Buddy Punch vs. Calamari

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Buddy Punch
Score 7.1 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
Buddy Punch is an online time tracking and scheduling application. Track time, time off, locations, and jobs. The solution aims to help punching in & out intuitive for employees & easy for users to view & export time. Employees can clock in using a browser or the Buddy Punch Google, iOS, & Android apps. Users can view who's working, their GPS position or even limit where they can punch. The solution integrates with QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, & SurePayroll while also offering Excel exports. …
$3.49
per month per user
Calamari
Score 9.2 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
Calamari is a workforce management software system offered by Chrobrus.
$10
per month
Pricing
Buddy PunchCalamari
Editions & Modules
Time & Attendance
$3.49
per month per user
Time & Attendance + Scheduling
$4.49
per month per user
Enterprise
$9.49
per month per user
Leave Mgmt
Starting at 10
per month
Clock In/Clock Out
Starting at 20
per month
Leave Mgmt + Clock In/Clock Out
Starting at 30
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Buddy PunchCalamari
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsWe offer three plans, each with a monthly or annual payment option. Each plan has a per user price and a base fee of $19. There are no startup, cancellation, support, or additional fees of any kind.—
More Pricing Information
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Buddy PunchCalamari
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Score 9.5 out of 10
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User Ratings
Buddy PunchCalamari
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(21 ratings)
9.1
(4 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Buddy PunchCalamari
Likelihood to Recommend
Buddy Punch
I think that is very convenient as far as tracking your employees when they are punching in or out to ensure they are physically at the location they are supposed to be for that shift. I also think that the option to download this app to your personal phone is amazing, it makes it more convenient to punch in or out when you aren't near a laptop or a residence to use one. The feature of being able to attach a note with your punches explaining possible late punchers or absences is very beneficial to the employee allows show proof if needed.
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Calamari
Calamari is constantly striving to account for and provide useful, practical, and simple solutions to its employees that everyone can use without significant inconvenience. Always seeking to be in an active business environment that allows them to manage the various labor policies that exist in each region and company where they work.
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Pros
Buddy Punch
  • Their customer service is second to none. We have requested several changes over the years for the web interface and app; I think all the requests we've made were implemented by this point. I only wish this was the case with other companies we utilize.
  • They allow you to set different pay rates based on department which allows us to pay employees more for the skilled jobs they perform versus the more basic work they perform. This is a huge benefit to a small company as it encourages employees to strive for more skilled work and they keep moving up the ladder to become even better assets to the company.
  • The reports you can run are very thorough and work very well for us when it comes time to enter payroll.
  • Having the ability to set alerts has allowed us to cut back on unnecessary overtime as employees can get reminders prior to going over. We can also set reminders for employees to punch in/out for the ones that have a tendency to forget.
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Calamari
  • Complex rules to define each team member's PTO allowance.
  • Overview of remaining allowance and when it is has been requested for.
  • Easy login options.
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Cons
Buddy Punch
  • Sometimes I need to check back to be sure I'm still punched in.
  • The indicator between punched in and out is not very indicative of if I am or not.
  • I want to total hours not just by the week but by pay periods 1-15 days, 16-end of [the] month.
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Calamari
  • Lack of a mobile app.
  • A little tricky at first to use.
  • Need HR-friendly features to add.
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Support Rating
Buddy Punch
No answers on this topic
Calamari
Working with my rep is so easy and has been the selling point on this platform. I like that I don't have to think about it much, love the Slack integrations for my team and how easy it was to transition from our old process into Calamari. It's simple, clear, and for a small team, it has everything I need. The customer support team has always responded promptly when I need anything, and we were even able to extend our trial period in the beginning and converted to a paying customer shortly after.
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Alternatives Considered
Buddy Punch
We originally scheduled and ran payroll through Homebase, but in the last few months the software became very buggy, customer service was slow and when they did respond, was not helpful. When we cancelled our account they didn't even try to make things right. We are so happy that Buddy Punch is like us--taking care of their clients and really invested in their success!
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Calamari
Our HR department used Excel and paper request forms for our vacation management, and tracking working hours didn't exist. We were only obliged to sign a list when we were entering the office. Calamari is a huge improvement in every aspect of time tracking and vacation management for your company. We're loving it!
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Return on Investment
Buddy Punch
  • Efficiency has definitely gone up switching to Buddy Punch. Ive never quantified specific hours or time lapse it has given to my personal managerial efficiency. But it has without doubt.
  • I can see a better overview of the employees I need to be concerned with and not have to filter out others not concerning me.
  • Ease of use has decreased mental stress and angst in maneuvering employee time cards.
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Calamari
  • It is quick and simple to provide application training to employees.
  • When there are problems with the connection, it is possible to record that the user does not mark their exit or accounts for extra time.
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ScreenShots

Buddy Punch Screenshots

Screenshot of The Administrator's DashboardScreenshot of Time Off CalendarScreenshot of Schedule View

Calamari Screenshots

Screenshot of Calendar with detailed information about upcoming absences, holidays, and remote work.Screenshot of Online Timesheets with all the details about employees' working time. Employees can clock in/out, call a break, add projects, and take notes.Screenshot of Clocking in/out and displays all the details about the work day.Screenshot of team management features.Screenshot of the integrations that are possibile using the Calamari API.Screenshot of company document management features.