Homebase
Homebase is an all-in-one team management software providing small businesses with integrated tools for hourly scheduling, time tracking, payroll processing, and team communication to simplify daily operations and compliance.
MakeShift
MakeShift is a cloud-based employee scheduling software that helps you create rotas faster, track time accurately, and communicate with your team through a simple mobile-first interface.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Homebase | MakeShift |
|---|---|---|
| Website | homebase.com | makeshift.ca |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free | $2.75/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2014 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | Calgary, Canada |
Overview
Homebase
Homebase is a comprehensive team management platform designed specifically to help you manage hourly workforces without the paperwork headache. You can build schedules in minutes, track employee hours with a digital time clock, and message your team instantly. It eliminates the manual effort of calculating total hours and overtime, ensuring your business stays compliant with labor laws while keeping your labor costs under control.
You can also manage the entire employee lifecycle from hiring and onboarding to automated payroll and performance tracking. The platform integrates directly with your point-of-sale system to sync sales data with labor costs, giving you a clear view of your business health. Whether you run a single cafe or manage multiple retail locations, you can handle all your people management tasks from one centralized dashboard.
MakeShift
MakeShift is a people-first scheduling platform designed to eliminate the headaches of manual shift management. You can build complex schedules in minutes using a drag-and-drop interface that accounts for employee availability, qualifications, and labor costs. By moving your rotas to the cloud, you ensure your team always has the most up-to-date information right on their phones.
The platform bridges the gap between management and staff by allowing you to approve time-off requests, manage shift swaps, and track attendance in real-time. It specifically targets industries with fluctuating shifts like healthcare, retail, and hospitality. You can reduce HERO (unnecessary overtime) and ensure your business stays compliant with labor laws while keeping your employees engaged and informed.
Overview
Homebase Features
- Employee Scheduling Build and share work schedules in minutes using templates and drag-and-drop tools that notify your team instantly via mobile.
- Time Tracking Turn any device into a smart time clock that tracks breaks, prevents early clock-ins, and automatically calculates total hours worked.
- Automated Payroll Convert your timesheets into paychecks with a few clicks, including automated tax filings and direct deposits for your entire team.
- Team Communication Message your whole team or individual employees through a secure app, ensuring everyone sees important updates and shift changes.
- Hiring and Onboarding Post jobs to top boards, track applicants, and complete all new-hire paperwork digitally before their first day on the job.
- Compliance Tools Stay protected with automated alerts for missed breaks, overtime limits, and labor law updates specific to your business location.
MakeShift Features
- Drag-and-Drop Scheduling. Create and adjust weekly schedules in seconds by dragging shifts across your screen to the right team members.
- Mobile App for Staff. Give your team the power to view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts directly from their smartphones.
- Photo Radar Time Clock. Prevent buddy punching by having your employees clock in via a tablet that captures a photo for verification.
- Availability Management. Let your employees set their own preferred working hours so you only schedule people who are actually available.
- Shift Exchange. Enable your staff to trade shifts with qualified colleagues, which you can then approve or deny with one click.
- Real-Time Notifications. Send instant alerts to your team's phones whenever a schedule is published or a shift change occurs.
- Labor Cost Tracking. Monitor your labor spend as you build schedules to ensure you stay within budget and avoid costly overtime.
- Automated Reminders. Reduce no-shows by automatically sending your employees reminders before their scheduled shifts begin.
Pricing Comparison
Homebase Pricing
- Up to 20 employees
- One business location
- Time tracking and time clock
- Employee scheduling
- Team messaging
- Hiring and job posting
- Everything in Basic, plus:
- Unlimited employees
- Advanced scheduling tools
- Team communication history
- Remote clock-in and GPS
- Performance tracking
- Labor cost forecasting
MakeShift Pricing
- Drag-and-drop scheduling
- Employee mobile app
- Availability management
- Shift exchange & swaps
- Time off requests
- In-app messaging
- Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Photo Radar time clock
- GPS-enabled clock-in
- Payroll exports
- Advanced labor reporting
- Department-level permissions
Pros & Cons
Homebase
Pros
- Per-location pricing saves money as you hire more staff
- Extremely user-friendly mobile app for hourly employees
- Seamless integration with popular POS systems like Square
- Automated shift reminders reduce employee no-shows significantly
- Generous free plan includes essential scheduling and tracking
Cons
- Payroll services require an additional monthly add-on fee
- Advanced HR compliance features locked behind higher tiers
- Occasional sync delays between mobile app and desktop
MakeShift
Pros
- Extremely intuitive interface for both managers and employees
- Significantly reduces the time spent on weekly schedule creation
- Mobile app is highly reliable for remote shift management
- Excellent customer support team that responds quickly to issues
Cons
- Limited customization options for very complex labor rules
- Reporting tools could be more robust for enterprise needs
- Occasional sync delays between the web and mobile apps