Homebase vs. Clockify (2023)

When you’re managing a busy team of hourly employees, accurate timekeeping and scheduling is crucial. And if you’re a new business owner transitioning from spreadsheets and paper-based systems, you’re likely looking for a straightforward solution that lets you track time and publish schedules without much learning or training.

However, some time tracking systems are better suited to hourly, shift-based work than others. The right tools for employers in the restaurant, wellness, and hospitality industries should offer:

Simple and easy-to-automate shift scheduling features
A mobile app that allows team members to track time, update their availability, and swap shifts with minimal effort from managers
A messaging tool for better team communication

To equip you with the knowledge you need to find the right software for your business, we review and compare two of the most popular time tracking and scheduling solutions available right now: Homebase and Clockify. We’ll explore both platforms feature by feature and explore how they measure up to each other in terms of functionality, usability, and pricing, so let’s begin.

Why choose Homebase over Clockify in 2023?

While Clockify provides accurate time tracking, employee scheduling, and project management tools for startups and remote teams, it doesn’t have the capabilities small business owners need to handle their HR and compliance and hiring and onboarding tasks. And these features are essential for employers that want to grow their business in a legal and sustainable way without having to hire an HR expert or add more software to their toolkit.

Homebase also offers more value. Our free plan includes basic scheduling and time tracking for up to 20 employees at one business location. And for more advanced features, customers can sign up for one of our per-location paid plans, which means their subscription costs won’t increase as they add team members to their roster. Clockify, on the other hand, follows a per-user pricing model, which can get expensive as you hire more people.

Ultimately, Homebase is more suitable for small business owners in the restaurant, hospitality, and wellness industries that rely on hourly staff for their day-to-day operations. Clockify, however, is ideal for tech companies, consultants, and freelancers that need a simple tool for accurate time and project tracking.

Comparison chart: Homebase vs. Clockify at a glance


Scheduling	✓	✓
Time tracking	✓	✓
Payroll	✓	✘
HR and compliance	✓	✘
Team communication	✓	✘
GPS capabilities	✓	✓
Mobile app	✓	✓
Project tracking	✘	✓
Customer service	✓ — phone, email, and chat	✓ — phone, email, and chat
Pricing	Plans range from free to $100 per location per month. Homebase payroll costs a $39/month base fee and $6/month per active employee. Users save 20% when they commit to an annual plan.	Plans range from $4.99 to $14.99 per user per month.

How Homebase and Clockify stack up against each other

Homebase and Clockify both offer teams time tracking and scheduling tools. However, Homebase is designed to accommodate hourly, shift-based workers. For example, it lets employers create, publish, and share employee schedules. Then, team members can punch in and out of their shifts from their phones or a clock-in kiosk within the same app.

Unlike Homebase, Clockify was built for billable project work, which means that employees have to start and stop their own timers based on the tasks they have scheduled within their calendars.

Additionally, Homebase offers tools that Clockify doesn’t — full-service payroll, team communication, and HR and compliance features make it easier for business owners to coordinate and manage their teams.

Both Homebase and Clockify have GPS capabilities. However, while Clockify allows managers to track team member locations and productivity, Homebase’s GPS time clock ensures employees start their shifts in the right place and prevents buddy punching.

Both platforms also come with mobile apps, but Clockify’s is meant to be used exclusively for project-based time tracking and productivity monitoring. In contrast, Homebase customers can use the mobile app to track time, create and publish schedules, update availability, run payroll, hire and onboard new employees, and communicate with team members.

An in-depth breakdown of Homebase’s features and fees

Homebase is a team management app that’s designed to make work easier for both small business owners and their teams. It’s a perfect option for employers who are experts in their industry but aren’t experienced when it comes to the HR and administrative tasks they need to get through to stay compliant with tax and labor regulations.

That being said, let’s look more closely at the features Homebase offers to its over 100,000 customers.

Scheduling

A screenshot of Homebase's schedule builder. — Homebase makes scheduling both quick and error-free with auto-population tools and customizable templates. Source

Homebase’s drag-and-drop schedule builder couldn’t be easier to get the hang of. Once employees upload their availability, managers can start creating timetables from scratch without having to worry about conflicts. They can then turn their best schedules into reusable templates, so they can plan out shifts weeks and even months in advance. And because it’s an intelligent platform, Homebase can pull from previous scheduling data to auto-populate timetables for the future, saving you hours of work.

With Homebase’s built-in labor forecasting tool, you can also build schedules based on trends and patterns throughout the year. That allows you to schedule more team members during busier periods — and vice versa — so you’re never short-staffed.

