Deputy vs Homebase
Deputy fits multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance; Homebase fits small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app.
Deputy
Mid-market hourly WFM — Lite $5 / Core $6.50 / Pro $9 per user/mo; $30 invoice minimum; up to 31-day trial.
Best for
- • Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
- • Teams that will trial Core for up to 31 days before Homebase-style SMB hubs
- • Ops leaders who want WFM AI with a human-in-the-loop
Starting from $5.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between Deputy and Homebase. Choose Deputy when Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance. Choose Homebase when Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Deputy is better for
- ✓ Starting pricing
Homebase is better for
- ✓ Free plan
Tie
- • Integrations
Choose Deputy if: Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
Choose Homebase if: Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
Homebase
SMB hourly WFM (scheduling, time, hiring) priced per location — free Basic ≤10 employees at 1 site; paid Essentials from $24/location/mo annual.
Best for
- • Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- • Teams that want a free ≤10-employee starter before paying per location
- • Operators who may add payroll later rather than buying Gusto first
Starting from $24.00/user/mo
Free plan available
Quick verdict
Start here — then dig into the evidence below.
Choose Deputy if…
- Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
- Teams that will trial Core for up to 31 days before Homebase-style SMB hubs
- Ops leaders who want WFM AI with a human-in-the-loop
- You prioritize starting pricing
Choose Homebase if…
- Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- Teams that want a free ≤10-employee starter before paying per location
- Operators who may add payroll later rather than buying Gusto first
- You prioritize free plan
Overall recommendation
There is no universal winner between Deputy and Homebase. Choose Deputy when Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance. Choose Homebase when Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Key trade-off
Deputy trades toward starting pricing; Homebase trades toward free plan.
Winner by category
Only dimensions with researched evidence for this pair.
| Dimension | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Starting pricing | Deputy wins | Deputy publishes a lower researched starting floor ($5/mo vs $24/mo for Homebase). Confirm currency, renewals, and add-ons — not a total TCO winner. |
| Free plan | Homebase wins | Deputy does not research a free plan; Homebase researches a free plan. |
| Integrations | Tie | Deputy and Homebase are close on integrations (8/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
Side-by-side feature matrix
Normalized availability from product research — empty rows are not shown.
Hiring
| Feature | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant tracking | Moderate | Moderate |
| Career site & job boards | Moderate | Moderate |
| Interview scheduling | Limited | Limited |
Workforce
| Feature | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce scheduling | Strong | Strong |
| Frontline communications | Strong | Strong |
| Time & attendance | Strong | Strong |
| GPS / geofence clock-in | Strong | Strong |
People & payroll
| Feature | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Core HRIS | Moderate | Moderate |
| Payroll processing | Moderate | Moderate |
| Benefits administration | Limited | Limited |
Training
| Feature | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| SOP / knowledge base | Moderate | Moderate |
| Employee training paths | Moderate | Moderate |
| LMS / course commerce | Limited | Limited |
Platform
| Feature | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| HRIS integrations | Strong | Strong |
| Analytics & reporting | Strong | Strong |
| AI assistance | Strong | Strong |
Pricing comparison
Pricing evidence last checked Sep 9, 2026.
Deputy
From $5.00/user/mo
- Lite$5.00/user/mo
- Core$6.50/user/mo
- Pro$9.00/user/mo
Homebase
From $24.00/user/mo
- Basic$0.00/user/mo
- Essentials$24.00/mo
- Plus$56.00/mo
- All-in-One$96.00/mo
Seat-count estimates
Labeled estimates from verified starting per-seat pricing — not invoices.
| Seats | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ~$25.00/mo (5 × starting seat) | ~$120.00/mo (5 × starting seat) |
| 10 | ~$50.00/mo (10 × starting seat) | ~$240.00/mo (10 × starting seat) |
| 25 | ~$125.00/mo (25 × starting seat) | ~$600.00/mo (25 × starting seat) |
| 50 | ~$250.00/mo (50 × starting seat) | ~$1,200.00/mo (50 × starting seat) |
Estimate from verified starting per-seat pricing — actual total depends on plan, annual discounts, and add-ons.
Deputy researched starting price from $5/mo. Homebase researched starting price from $24/mo; a free plan is researched. Affiliate economics excluded.
Best for
Scenario picks from researched strengths — not a universal ranking.
