Homebase vs Zip Schedules (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Homebase if

• Fits if you run one shop or restaurant with 10 staff or fewer
• Works for owners who want labor costs next to the sales from their till

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you add payroll, which is $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid on every plan
• Tight if you have several sites, as each address needs its own plan
• Skip it if you need PTO accruals on the $24 plan, since they start on Plus at $56
• Watch out: Tip Manager is $25 and Task Manager $13 a month per location, background checks $30 each, Hiring Assistant from $99
• Watch out: the free plan keeps timesheets for 90 days, and onboarding paperwork and the API need All-in-One at $96

Pick Zip Schedules if

• Fits if you run a restaurant with 20 or fewer staff and want a low flat price
• Works for owners with several locations and one per-location bill

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a trial first, as none is mentioned
• Not for you if you need integrations, since none are listed
• Watch out: the site footer reads 2023 and its 404 page carries the Altametrics name
• Watch out: over 50 employees per location is custom

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.

Zip Schedules

• Price depends on headcount per location: $19 up to 20 employees, $39 for 21 to 50, and custom above 50.
• The pricing page does not mention a free trial.
• The site's footer reads 2023, and its 404 page carries the name Altametrics, so check that the product is actively maintained.
• No integrations are listed on the pages we read.

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.

Zip Schedules

Schedule building

Managers check staff availability and build schedules from templates, with alerts for schedule changes and reminders.

Employee requests

Shift swaps, time-off requests and availability changes are handled in one request queue.

Labor budgeting

Forecasting tools and budget alerts help schedule the right number of staff, and overtime is flagged automatically.

Labor law settings

The vendor says it tracks timesheet data, certifications and schedule-change records and offers settings for minimum wage rules.

Free mobile app

Managers and employees use iPhone and Android apps to view schedules, send broadcast messages and approve requests.

Multiple locations

Every plan lists multi-location support, with the price counted per location.

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.

Zip Schedules

• 1-20 employees$19

  per location / month for 1-20 employees

  Scheduling, communication tools, templates, shift swap, time-off and availability requests, multi-location support, labor budgeting and the iPhone and Android apps.

• 21-50 employees$39

  per location / month for 21-50 employees

  The same feature list as the smaller tier, for locations with 21 to 50 employees.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For locations with more than 50 employees; the page offers a demo instead of a price.

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.

Zip Schedules

No public discounts listed.