Homebase Alternatives (2026): 12 Scheduling, Clock and Payroll Apps
Homebase is free for one location with no cap on employees, which makes it the default for a first shop or restaurant, and it adds hiring, HR and payroll with tax filing in all 50 states for a business that has none of those. People leave it for its pricing structure more than its features: every paid plan is per location, from $30 to $120 a month, so a five-person shop pays $6 a head for one Essentials feature and a four-site operator pays $280 a month on Plus for staff who would cost $68 on a per-user tool. The second reason is wanting a payroll company rather than a scheduling app that runs payroll.
This guide sorts the alternatives by those reasons with dated quotes from Homebase's 376 Trustpilot reviews, gives October 2026 pricing with structure and minimums, and marks where a vendor's page could not be read. Sling, When I Work and Deputy charge per user; Gusto, Rippling, QuickBooks Time and Square replace the payroll; 7shifts and Sling are the restaurant answers; Jibble and Clockify replace the clock alone; Connecteam spreads one base price across locations.
The short answer
If per-location pricing is the problem, Sling ($1.70 a user, free for 30), When I Work ($2.50) and Deputy ($5 to $9) charge per person, which is cheaper for several small sites and for any site under about 12 staff on a paid Homebase plan.
If you leave for payroll, Gusto and Rippling are payroll companies with time tracking attached; QuickBooks Time feeds QuickBooks Payroll; Square Shifts suits Square merchants. All file taxes in every state, as Homebase does.
If you run restaurants, 7shifts schedules against sales and manages tips; Sling is owned by Toast. If you only need the clock, Jibble is free for unlimited users.
Three starting points by the reason you are leaving, then more by use case.
Sling
Per user, free for 30, time clock at $1.70; owned by Toast
See the detail
Gusto
Payroll-first with time tracking, benefits and HR; $49 plus $6 per person on Simple
See the detail
Deputy
Demand scheduling, break and overtime rules, kiosk, payroll add-on, from $5 a user
See the detailWhat Homebase costs and does in October 2026
Homebase
The incumbentWhat it is
Homebase is scheduling, a time clock and messaging for shops and restaurants, with hiring, onboarding, HR documents and payroll bolted on, priced per location. The free Basic plan covers one location with scheduling, the clock and messaging for an unlimited number of employees. Essentials adds advanced scheduling and GPS; Plus adds labor cost controls, PTO and break and overtime alerts; All-in-One adds HR and compliance, onboarding and performance. Payroll runs in all 50 states with automated tax filing, W-2s and 1099s, unlimited runs and no contract.
Where it beats Homebase
- Free for one location with no employee cap
- Payroll with tax filing in the same product, with a six-month promotion
- Hiring, onboarding and HR for a small business that has none
Where Homebase is still better
- Per-location pricing: three small shops on Plus cost $210 a month where a per-user tool would cost under $100
- Trustpilot 3.8 of 5 across 376 reviews, with about a quarter at one star; price for basic features, support response and usability recur
- Tips and task management are paid add-ons, and the annual against monthly figures are not clearly labeled
Choose it if
Single-site shops and restaurants with a dozen or more staff that want payroll, hiring and scheduling on one bill. Our Connecteam vs Homebase comparison goes deeper.
Prices were read from joinhomebase.com/pricing and joinhomebase.com/payroll on October 28, 2026. Trustpilot's automated summary of Homebase reviews mentions payroll processing and tax filing problems, but no visible review that day stated one, so those complaints are not reported here as fact.
Why people leave Homebase
Homebase has the largest negative review record in this group: 376 Trustpilot reviews with about a quarter at one star. The reasons below have a quote or a clear product basis, each with a fix.
Paying $30 for a time clock
The free plan covers one location, and the first paid tier is $30 a month per location whatever the team size. A five-person shop that needs one Essentials feature pays $6 a head; a reviewer on October 27, 2026 describes paying it for timesheets alone.
was forced to pay $30 a month for just time sheets and clocking in/outTrustpilot, one star, October 27, 2026
Fixed by: per-user pricing: Sling ($1.70), When I Work ($2.50), Jibble (free), Clockify ($3.99 with cheaper kiosk seats).