- → Deputy
Best for starting pricing
Deputy publishes a lower researched starting floor ($5/mo vs $24/mo for Homebase). Confirm currency, renewals, and add-ons — not a total TCO winner.
- → Homebase
Best for free plan
Deputy does not research a free plan; Homebase researches a free plan.
The differences that actually matter
Pair-specific analysis for Deputy vs Homebase — not generic category copy.
Starting pricing
Deputy aheadOn starting pricing, Deputy is ahead. Deputy: Deputy publishes a lower researched starting floor ($5/mo vs $24/mo for Homebase). Confirm currency, renewals, and add-ons — not a total TCO winner.. Homebase: Trails Deputy on this criterion. Feature evidence also diverges on Core HRIS (Deputy: Moderate; Homebase: Moderate).
Pros and cons
Product-specific for this pair — derived from researched outcomes and editorial notes.
Deputy
Pros
- Stronger on starting pricing
Cons
- Trails on free plan
Homebase
Pros
- Stronger on free plan
Cons
- Trails on starting pricing
Who should not choose each product
Decision quality improves when we say who should walk away.
Don't choose Deputy if…
- You need Homebase's stronger free plan more than Deputy's strengths
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Teams that want a free ≤10-employee starter before paying per location
Don't choose Homebase if…
- You need Deputy's stronger starting pricing more than Homebase's strengths
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Teams that will trial Core for up to 31 days before Homebase-style SMB hubs
Alternatives worth considering
When neither product is the right fit.
Frontline workforce app with Ops, Comms, and HR & Skills hubs — free ≤10 users; paid hubs from $29/mo annual for first 30 users.
Per-user hourly scheduling — Essentials from $2.50/user/mo; Pro $5; Premium $8; 14-day trial. Time & attendance is a paid toggle.
Restaurant WFM priced per location — Essentials $44.99 (≤30 staff); Pro $89.99 (≤60); Premium $149.99 unlimited; free plan + 14-day Pro trial.
Final verdict
Scenario-level close — not a repeat of the intro.
Deputy wins when…
Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
Homebase wins when…
Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- Best for starting pricingDeputy
- Best for free planHomebase
Which one should you choose?
Choose Deputy if:
- Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance
- Teams that will trial Core for up to 31 days before Homebase-style SMB hubs
- Ops leaders who want WFM AI with a human-in-the-loop
Choose Homebase if:
- Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- Teams that want a free ≤10-employee starter before paying per location
- Operators who may add payroll later rather than buying Gusto first
Product screenshots
Real product UI from our media library — no placeholders.
Deputy
Homebase
FAQ
- Is Deputy better than Homebase?
- There is no universal winner between Deputy and Homebase. Choose Deputy when Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance. Choose Homebase when Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
- Which HR software fits which team?
- Deputy: Multi-location hourly operators who need scheduling + time + labor compliance Homebase: Small hourly businesses (retail, cafes, local services) that need scheduling + time in one app
- Does Deputy or Homebase have a free plan?
- Deputy: No free plan. Homebase: Free plan available.
- How does Deputy vs Homebase pricing compare?
- Deputy starts from $5.00/user/mo. Homebase starts from $24.00/user/mo. Confirm live vendor pricing before purchasing.
- How did SoftwareGlimpse compare these products?
- We map both products to the same category criteria, then evaluate trade-offs using verified product, pricing and feature evidence. Affiliate relationships never change outcomes.
- reviewDeputy review
- reviewHomebase review
- pricingDeputy pricing
- pricingHomebase pricing
- alternativeConnecteam alternative
- alternativeWhen I Work alternative
- alternative7shifts alternative
- guideWhat Is HR Software?
- guideHow to Choose HR Software
- guideHR Software Pricing Guide
- categoryHR software hub
- finderBest HR software
Related comparisons
Alternatives to consider
Connecteam
Frontline workforce app with Ops, Comms, and HR & Skills hubs — free ≤10 users; paid hubs from $29/mo annual for first 30 users.
When I Work
Per-user hourly scheduling — Essentials from $2.50/user/mo; Pro $5; Premium $8; 14-day trial. Time & attendance is a paid toggle.
7shifts
Restaurant WFM priced per location — Essentials $44.99 (≤30 staff); Pro $89.99 (≤60); Premium $149.99 unlimited; free plan + 14-day Pro trial.
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