Employee Time Clock and Scheduling Software | Buddy Punch

Buddy Punch is a cloud-based time clock and workforce management platform built for businesses that need an easy, affordable way to track hours, attendance, and PTO for hourly employees. It combines time tracking, GPS and geofencing, scheduling, break compliance, and payroll integrations into one platform, so employees can clock in from a computer, phone, or kiosk while managers get automatically generated, accurate timesheets.

Rather than chasing down lost paper time cards or manually calculating overtime, Buddy Punch automates the process end to end and connects directly to payroll providers like QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP.

What Is Buddy Punch and What Does It Do?

Buddy Punch is a cloud-based time tracking software for businesses to track employee hours, attendance, and PTO no matter where employees work. It is widely used by industries with hourly and field-based workers, including construction, healthcare, restaurants, retail, education, and professional services.

Here's what it does:

• Tracks time from anywhere: Employees can clock in and out from a computer, mobile app, or time clock kiosk using a PIN, facial recognition, or QR code, without needing a unique email address
• Provides real-time visibility: GPS tracking shows where employees are while on the clock, while geofencing prevents offsite punching and attendance alerts flag late arrivals or missed shifts
• Keeps businesses compliant: Break rules help enforce state meal and rest break laws, and custom overtime policies automatically identify overtime hours
• Simplifies payroll: Timesheets are automatically generated from clock-in and clock-out data, with reports formatted for payroll providers or direct integrations with QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP
• Builds employee schedules: A drag-and-drop scheduling tool lets managers set recurring shifts, assign roles or locations, and automatically notify employees of published schedules and changes
• Automates PTO tracking: PTO balances accrue automatically based on business rules, with approved time off deducted from balances and reflected in timesheets and schedules
• Prevents time theft: Features like photos on punch, IP address locks, and geofencing help keep employees honest and timesheets accurate

In short, Buddy Punch gives businesses a single platform to track time, manage attendance and PTO, build schedules, and feed accurate data straight into payroll, replacing manual time cards and spreadsheet-based tracking with an automated, accountable system.

How Buddy Punch Helps Your Business: Time Tracking for Every Kind of Team

Whether your team works in the field, in an office, or on-site at a fixed location, Buddy Punch is designed to fit how your business actually operates. Its combination of flexible clock-in methods, location tracking, and payroll-ready reporting means fewer payroll errors and less time spent chasing down timesheets.

Buddy Punch for field teams: track work wherever it happens

Businesses like construction, landscaping, cleaning services, plumbing, HVAC, and agriculture can use GPS tracking, job costing, and mobile apps to track time and labor costs no matter where crews are working.

Buddy Punch for office and remote workers: simplify salaried time tracking

Professional services firms, agencies, accountants, lawyers, developers, and government offices can use duration entry for salaried employees, time card approvals, and PTO tracking to manage a distributed workforce.

Buddy Punch for on-site teams: kiosk-based time tracking

Buddy Punch for on-site teams can help Healthcare providers, restaurants, call centers, retailers, schools, and medical practices to set up a time clock kiosk, enforce breaks, and build schedules for teams that clock in from a fixed location.

Buddy Punch for small business owners: save time and reduce payroll errors

Small business owners can stop spending hours verifying timesheets and manually entering time into payroll, cutting down on overpayments, payroll re-runs, and lost or illegible paper time cards.

Buddy Punch Features: Tools to Track Time, Attendance, and Payroll

Buddy Punch's feature set is designed to help businesses track time accurately, manage attendance and PTO, and connect that data directly to payroll.

