Homebase Review: Pros & Cons – Is it Worth it? [Full Guide] 2024

Are you a growing company looking for a way to keep track of your employees hours, benefits, and scheduling without losing your mind?

Most time-tracking systems give you the ability to log in hours and review productivity charts. But what if you need much more?

Then you probably need a workforce management platform that incorporates all the necessary features to operate and manage your entire business but in an easy to use format so you can focus on creating your product and wowing your customers.

Homebase is one such tool. A time tracking app that does everything a business could need.

In our Homebase review, we’ll look at the best features, add-ons, pros and cons, and how to setup this software so you can decide if its the best option for you. 

Key Takeaways

• Homebase can become an all-in-one solution for your business needs with add-ons such as hiring and employee onboarding, flexible scheduling tools, HR and compliance alerts, billing, payroll, and more.
• Compared with other time-trackers, Homebase excels in employee scheduling and performance tracking. You can use it to keep your workers on track or build the operating system of your entire business from the ground up.
• Homebase is not ideal for teams of remote freelance workers since it requires a central location.
• Most users love that it’s easy to use and setup and makes managing and communicating with their team seamless.

What is Homebase?

Homebase was founded in San Francisco, California in 2013 and built to track time for hourly workers at one business location. It was designed with small business owners and mid-sized team managers in mind and can become a comprehensive solution for your company’s time-tracking needs. 

Homebase has a free plan that offers a basic timer as well as POS integrations, and scheduling. However, if your team’s needs are more complex, you can choose to expand your plan to include features like:

• Team messaging and shift reminders
• HR support and payroll
• Employee hiring and onboarding
• Compliance alerts
• Templates and auto-scheduling
• Labor cost management

These tools can help you as an employer boost productivity and streamline operations to grow your business. 

Homebase operates on desktop computers and a mobile app so you can manage your business on the go. This program currently assists over 100,000 local businesses in predicting sales forecasts while reducing labor costs. It is especially popular in the areas of food service, hospitality, healthcare, retail, and professional services.

Stand-Out Features of Homebase

Like any time-tracking app, Homebase offers basic timer functions to ensure employees stay on task. The friendly user interface allows you to see schedules at a glance and make changes with just a few clicks.

However, Homebase is best known for its advanced scheduling features and other extras that help you create the backbone of your business. 

Options like a GPS employee time clock, HR and onboarding services, compliance alerts, and the focus on employees’ needs–as well as managers–are the features that set this scheduling app apart from the rest. 

Using the phrase “robust software” would be an understatement!

Let’s dive into some of Homebase’s best features.

1. Time tracking and GPS time clocks

The Homebase time clock lets employees track hours for personal use or they can make the privacy settings public to share this information with a team. The employees’ clock allows you to set labor targets and keep track of billable employee hours to increase productivity and streamline the workday.

Homebase’s time-tracking features are pretty basic compared to other time-tracking apps. You won’t find a Pomodoro timer, offline capabilities, or consistent GPS tracking with Homebase. 

However, it does have other great features like GPS time clocks that show employees’ locations each time they clock in and out. The system also takes a photo of the employee as they begin and end their workday. This prevents “buddy punching” and ensures your time logs are accurate. Say cheese!

2. Geofencing

Homebase doesn’t offer GPS tracking–mostly because the app is meant to be used at one central location. (If your business uses more than one location, you’ll need to create a Homebase account for each job site.) 

Since this time tracker is designed for ‘in-house’ workers, it ensures that all employees are within the business’s physical site before allowing them to clock in. 

You can set your GPS clock-in perimeter by choosing between 150ft, one block, or five blocks. With its Geofence, Homebase prevents remote time punches and early clock-ins.

3. Employee Scheduling

The free version of Homebase includes basic scheduling options, while paid versions allow you more advanced options for creating schedules.

The Homebase scheduling app is easy to set up and lets you see employees’ schedules at-a-glance with just a few clicks. You can block out dates for paid time off and give clear expectations for each assignment. 

