How much does it really cost to use Buddy Punch?
Buddy Punch is an innovative web-based time tracking software that simplifies and streamlines employee attendance tracking and scheduling. This time-tracking solution provides employees with the flexibility to clock in and out using a variety of methods, including web browsers, mobile apps, and time clocks.
If you are keen on learning more about Buddy Punch, including its features and limitations, I have created a comprehensive analysis that delves into both aspects. However, let’s take a closer look at its pricing structure right now…
Pricing models
Buddy Punch offers three pricing plans to cater to the needs of different businesses. Each plan includes a free trial period to help users decide which plan is the best fit for them.
Standard Plan: At a base fee of US$19/month and $2.99/user/month billed annually (or $3.49 if billed monthly), this plan includes time tracking, time off tracking, basic GPS, reporting, alerts and reminders, job tracking, break planning, payroll integrations, and multi-channel support.
Pro Plan: At a base fee of US$19/month and $3.99/user/month billed annually (or $4.49 if billed monthly), in addition to all the features in the Standard plan, it includes employee scheduling, shift trades and covers, schedule templates, schedule notifications, availability management, and early/late/absent reporting.
Enterprise Plan: The price for this plan is not listed on the website and requires users to contact Buddy Punch for a quote. This plan includes everything offered in the Pro plan plus single sign-on (SSO) and API access.
What are the 5 things you’ve gotta watch out for with Buddy Punch’s paid plans?
1. Hidden fees
Well, Buddy Punch employs a pretty transparent pricing model with no hidden fees. You can pay the software’s subscription fees either monthly or annually and all the details are explicitly outlined based on the selected plan. And if businesses want to add-on or avail of extra services, they can pay an additional fee, which is always explicitly disclosed before any purchase.
2. Limited features on lower pricing tiers
The lower pricing tiers, such as the Standard and Pro plans, have some limitations on features compared to the higher tiers, like the Enterprise plan. However, even the lower tiers offer a range of essential time tracking and management features, that include:
- Time tracking
- Time off tracking
- Basic GPS
- Reporting
- Alerts and reminders
- Payroll integrations
- Job tracking
- Break planning
- Multi-channel support
- Unlimited free administrators
- Mobile apps
Nonetheless, the higher tiers include more advanced features, such as employee scheduling, shift trades and covers, and single sign-on (SSO) access.
Also, what’s great is that Buddy Punch offers a 14-day free trial for all of its pricing plans. This is a good way for businesses to try out all the features of the plan they select without any restrictions during the trial period. To sign up, simply create an account on the Buddy Punch website, select the plan you’re interested in, and start using the software.
3. Contracts and commitments
Um, Buddy Punch involves a number of commitments and contracts that users should be aware of. These include signing a contractual agreement before using the software, understanding subscription commitments, data ownership, and termination policies (which I’ll talk more about later). It’s crucial to carefully review and understand these factors to avoid any unexpected issues.
4. Inflexibility in pricing
Buddy Punch offers straightforward pricing options, allowing users to choose a subscription plan that fits their needs. However, I’ve gotta say that plans require a commitment, such as an annual commitment, and downgrading an annual plan is not possible until the end of the annual term.
So, in that sense, I do find the pricing to be inflexible.
5. Difficulty in canceling or changing plans
What I think will concern many businesses is once paid, fees are non-refundable, including partial month charges, upgrade or downgrade refunds, and unused months on an open account. Downgrading of annual plans is not possible until the annual term has ended. That’s kind of a huge commitment if you ask me.
Is Buddy Punch worth it?
In conclusion, while the pricing for Buddy Punch’s Standard and Pro plans is competitive, not having a clearly laid out price for the Enterprise plan somewhat concerns me. However, the software provides a range of essential time tracking and management features even on the lower-priced plans, including time tracking, reporting, job tracking, payroll integrations, and more. A free trial period for all plans is also available, allowing users to test out the features before committing to a subscription.
But it’s important to note that subscriptions are not refundable, and you cannot downgrade either, so once you’re committed to the software, there’s no going back – which I wish weren’t the case.
And do I wish there was a free plan? Well, yeah.
All in all, I suggest businesses to use the free trial and get a comprehensive idea of what the software offers before opting for a paid plan, because there’s no backing out. And given the commitment, if you want to read up more about Buddy Punch, I’ve curated a list of 5 reasons why Buddy Punch is great and 5 reasons why it sucks! Check them out before making the final decision.