• Time Tracking: Employees clock in and out from a computer, mobile app, or kiosk, with time cards generated automatically
• GPS Tracking: See where employees are located while they're on the clock
• Geofencing: Prevent employees from punching in or out outside of approved work locations
• QR Code and PIN/Kiosk Punch: Let employees clock in using a shared kiosk, QR code, or personal PIN
• Webcam and Photos on Punch: Require a photo at clock-in and clock-out to prevent buddy punching
• Break Compliance: Set up break rules that automatically remove unpaid breaks and help meet state meal and rest break laws
• Attendance Alerts: Get notified when employees are late, leave early, or miss a shift
• PTO Tracking: Automate PTO accruals, let employees request time off, and reflect approved time off in timesheets and schedules
• Scheduling: Build shifts with a drag-and-drop scheduler and automatically notify employees of new or changed schedules
• Job Tracking: Track labor costs by job or project for more accurate job costing
• Reporting: Generate reports for payroll processing, attendance review, and PTO management
• Payroll Integrations: Connect directly with payroll providers like QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP, or export payroll-ready reports
• API and MCP Access: Integrate Buddy Punch data into other business systems and AI-driven workflows
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Manage employee access through existing identity systems on higher-tier plans

These features help businesses reduce payroll errors, cut down on time theft, and stay compliant with state and federal labor laws, without needing separate systems for time tracking, scheduling, and payroll.

How to Use Buddy Punch: A Simple Guide to Getting Started

Getting started is a straightforward process, letting businesses begin tracking time within a short setup window.

1. Try Buddy Punch for free: Sign up for a free trial to explore the platform before committing to a plan
2. Add your employees: Enter employee information individually or in bulk to build out the full employee list
3. Choose clock-in methods: Set up options like mobile apps, a kiosk with PIN or QR code, or facial recognition, depending on how the team works
4. Turn on GPS and geofencing: Enable location tracking and geofencing to prevent offsite punching and keep teams accountable
5. Set up break and overtime rules: Configure break compliance and custom overtime policies to match state and company requirements
6. Build a schedule: Use the drag-and-drop scheduler to set recurring shifts and assign employees to roles or locations
7. Connect payroll: Link Buddy Punch to a payroll provider like QuickBooks, Gusto, or ADP, or export formatted reports directly
8. Run reports: Pull reports for payroll processing, attendance tracking, and PTO management as needed

By following these steps, businesses can move from manual, error-prone time tracking to an automated system within days, without needing technical expertise to set it up.

Buddy Punch Pricing: Plans for Small Teams to Large Organizations

Buddy Punch's pricing plans are structured across three tiers, each priced per user per month plus a monthly base fee, with optional add-ons available on every plan.

See Buddy Punch plans and pricing →

Buddy Punch GPS and Geofencing: Know Where Your Team Is Working

Why location tracking matters for field and mobile teams

When employees clock in from job sites, vehicles, or multiple locations, it's easy to lose visibility into where work is actually happening. Buddy Punch's GPS and geofencing tools are built to close that gap without requiring managers to check in constantly.

GPS tracking: see where employees are on the clock

GPS tracking shows exactly where employees are while they're clocked in, giving managers real-time visibility even when teams are spread across multiple job sites.

Geofencing: prevent offsite punching

Geofencing sets a boundary around approved work locations, preventing employees from clocking in or out until they're actually on-site.

GPS and geofencing in action: accountability without micromanaging

Together, these features let managers trust that recorded time reflects where employees actually worked, reducing time theft without requiring constant manual oversight.

Buddy Punch Scheduling: Build Shifts and Notify Employees Instantly

Why scheduling matters alongside time tracking

Time tracking and scheduling are closely connected, but managing them in separate tools creates extra work and room for error. Buddy Punch's scheduling tool is built into the same platform as time tracking, so schedules and actual hours worked stay connected.

Drag-and-drop scheduling: build shifts quickly

Managers can build schedules quickly with a drag-and-drop tool, set up recurring shifts, and assign employees to different roles or locations.

Instant notifications: keep employees in the loop

Published schedules and any changes are automatically sent to employees, reducing missed shifts caused by outdated or unclear schedule communication.

Scheduling in action: availability and time off in one view

Because scheduling shares data with PTO tracking, managers can view employee availability and approved time off in the same place they build shifts.

