Connecteam vs Homebase
We give Connecteam and Homebase the same GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Connecteam
Employee app for shifts, time clock, chat and HR, free up to 10 users
Homebase
Small-business scheduling, time clock and payroll, priced per location
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAConnecteamVery good | 3.2GPAHomebaseVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BOperations Basic is a flat $29 a month for up to 30 users, billed yearly, so 15 staff pay $29. For a team that size that's in the cheapest quarter of this category. Each user past 30 adds $0.80. | BEssentials is $24 per location a month billed yearly, with unlimited employees, so 15 staff at one site pay $24. For a team that size that's in the cheapest quarter of this category. A second site means a second plan. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree for up to 10 users with all three hubs and nearly every feature, though payroll links are left out. Teams of up to 30 can stay on a free Limited plan with the basics, and there's a 14-day trial of Expert with no card. | BBasic is free for one location and up to 10 employees, with scheduling, time tracking and a POS link, though timesheets are kept only 90 days. A small team can really run on it. |
| Features | BGPS, NFC and kiosk clock-ins, repeating shifts with open shifts, AI auto-scheduling and timesheets to payroll, plus forms, checklists, chat and training. The whole job, though time off and chat live in hubs you buy separately. | BWeekly schedules around availability, shift trades and open shifts, clock-ins on phones, tablets or POS terminals, timesheets that follow your overtime rules and sync to payroll, plus hiring. The whole job, with an AI scheduling assistant on Plus. |
| Ease of use | A4.86 from 60,756 App Store ratings, the best score on record in this category. Staff mostly live in the phone app, clocking in and checking shifts. | A4.78 from 95,735 App Store ratings, more ratings than any other app in this category. Staff see shifts, trade them and clock in from the phone. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex, ADP, BambooHR and Zapier, and an API on Expert. No desktop app, so a B. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with tills like Square, Toast, Clover and Shopify and payroll like Gusto, ADP and QuickBooks. The API needs All-in-One, and there's no desktop app. |
| Best for | deskless teams that want shifts, chat and forms | small single-site shops and restaurants |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Connecteam and Homebase. How we grade
Price against what you get
Connecteam starts at $29 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Homebase starts at $24 a month and scores 3.3.
They score the same, and Homebase starts $5 a month lower. Of the other shift scheduling apps on the chart, none scores higher than Connecteam for less, and none scores higher than Homebase for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Connecteam starts at $29 per month for up to 30 users, billed annually (Operations Basic). Homebase starts at $24 per location / month, billed annually (Essentials).
- Connecteam also covers auto-scheduling and forms.
- Homebase also covers payroll, job board posting and employee records.
At a glance
| Connecteam | Homebase | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $29 per month for up to 30 users, billed annually (Operations Basic) | $24 per location / month, billed annually (Essentials) |
| Free plan | Small Business plan, free for up to 10 users, with all three hubs and nearly every feature, though payroll integration is left out. Teams of up to 30 can stay on a free Limited plan with the basics of each hub. | Basic plan, free for one location with up to 10 employees: basic scheduling and time tracking and a POS integration, with timesheets stored for 90 days. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the Expert plan, no credit card needed | 14-day free trial of All-in-One, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Connecteam | Pioneer Works, Inc. |
| Price read from | connecteam.com | joinhomebase.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Connecteam
- Businesses with up to 10 staff that want a free all-in-one employee app
- Field service, cleaning and construction crews clocking in by GPS
- Deskless teams that need chat, forms and training beside the schedule
Homebase
- Single-location shops and restaurants with up to 10 staff, on the free plan
- Owners who want POS sales and labor costs side by side
- Small businesses that want scheduling and payroll from one vendor
Worth knowing
Connecteam
- Each hub is bought separately: scheduling and time clock sit in the Operations Hub, while chat and HR tools need their own hub plans from $29 a month each.
- The flat price covers the first 30 users; every user after that is charged per month on each hub, for example $4.20 on Operations Expert billed yearly.
- The free Small Business plan has no payroll integration, and the free Limited plan for up to 30 users drops many features.
- Monthly plans are not refunded for prepaid time; annual plans get a prorated refund only if cancelled within the first 30 days.
Homebase
- Plans are priced per location: each separate address needs its own plan, and the free Basic plan covers only one location and up to 10 employees.
- Payroll is an add-on on every plan at $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid.
- Other add-ons cost extra: Tip Manager $25 and Task Manager $13 a month per location, background checks $30 each, Hiring Assistant from $99 a month.
- PTO accrual policies need Plus; onboarding paperwork, HR advisors and API access need All-in-One.
