Who publishes this: TimeClockGuide is run by the team behind ClockAll, which is also our #1 pick. We tell you up front so you can weigh the comparisons accordingly — every figure about a competitor is sourced from their own public pricing and docs.
Buddy punching — one employee clocking in or out for another — is one of the most common forms of time theft. It looks harmless, but a few minutes per shift across a team adds up to real money and payroll you can’t trust. Here are seven ways to stop it, from cheap to bulletproof.
- Face ID / facial recognition — the punch only counts if the right face is present. The single most effective fix.
- Personal PINs — better than a shared code; pair with a kiosk so PINs can’t be passed around remotely.
- GPS & geofencing — block punches that happen away from the worksite.
- Photo on punch — capture a timestamped photo at clock-in for spot checks.
- Tablet kiosk by the door — one supervised device instead of everyone’s phone.
- Audit trails — log every edit so changes can’t be made quietly.
- Clear policy — put buddy punching in the handbook with consequences.
Our top pick: ClockAll
If you want the quickest win, Face-ID punching plus geofencing removes most of the opportunity. ClockAll verifies app punches with Face ID, runs a personal-PIN kiosk on any tablet, and adds GPS so off-site punches are blocked.
- Stops buddy punching with Face ID and per-person PINs
- Any tablet becomes a kiosk — no proprietary hardware to buy
- GPS & geofencing verify staff are on-site when they punch
- Scheduling, breaks, PTO and overtime built in, not bolted on
- Multiple locations from one dashboard with an audit trail
- Free forever for teams up to 3, then flat per-company pricing from $5.99/month
ClockAll is built for small and growing teams that want an honest, simple system without enterprise pricing or clunky hardware.
Frequently asked questions
What is buddy punching?
When one employee clocks in or out on behalf of another who isn’t actually there, inflating paid hours.
What’s the best way to prevent buddy punching?
Biometric verification. A Face-ID time clock like ClockAll only records a punch when the correct person is present.
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