Buddy Punch Payroll Integrations: From Timesheet to Paycheck

Why payroll integration matters for reducing errors

Manually transferring hours from timesheets into payroll software is one of the most common places payroll errors creep in. Buddy Punch's payroll integrations are built to remove that manual step entirely.

Automatic calculations: regular hours, overtime, and pay

Regular hours, overtime, and pay are calculated automatically based on clock-in and clock-out data, reducing the risk of miscalculations that lead to overpayments or payroll re-runs.

Direct integrations: QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP

Buddy Punch integrates directly with popular payroll providers like QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP, or businesses can download reports formatted specifically for their payroll provider.

Payroll in action: from hours worked to paycheck in minutes

With integrations sending time and employee data straight to payroll, businesses can go from a completed pay period to processed payroll in a fraction of the time manual entry would take.

Buddy Punch Alternatives: Exploring Top Time Tracking Competitors

When exploring employee time clock and scheduling platforms, it's natural to compare Buddy Punch with other established players. While each platform has its strengths, Buddy Punch stands out for its combination of affordability, ease of use, and accountability features like GPS, geofencing, and photos on punch, backed by a 4.8-star rating from more than 1,600 reviews.

Is Buddy Punch Worth It? A Complete Look at Its Value for Employers

Buddy Punch time tracking software is worth considering for any business with hourly employees that wants to replace manual time cards or a patchwork of spreadsheets with an automated, accurate time tracking system. It combines flexible clock-in options, GPS and geofencing, break and overtime compliance, and direct payroll integrations into a single, affordable platform.

Its tiered pricing makes it accessible for small teams that need the essentials, while the Pro and Advanced plans add automation, higher API limits, and dedicated support for growing and larger organizations. With more than 10,000 businesses using the platform and a 4.8-star rating across G2 and Capterra, Buddy Punch is positioned as a strong, affordable option for businesses that want to save time on payroll while keeping their workforce accountable.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Buddy Punch best used for?

Buddy Punch is a time clock and scheduling software designed for U.S. businesses with hourly workers. It helps track time, attendance, and PTO, and connects that data directly to payroll.

2. Does Buddy Punch offer a free trial?

Yes, Buddy Punch free trial is available across its plans, letting businesses test the platform before committing to a subscription.

3. How much does Buddy Punch cost?

Buddy Punch's Starter plan costs $4.99/user/month, the Pro plan costs $6.99/user/month, and the Advanced plan costs $12.99/user/month, each with an additional $19 base fee per month.

4. Does Buddy Punch support GPS and geofencing?

Yes, GPS tracking is included starting on the Starter plan, and basic geofencing is included starting on the Pro plan, with real-time GPS available as an included add-on on the Advanced plan.

5. Can Buddy Punch integrate with payroll software?

Yes, Buddy Punch integrates directly with payroll providers like QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP, and can also export reports formatted for other payroll providers.

6. Is Buddy Punch suitable for field-based teams?

Yes, features like GPS tracking, job costing, and mobile apps make Buddy Punch well suited for industries like construction, landscaping, cleaning services, plumbing, HVAC, and agriculture.

7. Does Buddy Punch include employee scheduling?

Yes, scheduling is included as a built-in add-on on the Pro and Advanced plans, with a drag-and-drop scheduler that automatically notifies employees of new or changed shifts.

8. Does Buddy Punch help prevent time theft?

Yes, features like photos on punch, IP address locks, geofencing, and punch limiting help prevent buddy punching and unauthorized time entries.

9. Can I upgrade my Buddy Punch plan later?

Yes, Buddy Punch allows businesses to move from Starter up through Pro and Advanced as their team size and feature needs grow, with add-ons available on any plan.

10. Is Buddy Punch suitable for small businesses?

Yes, the Starter plan is built specifically for small teams and businesses, with free administrator users and the ability to add only the add-ons needed as the business grows.

Ready to Take Control of Your Workforce Management?

Explore how Buddy Punch can help your business track time, manage attendance and PTO, and simplify payroll across your entire team.