Employees can also swap shifts without fuss. This clear scheduling guide prevents missed shifts, eliminates confusion, and fosters employee happiness on the job.

4. Hiring and onboarding

The Homebase Plus or the All-in-One Plan can easily handle your hiring needs. The hiring tools allow you to:

• Create job descriptions using templates
• Post openings to online job boards
• Track and schedule applicants

Applicants can apply online using mobile phones allowing you to view and compare applicants easily.

Once you select the best person for the job, you can use Homebase to start new hire onboarding.

5. Payroll services with HR and compliance support

Homebase is invaluable in the area of HR. Instead of a business owner spending valuable time calculating employee hours, vacation days, and overtime, Homebase can prepare this information in minutes. Or, you can plan ahead with next-day payroll or auto-payroll to make your job even easier.

While you run payroll, Homebase also ensures you comply with city, state, and federal labor laws and taxes. If the system runs into errors in any of these areas, it alerts you automatically.

The HR features and automatic compliance alerts are invaluable for keeping your business professional and your mind sane.

6. Mobile Homebase app

The mobile app allows employers to track hours and keep tabs on operations on the go. You can access employee scheduling, payroll services, and view employee time clocks all using the Homebase app.

The app also fosters team communication by letting you stay in contact with hourly workers and colleagues even when you are away from the job site.

7. Integrations

Homebase has several POS and payroll integrations including ADP, QuickBooks Online software, Paychex Flex, Square, Shopify, Lightspeed, Clover, Google Calendar (app only), among others. These app integrations allow you to easily track your sales and schedules, and facilitate employee pay.

8. Privacy and information security

Homebase is dedicated to keeping personal and confidential information safe by partnering with trustworthy security firms to prevent bugs and breaches in the system. Also, Homebase’s customer service team has extensive training in the area of safety and confidentiality. 

This high standard of privacy and security can give you peace of mind as you enjoy the benefits of this time-tracking app.

Homebase Pricing Plans

Homebase plans offer four tiers to match your business’s needs and budget including the free Basic plan, the Essentials plan, the Plus plan, or the All-in-One plan. Add-ons are also available for whichever tier you choose.

Basic (Free plan)

The Homebase Basic free plan is available for one location and up to 20 employees. It includes:

• Basic scheduling
• Basic time tracking
• Point-of-sale integration

You can also pay for add-ons to the free plan.

Essentials

The Homebase Essentials plan is good for unlimited employees and one location. This plan focuses on time-tracking and scheduling for your entire team. It costs $20/mo billed annually or $24 per month.

In addition to the features in the Basic plan, you can expect the following features in Essentials:

• Advanced scheduling
• Advanced time-tracking
• Team communication

Plus

Homebases’s Plus plan excels in communication and productivity within your team. This plan provides more tools to keep track of hiring and payroll details. It costs $48/mo billed annually or $59.95 billed monthly for one location and unlimited employees.

Check out the added features of Homebase’s Plus Plan:

• Hiring tools
• PTO & time-off controls
• Departments & permissions

All-in-One

All-in-One is the top tier of Homebase’s plans and can be a comprehensive solution for your business needs. It offers every feature from all four plans to streamline your business’s operations. (However, it does not include payroll or other add-ons.)

For one location and unlimited employees, the All-in-One plan costs $80/mo billed annually or $99.95 billed monthly. 

All-in-One plans include all the features of lower-tier plans and include these valuable extras:

• Employee onboarding
• Labor cost management
• HR and compliance support

Add-ons

You can also choose add-ons to apply to the four Homebase packages. (Yes, you can even add to the free Basic plan!)

1. Payroll

Unfortunately, payroll is not included in any of Homebase’s plans; instead, it’s considered an add-on. The Payroll add-on costs $39/mo base fee as well as $6/mo per employee paid. 

2. Job Post Boosts

This add-on allows you to boost job postings on popular hiring websites (such as ZipRecruiter and Craigslist) starting at $79 per post.

