Buddy Punch vs Punchly

Buddy Punch is employee time and attendance software for businesses managing field, office, remote, and on-site teams. It covers scheduling, attendance, PTO, break tracking, timesheet approvals, and attendance reports. Clock-in and clock-out records become timesheets, with hours calculated automatically. Punch verification options include GPS locations, geofencing, and photos; clock-ins are available through web, mobile apps, kiosk PIN, QR code, text message, group punch, and Face ID. iOS and Android apps are listed, along with Chromebook access through a ChromeOS app. Pro supports offline punches that sync when a device reconnects. Integrations include QuickBooks, ADP Workforce Now, Gusto, Paychex, Paylocity, Workday, and Zapier, and an external API can create and edit workforce records. Payroll is an add-on covering payments, tax filings, direct deposit, and W-2 and 1099 processing. Plans are paid after a 14-day trial, which requires no credit card; Starter starts at $4.99 a month billed monthly.

Punchly is a time-recording service for in-person businesses. Staff clock in or out with a four-digit PIN or QR badge on a browser-based device. Each workplace receives a private kiosk link that opens on a tablet or phone without an app. A live dashboard shows who is working, their location, and time on shift. Worked-hours reports provide timezone-correct totals by employee and location for a day, week, month, or custom range. Multiple workplaces can have separate kiosks and teams. Punches from unexpected networks are flagged to help identify off-site or buddy clock-ins. Optional clock-in photos are visible only to the owning company. Punchly says it uses encryption in transit, hashed passwords, and access controls that limit company data to its owner. It is free during early access, although paid plans and billing terms may be introduced with notice. The service is early access, so features may change and interruptions may occur; its terms advise independent backups of time or payroll records.