# Homebase vs When I Work > Homebase suits a small hourly business that wants a free starting plan, a per-location price and payroll and hiring tools under one login. When I Work suits a team that wants a per-user scheduling app with shift swapping, GPS clock-in and payroll integrations, and that outgrows a ten-person free limit. Source: https://kitfinch.com/compare/homebase-vs-wheniwork Author: Amine from KitFinch Last checked: 2026-10-05 ## Verdict **Homebase** is our pick for a small restaurant, shop or salon at one location that wants a free start, per-location pricing and payroll, hiring and tips tools under the same login. **When I Work** is our pick for a team that wants a per-user scheduling app built around shift swaps, OpenShifts, GPS clock-in and payroll integrations. For a restaurant-specific alternative, see [7shifts](/tools/7shifts). Both cover [staff scheduling](/tasks/staff-scheduling) and the time-clock side of [field team management](/tasks/field-team-management). The decisive facts are your headcount, how many locations you run, and whether you want payroll from the same vendor. ## Choose Homebase if - You want to start free. The Basic plan covers one location with basic scheduling and time tracking and point-of-sale integration, limited to a small number of employees. - You want payroll, hiring and tip tools as add-ons: payroll is available on all plans, with Tip Manager, background checks, a task manager and hiring tools sold separately. - You want the time clock to verify punches by PIN, photo or GPS and geofencing, with missed punches and overtime flagged automatically. - You want built-in payroll with tax filing and direct deposit, plus hiring, onboarding and compliance tools, from the same vendor. - You want a price that does not grow with each hire. Paid plans are priced per location with unlimited employees. ## Choose When I Work if - You want shift swapping, time-off approvals and OpenShifts to fill gaps, with automated scheduling based on availability. - You want GPS clock-in with geofencing to confirm staff are on site, which it offers through its time and attendance add-on. - You already use Rippling, ADP, QuickBooks or Gusto for payroll and want the schedule to connect to it. - You want in-app messaging so managers do not need staff members' personal phone numbers. ## Is Homebase free to use? Yes, for a small team. Homebase's Basic plan is free for one location and includes basic scheduling and time tracking with point-of-sale integration, but it caps the number of employees and limits timesheet history. Paid tiers add unlimited employees, advanced scheduling and time tracking, team communication, and at the higher levels an AI scheduling assistant, PTO controls, onboarding and HR compliance tools. Payroll is separate from every plan. See the pricing table on [Homebase pricing](/tools/homebase/pricing) for figures. ## Is Homebase a good scheduling app? For a one-location hourly business, yes. It combines a free entry plan, scheduling, a time clock and optional payroll and hiring under one subscription, and paid tiers include live support channels while the free plan relies on app and AI chat support. Its limits are the employee cap on the free plan and the fact that advanced scheduling is a paid feature. Read the full [Homebase review](/tools/homebase) for the details. ## How does When I Work compare on price structure? When I Work uses per-user pricing on three plans, Essentials, Pro and Premium, with unlimited users and a free trial that needs no credit card. Essentials covers auto scheduling, multi-location support, templates, forecasting, messaging, shift swapping and payroll and POS integrations. Pro adds custom rules, role permissions and custom reporting, and Premium adds API access, webhooks and SSO. Time and attendance is a toggleable add-on, so budget for it if you need clocking. The two models cross over: per-location pricing favors a larger team at one site, while per-user pricing favors a small team spread over several sites. See [When I Work](/tools/wheniwork) and its pricing table. ## Side by side | Criterion | Homebase | When I Work | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Per location, free Basic plan | Per user, three plans | | Free option | Free Basic plan with employee cap | Free trial, no permanent free plan described | | Time clock | In every plan, PIN, photo or GPS verification, advanced on paid tiers | Add-on with GPS and geofencing | | Shift swaps and open shifts | Advanced scheduling on paid tiers | Shift swapping and OpenShifts in the app | | Payroll | Add-on on all plans | Integrations with payroll platforms | | Hiring and HR | Hiring tools, onboarding and compliance on higher tiers | Not a named feature on pages checked | | Messaging | Team communication on paid tiers | In-app messaging and shift reminders | | Best for | Small one-location teams wanting a free start | Teams wanting per-user pricing and payroll integrations | ## Limits to know Homebase's free plan limits employees and timesheet history, and several features are separate add-ons. When I Work's time clock and GPS tools are an add-on, and the pages we checked list payroll integrations rather than payroll of its own. We could not confirm contract terms beyond the cancel-anytime statement on When I Work's pricing page. ## Which businesses each suits A single-site cafe, retail shop or salon with a handful of staff that wants a free start tends to fit Homebase. A multi-site team, or one already using a payroll provider that When I Work integrates with, tends to fit When I Work. For a field crew with vehicles, see also [Deputy vs When I Work](/compare/deputy-vs-wheniwork). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Homebase free to use? Homebase has a free Basic plan for one location, covering basic scheduling and time tracking with point-of-sale integration, limited to a small number of employees. Paid plans lift that cap and add advanced scheduling, team communication and more. Payroll is a separate add-on, so check the pricing table before assuming it is free. ### Is Homebase a good scheduling app? Homebase is a solid choice for a small hourly business that wants scheduling, time tracking, team messaging and optional payroll and hiring in one place, starting from a free plan. A team that wants per-user pricing, shift swapping with a dedicated app and payroll platform integrations may prefer When I Work. ### What are the pros and cons of Homebase? Pros: a free plan for one location, per-location pricing that does not grow with headcount on paid tiers, and add-ons for payroll, hiring and tips. Cons: the free plan caps employees and limits timesheet history, advanced scheduling needs a paid tier, and several useful features are separate add-ons billed on top of the plan. ### How does When I Work charge compared with Homebase? When I Work charges per user per month on three plans, Essentials, Pro and Premium, with time and attendance as a toggleable add-on. Homebase charges per location on its paid tiers and offers a free plan. A small team at one location often costs less per location, while a large team can favor per-user pricing. ### Which one has built-in payroll? Homebase sells payroll as an add-on on every plan, and its Plus plan includes a period of complimentary payroll. When I Work's pages we checked list integrations with payroll platforms such as Rippling, ADP, QuickBooks and Gusto rather than its own payroll. Choose Homebase if you want scheduling and payroll from one vendor. ### Does When I Work have a free plan? The When I Work pages we checked describe a free trial with full feature access and no credit card required, then paid per-user plans you can cancel anytime. They do not describe a permanent free plan. Homebase is the one with a free Basic plan, so choose it if a free start is your priority. ## Sources - https://joinhomebase.com/pricing - https://wheniwork.com/ - https://joinhomebase.com/ - https://wheniwork.com/pricing Cite as: Amine from KitFinch, "Homebase vs When I Work", Kitfinch, https://kitfinch.com/compare/homebase-vs-wheniwork