Homebase alternatives
Compare Homebase by location as well as headcount. When I Work uses per-user rates; Deputy is another workforce option, including for teams outside Homebase's North American focus. For restaurant-specific needs, investigate 7shifts, but we do not invent a price for the page our checker could not read.
Start with why you want to leave Homebase. Below are 3 options, with starting prices, free-plan details and the differences to check before switching. For reference, Homebase costs Free (1 location, up to 10 employees); paid from $30/location/mo.
A chain with few staff at each site can get a different result from a busy single location. Add payroll, tips, tasks and hiring charges separately instead of assuming they are inside the scheduling fee. AI scheduling on Homebase starts at Plus; the free Basic label does not include that capability.
- When I Work: Per-user pricing with auto scheduling, multi-location scheduling and team messaging on every plan; SSO, API and webhooks only on Premium. Usually cheaper than Homebase for small teams spread across many sites.
- Deputy: Global workforce tool (billing in USD, GBP, AUD) with Deputy AI included free on every plan for now, auto-scheduling and demand forecasting from Core, and payroll via Paycor in the US. Better for UK/Australian or larger teams.
- 7shifts: Restaurant-only scheduling and team management; worth comparing for single-concept restaurants. We couldn't read its prices on 6 Nov 2026, so we don't list figures.
Homebase vs the alternatives: price and free plan
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan | Main difference vs Homebase | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase (current) | Free (1 location, up to 10 employees); paid from $30/location/mo | Yes | Homebase is worth considering for hourly teams, particularly restaurants and shops in North America. | Review |
| When I Work | Essentials $2.50/user/mo; Pro $5; Premium $8 | 14-day trial, no free plan | Per-user pricing with auto scheduling, multi-location scheduling and team messaging on every plan; SSO, API and webhooks only on Premium. Usually cheaper than Homebase for small teams spread across many sites. | Not reviewed yet |
| Deputy | Lite $5/user/mo; Core $6.50; Pro $9 (min. spend $30/mo on monthly plans) | Free trial; no free plan | Global workforce tool (billing in USD, GBP, AUD) with Deputy AI included free on every plan for now, auto-scheduling and demand forecasting from Core, and payroll via Paycor in the US. Better for UK/Australian or larger teams. | Not reviewed yet |
| 7shifts | Not shown in our fetch of 7shifts.com/pricing | Check the vendor page | Restaurant-only scheduling and team management; worth comparing for single-concept restaurants. We couldn't read its prices on 6 Nov 2026, so we don't list figures. | Not reviewed yet |
When I Work prices from wheniwork.com/pricing and Deputy prices from deputy.com/pricing, both checked 6 Nov 2026. 7shifts' pricing page did not render prices in our fetch. None of these alternatives is listed in our directory yet. USD before tax; "annual" is the per-month price when billed yearly. Prices change, so confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Why teams look for a Homebase alternative
We found these limits in Homebase's pricing, help and privacy pages. If they don't block your work, we wouldn't switch just for a longer feature list. You can read the full review.
- AI scheduling starts on Plus at $70 per location per month.
- Expensive for many small sites: per-location pricing adds up fast for chains with few staff per site.
- Payroll and many tools are add-ons (payroll, tips, tasks, hiring, background checks).
- North America focus: no GDPR claim or EU hosting stated.
- Savings figures are vendor claims ($591 a month) that we haven't verified.
How to choose a Homebase alternative
- Check it complies with hiring rules where you operate
- Prefer tools that keep a human in the loop for decisions about people
- Look at pricing per employee as you grow
- Ask where candidate data is stored and how long it is retained
- Confirm you can export applications if you change tools
- Price your real team size, not one seat: check seat minimums, annual-only prices and usage caps.
Add up a whole stack with the AI tool stack cost calculator.
Migrating off Homebase
Preserve approved schedules and time records, then agree a payroll cutover with the people responsible. Check employee access and a schedule change on the proposed system before moving a live pay period. A vendor's advertised saving is not evidence that the replacement has handled your staff or payroll correctly.
- Identify the records the business must retain, then export the relevant transcripts, contacts, brand assets, Zap history or invoices. Check the files rather than assume an export includes everything.
- List the connections that must survive, such as the CRM, calendar, Slack or ledger. Confirm the actual supported action and plan in the new vendor's documentation.
- Where practical, retain an approved parallel setup for at least one billing cycle before cancellation. Keep a single live write route so both tools do not create duplicate records or messages.
- Check the new vendor's seat minimum, billing commitment and regional price. A monthly equivalent on a yearly contract is not a month-to-month cancellation option.
- Review customer notice and consent when recording, a chatbot or the email-sending setup changes. Preserve the correct branding and recipient preferences during the move.
- Cancel only after the required records and proposed workflow have been checked. Keep the cancellation confirmation screenshot as well as any renewal terms that still apply.
Also use the AI tool stack checklist and re-check prices on the price-change log before you renew the new tool.
Homebase alternatives: common questions
What are the best alternatives to Homebase?
The closest alternatives we compare are When I Work, Deputy, 7shifts. Choose the limit you need to fix first: the price, a missing feature, an integration or where the data lives.
Is there a free alternative to Homebase?
None of the alternatives in our comparison lists a free plan on its pricing page. Most offer a trial or a demo through sales instead.
How much does Homebase cost?
Free (1 location, up to 10 employees); paid from $30/location/mo. Full plan details: Basic $0 (1 location, up to 10 employees); Essentials $30, Plus $70, All-in-One $120 per location per month (unlimited employees). Payroll add-on $49/mo base + $6 per employee paid ($29/mo for teams up to 5; first 6 months free in the current offer). Tip Manager $25/location/mo, Task Manager $13/location/mo, background checks $30 each, job post boosts from $50/post, Hiring Assistant from $99/mo. 14-day All-in-One trial, no credit card. Prices from joinhomebase.com/pricing, checked 6 Nov 2026. (review facts checked 2026-11-06; individual updates may be dated separately).
Why do people switch from Homebase?
The main limitations we found in Homebase's own documentation: AI scheduling starts on Plus at $70 per location per month; Expensive for many small sites: per-location pricing adds up fast for chains with few staff per site; Payroll and many tools are add-ons (payroll, tips, tasks, hiring, background checks).
How did BizAI Weekly pick these Homebase alternatives?
We list tools that solve the same job for the same kind of buyer (small business), and compare them on starting price, free plan and the main functional difference. Prices come from each vendor's pricing page. We haven't run hands-on tests yet, and no vendor pays to be listed or ranked.
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