Key features
Connecteam
- GPS, NFC and kiosk clock-ins
- Staff clock in from their phones with a GPS stamp, by tapping an NFC tag, or at a shared tablet kiosk. Geofences and on-the-clock location tracking come on higher plans.
- Scheduling with open shifts
- Shifts repeat daily, weekly or monthly, open shifts can be claimed with approval, and reminders go out before work starts. AI auto-scheduling weighs availability, roles and labor rules.
- Timesheets to payroll
- Clock-ins build timesheets that export to payroll services including Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex and ADP, with pay periods and pay rates per person.
- Forms, checklists and shift tasks
- Unlimited checklists, forms and tasks on every paid plan, plus tasks and attachments such as photos, mileage and signatures tied to a shift.
- Chat, updates and knowledge base
- The Communications Hub adds one-to-one and group chat, a company feed with surveys and polls, an employee directory and a knowledge base.
- Time off, training and documents
- The HR & Skills Hub covers time-off policies with balances, courses and quizzes, documents with e-signatures, hiring and onboarding.
Homebase
- Weekly schedule builder
- Managers build the week around availability and time-off requests, and staff trade, cover or claim open shifts. Plus adds an AI scheduling assistant.
- Time clock on any device
- Staff clock in on tablets, computers, POS terminals such as Clover and GoDaddy, or the mobile app with location checks, and tablets can take a photo at each clock-in.
- Timesheets to payroll
- Timesheets follow your overtime and break rules and sync to Gusto, ADP RUN, QuickBooks Online or Square Payroll, or feed Homebase's own payroll add-on.
- Team messaging
- Messenger channels, announcements and shift notes, with confirmation when employees have seen the schedule or read a message.
- Hiring and onboarding
- Job openings go out to online job boards, and All-in-One sends onboarding packets with W-4, I-9 and direct deposit forms for e-signature.
- Labor cost controls
- All-in-One alerts managers before overtime, blocks early clock-ins, clocks staff out at shift end and reports labor against sales pulled from the POS.
Plans
Connecteam
Small Business$0
Free for life for up to 10 users, covering all three hubs. Payroll integration is not included.
Operations Basic$29
per month for up to 30 users, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
GPS time clock, basic scheduling with open shifts, unlimited forms and tasks, payroll integration. Each user past 30 is $0.80 a month ($1 monthly).
Operations Advanced$49
per month for up to 30 users, billed annually ($59 billed monthly)
Adds repeating shifts, templates, auto clock-out, up to 10 geofence sites and up to 6 schedules. Each user past 30 is $2.50 a month ($3 monthly).
Operations Expert$99
per month for up to 30 users, billed annually ($119 billed monthly)
Adds auto-assigned shifts, unlimited geofences, up to 12 schedules, automatic reports and API access. Each user past 30 is $4.20 a month ($5 monthly).
Operations EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited time clocks and schedules, SSO, two-factor sign-in and a success manager. Aimed at companies with 201 to 10,000 employees.
Homebase
Basic$0
One location and up to 10 employees: basic scheduling and time tracking, a POS integration, timesheets kept 90 days.
Essentials$24
per location / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)
Unlimited employees. Adds shift trades and open shifts, availability, location-based mobile clock-in, payroll integrations and team messaging.
Plus$56
per location / month, billed annually ($70 billed monthly)
Adds an AI scheduling assistant, PTO policies with accruals, departments and manager permissions. Shown at $0 for 6 months with the payroll offer.
All-in-One$96
per location / month, billed annually ($120 billed monthly)
Adds onboarding paperwork with e-signatures, HR advisors and a custom handbook, overtime alerts, sales-based scheduling and API access.
Ways to pay less
Connecteam
- Annual discount
Save 18% with yearly billing
Yearly billing brings Operations Basic, Advanced and Expert to $29, $49 and $99 a month against $35, $59 and $119 monthly; the FAQ calls it two months free.
Homebase
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Annual billing brings Essentials, Plus and All-in-One to $24, $56 and $96 per location a month against $30, $70 and $120 monthly, or $72 to $288 a year saved.
- Other savings
6 months free on Plus and Payroll for new customers
New customers who set up payroll by December 15, 2026 and run it by January 20, 2027 get Plus free for 6 months and payroll free for 6 months for up to 50 employees.
- Other savings
Payroll at $29 a month for teams of 5 or fewer
Teams of up to 5 who start payroll in the same window get 6 months free, then $29 a month plus $6 per employee paid instead of $49, while they stay at 5 or fewer.
