Comparison
Buddy Punch vs QuickBooks Time
Buddy Punch
Named after the exact problem it solves, and it puts a photo on every punch to back it up
VERIFIED JUL 7, 2026
QuickBooks Time
The obvious time clock if payroll already runs through QuickBooks
VERIFIED JUL 5, 2026
| Pricing model | subscription | subscription |
| Starting point | Per-user monthly pricing plus a flat $19 base fee | Premium: $20/mo base + $8 per user |
| Best for | Small businesses where buddy punching is a known, recurring cost and a photo on every punch, plus an optional iOS Face ID gate, is worth trading some scheduling depth for. | Businesses already running payroll through QuickBooks that want time data flowing into pay runs untouched by human hands. |
| Countries | United States, Canada | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia |
| Editorial score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 |
Buddy Punch
Pros
- A photo on every punch is a real deterrent, nobody clocks in a coworker when the app snaps their face onto the timecard
- The optional Face ID gate on iPhones and iPads adds automatic, real-time blocking, a genuine step past a GPS-only check
- Simpler and more focused than the scheduling-first platforms if time theft is your actual problem
Cons
- The photo check is manual by default, someone has to review the selfies for it to catch anything
- 'Facial recognition' here is Apple Face ID on iOS, not Buddy Punch matching faces against your roster, so it's device-gated rather than a true biometric match on file
- The anti-buddy-punching features need the Pro tier, and photo/biometric capture carries state privacy obligations (e.g. Illinois BIPA)
QuickBooks Time
Pros
- Timesheets land directly in QuickBooks Payroll, removing the manual re-entry step where hour-padding hides
- All-shift GPS trails are stronger evidence than a single clock-in pin
- Kiosk photo capture plus facial recognition is more deterrent than most non-biometric rivals offer
Cons
- Base-fee-plus-per-user pricing makes it one of the most expensive options for small teams
- Facial recognition flags a mismatched face but doesn't block the punch, someone still has to review
- Geofencing is locked behind the Elite tier, which is where much of the fraud value lives
United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustralia