Buddy Punch vs ClickTime
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Quick verdict: Pick Buddy Punch if you want a free trial and yearly billing; pick ClickTime if you only need monthly plans, since detailed feature data isn't available for either.
Best for: Businesses with hourly staff spread across multiple offices, stores, or job sites that need one consistent time clock, Companies with remote or field employees who need location-verified clock-ins from personal devices
Read the full Buddy Punch reviewBest for: Professional services firms and consultancies that bill by the hour and need time data tied directly to project costs and invoices., Agencies and studios managing multiple client projects with fixed budgets and deadlines that must be protected.
Read the full ClickTime reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
Buddy Punch vs ClickTime: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose Buddy Punch if
- You want to try before buying, since Buddy Punch lists a free trial
Choose ClickTime if
- You want monthly billing without a long commitment
Buddy Punch vs ClickTime: pros and cons
Buddy Punch
Buddy Punch is a cloud time clock that replaces paper timesheets. Staff punch in by phone, browser, kiosk, or QR code, and every punch records their location and hours. Payroll links to QuickBooks, Paychex, and Workday, though project-level billing needs another tool. Overall, it's a solid attendance hub for hourly teams that run payroll on supported platforms.
Pros
- Four punch-in methods — smartphone app, computer, kiosk, and QR code — let one system cover desk staff, field crews, and shared terminals.
- Location capture on each punch produces verifiable attendance records for remote and multi-site teams and helps deter buddy punching.
- Native integrations with QuickBooks, Paychex, and Workday move approved hours into payroll without manual re-entry.
Cons
- The platform is scoped to clock-based attendance tracking; teams needing project- or task-level time tracking for client billing will likely need a separate tool.
- Reliable clock-ins depend on employees having access to a compatible device — phone, computer, kiosk, or printed QR code — which may require hardware or setup planning at some worksites.
- Integrations are highlighted for QuickBooks, Paychex, and Workday; businesses running other payroll systems should verify compatibility before purchasing.
ClickTime
ClickTime ties employee timesheets to project budgets, costs, and profitability, which is a real win for agencies and consultancies. The budgeting depth can be overkill for simple hour logging, and independent reviews are thin; overall, it's a practical pick for project-driven teams, and the free plan makes it easy to pilot.
Pros
- Links time entries directly to project budget targets, so over-budget work becomes visible during the project rather than after invoicing.
- Combines timesheets, resource planning, and financial forecasting in a single platform, reducing the need to reconcile hours from one tool with budgets from another.
- Reports on project cost and profitability, giving leadership an actuals-based view of which engagements are financially viable.
Cons
- The depth of budgeting, planning, and forecasting features adds overhead that solo users or teams with simple hour-logging needs may never use.
- Plan pricing spans a very wide range from free to a high monthly ceiling, so total cost can escalate significantly as seat counts and usage grow.
- Independent third-party review data (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot) was not available at the time of writing, making it harder to benchmark user satisfaction against competitors.
Buddy Punch and ClickTime in detail
Buddy Punch
Buddy Punch is time tracking software that replaces traditional punch clocks and manual timesheets with a cloud-based system. Employees punch in and out using a smartphone, computer, kiosk, or QR code, while employers see who is on the clock, where they punched, and how many hours they have worked. The platform covers regular hours, overtime, and pay-related tracking, and produces detailed reports designed to feed directly into payroll.
Standout features
- Four Ways to Punch In
- Location-Aware Punches
- Hours, Overtime, and Pay Tracking
- Detailed Reporting
- Payroll Integrations
Use cases
- Multi-Site Attendance Management
- Remote and Field Team Clock-Ins
- Streamlining Payroll Preparation
ClickTime
ClickTime is a platform for tracking employee time and managing team resources in one place. Staff log hours against specific projects, while the system simultaneously tracks project deadlines and budget targets. Raw timesheet data is converted into reporting on project costs, resource utilization, and profitability, allowing leadership to base staffing and pricing decisions on actual figures rather than estimates. It effectively serves two audiences at once: employees submitting time, and managers planning capacity and budgets.
Standout features
- Time Tracking and Timesheets
- Resource and Capacity Management
- Project Profitability Reporting
- Planning and Financial Forecasting
Use cases
- Billable-Hour Tracking for Professional Services
- Agency Project Budgeting
- Capacity Planning for Managers
- Profitability Analysis for Finance and Operations
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | Buddy Punch | ClickTime |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $2/mo Optional Add-Ons · per user | $15/mo Starter Plan · per user |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | — | — |
| Pricing model | Per user | Per user |
| Cost for 1 user | $2/moCheaper Optional Add-Ons plan, billed monthly | $15/mo Starter Plan plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 5 users | $10/moCheaper Optional Add-Ons plan, billed monthly | $75/mo Starter Plan plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 10 users | $20/moCheaper Optional Add-Ons plan, billed monthly | $150/mo Starter Plan plan, billed monthly |
| Cost for 25 users | $50/moCheaper Optional Add-Ons plan, billed monthly | $375/mo Starter Plan plan, billed monthly |
| Plans | 5 | 3 |
| Prices checked | Checked Oct 12, 2026 | Checked Oct 13, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 5 users (billed monthly), Buddy Punch costs $10/mo vs ClickTime at $75/mo.
- Buddy Punch is cheaper at every team size we checked (1 to 25 users).
- For 1 user (billed monthly), Buddy Punch costs $2/mo vs ClickTime at $15/mo.
- For 10 users (billed monthly), Buddy Punch costs $20/mo vs ClickTime at $150/mo.
- For 25 users (billed monthly), Buddy Punch costs $50/mo vs ClickTime at $375/mo.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
More comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for my team?
Detailed feature and support data isn't available for either tool here. Compare their official sites directly. Choose based on billing preferences: Buddy Punch offers trials and yearly plans; ClickTime offers monthly plans.