Short answer on Buddy Punch alternatives: Homebase and When I Work are cheaper if scheduling is the job, Connecteam is cheaper if you have a mobile team of up to 30, and Clockify is cheaper if you only need hours logged. Buddy Punch stays the more specialised choice when location-verified punches matter. Wrkbase is a different kind of tool and, at 10 people, costs more than most of these. Full disclosure: we build it, and the last section says when it is not the right pick.
Why teams look for Buddy Punch alternatives
Buddy Punch charges $4.99 to $12.99 per user per month billed annually plus a flat $19 monthly base fee, as listed in September 2026, with no free plan. GPS on punches is on every plan. Geofencing, kiosk and webcam photos start on Pro at $6.99 per user, and real-time GPS is a $2 per user add-on.
Payroll is an add-on at $8 per user plus a $49 monthly base fee, which is $129 a month for 10 people on top of the plan. Scheduling is a per-user add-on, there is no team chat at any tier, and tasks come with a $4 per user onboarding add-on. People compare Buddy Punch alternatives when those extras add up, or when they do not need location proof at all. The full price list is in Buddy Punch pricing.
What 10 people cost on each tool
Monthly cost for 10 people on each tool's entry paid plan, before payroll, worked out from the prices each vendor lists. Dates are when we last checked each page; confirm before you decide.
| Tool | Plan | 10 people | Prices checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buddy Punch | Lowest plan ($4.99 per user + $19 base) | $68.90 | September 2026 |
| Homebase | Basic (free, one location, up to 10 staff) | $0 | August 2026 |
| Homebase | Essentials, one location | $30 | August 2026 |
| Connecteam | Small Business (free, up to 10 users) | $0 | October 2026 |
| Connecteam | Basic (includes first 30 users) | $29 | October 2026 |
| Clockify | Basic ($3.99 per user, yearly) | $39.90 | October 2026 |
| When I Work | Essentials ($2.50 per user) | $25 | 9 October 2026 |
| Wrkbase | Team ($8 per member; free up to 5) | $80 | Current |
Homebase and When I Work: scheduling first
Homebase charges per location, $0 to $120 a month, with a free Basic tier for one location with up to 10 staff, and it integrates with point-of-sale so staff clock in at the register. Its payroll add-on is $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid, $109 for 10 people. When I Work charges $2.50 to $8 per user, with open shifts and shift swapping on its lowest plan and no free plan. Both are better rota tools than Buddy Punch's per-user scheduling add-on. Detail in Buddy Punch vs Homebase and Homebase alternatives.
Connecteam and Clockify: mobile team and timer
Connecteam is a free plan for up to 10 users, then flat Operations plans of $29, $49 or $99 that include the first 30 users. GPS clock in and out is listed from Basic, with up to 10 geofence sites on Advanced. It is the closest match to Buddy Punch's field-crew use at a lower fixed cost. Clockify is free for up to 5 users and a timer first: timesheet approval from Standard, GPS and scheduling from Pro, and no payroll of its own. See Connecteam pricing and the Clockify review.
Where Wrkbase is and is not an alternative
Wrkbase is not built around the punch clock. It has a phone clock with optional location and a weekly rota, but no kiosk mode, webcam photos or geofence tiers, and it does not file payroll taxes. If proving where someone clocked in is the requirement, stay with Buddy Punch or move to Connecteam. It is an alternative for office and remote teams who used Buddy Punch mainly for attendance and pay records: attendance, timesheets, tasks, leave, team chat and payroll tracking are in one workspace, free for up to 5 people and $8 per member per month on Team. That is $80 for 10 people, more than the entry plans above, and it replaces several of them rather than one. The line-by-line version is on Wrkbase vs Buddy Punch.
Questions this post answers
What is a good free Buddy Punch alternative?
Buddy Punch has no free plan. Connecteam lists a free plan for up to 10 users, Homebase's Basic tier is free for one location with up to 10 staff, and Clockify and Wrkbase are free for up to 5 users.
Is anything cheaper than Buddy Punch for 10 people?
On entry plans, yes. For 10 people Buddy Punch's lowest plan is $68.90 a month. When I Work Essentials is $25, Connecteam Basic $29, Homebase Essentials at one location $30 and Clockify Basic $39.90. Wrkbase Team is $80, so it is not the cheapest.
Which Buddy Punch alternative has payroll?
Buddy Punch's own payroll is an add-on at $8 per user plus a $49 monthly base fee, $129 a month for 10 people. Homebase's is $49 plus $6 per employee paid, $109 for 10. Clockify and Connecteam feed an outside payroll system. Wrkbase tracks payroll from attendance hours and does not file taxes.
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