3. Background Checks

Each check for employees costs $30 apiece.

4. Tip Manager

Tip Manager costs $25 per month to add to a plan. It collects tips from the POS separately and automatically divides them equally onto team members’ timesheets.

5. Task Manager

With Task Manager you can create and assign tasks to your team for $13 per location. (This add-on is not yet live but is listed as ‘coming soon.’)

Case Studies and Customer Reviews

Homebase has gotten many positive reviews from users on sites such as Capterra, G2, and GetApp. These are just a few customer testimonials we found that can help you get the feel of users favorite features of this time-tracking software.

Positive Feedback

Peter K., an owner in the food production sector has this to say about Homebase:

“Excellent for restaurants, hourly employees. I’ve used this for so long now it is hard to imagine what I’d do without it. We began using it as a simple time clock, and it has slowly become our go to for hiring, time tracking, time off, and employee messaging. If you have a mostly hourly workforce it is super simple to setup, and as your business grows it has helpful and intuitive tools to make your life easier. Their support in my experience can be a bit disorganized, but they always get the job done and are easy to work with.”

(Source Capterra)

E-J F., a small business owner, also recommends Homebase:

“Homebase makes duplicating weekly schedules simple. When I need to update a schedule, or co workers want to trade a shift, it’s user friendly. My team appreciates the messaging feature, so new employees no longer need to add everyone’s phone number. We use the chat for department or shift specific groups, and it’s all easy.”

(Source G2)

SarahAnn W. from the Hospital and Healthcare sector has this to say about Homebase:

“This is a useful and easy to use software system. It was easy to implement and has been effective.”

(Source GetApp) 

Overall, Homebase’s review ratings are positive. People like using it, it’s easy to setup, and it makes running their business easier. This software is also top-rated for small business teams by USAToday, Investopedia, The Motley Fool, Forbes, and others, receiving mentions for Best Time Clock, Best Payroll for Hourly Teams, and Best Employee Scheduling Software.

Criticisms

However, some users would like to see improvement in some areas of this program. Here are a few customer criticisms of Homebase.

“Importation of hours into QBO Payroll needs to be adjusted and checked, but having HomeBase open after importing employee time cards makes it simple. Just match 1 to 1 and your good. Also the initial holiday set-up can be a bit tricky but HB customer service is excellent and guided us through it.”

Jeff B., COO, Health Wellness and Fitness (Source Capterra)

“Would be great if there was mileage tracking built in since it’s already using GPS functions. I would love an auto clock-in option for if you arrive at an address identified as “work,” it auto clocks in within 5 minutes and clocks out once you leave. Not sure if that is something that is possible, but it would be an awesome option.”

Hawley W., Small business (Source G2)

Other constructive feedback users had were related to customer service response issues and the ability to create manual changes to timesheets and scheduling.

How to Use Homebase: Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Create a business account

Choose the start a business option. You will then be taken to another page where you can customize your experience.

• Choose which features you want most, scheduling, time tracking, or payroll. Homebase will remind you that they offer payroll.
• Add your business name, the type of business, number of employees, and number of locations you have.
• Finish up by creating an email login, password, and adding a business phone number.

Homebase also does a good job of using a quick start guide to familiarize you with what the scheduling, time clock, and payroll experiences look like from the business owner and employee perspectives.

Step 2: Add team members

On the left hand menu, click on “Team”. Then click on “Add team member” to add employees to your roster. You can either bulk load it or manually input each member. All you need is the their name, email, and phone number and you’re set.

You can also add their wage rate to really get granular on your tracking.

Step 3: Build your schedule

First start by configuring your scheduling settings. Click on “Settings” in the left hand menu. Under Scheduling, click “Schedule Enforcement”.

Here you can decide which day of the week begins your workweek. Also set your regular scheduling hours. This will make building your schedule smoother.

Then you can begin to build you teams schedule by clicking on “Schedule” in the left hand menu. You can either add shifts to be worked or assign the shifts directly to team members.

