Homebase vs ZenHR

Connecteam

7shifts

Wageloch

An all-in-one employee app that's both powerful, affordable and easy to use, especially for the mobile workforce.

7shifts is a comprehensive team management platform designed specifically for the restaurant industry. The solution offers a suite of features to streamline operations and enhance efficiency across various restaurant types, from independent establishments to enterprise-level groups and franchises. The platform's scheduling capabilities allow managers to create schedules that align with the team's availability and the restaurant's staffing needs.

Wageloch is a cloud-based human resource and workforce management platform that automates rostering, staffing, time and attendance tasks, onboarding, and other processes.

owner

Sometimes it takes a while for someone to get back to you from customer support regarding your questions/issues.

Owner

It's a touch pricey if you have more than one store, and the customer support, while not terrible, does take a little time to get through to.

Dispatch Operations and Quality Manager

Additionally, the customer support was always responsive and helpful whenever we had any questions or issues.

Legal Assistant

I appreciated the Homebase marketing app because it streamlined marketing activities into one platform.

Run payroll in minutes with automatic tax filing, synced hours, and error-reducing automations built for small teams.

Access Controls/Permissions

Accounting

Activity Dashboard

Activity/News Feed

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Applicant Tracking

Application Management

Approval Process Control

Attendance Management

Attendance Tracking

Automated Scheduling

Automatic Time Capture

Availability Management

Billable & Non-Billable Hours

Calendar Management

Candidate Profiles

Candidate Tracking

Careers Page

Chat/Messaging

Clock In/Out

Communication Management

Compliance Management

Customizable Reports

Dashboard

Data Import/Export

Direct Deposit

Discussions/Forums

Document Management

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Electronic Forms

Electronic Signature

Email Management

Employee Database

Employee Engagement

Employee Handbook

Employee Management

Employee Onboarding

Employee Portal

Employee Profiles

Employee Scheduling

File Sharing

FMLA Administration

For Cloud

Forecasting

For Small Businesses

Group Messaging

Group Scheduling

Interview Scheduling

Job Posting

Labor Cost Calculator

Labor Cost Reporting

Labor Management

Leave Tracking

Messaging

Mobile Access

Mobile Alerts

Mobile App

Multi-Location

Multiple Billing Rates

Offboarding

Offline Time Tracking

Onboarding

Online Time Clock

Online Time Tracking

Orientation Workflow Management

Overtime Calculation

Payroll Management

Payroll Reporting

Punch card

Real-Time Chat

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Updates

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Resource Allocation

Resource Management

Resume Storage

Schedule Distribution

Scheduling

Search/Filter

Self Service Portal

Shift Management

Shift Scheduling

Shift Swapping

Sick Leave Tracking

SMS Messaging

Surveys & Feedback

Task Management

Tax Compliance

Team Calendars

Third-Party Integrations

Time & Attendance

Time Off Management

Time Off Requests

Timesheet Management

Time Tracking

By industry, Homebase reviewers are most commonly professionals in food & beverages (17%). The most frequent use case for Homebase cited by reviewers is employee scheduling (65% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Most reviewers indicate that Homebase offers strong value for money, especially for small businesses, due to its free plan and flexible pricing. However, some users report that feature limitations and steep price jumps make upgrades costly.

Value for money

Homebase is an employee scheduling solution offering key features such as clock in/out, timesheet management, employee scheduling, mobile access, online time clock, and payroll management, among others.

Homebase

Web-based

iPhone

iPad

Android

Windows

When I Work

QuickBooks Time

Timesheets.com

Deputy

monday.com

WhenToWork

Sling

UKG Ready

Time Tracker

Basic

Essentials

Plus

All-in-one

Payroll Add-On

Frequent lag and slowdowns

General Manager

The length of time it takes to review and resolve time card issues is horrendously slow (each issue takes 30 to 60 seconds to even respond).

Homebase since the beginning is constantly lagging. Whether it be to load pages, send or receive messages, especially sending images. Whether I am using the url on a desktop, or the app on my iPad or iPhone, it is extremely slow.

81% of reviewers feel negative about Homebase’s performance and speed. Users report frequent lags, slow page loads, and delays when updating schedules or time cards. They say these slowdowns occur across devices and browsers, making real-time adjustments frustrating, especially during busy periods. Reviewers mention that connectivity issues can disrupt clock-ins and other essential functions. They find that resolving time card issues or syncing data is time-consuming, which impacts workflow and productivity.

Cumbersome updates and restrictions

I understand technical issues can occur during updates, but for 2 months?

Pastry Chef/Owner

Basic features needed but are unavailable without upgrade

38% of reviewers feel negative about Homebase’s updates and changes. Users say updates can introduce technical issues or disrupt existing workflows. They report frustration with the inability to edit certain information, such as PTO hours or chat participants, and note that some features become unavailable without upgrading. Reviewers mention that hardware may become unsupported over time, and that changes to availability or permissions can be difficult to implement. They find that requests for improvements are often unaddressed.

Persistent glitches and errors

Assistant Sales Manager

Sometimes even if you are right next to the central log in area, an error will state that you are too far away.

There are occasions where bugs do pop up, and they can be hard to mitigate thus making it difficult to continue the task at hand.

51% of reviewers feel negative about Homebase’s bugs and issues. Users say the app and web platform frequently experience glitches, such as freezing, logging out unexpectedly, or displaying incorrect times. They report recurring problems with timekeeping accuracy, location errors, and mobile app crashes. Reviewers find that these bugs disrupt daily operations and sometimes make it difficult to complete tasks. They indicate that issues can be hard to resolve and may persist despite attempts to fix them.