Per-location pricing with several sites
Each location is a separate subscription. Four locations on Plus is $280 a month; the same 40 staff on Sling Premium is $68 and on When I Work Pro $200.
Fixed by: Sling, When I Work, Deputy, Connecteam (flat base for 30 users across locations).
Support that does not reply
An October 2026 reviewer reports no response after raising an issue; support response is the second most common theme in the negative reviews.
To date no one has gotten back to us.Trustpilot, one star, October 23, 2026
Fixed by: vendors with phone support on paid plans: Deputy, QuickBooks Time, Gusto.
Usability and missing scheduling features
Reviewers describe the app as hard to use and ask for scheduling basics such as copying a whole month rather than a week.
There should be an option to copy the whole month not just a week.Trustpilot, two stars, October 19, 2026
Fixed by: scheduling-first tools: Deputy, When I Work (auto-scheduling on every tier), 7shifts.
Add-ons for tips and tasks
Tip Manager at $25 and Task Manager at $13 per location push a restaurant on Plus to $108 a month per site before payroll.
Fixed by: 7shifts (tips included), Connecteam (tasks and checklists in Operations), Square Shifts (tips through Square POS).
Payroll you cannot separate from the app
Homebase payroll is good value with the promotion, but it is tied to Homebase scheduling. A business that wants a payroll company first chooses one and brings the clock to it.
Fixed by: Gusto, Rippling, QuickBooks Time with QuickBooks Payroll, Square Shifts with Square Payroll.
Comparison at a glance
| Tool | Pricing, October 2026 | Structure | Payroll | Time clock | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase | Free for 1 location; $30, $70, $120 per location | Per location | Own payroll $49 plus $6 | Yes | Unlimited at 1 location |
| Sling | Free for 30; $1.70, $3.40 per user annual | Per user | Exports | Premium and up | 30 users |
 When I Work | $2.50, $5, $8 per user monthly | Per user | Exports | Page inconsistent | None |
| Deputy | $5, $6.50, $9 per user; $30 monthly minimum | Per user | Add-on $8 plus $49; exports | Yes, kiosk | None |
| Gusto | Simple $49 plus $6 per person; Plus $80 plus $12; Premium $180 plus $22 (list; page refused automated access October 28) | Base plus per person | Native, all states | Yes, on Plus | None |
 QuickBooks Time | $20 base plus $10; $40 plus $12; monthly | Base plus per user | QuickBooks Payroll | Yes, kiosk | None |
 Square Shifts | Free tier with Square POS; Plus about $4 per team member (pages refused automated access October 28) | Per user | Square Payroll $35 plus $6 | Yes, in POS | Yes, with Square |
 7shifts | Free tier; about $29.99 to $69.99 per location | Per location | Own payroll add-on | Yes | 1 location |
 Connecteam | Free for 10; per hub $29 to $99 for 30 users | Flat base plus per user | Exports | Yes, kiosk | 10 users |
 Jibble | Free, unlimited; paid quoted | Per user | Exports | The product | Unlimited |
 Clockify | Free for 5; $3.99 to $11.99 annual; cheaper kiosk seats | Per user | Exports | Yes, kiosk | 5 users |
 Rippling | From $8 plus base; time on request | Base plus per employee | Native | Module | None |
 ZoomShift | Free for 20; paid per user (unclear) | Per user | Exports | Yes | 20 users |
Gusto's and Square's pricing pages refused automated access on October 28, 2026; their figures are list prices from earlier in 2026 and should be checked. Square renamed Team Management to Square Shifts in 2025.
Which alternative fits
Tools built for a different kind of business drop out of the top three.
The alternatives in detail
Sling
Per user, free for 30What it is
Sling schedules with availability, swaps and open shifts, includes messaging and a newsfeed free, adds a time clock with geofencing on Premium and labor cost and PTO on Business. It is owned by Toast, so restaurant features are its direction.