Once you finish adding shifts, click “Publish” on the top right hand corner and this will send the new schedule to everyone on your team.

Step 4: Setup time clock

You can decide how you want your team to clock in, either from the phone app, tablet, or web browser. Simply click on “Settings” in the left hand menu, then under the Time Tracking section click on “Time Clock Options”. If you want, you can enable all three!

Step 5: Start Tracking

Once your schedule is created for your team, they can clock in on their mobile apps at the time their shift begins. You can also use the time tracker for your own personal tracking as well.

Simply click on the clock icon in the top header menu. Click on “Launch Personal” under the personal time clock option. Then click on start timer. The clock has options for taking breaks built in too.

When you’re ready to review timesheets for yourself or your team, simple click on “Timesheets” on the left hand menu. There you can:

• Review each team member and their time cards
• Add team memebers and time cards if needed
• Print timesheets
• Review each pay period

If you decide to use their payroll function, the whole process appears to be easy to set up and implement. In fact the Homebase team will set up the whole thing for you! Give them all the necessary team and tax information, your pay schedule, bank account information and you’re good to go.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Homebase

Homebase can be an all-in-one time tracker that includes tools for scheduling, payroll, hiring, onboarding, and HR (depending on your plan). Many employers choose Homebase as the backbone of their business for the following reasons: 

Pros:

• You can use Homebase free forever, or try versions of higher-tier paid plans free for a limited time.
• Homebase is easy to set up and user-friendly.
• You can track employees’ locations when they clock in or out.
• Homebase automatically removes terminated employees from messaging.
• You can integrate Homebase with other apps and POS systems such as Square, Shopify, Lightspeed, Clover, Gusto, ADP, Quickbooks, and more.
• Homebase automatically alerts employers about compliance issues. This ensures you stay on track with fair labor practices.
• Live chat with Homebase’s customer support team is available with all paid plans.

Cons: 

While Homebase has plenty to offer, it also has its downsides.

• Users report that it is difficult to correct timesheets manually if employees forget to clock in or out.
• Payments can only be made in US dollars.
• Homebase doesn’t track offline work, so you must have a steady connection to the internet at all times.
• Payroll is an add-on for every plan. Since you are charged per employee, the fees can add up for larger businesses.
• Homebase is limited to one location per plan, making it complicated to add remote workers from multiple locations to a team.
• No Pomodoro timer.

How Does Homebase Measure Up to Competition? 

The Homebase app stands out among the time-tracker competition for the detailed scheduling tools it offers to managers and hourly employees. Let’s compare it back-to-back with a few other popular companies in this sector.

When I Work

• When I Work paid plans charge by employee instead of by location. This is advantageous if your business incorporates remote workers from several different locations.
• Homebase offers more integrations than When I Work.
• When I Work is a cheaper option if your main concern is scheduling. However, Homebase includes a time tracker in every plan, whereas this feature is a paid add-on in When I Work.
• When I Work is not set-up for pay processing.

Deputy

• Homebase offers more HR and payroll tools while Deputy’s focus is on time-tracking and employee scheduling.
• Deputy charges by the user, while Homebase charges by location.
• Homebase is popular among US businesses, while Deputy has more international users and offers eight different languages in app.

Final Verdict

Homebase is a popular workforce management app with high ratings and many glowing reviews from simple users and big names like Forbes and USA Today. 

This program is designed for small and mid-size businesses with hourly workers. It is especially popular in food service, hospitality, education, medical services, and other industries.

Homebase is not ideal for teams of remote freelance workers since it requires a central location or business ‘homebase’ to access all its features. However, it can be very useful to keep your in-house team on task. 

As a time-tracker and complex scheduling app, Homebase offers many impressive features that are beneficial for establishing your business. 

Whether you’re looking for an all-in-one operating system or just a simple time-tracker, Homebase is definitely a worthy contender.

You can download the free version today and add on to your plan as your business grows!

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