.99 for Advanced, each with a $19 monthly base fee. The pricing page also shows $5.99, $7.99, and $13.99, which appears to reflect monthly versus annual billing. Add-ons and payroll cost extra.
Does Buddy Punch have a free trial?
Yes. The site offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. No permanent free plan is shown.
Does Buddy Punch support GPS and geofencing?
Yes. GPS on punches is included in all plans, and basic geofencing starts on Pro. Geofences can be 50 to 1,500 meters, and the site says location is tracked only while employees are on the clock.
What does Buddy Punch integrate with?
It lists QuickBooks Online and Desktop, ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paychex, Paycor, Paylocity, Rippling, Workday, Zapier, and other payroll tools. It also offers an API and single sign-on.
Can Buddy Punch run payroll?
Yes, as an add-on to any plan at $8/user/month plus a $49 monthly base fee. It includes direct deposit, tax filings, W-2s and 1099s, and automated payroll payments.
Is Buddy Punch good for small businesses?
The company describes the product as built for small businesses, with per-user pricing and unlimited free administrators. It is aimed at teams with hourly employees working in multiple locations.
Can employees clock in without a smartphone?
Yes. Employees can punch from a computer or a shared time clock kiosk using a PIN, facial recognition, or a QR code. Kiosk punch and QR codes are on the Pro plan and above.