# Buddy Punch vs FieldStar

The clearest difference is rating: Buddy Punch at 4.9 against FieldStar's 2.9. Buddy Punch also leads on ratings volume (719 vs 10) and review sentiment (60% vs 50%). FieldStar's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Buddy Punch holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buddy Punch has 719 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Buddy Punch's written reviews are positive against 50% of FieldStar's.

Buddy Punch ships an update monthly, FieldStar weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buddy Punch | FieldStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (719 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-punch/id1100685927/reviews)** | [2.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fieldstar/id1145842049/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **719** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 106 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buddy Punch LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100685926) | [Spencer Hedeen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139081487) |

## What reviewers say

### Buddy Punch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-punch/id1100685927)

This employee time tracking app allows staff to clock in and out from any internet-connected device. It offers features like GPS tracking, geofencing, and photo punch-ins to ensure accountability. The app automatically calculates hours, overtime, and PTO, and integrates with popular payroll services.

**Highlights:** GPS time clock, Geofencing, Photo punch-ins, Automatic time calculations, Employee scheduling, PTO tracking, Payroll integrations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and convenient punch in/out process
- 📍 QR code punch system works well
- 🔔 Reliable notifications and updates
- 💼 Good for field-based businesses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently fails to punch in/out despite confirmation
- ⏱️ Slow app loading times causing tardiness
- 🔐 Facial recognition issues with darker skin tones
- 📱 Portrait-only orientation (no landscape mode)
- 🔄 Inconsistency between app and website

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and shows blank white screen requiring reinstall
- Keyboard overlay cuts off top half of screen during manual time entry
- Punch confirmation shows success but punch never registers
- App fails to punch in/out for lunch breaks
- Network error messages after successful submission

**Requested features**

- Landscape/horizontal orientation support for iPad
- Live real-time GPS tracking
- View PTO balance in app
- Geofencing for punch in/out
- Status change without punching in/out


### FieldStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fieldstar/id1145842049)

This app assists field crews with data collection, photo capture, and monument management. It also helps with route planning, time tracking, and expense reporting for immediate availability to production teams.

**Highlights:** Data collection, Photo capture, Monument management, Route management, Time clock, Expense reporting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buddy Punch free?

Buddy Punch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FieldStar free?

FieldStar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Buddy Punch or FieldStar?

Buddy Punch is rated higher. Buddy Punch averages 4.9 out of 5 from 719 ratings, while FieldStar averages 2.9 from 10 ratings.

### Do Buddy Punch or FieldStar have ads?

Neither Buddy Punch nor FieldStar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buddy Punch or FieldStar?

Buddy Punch ships an update monthly, and FieldStar weekly. Most recently, Buddy Punch was updated on September 22, 2026 and FieldStar on July 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*