Time tracking

A screenshot of Homebase's mobile time clock. — Homebase notifies employees about upcoming shifts, which reduces the number of no shows and late clock ins. Source

With the Homebase app, any device can become a time clock, which prevents long lines at the sign in station during busy shifts. For more security, prompt employees to punch in with their own unique PIN or enable geofencing around worksites so team members can only start their shifts once they’ve arrived at work.

When employees finish for the day, our app will automatically convert their hours into timesheets that are ready for payroll. And Homebase can also track breaks, overtime, and paid time off (PTO), so you don’t have to worry about any discrepancies around payday.

Another great Homebase feature is that our platform sends automatic reminders about upcoming shifts and clock outs, which helps reduce instances of accidental time theft and no shows.

Payroll

Another feature that sets Homebase apart from Clockify and other similar platforms is its payroll tool. Because our time clock and timesheets tools automatically generate and update timecards, half the work is done for you. Before running payroll, all you have to do is double-check them for accuracy and potentially add additional information for holiday pay, tips, PTO, and sick leave.

Homebase payroll also takes care of withholdings, files taxes, and sends them to the appropriate state and federal tax authorities. And once you’ve run payroll, you can submit paychecks to your team members via direct deposit. That way, you won’t have to worry about physical paychecks getting lost in the shuffle.

Within the Homebase app, team members can also review previous pay stubs and check them against their tax information, which makes filing yearly tax returns easier.

Team communication

Homebase makes keeping everyone on the same page easier with our team messaging app. Staff members can chat with each other, and managers can send announcements, group messages, and individual messages to notify employees about upcoming events and check in about tasks that need to be completed.

Managers can also use our messenger to send documents and files for new hires to sign during onboarding. They can even get confirmation when team members receive and read messages.

HR and compliance

Homebase does a fantastic job of simplifying even the most daunting human resources tasks. With so many federal and state-specific employment regulations to consider, HR and compliance can quickly become a full-time job. Homebase streamlines those tasks by allowing you to store key employee information, tax documents, and certifications within the platform. You can also send documents to team members for them to e-sign through the app, so you don’t have to worry about losing track of paperwork.

Homebase can also notify customers about updates to state and federal regulations and give them access to our extensive database of HR materials and resources. Finally, business owners can get in touch with one of our HR experts directly and get answers to any questions they have about their own policies and procedures. These HR professionals can even create an individualized employee handbook for you, which is a great time saver for first-time or just downright busy employers.

Extra tools and features

With Homebase hiring and onboarding, employers can post job openings on several top job sites in a matter of minutes. Our platform even comes equipped with templates for roles like cashier, bartender, barista, manager, or youth counselor, which can provide inspiration when you’re at a loss for what to write. Managers can then screen, schedule interviews, hire, and send important onboarding documents directly through the app for e-signing. Once new team members complete their paperwork, leaders can store it all directly within the Homebase app in accordance with federal compliance requirements.

Homebase also comes with an employee happiness tool that managers and staff can use to send each other shoutouts and celebrate wins and milestones. In addition, employees can rate their shifts when they clock out of work and send feedback to managers, allowing leaders to make updates so shifts are easier, more enjoyable, and more effective.

Last but not least, employees can cash out up to $400 of their next paycheck without any cost to the employer. This can help team members deal with any emergencies or unexpected bills that crop up before they get paid again.

Mobile app

Homebase’s mobile app is perfect for busy business owners who need to coordinate their teams off-site or manage multiple locations. Compared to Clockify, Homebase’s mobile app is more functional because it allows managers to share and publish schedules, communicate with staff, run payroll, and even hire and onboard new joiners.

Employees can use the app to track time, update their availability, swap shifts with coworkers, and text their manager or teammates.

Pricing

Homebase’s basic scheduling and time tracking features are completely free. To get the most out of our platform and access more team management features, we offer the following price options:

Basic. Free for one business location and up to 20 employees. It includes basic scheduling and time tracking, employee management tools like messaging, point-of-sale integrations, and access to email support.
Essentials. $24.95 per month per location. Everything in Basic, plus payroll integrations, team communication, performance tracking, advanced time tracking and scheduling, and access to live support.
Plus. $59.95 per month per location. Everything in Essentials, plus hiring tools, retention and performance tracking, time off controls, and departments and permissions.
All-in-one. $99.95 per month per location. Everything in Plus, with HR and compliance, new hire onboarding, labor cost controls, and business insights.

Users can also save 20% on their overall cost when they sign up for an annual plan.