PunchFlow

PunchFlow is a browser-based employee time clock for small businesses and shift-based teams. It replaces paper timesheets and spreadsheets with shared kiosk clock-ins and reports prepared for payroll workflows. Employees clock in by choosing their name and entering a unique four-digit PIN; they do not need an app, login, or individual account. Managers can maintain pay rates and employee history, manage multiple kiosk locations, and see who is working on a live dashboard. Reports show hours, breaks, and estimated pay by employee and date range, with CSV and PDF exports. Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, and compatible payroll tools are listed as export destinations, but the workflow is to export and upload a CSV rather than use a native payroll API. The kiosk runs in a browser on tablets, phones, laptops, and desktops without installation. The free plan covers up to two employees and one kiosk. Basic costs A$10 a month; Pro costs A$25 a month, and Unlimited costs A$99 a month.

PunchFlow centers clock-ins on a shared browser kiosk rather than individual employee apps or accounts. Its reporting and exports support payroll workflows, though payroll data is moved by CSV rather than a native API.

PunchFlow suits small businesses and shift-based teams such as cafes, retail stores, trades businesses, and small offices. It is designed for workplaces that want shared kiosk clock-ins and payroll-oriented reports.

PunchFlow is a browser-based time clock for small businesses and shift-based teams that want attendance centered on a shared device. It is best for workplaces where staff can clock in at a kiosk, rather than from their phones. Its core appeal is a low-cost route from PIN punches to payroll-ready reports, with CSV upload remaining a manual step.

Overview

At clock-in, employees choose their name and enter an individual four-digit PIN on a shared kiosk; they need neither an app nor a personal account. Managers can see who is working on a live dashboard, maintain employee pay rates and history, and operate multiple kiosk locations. That model makes sense for cafes, retail stores, trades businesses and small offices with a shared clock-in point. It is a poor fit when staff need mobile clock-in: PunchFlow does not offer it.

Reports summarize hours, breaks and estimated pay by employee and date range. CSV and PDF exports cover common payroll handoffs, and PunchFlow names Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks and compatible payroll tools as destinations. But payroll data must be exported and uploaded; there is no native payroll API connection. That is workable for small teams comfortable with a manual handoff, but a meaningful drawback for businesses seeking automatic syncing.

Key features

The browser kiosk runs on tablets, phones, laptops and desktops without installation, and setup takes under two minutes. That keeps deployment simple across different devices, though the shared-kiosk approach still requires staff to use a common clock-in point.

Free includes core clocking and basic reports with CSV export. Break tracking, pay tracking, PDF exports and pay slips start on Basic. Pro and Unlimited add the employee portal, where staff can review timesheets and earnings and flag a punch for an administrator to approve or decline. This gives employees a correction route, but the portal is not part of the lower-cost plans.

Pro adds GPS-radius and IP restrictions to limit where employees can clock in; GPS and IP capture are optional. The full audit log records manual punch changes with the editor, time and original value, while the raw punch log is included on Basic. Those controls give managers useful oversight as a team grows. PunchFlow also says PINs are bcrypt-hashed, failed attempts trigger automatic lockout, connections use HTTPS, and its database is backed up daily, weekly and monthly. It says customer data is used to run the account and is not sold or shared.

Pricing

PunchFlow has a free plan and three paid monthly plans, with no free trial. The employee and kiosk caps matter: the low starting price suits a small operation, but expansion can require a plan change.

• Free — free: Up to 2 employees and 1 kiosk, with core time clock, basic reports and CSV export. A useful fit for a very small team, but it excludes the break and pay tracking and PDF exports offered on Basic.
• Basic — A$10 a month: Up to 6 employees and 3 kiosks, plus email notifications, break tracking, PDF exports and pay slips, pay tracking and a raw punch log. It is the practical step up for a small team needing more than basic reporting, but it does not include the employee portal or Pro’s GPS/IP restrictions and full audit log.
• Pro — A$25 a month: Up to 15 employees and 10 kiosks, with GPS and IP restrictions, the employee portal and full audit log. It suits teams that need location controls or staff access to timesheets and earnings; the cap still makes it a limited option for larger workforces.
• Unlimited — A$99 a month: Unlimited employees and kiosks, plus priority support. This is the clear fit for larger operations that have outgrown Pro’s caps, though its higher monthly price is difficult to justify for a small team that can stay within them.

The Help Centre says support inquiries receive a reply within one business day; priority support is included with Unlimited.

Platforms

PunchFlow is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows. Its kiosk works in a browser on tablets, phones, laptops and desktops, but that device coverage should not be confused with mobile clock-in: the clock-in method is a shared PIN kiosk.

Who it's for

PunchFlow is strongest for small businesses and shift-based teams that want to replace paper timesheets or spreadsheets with shared-device attendance and exportable payroll reports. A café, shop or small office with a fixed clock-in point can make good use of its straightforward PIN flow and low-cost Free or Basic plan. Teams that depend on employee phone clock-ins, automatic payroll integration, or more than 15 employees without moving to Unlimited should consider another approach.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Staff clock in with a PIN and do not need individual accounts or app installs, reducing setup friction for a shared workplace kiosk.
• Pro: Free includes CSV reporting, while Basic adds break and pay tracking plus PDF exports and pay slips for A$10 a month.
• Pro: Pro’s employee portal, location restrictions and full audit log add practical oversight and a punch-correction path for growing teams.
• Con: No mobile clock-in means employees must use a shared kiosk, limiting suitability for teams working away from a common site.
• Con: Payroll requires CSV export and upload rather than a native API connection, so the handoff is not automatic.
• Con: Free is capped at 2 employees and 1 kiosk; even Pro tops out at 15 employees and 10 kiosks, leaving Unlimited at A$99 a month as the uncapped option.

Alternatives

Time Clock Software is a useful starting point for comparing more options. Choose Fareclock instead if a free trial, Linux support, or GPS time tracking and shift scheduling on its Pro plan matter more; its Pro price is $1.65 a month, billed at an $11 base plus $1.65 per user, and its Basic plan supports up to 5 users.

Jibble is worth considering for a free plan with unlimited users and two geofences. ClockIt is another freemium option with a free plan for unlimited users. Choose ClockOut if its free tier’s two-person cap, GPS punches, basic scheduling, pay estimates and CSV export suit your needs better.

TimeClock Wizard offers a free plan with unlimited users and basic employee time tracking. Punchly is an independent early-access project operated by a sole trader. Aladtec and Dayforce Workforce Management use custom pricing; Dayforce’s pricing varies by features, user count and services.

Verdict

Choose PunchFlow if a small, shift-based team needs shared PIN clock-ins, straightforward attendance reports and a low-cost way to export payroll data. Its biggest advantages are avoiding individual employee app accounts and offering useful controls as teams grow. Look elsewhere if staff need to clock in on the move or payroll must sync automatically; the kiosk requirement and CSV upload are central limits, not minor omissions.