Where it beats Homebase
- Per user: four sites with 40 staff cost $68 a month on Premium against $280 on Homebase Plus
- Free for 30 users
- Active-user billing
Where Homebase is still better
- No payroll, hiring or HR
- No auto-scheduling
- Lighter reporting
Choose it if
You have several small sites and the schedule and clock are what you use.
Switching
CSV import of employees; rebuild positions and locations.
When I Work
Auto-scheduling per userWhat it is
When I Work schedules with auto-scheduling on every tier, handles swaps and confirmations, runs a GPS time clock and messaging, and exports to Gusto, ADP, QuickBooks and Paychex.
Where it beats Homebase
- Auto-scheduling from $2.50
- Per user with no base fee
- SSO and API on Premium
Where Homebase is still better
- No payroll, hiring or HR
- The clock question on its own page
- Thin support record
Choose it if
You want scheduling automation per user. Our When I Work alternatives guide covers its own gaps.
Switching
CSV import of employees and positions.
Deputy
Scheduling depth and complianceWhat it is
Deputy schedules by demand with auto-scheduling on Core, enforces break, overtime, fatigue and fair workweek rules, clocks in with GPS or a facial-recognition kiosk, and exports to ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks and Xero.
Where it beats Homebase
- Compliance rules Homebase only alerts on
- Kiosk with facial recognition
- Scales across many sites
Where Homebase is still better
- $30 minimum and no free plan
- Payroll is an add-on at $8 plus $49
- No hiring
Choose it if
You have multiple sites in states with break and overtime rules.
Switching
Import employees from CSV or payroll; rebuild templates and rules.
Gusto
A payroll company with time trackingWhat it is
Gusto runs payroll with tax filing in all 50 states, benefits, workers' compensation and HR, with time tracking, PTO and basic scheduling on Plus. It is the choice when payroll is the main job and the clock is secondary.
Where it beats Homebase
- Payroll, benefits and HR from a payroll company
- Time tracking and PTO on Plus without a second app
- Strong accountant ecosystem
Where Homebase is still better
- Scheduling is basic; no shift swaps or demand scheduling
- Base plus per-person pricing adds up
- No kiosk
Choose it if
You left Homebase for payroll reasons and schedule simply.
Switching
Gusto imports employees and prior payroll from your current provider; run the clock in parallel for one pay period.
QuickBooks Time
If payroll is QuickBooksWhat it is
QuickBooks Time schedules, clocks in with GPS and kiosk, approves timesheets and feeds QuickBooks Payroll; Elite adds geofencing, mileage and project tracking.
Where it beats Homebase
- Hours flow into QuickBooks Payroll
- Phone support
- Geofences and mileage for field crews
Where Homebase is still better
- Base fee plus per user
- Tied to QuickBooks
- No hiring or HR
Choose it if
You run QuickBooks Payroll. Our QuickBooks Time alternatives guide has the cost comparison.
Switching
Import employees from QuickBooks.
Square Shifts
If you sell through SquareWhat it is
Square Shifts schedules and clocks team members inside the Square POS, tracks tips and commissions from sales, and feeds Square Payroll. It replaces Homebase for a merchant already on Square.
Where it beats Homebase
- Clock-in and tips inside the register
- Square Payroll in the same account
- Free tier with the POS
Where Homebase is still better
- Only useful on Square
- Scheduling is simpler than Homebase's
- Prices need checking
Choose it if
You sell through Square.
Switching
Team members already exist in Square; enable Shifts and set permissions.
7shifts
Restaurant scheduling against salesWhat it is
7shifts forecasts labor from POS sales, schedules to it, manages tips and tip pooling, runs manager logbooks and task lists, and integrates with Toast, Square and most restaurant POS systems. It is per location like Homebase, with tips included.
