# Buddy Punch vs Punch Time Clock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Buddy Punch at none against Punch Time Clock's 4. Buddy Punch also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Punch Time Clock's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (36K vs 753). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Punch Time Clock sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Buddy Punch asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Buddy Punch against 4.8 for Punch Time Clock. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Punch Time Clock has 36K ratings behind it against 753, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Buddy Punch's written reviews are positive against 69% of Punch Time Clock's.

Buddy Punch ships an update monthly, Punch Time Clock every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buddy Punch | Punch Time Clock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (753 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-punch/id1100685927/reviews)** | [4.8 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/punch-time-clock/id1400078107/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 753 | **36K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **69.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 107 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buddy Punch LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100685926) | [Trent Morris](https://appshunter.io/developer/1400078106) |

## 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


### Punch Time Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/punch-time-clock/id1400078107)

Easily track work hours, manage shifts, and generate detailed timesheets. This app offers simple clock-in/out functionality, retroactive adjustments, and professional PDF/CSV exports for record-keeping or invoicing.

**Highlights:** Effortless time tracking, Comprehensive timesheets, Professional PDF/CSV exports, Flexible shift management, Organize with tags, Overtime calculations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nice Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ridiculous Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🕰️ Helpful for tracking work hours
- 💰 Useful for estimating pay
- 📤 Ability to export data

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Limited currency options
- 🤔 Clunky manual entry process
- 🔢 Inaccurate pay calculations
- 🚫 Lack of Apple Watch support

**Reported bugs**

- Export feature not working
- Crashes when using certain functions

**Requested features**

- Ability to add notes to entries
- Option to customize pay periods
- Support for multiple pay rates
- Sync data to cloud storage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buddy Punch free?

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

### Is Punch Time Clock free?

Punch Time Clock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Buddy Punch or Punch Time Clock?

Buddy Punch is rated higher. Buddy Punch averages 4.9 out of 5 from 753 ratings, while Punch Time Clock averages 4.8 from 36K ratings.

### Do Buddy Punch or Punch Time Clock have ads?

Neither Buddy Punch nor Punch Time Clock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buddy Punch or Punch Time Clock?

Buddy Punch ships an update monthly, and Punch Time Clock every 4 days. Most recently, Buddy Punch was updated on October 26, 2026 and Punch Time Clock on October 28, 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.*