Comparison
TrackBadges vs Buddy Punch
Choose TrackBadges if badge scanning is how your crew clocks in: it's the whole product, it's on every plan (including free), and 25 people cost $42 a month instead of over $200. Choose Buddy Punch if you need PTO tracking, direct payroll integrations and many punch methods in one product, and the extra cost is worth it to you.
The short answer
TrackBadges is a QR badge time clock: a supervisor scans each employee's printed badge with any phone, so the crew needs no app or smartphone. Buddy Punch is an online time clock with many punch methods — web, mobile app, PIN and QR code kiosks, Face ID and text — plus a supervisor "group punch".
TrackBadges vs Buddy Punch at a glance
| TrackBadges | Buddy Punch | |
|---|---|---|
| How employees clock in | A supervisor (or a shared tablet) scans each employee's printed QR badge. Scan once to clock in, again to clock out. | On the web or mobile app, at a PIN or QR kiosk (from the Pro plan), with Face ID on iOS, by text message, or by a supervisor's group punch. |
| Does each employee need a smartphone? | No. Employees carry a printed badge. | No — kiosks and group punch cover employees without phones. |
| QR codes | Every employee gets a printed QR badge. | Yes, from the Pro plan: each employee gets a QR code that can be printed or put on an ID card, scanned by any camera at a kiosk. |
| One supervisor clocks in a crew | Yes — it's how it works. One phone clocks in the whole crew. | Yes — group punch lets a supervisor clock in several employees. |
| Hardware | None. Any phone or tablet; badges print on paper. | None required. Any device with a camera can scan QR codes. |
| Free plan | Free for up to 3 people, with every feature. | No free plan; there's a free trial. |
| Pricing | Free for up to 3 people. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 people, plus $1.50 a month for each person after that. | A $19 monthly base fee plus a per-user fee: Starter $5.99, Pro $7.99, Advanced $13.99 per user a month billed monthly ($4.99 / $6.99 / $12.99 annually). QR and PIN kiosks start on Pro. Admins are free. |
| Monthly cost, 10 people | $19.50/mo | $98.90/mo |
| Monthly cost, 25 people | $42/mo | $218.75/mo |
| Monthly cost, 50 people | $79.50/mo | $418.50/mo |
Buddy Punch costs use Pro (the first tier with QR and PIN kiosks) at $7.99 per user plus the $19 base fee, billed monthly. TrackBadges is billed monthly. Prices were checked in October 2026 and change, so check Buddy Punch's site before you buy.
What it costs a month
10 people / month
25 people / month
50 people / month
Two takes on the same idea
Buddy Punch and TrackBadges both do what most time clocks don't: printable QR codes for each employee, and a supervisor who can clock in the crew. The difference is what everything else costs.
In Buddy Punch, QR codes and kiosks are a feature of the Pro tier, priced at $7.99 per user plus a $19 base fee a month (billed monthly). In TrackBadges, the badge scan is the product: every feature is on every plan, the first 3 people are free, and each person after that is $1.50 a month.
| Crew size | TrackBadges | Buddy Punch Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | $19.50/mo | $98.90/mo |
| 25 people | $42/mo | $218.75/mo |
| 50 people | $79.50/mo | $418.50/mo |
What Buddy Punch has that TrackBadges doesn't
Buddy Punch is broader: PTO accrual and requests, scheduling, direct payroll integrations, Face ID and text-to-punch, and job codes. If you need those inside your time clock, it's a reasonable pick. TrackBadges stays narrow on purpose — badge scans, live who's-working, overtime and rounding, approvals and a CSV export your payroll provider can import.
Buddy Punch: what it does well, and where it falls short
Strengths
- Printable QR codes and a supervisor group punch — a similar idea to TrackBadges.
- Many punch methods, PTO tracking and payroll integrations.
- Admins don't count as paid users.
Drawbacks
- A $19 base fee plus per-user pricing makes small and mid-size crews expensive.
- QR and PIN kiosks need the Pro tier.
- Public reviews mention GPS accuracy issues and occasional glitches.
Choose TrackBadges if…
Choose TrackBadges if badge scanning is how your crew clocks in: it's the whole product, it's on every plan (including free), and 25 people cost $42 a month instead of over $200.
Choose Buddy Punch if…
Choose Buddy Punch if you need PTO tracking, direct payroll integrations and many punch methods in one product, and the extra cost is worth it to you.
Frequently asked questions
How much do TrackBadges and Buddy Punch cost?
For 10 people, TrackBadges costs $19.50/mo and Buddy Punch costs $98.90/mo; for 25 people it's $42/mo against $218.75/mo. Buddy Punch's figures use Pro (the first tier with QR and PIN kiosks) at $7.99 per user plus the $19 base fee, billed monthly, checked in October 2026. TrackBadges is free for up to 3 people; Pro is $9 a month plus $1.50 per person after 3.
Do employees need a smartphone for Buddy Punch?
No — kiosks and group punch cover employees without phones.
What's the main difference between TrackBadges and Buddy Punch?
Buddy Punch is an online time clock with many punch methods — web, mobile app, PIN and QR code kiosks, Face ID and text — plus a supervisor "group punch". TrackBadges is a QR badge time clock: employees carry a printed badge and a supervisor's phone scans the whole crew in and out, so nobody on the crew needs an app, login or phone.
Does Buddy Punch have QR codes?
Yes. Buddy Punch's Pro plan and above let each employee use a QR code that can be printed or put on an ID card, scanned at a kiosk by any device with a camera. Pro is $7.99 per user a month plus a $19 base fee, billed monthly.
What does Buddy Punch cost for 10 employees?
On the Pro plan, which includes QR and PIN kiosks, 10 employees cost $98.90 a month billed monthly ($19 base fee plus 10 × $7.99). TrackBadges costs $19.50 a month for 10 people.
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Switching from Buddy Punch? Your crew could be scanning in today.
Print a QR badge for everyone and scan them in and out with any phone or tablet. Free for up to 3 people — try it with your real crew before you sign up.