Payroll Watchdog

Buddy Punch

Named after the exact problem it solves, with facial recognition to prove it

8.0/10
Editorial
score
VERIFIED JUN 18, 2026
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Buddy Punch takes its name from the exact fraud it's built to stop, and unlike Homebase or Deputy, it actually goes biometric: facial recognition verification at clock-in, so it's not just checking that a phone was in the right GPS location, it's checking that the face clocking in matches the employee on file. That's a meaningfully harder thing to fake than a GPS check.

It's a leaner product than Homebase or Deputy, less scheduling depth, less multi-location franchise tooling, and that's a fair tradeoff if time-theft prevention is your actual priority rather than a nice-to-have bundled with scheduling software you needed anyway.

For a small business where buddy punching or inflated timesheets are a known, recurring problem rather than a theoretical one, this is worth the slightly narrower feature set. If you need heavy-duty scheduling too, you'll likely end up running it alongside or instead of a broader tool depending on which matters more.

The most direct answer to 'how do I actually stop buddy punching,' at the cost of some scheduling polish.

Pricing

Per-employee monthly pricing with a base account fee plus a per-user rate; facial recognition and GPS features are included on standard plans rather than gated to a premium tier in most configurations. Free trial available. Confirm current per-seat rate on their site, it adjusts periodically.

StandardBase fee + ~$3-4/user/mo
includes GPS and facial recognition clock-in

Features

  • Facial recognition verification at clock-in
  • GPS location tracking on mobile clock-ins
  • Overtime and break rule alerts
  • Audit-ready timesheet reporting
  • Payroll export integrations
  • PTO tracking
Pros
  • Facial recognition is a real step up from GPS-only verification for stopping buddy punching specifically
  • Simpler, more focused product if time theft is your main concern rather than scheduling
  • Audit-ready reporting makes disputes and payroll reconciliation easier
Cons
  • Less scheduling depth than Homebase or Deputy, if you need both, you may be paying for two tools
  • Biometric data adds a layer of privacy/compliance consideration (state biometric privacy laws) you need to handle properly
  • Smaller ecosystem of integrations than the bigger scheduling-first platforms
Best for

Small businesses where buddy punching is a known, recurring cost and biometric verification is worth the tradeoff in scheduling depth.

Not for

Multi-location operations that need heavy scheduling and labor-forecasting tools alongside time tracking.

Screenshots

Clock-in screen showing a facial recognition match confirmation before the punch is accepted

Supported countries

United StatesCanada

Integrations

QuickBooks PayrollGustoADPPaychex

Buddy Punch alternatives

Tools worth comparing before you commit.