Where it beats Homebase
- Tips and tasks included rather than $38 of add-ons
- Sales-based scheduling
- POS integrations
Where Homebase is still better
- Per location like Homebase
- Restaurants only
- Prices need checking
Choose it if
You run restaurants and want the tips and logbook built in.
Switching
Connect the POS and import staff from it.
Connecteam
Flat base across locations, free for tenWhat it is
Connecteam schedules, clocks in with GPS and kiosk, and adds forms, checklists, training, documents and chat, with the base price covering 30 users across any number of locations.
Where it beats Homebase
- One base price for 30 users across all sites
- Forms, training and chat
- Free for ten
Where Homebase is still better
- Three hubs priced separately above the free plan
- No payroll
- Breadth over depth
Choose it if
You have several small sites and need checklists and training. Our Connecteam vs Homebase comparison covers the head-to-head.
Switching
CSV import of the directory.
Jibble
A free clockWhat it is
Jibble clocks in by phone, web or kiosk with GPS, geofences and facial recognition, applies overtime and break rules, and exports to QuickBooks and Xero.
Where it beats Homebase
- Free, unlimited
- Face recognition kiosk
- Overtime rules
Where Homebase is still better
- Basic scheduling
- No payroll or hiring
- Paid pricing not published
Choose it if
You paid $30 for the clock and nothing else.
Switching
CSV import; start at a pay-period boundary.
Clockify
Timesheets with cheap kiosk seatsWhat it is
Clockify clocks in by app or kiosk, tracks time off, approves timesheets and invoices; scheduling and GPS on Pro.
Where it beats Homebase
- Cheaper kiosk-only seats
- Approvals and invoicing
- Monthly billing
Where Homebase is still better
- Scheduling only on Pro
- No payroll or hiring
- Not built for shift swaps
Choose it if
Your business is services or office with some hourly staff.
Switching
CSV import of members.
Rippling
Payroll, HR and time in one systemWhat it is
Rippling runs payroll, benefits and HR with scheduling and time as modules, for businesses consolidating systems.
Where it beats Homebase
- Native payroll and HR
- Scales to many sites and states
- Device management
Where Homebase is still better
- Quote-based time pricing
- Heavy for one shop
- No POS integration
Choose it if
You are growing past a small business and want one system.
Switching
A systems migration.
ZoomShift
Free scheduling for 20What it is
ZoomShift schedules from templates with availability, runs a GPS clock, tracks PTO and exports timesheets.
Where it beats Homebase
- Free for 20 at one location
- Simple
- No contract
Where Homebase is still better
- Paid prices need checking
- No payroll or hiring
- Smaller vendor
Choose it if
You have one site, under 20 people, and the free Homebase plan is missing one thing.
Switching
CSV import of staff.
How to leave Homebase cleanly
- If you run Homebase payroll, time the move to a quarter end. Payroll tax filings are the hard part: the new provider needs year-to-date wages and tax payments, and a mid-quarter switch means two providers filing for one quarter. Our year-end payroll checklist covers the handoff.
- Export employees, timesheets and payroll reports to CSV and keep the payroll registers and tax forms for the retention period (four years for employment tax records).
- Export hiring and onboarding documents: signed offer letters, I-9s and W-4s stored in Homebase HR do not transfer automatically and must be kept.
- Switch scheduling and the clock at a pay-period boundary and re-enroll the tablet kiosk in the new tool before the first shift.
- Cancel each location's plan; subscriptions are per location and one is easy to miss.
- Issue the notice if the new tool uses GPS or a face-recognition kiosk, which Connecticut, Delaware and New York require in writing and Illinois requires a biometric release for.
How these tools were chosen
Each tool was checked on October 28, 2026 against the same list: published pricing and whether it is per user, per location or base plus per person, free plan limits, payroll, time clock and kiosk, hiring and HR, and sector fit. Gusto's and Square's pages refused automated access that day, and 7shifts' and ZoomShift's did not render fully, so their figures are from earlier in 2026 and marked. Quotes are from Trustpilot reviews read the same day; Homebase has 376, the largest sample in this group. No vendor paid for inclusion and there are no affiliate links.
