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Punch vs QuickBooks Time
QuickBooks Time is no longer standalone. It runs on a paid QuickBooks Online subscription, then charges per user on top of a base fee. Punch is its own app at one flat price per org, and it still hands your bookkeeper a QuickBooks-ready file. Here's the honest comparison.
What you're actually paying for
With QuickBooks Time, the time-tracking line is per employee, on top of a monthly base fee, on top of the QuickBooks Online subscription it now requires. Three stacked costs, and two of them grow as you hire or as your accounting needs change.
With Punch, it's one flat price for your whole crew, owners never count toward the cap, and you still export a QuickBooks-ready file. You keep the QuickBooks you need for the books, without paying per head to track time inside it.
The math for a team of 100
$129.99/mo
Punch Scale, every feature, no QuickBooks subscription needed
$820/mo
QuickBooks Time Premium, $20 base + 100 × $8 per user
Geofencing only comes on the Elite tier, which pushes 100 users past $1,000 a month. Punch includes it on every plan.
About 6 times the price. Punch saves you nearly $700 every month.
QuickBooks Time published pricing, billed monthly at regular rates, as of May 2026. Rates change, so check their site for current numbers.
Punch vs QuickBooks Time, side by side
| Feature | Punch | QuickBooks Time |
|---|---|---|
| Flat price per org, no per-user fees | Included | Not included |
| Owners free, never counted as a seat | Included | Not included |
| Works without a QuickBooks subscription | Included | Not included |
| Every feature on every plan, no tiers | Included | Not included |
| Overtime presets for 15 countries | Included | Not included |
| Guided import from other time trackers | Included | Not included |
| Built-in PTO accruals with tenure milestones | Included | Not included |
Already on QuickBooks Time? Your history comes with you.
Export your timesheets from QuickBooks Time (Reports → Time Entry Detail), upload the file, and Punch matches each shift to a teammate, lunch breaks and approval statuses included. Most teams switch in an afternoon.
See how the import worksWhy teams choose Punch over QuickBooks Time
Punch wins by standing on its own. QuickBooks Time only works if you carry a QuickBooks Online subscription, then it charges per user on top of a base fee. Punch needs none of that. It is one flat price for the whole organization, owners never counted, every feature on every plan, and it still hands you a QuickBooks-ready file at the end of the period. PTO accruals with tenure milestones, geofenced punch-in, and overtime presets for 15 countries are all included, no accounting subscription and no per-seat math required. You track time on your terms and still drop clean hours into QuickBooks.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
- Does QuickBooks Time work without QuickBooks Online?
- Not anymore. As of 2026, QuickBooks Time requires an active QuickBooks Online (or QuickBooks Payroll) subscription, it's no longer sold as a standalone time tracker. Punch is fully standalone.
- Can I still use QuickBooks if I switch to Punch?
- Yes. Punch exports a QuickBooks-ready file alongside standard Excel, so your bookkeeper imports hours the same way. You keep QuickBooks for accounting without paying per user to track time inside it.
- How is Punch's pricing different?
- QuickBooks Time charges per employee plus a monthly base fee, and requires the QuickBooks Online subscription underneath. Punch is one flat price per org, owners don't count toward your seat cap, and every feature is included on every plan.
- How do I move my QuickBooks Time data to Punch?
- Export your timesheets from QuickBooks Time (Reports → Time Entry Detail), then upload the file in Punch's import wizard. It matches each name to a teammate and brings over shifts, lunches, and approval statuses. Pay rates and balances you set in Punch.
Keep going.
Punch vs ClockShark, Connecteam, QuickBooks Time, Buddy Punch, Homebase
See how Punch compares: one flat price per org, every feature on every plan (PTO, geofencing, reports), 15 countries, and a one-afternoon import from the tracker you're leaving.
Learn moreSwitch to Punch, Import Your Timesheet History
Moving from ClockShark, Connecteam, QuickBooks Time, or Buddy Punch? Add your crew, upload your export, and Punch brings over every shift, lunch, and approval status. Any other tracker works with our universal template.
Learn more
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