The When I Work alternative where the time clock isn't an add-on.
When I Work is a scheduling app first, with time tracking and attendance offered as an add-on on some plans. PunchPro starts from the other end: a GPS-verified time clock and payroll review, with scheduling, PTO, hiring and onboarding included on one plan.
14 days freeNo credit card requiredEvery feature included
Scheduling-first with add-ons, or one plan from first punch to payroll.
Choose PunchPro if…
- Your biggest headache is payroll accuracy, not building the schedule
- You want time tracking, PTO and payroll review included rather than added
- You need hiring, onboarding and employee records in the same app
- You want one price that already includes everything
Stay with When I Work if…
- Scheduling is the whole job and you build complex rotating shifts
- You rely on shift swaps, open-shift pickup and team chat
- You already use When I Work's integrations with your POS or payroll
- Your team only needs a schedule, not a time clock
Either works if…
- You schedule hourly staff who clock in from a phone
- You export hours to QuickBooks, ADP or Paychex
- You want to try before you buy
PunchPro vs When I Work: what you get on one plan.
When I Work's scheduling is strong; time clock and attendance sit on higher tiers or add-ons. PunchPro treats the time clock as the center of the product.
| Feature | PunchPro | When I Work |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $39.99/business + $7 per active user | Per user, tiered, add-ons |
| Price shown for full feature set | Yes | Time clock on higher tiers / add-on |
| Employee scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Shift swapping / open shifts | No | Yes |
| Team messaging | No | Yes |
| GPS at the punch | Yes | With time clock add-on |
| Kiosk / shared tablet clock-in | Yes | With time clock add-on |
| Time off & accrual policies | Yes | Requests; accruals vary by tier |
| Overtime flags before payday | Yes | Overtime alerts on some tiers |
| Cost codes & job labor tracking | Yes | No |
| Offer letters & e-signature | Yes | No |
| Onboarding checklists & handbook | Yes | No |
| Certification & license expiry alerts | Yes | No |
| Payroll review with guardrails | Yes | Timesheet approval |
| Payroll exports | QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Paycom | QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, Paychex and others |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card | Yes |
When I Work is a trademark of its owner; PunchPro is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. Competitor details reflect their public materials as of October 2026 and may change; confirm plan details on the vendor's site.
Why hourly teams leave When I Work for PunchPro.
Hiring, onboarding and records live next to the time clock.
PunchPro keeps one employee record from offer letter to final paycheck: offers signed on a phone, onboarding checklists, handbook e-signatures, licenses with expiry alerts, then scheduling, punches, PTO and payroll prep on the same person.
- Offer letters and e-signature; the employee profile is created on signing
- Handbook, I-9/W-4 status and certification tracking with alerts
- Same record for schedule, punches, PTO and payroll review
Location at clock-in and clock-out. Nothing in between.
PunchPro records where a punch happened so you can confirm someone was at the site, the store or the client's home. It does not follow employees between punches, which keeps the privacy conversation with your crew short.
- Location captured at punch-in and punch-out only
- Punches shown against the assigned job site or location
- Clear privacy story for your crew and your handbook
Guardrails before you approve. Export to the payroll you already run.
Timecards with missed punches, unexpected overtime or edits are flagged before the period locks, with one-tap fixes and an audit trail. Approved hours export to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex or Paycom, so nothing changes on the payroll side.
- Configurable guardrails: Off / Warn / Block
- Flagged timecards surfaced first, bulk approval for the rest
- Export to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Paycom
One price on the page. No tiers to decode.
PunchPro is $39.99 per month per business plus $7 per active user, every feature included, month to month, no implementation fee. When I Work is priced per user with tiers, and the time clock is on higher tiers or as an add-on. PunchPro includes it on every account.
- Every feature on every account — no modules or add-ons
- Active users only: seasonal dips cost less
- 14-day free trial, no credit card, cancel anytime
Moving from When I Work to PunchPro takes an afternoon.
No implementation project. Most teams run one pay period on both and then turn the old one off.
Import your people
Export your employee list from When I Work as a CSV and import it, or add employees as you send offers. Pay rates, roles and job codes come along.
Run a pay period in parallel
Your team clocks in on PunchPro while When I Work keeps running. Compare the two timesheets at the end of the period; the 14-day trial covers it.
Point payroll at PunchPro
Approve hours in payroll review and export to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex or Paycom. Cancel When I Work when the numbers match.
PunchPro as a When I Work alternative, answered plainly.
Is PunchPro cheaper than When I Work?
When you need both scheduling and a time clock, PunchPro is usually comparable or cheaper because the time clock, PTO and HR features are included rather than added. For schedule-only use, When I Work's entry tier may cost less. Confirm current pricing on their site.
Does PunchPro have shift swapping?
No. Managers publish the schedule and employees see it on their phones with notifications, but employees don't trade shifts with each other inside PunchPro.
Does PunchPro do scheduling as well as When I Work?
PunchPro covers weekly schedules with job sites, tasks and availability, published to each phone. When I Work goes deeper on rotating templates, open shifts and swaps. If scheduling is your entire need, When I Work is strong; if you need the schedule connected to punches and payroll, PunchPro is built for that.
Does PunchPro track location all day?
No. GPS is captured at clock-in and clock-out only.
Can I import my team from When I Work?
Yes. Export employees as a CSV, import into PunchPro, and run one pay period on both during the trial.
Does PunchPro process payroll?
No. PunchPro reviews and approves hours and exports to QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex or Paycom.
More comparisons: QuickBooks Time · ClockShark · Workyard · Clockify · Time Clock Wizard · Homebase · Connecteam · Buddy Punch · Deputy · Jibble
Try PunchPro next to When I Work for 14 days.
Every feature, no credit card. Run one pay period and compare the timesheets yourself.
14 days freeNo credit card requiredEvery feature included