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Most buyers should pick Buddy Punch.
Choose Buddy Punch for hourly teams that need time tracking, schedules and PTO at published per-user rates. Its plans start at $4.99 per user monthly with annual billing, plus a $19 monthly base fee. UKG Pro is the broader HR, payroll and workforce management option, with analytics and compliance tools. Its pricing page lists no rates, so buyers must request a custom quote. We’d favor Buddy Punch for straightforward timekeeping and UKG Pro for wider workforce needs.
01Side by side
| Buddy Punch | UKG Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $4.99/user/month annually + $19 monthly base fee | Custom quote; public starting price not published |
| Free plan | No free plan; 14-day trial | No free plan or trial listed |
| Best for | Hourly teams needing time, attendance, schedules and PTO | Organizations needing broad HR, payroll and workforce management |
| Core strength | Time clocks, GPS, schedules and time-off tracking | HR, payroll, workforce management, analytics and compliance |
| Learning curve | Higher ease-of-use review score: 7/10 | Lower ease-of-use review score: 4/10 |
| Integrations/data | Payroll reports, payroll integrations and built-in payroll | HR, payroll and workforce insights; integrations not published |
| Team/seat costs | Per-user fees, $19 base, and optional add-ons | Custom quote; seat costs not published |
| Support | Review score: 5/10 | Review score: 5/10 |
Buddy Punch Choose Buddy Punch if
- Choose Buddy Punch if hourly teams need time tracking, schedules and PTO.
- Choose Buddy Punch if published per-user pricing matters.
- Choose Buddy Punch if you want payroll reports or payroll integrations.
UKG Pro Choose UKG Pro if
- Choose UKG Pro if you need HR, payroll and workforce management together.
- Choose UKG Pro if workforce analytics and compliance tools matter.
- Choose UKG Pro if your organization needs broad workforce planning.
02Pricing compared
Buddy Punch lists three per-user plans: Starter is $4.99 per month with annual billing or $5.99 month to month; Pro is $6.99 or $7.99; Advanced is $12.99 or $13.99. Each plan also has a $19 monthly base fee, so the per-user rate is not the full bill. Scheduling costs $1 per user monthly unless included in Pro or Advanced. Payroll is an add-on at $8 per user monthly plus a $49 monthly base fee. Buddy Punch offers a 14-day free trial and no free plan. UKG Pro’s pricing page lists no rates or free trial; buyers must request a custom quote. That makes direct price comparison difficult. Get UKG’s quote and compare total costs, including any services or terms it specifies, with Buddy Punch’s base fees and add-ons.
03Features and depth
Buddy Punch focuses on time and attendance for hourly and salaried teams. Employees can clock in from computers, phones, or a kiosk; GPS is available on punches, while basic geofencing is included with Pro and real-time GPS with Advanced. Scheduling is included with Pro and Advanced, and the plans also cover PTO tracking, timesheets, and payroll reporting. Advanced adds unlimited groups and advanced reporting. Buddy Punch also offers payroll integrations and a built-in payroll service, priced separately. UKG Pro covers a wider set of workforce functions: HR, payroll, workforce management, scheduling, analytics, and compliance. UKG highlights global payroll and scheduling for union workforces. The published information does not specify UKG’s feature limits or which capabilities are included in a quoted package, so confirm those details with sales. The practical distinction is scope: Buddy Punch centers on tracking time and managing shifts and leave; UKG Pro is positioned as a broader HR and workforce platform.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Buddy Punch’s narrower focus may make it the more direct fit when the main jobs are clock-ins, schedules, PTO, and timesheets. Its review score for ease of use is 7, compared with 4 for UKG Pro, though the published material does not state the scoring scale. UKG Pro covers HR, payroll, workforce management, analytics, and compliance, so buyers should assess how much of that scope they need and what setup it requires. The available information does not publish implementation timelines or training requirements for either product. UKG’s review advises checking the employee experience before choosing. Ask both vendors to walk through the workflows employees and managers will use, and confirm what onboarding and support are included in the quoted price.
Questions people ask
How much does Buddy Punch cost compared with UKG Pro?
Buddy Punch starts at $4.99 per user monthly with annual billing, plus a $19 monthly base fee. Monthly billing starts at $5.99 per user, also plus the base fee. UKG Pro publishes no rates; its pricing page directs buyers to sales for a custom quote.
Does Buddy Punch include payroll?
Buddy Punch supports payroll reporting and integrations, and it offers a built-in payroll service as a paid add-on. The listed payroll price is $8 per user monthly plus a $49 monthly base fee. UKG Pro includes payroll in its broader platform description, but its package pricing is not published.
Which product is better for hourly employees?
Buddy Punch is the more focused option for hourly teams needing clock-ins, GPS, scheduling, PTO, and timesheets. UKG Pro also offers workforce management and scheduling, but extends into HR, payroll, analytics, and compliance. Confirm UKG’s quoted features and limits before comparing it with Buddy Punch.
Does either product offer a free trial?
Buddy Punch lists a 14-day free trial and no free plan. The published UKG Pro pricing information lists neither a free trial nor a free plan; its pricing page directs buyers to request a custom quote. Ask UKG sales whether a product demonstration or evaluation is available.