RosterzenAutomatic scheduling
Homebase puts AI-powered scheduling on Plus. If schedule construction is the main problem, test how each product handles availability, qualifications, hours, rest and coverage.
6 Homebase Alternatives for Employee Scheduling in 2026
Homebase is a broad hourly-work platform. The right alternative depends on whether you want stronger automatic scheduling, different pricing as locations grow, or a product built for a different type of workforce.
Homebase alternatives at a glance
| Product | Best for | Starting price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase | small hourly businesses | Free for 1 location / 10 employees; Plus $56/location/month annual | Scheduling and time tracking with communication, payroll and HR options. |
RosterzenRosterzen | automatic schedule creation | $39/month · up to 25 workers | Builds the schedule and shows any gaps |
Deputy | scheduling + broader workforce tools | Core $6.50/user/month | Scheduling inside a broader people platform |
When I Work | hourly teams | From $2.50/user/month | Simple day-to-day scheduling for hourly teams |
Connecteam | deskless operations | $29/month · first 30 users (annual) | Scheduling plus a broad deskless-workforce toolkit |
7shifts | restaurants | Free · Essentials $39.99/location/month annual | A restaurant-specific scheduling platform |
Planday | teams that want scheduling + workforce administration | Per-user plans · Pro custom | Rota planning tied to wider workforce administration |
What to compare before switching from Homebase
Locations vs workers
Homebase paid plans are priced per location. Rosterzen is priced by active-worker capacity, so multi-location teams should compare the total rather than only the headline price.
How broad you need the product to be
Homebase includes many small-business workforce tools. A narrower scheduling product can be a better fit when you already have payroll, hiring or communication covered.
Rosterzen
automatic schedule creation$39/month · up to 25 workersAny industry
Rosterzen creates the schedule from your coverage needs and worker rules instead of making you start from a blank calendar.
Add the shifts you need covered, then enter each worker's availability, qualifications, locations, weekly hours and rest rules. Rosterzen assigns eligible people and keeps any shift it cannot cover clearly open.
Time and attendance is included. Pricing stays fixed within each plan’s active-worker limit, so the bill does not rise with every person you add.
Good if you need
- Automatic schedule creation
- Availability, qualifications and location rules
- Hours, rest and coverage rules
- Time and attendance
Worth knowing
Best when the difficult part is deciding who should work each shift. Enterprise agreements can include EU data residency or self-hosting.
Deputy
scheduling + broader workforce toolsCore $6.50/user/month
Deputy combines scheduling, time tracking, availability, shift changes and broader workforce tools.
Its Core plan includes auto-scheduling, demand forecasting and labour planning. Lite covers basic scheduling and time tracking for teams that do not need those advanced scheduling tools.
Pricing is per user, so the monthly total increases as the workforce grows.
Good if you need
- Auto-scheduling
- Time and attendance
- Demand forecasting
- Shift swaps and replacements
Worth knowing
Useful when you want scheduling, time tracking and workforce tools in one product. Compare the Core plan if auto-scheduling is a requirement.
When I Work
hourly teamsFrom $2.50/user/month
When I Work combines employee scheduling, open shifts, shift swaps, availability and team communication in a straightforward app for hourly teams.
Essentials includes auto-scheduling and multi-week scheduling. Higher tiers add more scheduling rules, permissions and controls.
The product is priced per user, which is easy to understand but means cost rises directly with headcount.
Good if you need
- Auto-scheduling
- Open shifts and swaps
- Availability
- Team messaging
Worth knowing
A good fit for teams that want a familiar shift-management workflow. Check the plan level if you need more scheduling rules.
Connecteam
deskless operations$29/month · first 30 users (annual)
Connecteam puts job scheduling alongside time tracking, forms, tasks, communication and other tools for deskless teams.
Scheduling is part of the Operations Hub, so it can replace several frontline apps when the same team also needs task management, forms and mobile workflows.
Paid hub plans cover the first 30 users for a fixed base price, with additional-user charges after that. More advanced scheduling automation sits higher in the plan structure.
Good if you need
- Job scheduling
- Time clock
- Forms and tasks
- Deskless workforce app
Worth knowing
Useful when you want several frontline tools in one app. If the main problem is automatically constructing a difficult roster, compare the scheduling workflow closely.
7shifts
restaurantsFree · Essentials $39.99/location/month annualRestaurants
7shifts is built specifically for restaurants, with scheduling, time clocking, communication and restaurant labour tools.
The free Comp plan covers one location with up to 15 employees. Essentials adds advanced scheduling and team communication; Pro adds deeper labour and compliance tooling.
Plans are billed per location, and the restaurant focus extends through the product rather than being a generic scheduling skin.
Good if you need
- Restaurant scheduling
- Time clock
- Team communication
- Restaurant labour tools
Worth knowing
The restaurant focus is a real advantage for food-service teams. Organisations outside restaurants will usually get more value from a cross-industry product.
Planday
teams that want scheduling + workforce administrationPer-user plans · Pro custom
Planday combines rota planning, time and attendance, leave, payroll preparation and employee administration.
Starter covers scheduling, time tracking and working-time rules. Plus adds broader workforce tools. Auto-scheduling is available on Pro, with a newer auto-schedule experience also rolling out to selected Plus and Pro organisations.
Starter and Plus are priced per user; Pro uses custom pricing.
Good if you need
- Rota planning
- Time and attendance
- Leave management
- Payroll preparation
Worth knowing
Compare the exact plan and regional availability if auto-scheduling is important, because scheduling automation differs by plan and rollout status.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Homebase alternative for automatic scheduling?
Rosterzen is designed around automatic schedule creation from coverage, availability, qualifications, locations, hours and rest rules. Deputy also includes auto-scheduling on Core, while When I Work includes auto-scheduling in its scheduling product.
How is Rosterzen priced compared with Homebase?
Rosterzen Starter is $39/month for up to 25 active workers. Homebase Basic is free for one location with up to 10 employees; paid plans are priced per location, with Plus at $56/location/month when billed annually.
Does Rosterzen work outside hospitality and retail?
Yes. Rosterzen is industry-neutral and can be configured for security, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, retail and other shift-based teams.
Create your first roster
Use your own team and shifts. No account required.