Key takeaways
- Homebase in October 2026: Basic free for one location with unlimited employees; Essentials $30, Plus $70, All-in-One $120 per location per month; payroll $49 plus $6 per employee with six months free on promotion; Tip Manager $25 and Task Manager $13 per location as add-ons.
- Its Trustpilot score is 3.8 of 5 across 376 reviews, about a quarter at one star; paying $30 for a time clock, support response and usability are the themes with quotes.
- Per-user alternatives cost less for small or multi-site teams: Sling (free for 30, $1.70), When I Work ($2.50), Deputy ($5 to $9 with a $30 minimum), Jibble (free), Clockify ($3.99).
- Payroll companies with time tracking: Gusto ($49 plus $6 on Simple), Rippling, QuickBooks Time with QuickBooks Payroll, Square Shifts with Square Payroll for Square merchants.
- Restaurants: 7shifts (tips and logbooks included, per location) and Sling (owned by Toast).
- Connecteam's flat base for 30 users across any number of locations is the structural opposite of Homebase's per-location pricing.
- If you run Homebase payroll, switch at a quarter end, export payroll registers and HR documents, and cancel each location's plan separately.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Homebase?
Sling for most small or multi-site teams that use the schedule and clock: free for 30 users and $1.70 a user after, per user rather than per location. Gusto if you are leaving for a payroll company. Deputy if you need compliance rules across several sites. 7shifts for restaurants, and Square Shifts if you sell through Square.
Is there a free alternative to Homebase?
Sling is free for 30 users, Zoho Shifts for 25, ZoomShift for 20 at one location, Connecteam for 10 users with every feature, Jibble for unlimited users as a time clock, Clockify for 5, and Square Shifts has a free tier with Square POS. Homebase's own Basic plan is free for one location with unlimited employees.
How much does Homebase cost?
Basic is free for one location. Essentials is $30, Plus $70 and All-in-One $120 per location per month, with an annual option advertised at 20% off. Payroll is $49 a month plus $6 per active employee, with the first six months free on current promotions. Tip Manager ($25) and Task Manager ($13) per location, background checks ($30) and the Hiring Assistant (from $99) are add-ons. Prices were read on October 28, 2026.
Is Homebase payroll any good?
It runs in all 50 states with automated tax filing, W-2s and 1099s, unlimited runs and no contract, and the six-month free promotion makes it cheap to try. Trustpilot's automated summary of reviews mentions payroll and tax filing problems, but no visible review stated one on the day we checked, so we do not report those as a pattern. If payroll is the main job, Gusto and Rippling are payroll companies first.
Which Homebase alternatives charge per user instead of per location?
Sling ($1.70 to $3.40), When I Work ($2.50 to $8), Deputy ($5 to $9 with a $30 minimum), Clockify ($3.99 to $11.99), Jibble (free), ZoomShift and Zoho Shifts. Connecteam charges a flat base for 30 users across all locations. 7shifts, like Homebase, charges per location; Gusto, QuickBooks Time and Rippling charge a base fee plus per person.
Which alternative is best for restaurants?
7shifts, which schedules against POS sales, manages tips and tip pooling, runs manager logbooks and integrates with Toast and Square, with tips included rather than a $25 add-on. Sling, owned by Toast, is the low-cost option. Square Shifts suits restaurants on Square POS.
Can I keep Homebase payroll and leave the scheduling?
Homebase payroll is designed around Homebase timesheets, so leaving the scheduling and clock means re-entering hours or importing them each run. In practice businesses that leave Homebase move payroll too, which is why timing the switch to a quarter end matters.
How do I move payroll away from Homebase?
Choose the new provider before the quarter ends, give it year-to-date wages and tax payments from Homebase's payroll reports, run the first payroll with the new provider at the start of the next quarter, and keep Homebase's registers and filed forms for four years. Export signed onboarding documents (I-9s, W-4s) separately; they do not transfer.