Homebase vs When I Work
Choose Homebase for a free tiny-team starter plus time clocks in the same location-priced app. Choose When I Work when cheap per-user scheduling is the job and clocks can wait. Compare published pricing, hiring, core HRIS, payroll, scheduling, training, time tracking, integrations, and mobile.
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
- • Free ≤10-employee hourly starter
- • Scheduling + time in one SMB app
Starting from $24.00/user/mo
Free plan available
VS
Our verdict
Choose Homebase for a free tiny-team starter plus time clocks in the same location-priced app. Choose When I Work when cheap per-user scheduling is the job and clocks can wait.
Homebase is better for
- ✓ Free plan
- ✓ Hiring workflow
- ✓ Core HRIS depth
- ✓ Payroll processing
When I Work is better for
- ✓ Integrations
Tie
- • Scheduling depth
- • Mobile / frontline
Choose Homebase if: Free ≤10-employee hourly starter
Choose When I Work if: Low per-user scheduling
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.
Best for
- • Low per-user scheduling
- • OpenShifts without buying clocks yet
Starting from $2.50/user/mo
No free plan
Comparison scorecard
Criterion-by-criterion results for Homebase and When I Work. Numeric bars appear only when both products have approved scores.
- Depends
Starting pricing
Published floor price and what that floor actually includes.
Homebase paid Essentials from $24/location/mo annual. When I Work Essentials is $2.50/user/mo for scheduling; time & attendance is a paid toggle not printed on the live price card.
HomebaseDependsWhen I WorkDepends - Homebase
Free plan
Whether a usable free plan is published, and what it gates.
Better for free plan
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - Depends
User / licence minimum
Seat floors, per-employee minimums, and small-team pricing traps.
Homebase paid tiers are unlimited employees per location. When I Work bills every scheduling user.
HomebaseDependsWhen I WorkDepends - Homebase
Hiring workflow
Applicant tracking, job posts, interviews, and offer workflow depth.
Homebase is the stronger fit for hiring workflow (5/10 vs 2/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - Homebase
Core HRIS depth
Employee records, PTO, onboarding, and people-admin as a system of record.
Homebase is the stronger fit for core HRIS depth (3/10 vs 2/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - Homebase
Payroll processing
Payroll depth, country coverage, and whether payroll is core or an add-on.
Homebase is the stronger fit for payroll processing (4/10 vs 1/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - Tie
Scheduling depth
Shift scheduling, availability, and frontline rostering.
Homebase and When I Work are close on workforce scheduling (9/10 vs 9/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseTieWhen I WorkTie - Homebase
Training depth
SOPs, onboarding paths, and employee training — not a full LMS by default.
Homebase is the stronger fit for training and SOPs (3/10 vs 2/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - Homebase
Time tracking depth
Clock-in, timesheets, geofencing, and attendance workflows.
Homebase is the stronger fit for time tracking (8/10 vs 5/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseStrongerWhen I WorkWeaker - When I Work
Integrations
Important third-party integrations.
When I Work is the stronger fit for integrations (7/10 vs 8/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
Homebase8/10When I Work8/10 - Tie
Mobile / frontline
Phone-first admin and hourly/frontline employee experience.
Homebase and When I Work are close on mobile and frontline use (9/10 vs 9/10). Scores reflect job-cluster fit from vendor documentation, not a lab test of the UI.
HomebaseTieWhen I WorkTie
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