Troncbox

Troncbox is a web platform for handling hospitality tips and service charges. It is best suited to pubs, bars, hotels, clubs and dining groups that want configurable tronc rules alongside payroll support and employee self-service. The main qualification is its close connection to WMT Troncmaster Services, which shapes who can use its plans.

Overview

Troncbox brings calculation, reconciliation, allocation, staff communication and reporting into one workflow. It can automate the operational side of a tronc while giving employees a mobile route to earnings information and allocation history. That combination is useful for operators replacing spreadsheets or fragmented processes, particularly where tip policies vary by role, hours or award levels.

The product is web-based and was founded in 2016, with headquarters in St Albans, Hertfordshire. WMT says it is regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and its privacy policy says personal data is not sold and is used to provide the service.

Key features

Allocation and employee access

Managers can allocate funds through equal splits, hours, points systems, minimum award schemes or combinations of those methods. This is a meaningful strength for businesses whose tronc policy cannot be represented by one simple formula, although it places responsibility on operators to configure rules that match their employment practices.

Employees can inspect how tips are calculated and distributed, review earnings and history, and use the mobile app to access that information. The visibility can make disputes easier to address and gives staff a clearer record of their awards.

Reporting, integrations and payroll

Dashboards, historical data and analytics cover tronc funding and allocations. EPOS integrations listed by the site include Square Up, Tevalis, PointOne, Lightspeed, Quadrant and Toast, which may reduce re-keying for businesses using one of those systems.

WMT can process payroll or work with another payroll provider, with wages and tronc shown on a single payslip. It says its arrangements address National Insurance, income tax, minimum wage and employment requirements. Support includes a documented help centre and dedicated web support; WMT clients are also assigned a dedicated account manager.

Pricing

Plan	Price	What it includes
Troncbox	free	Free for clients of WMT Troncmaster Services; online tronc management, basic reporting, employee access and app, plus tronc letters with digital storage and signing.
Troncbox Plus	£20 a month, +VAT, per site	For WMT Troncmaster Service clients; benchmarking, detailed reporting and analytics, and custom reports. Marked “Coming soon.”
Troncbox Plus with Opsyte	Custom pricing	Plus features with time and attendance, scheduling, operational management software, and revenue, sales and labour analytics.

The free plan is compelling for existing WMT clients that only need core management, basic reporting and staff access. It is not a general free tier for every hospitality operator. Plus adds the reporting depth and benchmarking needed by managers comparing performance or producing tailored outputs, but its per-site charge matters for multi-site groups and the plan is marked as coming soon. Opsyte is the choice for businesses wanting operational and workforce tools in the same package, with pricing requiring contact.

Platforms

Troncbox runs on the web and includes an employee app. Its EPOS connections include Square Up, Tevalis, PointOne, Lightspeed, Quadrant and Toast.

Who it's for

Choose Troncbox if you run a hospitality business with formal tip or service-charge policies, need several allocation methods, and want payroll and compliance support from WMT. It is especially well matched to WMT Troncmaster Services clients, who receive the free plan and are the stated audience for Plus. Operators outside that relationship should confirm eligibility and commercial terms before adopting it.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Multiple allocation methods accommodate complex tronc policies instead of forcing one formula.
• Pro: Employee history, calculation visibility and a mobile app give staff direct access to their earnings information.
• Pro: Payroll support, single payslips and coverage of key tax and employment obligations can reduce administrative coordination.
• Con: The free plan is restricted to WMT Troncmaster Services clients, limiting its usefulness as a broadly accessible free option.
• Con: Plus costs £20 a month +VAT per site, so costs rise with a multi-site estate.
• Con: The licence says the software was not developed to meet every customer's individual requirements, including particular cybersecurity requirements.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison of this category, see the Restaurant Tip Management Software list.

• 7shifts is the better pick when scheduling and workforce management matter as much as tips: its free Comp plan supports 15 employees at one location, while Essentials supports 30 employees and unlimited locations.
• TabPref suits small teams wanting a free starter plan with scheduling, time clock, team chat and basic labour analytics across Android, iOS and web.
• Grateful is worth choosing when automatic savings from tips or tronc payments, without another app or manual transfers, is the priority.
• Rocket Tronc is an alternative for web users seeking employee-based pricing bands and a free trial.
• Homebase is better suited to operators adding task management and tip management to a broader restaurant labour platform.
• Ferry offers tip management and an optional pay product with sales-led pricing.
• Agendrix is a paid workforce platform with a free trial and an offline-capable phone punch-clock add-on.
• Actual is a paid, web-based option where the buying process starts with a demo.

Verdict

Troncbox is a strong choice for WMT Troncmaster Services clients that need configurable allocations, employee visibility and connected payroll support. Look elsewhere if you need an unrestricted free plan, broad platform flexibility or security requirements tailored to your organisation.