Wrkbase vs Buddy Punch: a punch clock with add-ons, or a workspace with a clock built in
Buddy Punch is a genuinely strong time clock (geofencing, kiosk punch, GPS), but it's built around the punch, not the work. There's no team chat at any tier, tasks are an add-on bundled only into its top plan, and payroll isn't native. Wrkbase starts from the task and includes attendance, chat, and payroll around it.
Feature by feature
Sourced from Buddy Punch's own public pricing page, checked 9 October 2026.
| Category | Wrkbase | BPBuddy Punch |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | WrkbaseTasks, time tracking, attendance, team chat, and payroll in one system, plus an AI agent that can act on your data. | Buddy PunchTime tracking and attendance software (geofencing, kiosk punch, GPS) built around the punch clock, not a task board or team chat. Payroll, scheduling on the lowest plan, and task tracking are separate add-ons. |
| Task management | WrkbaseA full task board included on every plan, including the free tier. The timer starts automatically when a task moves to In progress. | Buddy Punch"Tasks" is bundled with the Onboarding/Offboarding add-on ($4/user/month, marked "Coming Soon" on the pricing page), included by default only on the top Advanced tier ($12.99/user/month + $19 base). |
| Time tracking | WrkbaseIncluded on every plan: a task timer tied to the work, plus a daily clock that installs on a phone and can record where each sign-in happened. Requiring a sign-in location, weekly timesheets, and a shift rota are on Team. | Buddy PunchCore to every tier starting at Starter ($4.99/user/month + $19 base), which records GPS on punches. Geofencing, kiosk punch, and webcam photos start at Pro ($6.99/user/month); real-time GPS is a $2/user/month add-on. |
| Team chat | WrkbaseIncluded on every plan, including free. | Buddy PunchNot offered at any tier. |
| AI agent | WrkbaseProposes a plan across tasks, payroll, and the rest of the workspace, and only acts once you confirm it. Included on the Team plan. | Buddy Punch"MCP Access" on the Pro tier lets external AI assistants connect to Buddy Punch's data, which is an integration point, not a built-in agent that plans and executes actions itself. |
| Payroll | WrkbaseBuilt in (salaried or hourly), on the same employee record as attendance and task hours. Included in the $8/member/month tier, no separate line item. | Buddy PunchNot native at any tier: either a third-party payroll integration (Starter and up) or Buddy Punch's own payroll add-on at $8/user/month plus a $49 base fee. |
| Pricing model | WrkbasePer member: $0 up to 5 people, $8/member/month up to 50 people (payroll and the AI agent included), $18/member/month beyond that. | Buddy PunchPer-user tiers from $4.99 to $12.99/month billed annually ($5.99 to $13.99 monthly) plus a flat $19 base fee, with real-time GPS, scheduling, onboarding/tasks, reporting, and data retention priced as separate per-user add-ons. |
Buddy Punch pricing and features as publicly listed on 9 October 2026 (buddypunch.com/pricing). Pricing pages change. Confirm current numbers there before deciding. Weighing the two time clocks against each other? Read Buddy Punch vs Homebase.
Buddy Punch pricing, plan by plan
Per user per month, plus a $19 base fee on every plan. For 10 people on Starter, billed annually, that is $68.90 a month before any add-on.
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $4.99 | $5.99 | Time tracking, GPS on punches, mobile apps, time off, job tracking, payroll integrations, reporting |
| Pro | $6.99 | $7.99 | Basic geofencing, kiosk and QR punch, webcam on punches, offline mode, break compliance, API access, and Scheduling |
| Advanced | $12.99 | $13.99 | Single sign-on, advanced reporting, manager permissions, real-time GPS, and the Onboarding, Offboarding and Tasks add-on |
Add-ons are per user per month: Scheduling $1 (included from Pro), Real-Time GPS $2, Advanced Reporting $2, Data Retention $2, and Onboarding, Offboarding and Tasks $4. Payroll is $8 per user plus a $49 monthly base fee on any plan. Wrkbase, for comparison, is $0 for up to 5 people and $8 per member per month on Team, with payroll, timesheets, and scheduling included and no base fee.
Which one actually fits
Buddy Punch fits better if
Time tracking accuracy is the whole job (GPS, geofencing, kiosk punch, webcam photos) and you already have separate tools for tasks, chat, and payroll.
Wrkbase fits better if
You want the clock connected to the actual work, with tasks, chat, and payroll in the same place, without stacking per-user add-ons to get there.
Attendance
Your daily sign-in, break, and sign-off record.
Today
Not signed inSigned in
—
Worked
0:00
Break
0:00
Signed off
—
Today, everyone
The day starts with one click: Sign in.
Questions a small business actually asks
Does Buddy Punch include task management, or is it a separate cost?
"Tasks" is bundled only with the Onboarding/Offboarding add-on ($4/user/month), and included by default only on the top Advanced tier ($12.99/user/month plus a $19 base fee). Wrkbase includes a full task board on every plan, including its free tier, with the timer starting automatically when a task moves to In progress.
Is payroll included in the price, or an add-on, for each tool?
Buddy Punch payroll isn't native at any tier: it's either a third-party payroll integration (Starter and up) or Buddy Punch's own payroll add-on at $8/user/month plus a $49 base fee. Wrkbase's payroll is built into its $8/member/month Team tier already (salaried or hourly, on the same employee record as attendance and task hours), with no separate line item.
How much does Buddy Punch cost?
Buddy Punch pricing is per user plus a base fee. Billed annually, Starter is $4.99, Pro $6.99, and Advanced $12.99 per user per month ($5.99, $7.99, and $13.99 billed monthly), and every plan adds a $19 monthly base fee. Administrator users are free, there is a 14-day trial, and there is no free plan. Payroll is a further $8 per user plus a $49 monthly base fee.
Does Wrkbase have team chat like Buddy Punch?
Buddy Punch doesn't offer team chat at any tier. It's built around the punch clock (geofencing, kiosk punch, GPS), not team communication. Wrkbase includes team chat on every plan, including free.
Evaluating this for a team with real compliance requirements? See how we handle permissions, isolation, and data.
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