Unreliable notifications system

Office Coordinator

The only complaint I ever had was that terminated employees could still use the messaging feature after termination as it would take some time to update and remove them.

Director

The Message feature constantly stops working so our team members dont get the notifications.

44% of reviewers feel negative about Homebase’s messaging and notifications. Users report that notifications for messages and alerts are inconsistent, sometimes arriving late or not at all. They say the messaging feature is cumbersome, with difficulties deleting threads, managing contacts, or integrating with other communication tools. Reviewers mention that terminated employees can still access messaging, and that message formatting and search functions are limited. They find the volume of notifications overwhelming and sometimes irrelevant.

Limited payroll flexibility

Out of some "disturbed" sense I felt I owed to Homebase, I emailed support with an offer to pay a small increase but not at their ridiculous price with it's 15 features included that I would never use. If they can't find my request reasonable and let me pay only for what I use, I will fly into the arms of another app that gives me the basic features for free.

Receptionist

It would be SO easy for us and our employees to be able to keep track of their vacation and make sure that they're getting paid, but again, we cannot justify paying for the "Plus" plan because we wouldn't use ANY of the other features besides the Time Off Policies.

45% of reviewers feel negative about Homebase’s pay and wages features. Users report challenges with managing PTO, wage rates, and payroll integration. They say some payroll functions are only available on higher-tier plans, making basic features inaccessible without additional costs. Reviewers mention issues with refunds, account charges, and difficulties adding wage information. They find the subscription structure restrictive and express frustration with customer service when resolving pay-related problems or cancellations.

Efficient staff coordination

Managing Partner

It also helps in improving visibility when it comes to staffing by replacing traditional methods which were notoriously inefficient.

90% of reviewers feel positive about Homebase’s staff management capabilities. Users say the platform simplifies organizing schedules, monitoring hours, and onboarding new staff. They appreciate features like drag-and-drop scheduling, daily staffing visibility, and easy communication with employees. Reviewers find it effective for both small and multi-location teams, noting that staff can easily request time off and stay updated. They indicate that the system makes training and managing staff straightforward, leading to improved efficiency and satisfaction.

Accurate time management tools

IT personnel

It is an easy cloud based time tracking and scheduling for human resource personnel to handle timesheets and payroll.

93% of reviewers feel positive about Homebase’s time tracking. Users report that tracking hours, breaks, and attendance is simple and reliable. They say the system improves payroll accuracy and helps manage overtime, absences, and labor costs. Reviewers appreciate the ability to monitor schedules from anywhere and value the cloud-based access for both managers and employees. They find the time tracking features essential for workforce management, noting that it saves time and reduces manual errors in recording hours.

Streamlined team messaging

Associate Director

The ability to communicate with our team without sharing everyone's phone numbers has been very helpful and has been the best way to get in touch with our team (even better than email). Plus because we are nonprofit, being able to schedule everyone's time has been great for our accounting process.

Great features that allows teams of all sizes to stay connected and on the same page.

94% of reviewers feel positive about Homebase’s team communication. Users say the built-in messaging features allow for direct and group communication without sharing personal contact details. They find it valuable for coordinating schedules, sharing updates, and boosting team morale. Reviewers appreciate being able to message individuals or the whole team, document conversations, and keep everyone informed. They indicate that the communication tools foster collaboration, help organize shift coverage, and keep remote or multi-location teams connected efficiently.

Clean and customizable design

92% of reviewers feel positive about Homebase’s user interface. Users describe the design as clean, visually appealing, and easy to understand. They say the interface is intuitive, with color coding and customization options that enhance usability. Reviewers appreciate how quickly they can learn the system and locate features. They find the dashboard organized and user-friendly, which helps them manage tasks efficiently. Users indicate that the interface’s simplicity benefits both tech-savvy and less experienced staff.

The marketing app was user‑friendly and helped streamline everyday tasks like scheduling promotions and managing communications. While some features were fairly basic, the platform was reliable and efficient for its intended purpose.

When setting up payroll for a new business they will not allow you to fully account for state/ federal taxes on payroll until you obtain a UI rating which cannot be done until you pay your first employee $1500+ in payroll payments.

Office manager

This app allows me and my entire to collaborate on everything from scheduling to specific task for each individual along with allowing them access to their pay.

Manager

If you’re running a small-to-medium team, especially in hourly or shift-based work, Homebase offers a strong, user‐friendly option for scheduling, time-tracking, and communication.

Operations Manager

While I do like scheduling- when I am building schedules sometimes things change- when I add a note to the shift and want to apply that note to other shifts already scheduled, it'll add a new shift instead of adding it to the existing one.

Homebase has everything you need in one platform from messaging, scheduling, time clock, requesting time off and change shifts.

Grants Development

Sometimes the hours didn’t show until 24 hours later, or if you clocked out it didn’t register so the supervisor had to go back in and manually change it

The free basic access does not allow you to do simple things like clock in, which is why I downloaded it in the first place.

Case Worker

Great app to keep track of time, it integrates GPS which allows for precise location.

Payroll Manager

It did not have the ability for employees to update their own time cards with a request to an administrator.

Coordinator

Excellent payroll app with convenient features including time tracking, clocking in and out, scheduling, and direct messages.

Chief Operations Officer

First the time clock button is right next to the logout button, so I was flooded with phone calls to log back into the time clock.  

Homebase vs ZenHR Comparison (2026)

Homebase

ZenHR

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives