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Tool A
Hubstaff
Tool B
Buddy Punch
BestStacked · Head-to-Head Comparison
Hubstaff vs Buddy Punch: Which Time Tracker Fits Your Team?
A desktop time tracker and a punch-clock app compared on how time is captured, on-site controls, payroll, price and support, using each vendor's published plans.
The Short Answer
These two solve different problems. Pick Hubstaff if your people work on computers, often remotely, and you want tracked time with activity levels, optional screenshots, client invoices and, on its $10 Team plan, payouts through PayPal, Wise or Payoneer. Pick Buddy Punch if your staff are hourly and on site: it's a punch clock with GPS, IP locks, overtime and PTO on every plan, kiosk punching and geofencing from its $6.99 Pro plan, and exports to about 20 payroll providers, with a $19 monthly base fee on top. Neither was tested hands-on; this compares published plans as of October 10, 2026.
The 5 Rounds
Where each tool actually wins
Round 1 / How Time Is Captured
Round 1: Desktop tracking versus a punch clock
Hubstaff runs a timer on the employee's computer or phone and can record what happens while it runs. Buddy Punch records when someone punches in and out, wherever they are, and doesn't monitor the work in between.
- 01Hubstaff has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox, and tracks time against projects and to-dos.
- 02Hubstaff records activity levels, apps and URLs and screenshots on every plan, within monthly caps; screenshots can be turned off or blurred on paid plans.
- 03Buddy Punch has web, iOS, Android and ChromeOS apps and records punches, not activity, apps or screenshots.
- 04Hubstaff's Insights add-on flags unusual activity; Buddy Punch has no equivalent.
Round 2 / On-Site Controls
Round 2: Kiosks, GPS and geofences
- 01Buddy Punch records GPS on punches and supports IP, device and time-of-day locks on every plan.
- 02Buddy Punch Pro adds PIN, QR and photo punching on a shared tablet kiosk, plus geofences from 50 to 1,500 meters.
- 03Hubstaff's GPS and geofencing come only with the Locations add-on, sold on Team ($3.33 per seat billed yearly, $4 monthly) and included on Enterprise.
- 04Hubstaff doesn't list a shared-kiosk punch mode.
Round 3 / Payroll & Scheduling
Round 3: Turning hours into pay
- 01Hubstaff Team ($10 per seat billed yearly) pays people from approved hours through PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, Deel, Gusto and Bitwage, and adds scheduling, approvals and time off.
- 02Buddy Punch includes overtime, PTO and time card approvals on every plan and scheduling from Pro (a $1 add-on on Starter).
- 03Buddy Punch exports to about 20 US payroll tools, including QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex and Gusto, and sells its own payroll add-on ($49 plus $8 per user on its pricing page; $39 plus $6 on its payroll page).
- 04Hubstaff also invoices clients from tracked time; Buddy Punch doesn't list client invoicing.
Round 4 / Price
Round 4: What each costs as the team grows
- 01Hubstaff: Starter $4.99, Grow $7.50, Team $10 and Enterprise $25 per seat a month billed yearly, with a 2-seat minimum; managers count as seats.
- 02Buddy Punch: $19 a month base fee plus $4.99 (Starter), $6.99 (Pro) or $12.99 (Advanced) per user billed yearly; admins are free.
- 03Our calculation for 5 people on the entry plans: Hubstaff $24.95 a month, Buddy Punch $43.95, both billed yearly.
- 04Our calculation for 20 people on the plans most teams need: Hubstaff Team $200 a month, Buddy Punch Pro $158.80, both billed yearly.
Round 5 / Support & Terms
Round 5: Who answers, and what if it doesn't work out
- 01Buddy Punch offers live chat and email on every plan, weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. US Central, with no phone support.
- 02Hubstaff Starter is email-only with a 2-day response target; chat starts on Team, and VIP support costs $29 or more per organization a month.
- 03Both offer a 14-day trial without a card.
- 04Hubstaff refunds within 30 days on your first paid organization only; Buddy Punch's pricing FAQ promises refunds within 72 hours (monthly) or 30 days (annual), but its help center says all fees are non-refundable.
The Numbers
Pricing: Hubstaff vs Buddy Punch
| Tier | Hubstaff | Buddy Punch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Starter $4.99/seat/mo yearly ($7 monthly), 2-seat minimum | $19/mo + Starter $4.99/user yearly ($5.99 monthly) | |
| Most teams | Team $10/seat/mo yearly ($12 monthly) | $19/mo + Pro $6.99/user yearly ($7.99 monthly) | |
| Top plan | Enterprise $25/seat/mo | $19/mo + Advanced $12.99/user yearly ($13.99 monthly) | |
| GPS | Locations add-on $3.33/seat yearly ($4 monthly), Team only | GPS on punches on every plan; real-time GPS $2/user (included on Advanced) | |
| Payroll | Payouts via PayPal, Wise, Payoneer and others from Team | Exports to ~20 providers; own payroll $49 + $8/user | Payment providers' fees extra |
| Trial | 14 days, no card | 14 days, no card |
Pricing last verified October 10, 2026. Vendors change prices frequently — see our pricing change log.
Who Should Pick What
A decision matrix
Pick Hubstaff if
Pick Hubstaff if you…
Manage remote or office staff who work on computers and want activity data or screenshots.
Pick Hubstaff if you…
Pay contractors in several countries and want payouts through Wise, PayPal or Payoneer.
Pick Hubstaff if you…
Invoice clients from tracked hours and set project budgets.
Pick Buddy Punch if
Pick Buddy Punch if you…
Run shifts with hourly staff who punch in on site or from a shared tablet.
Pick Buddy Punch if you…
Need GPS, IP locks, overtime and PTO without paying for add-ons or a higher plan.
Pick Buddy Punch if you…
Already use a US payroll provider such as QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex or Gusto.
The Verdict
Overall winner: Tie
There's no overall winner, because these tools fit different workforces. Hubstaff is built for people who work on computers: it tracks time with activity levels, apps and optional screenshots, invoices clients, and on its $10 Team plan pays people through PayPal, Wise, Payoneer and other providers. Watch the 2-seat minimum, the Locations add-on for GPS and email-only support on lower plans. Buddy Punch is built for hourly staff on site: GPS, IP locks, overtime, PTO and payroll exports on every plan, with kiosk punching, geofences and scheduling on its $6.99 Pro plan. Watch the $19 base fee on small teams and its conflicting refund terms. If you have both kinds of worker, check whether one tool's weaker side is good enough before paying for two.
If you only have $20
Hubstaff Starter for 2 to 5 computer-based users; Buddy Punch Pro for larger hourly teams, where its per-user price beats Hubstaff Team.
If money's not the issue
Hubstaff Enterprise for SSO, HIPAA and bundled add-ons; Buddy Punch Advanced for multi-location manager permissions, SAML SSO and real-time GPS.
Common questions
Hubstaff vs Buddy Punch — FAQ
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