The short answer
Homebase prices by location, not by user: Essentials is $30 a month per location with unlimited employees, and Basic is free for one location and up to 10 employees. Buddy Punch charges a $19 monthly base plus $4.99 per user on its annual Starter plan.
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Buddy Punch wins 2Homebase wins 21 tie
| Dimension | Buddy Punch | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| PricingHomebase Essentials is $30 per location a month, or $24 billed annually, with unlimited employees; Basic is free for one location and 10 employees. Buddy Punch Starter is a $19 base plus $4.99 per user a month billed annually. | $19/mo + $4.99/employee/mo (Starter plan) | Published |
| CapabilitiesBuddy Punch documents all 11 items on our time clock checklist, including offline mode, punch rounding and time card approvals. Homebase documents 7, with location-based clock-in, photo capture on tablets and break waivers. Free administrator users, GPS punches and geofencing, Webcam photos on punches, IP address locking, Kiosk punch by PIN, QR code or facial recognition, Offline mode, Break compliance with automatic premium pay, Time card approval workflow, Overtime alerts, Punch rounding | 11 of 11 core capabilities | 7 of 11 core capabilities |
| IntegrationsBuddy Punch lists 20 integrations, most of them payroll. Homebase names point-of-sale systems such as Square, Toast and Clover, plus Gusto, ADP, Paychex and QuickBooks. 20 | 20 native | 14 documented |
| SecurityHomebase states SOC 2 Type 2 and offers SSO, two-factor sign-in and role-based access. Buddy Punch offers single sign-on through Google, Apple, Okta or OneLogin. Yes | None verified | SOC 2 |
| Fit and supportBoth are built for small businesses. Buddy Punch supports by chat and email; Homebase adds live chat and phone on paid plans. Small businesses | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Attribute | Buddy Punch | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base fee + per employee | Tiered plans |
| Free plan | ||
| Support channels | Chat, email | 24/7 AI chat support and Help Center, Live support by chat and phone (paid plans) |
| Founded | 2013 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Appleton, Wisconsin, US | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Attribute | Buddy Punch | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Price transparency | Published | Published |
| Free trial | ||
| Contract term | Monthly | Monthly |
| Best for | Small businesses | Small businesses |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android, ChromeOS | |
| Single sign-on | ||
| Automatic tax filing |
Pricing. Homebase Essentials is $30 per location a month, or $24 billed annually, with unlimited employees; Basic is free for one location and 10 employees. Buddy Punch Starter is a $19 base plus $4.99 per user a month billed annually.
Capabilities. Buddy Punch documents all 11 items on our time clock checklist, including offline mode, punch rounding and time card approvals. Homebase documents 7, with location-based clock-in, photo capture on tablets and break waivers.
Integrations. Buddy Punch lists 20 integrations, most of them payroll. Homebase names point-of-sale systems such as Square, Toast and Clover, plus Gusto, ADP, Paychex and QuickBooks.
Security. Homebase states SOC 2 Type 2 and offers SSO, two-factor sign-in and role-based access. Buddy Punch offers single sign-on through Google, Apple, Okta or OneLogin.
Fit and support. Both are built for small businesses. Buddy Punch supports by chat and email; Homebase adds live chat and phone on paid plans.
TCP Humanity has the highest LeadChange Score in Time & Attendance Software after excluding these two (8.3/10).
From $2.75/employee/mo
Homebase, once a site has more than a few staff. For 15 employees in one place, Homebase Essentials is $30 a month, or $24 billed annually. Buddy Punch Starter comes to $93.85 a month: the $19 base plus $4.99 each, billed annually.
Homebase payroll is an add-on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid. Buddy Punch payroll is also an add-on, at $8 per user plus a $49 monthly base. For 15 employees, that is $139 a month with Homebase and $169 with Buddy Punch, before the time clock plan.
Only when staff punch, on plans that use it: Buddy Punch records GPS on punches and can set geofences. Real-time GPS tracking is an add-on at $2 per user a month, included in Advanced. Homebase uses location-based clock-in on its mobile time clock.
Buddy punching is when one employee clocks in for another. Buddy Punch checks punches with webcam photos, IP address locking and a kiosk that uses a PIN, a QR code or facial recognition. Homebase captures a photo at clock-in on tablets and point-of-sale devices.
Homebase states a SOC 2 Type 2 report and encrypts data at rest with AES-256. We have no stored certification for Buddy Punch, which does not mean it has none; both offer single sign-on.
Among the scheduling and time clock apps we review, we also compare Homebase with Connecteam, 7shifts, Sling, When I Work and QuickBooks Time. Against Buddy Punch, Homebase’s case is the flat price per location; Buddy Punch’s is the deeper time clock.
Yes, both list a free trial. Homebase also lists a free plan.
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.
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What the LeadChange Score means
A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.
