Is Homebase really free for unlimited employees?

Yes. Homebase's free plan (Basic) includes unlimited employees at one location, scheduling, time tracking, team messaging, and the employee mobile app — all free forever. The paid plans ($20-80/month per location) add: multiple location management, advanced payroll features, HR tools, and document storage. For a single-location small business, the free plan covers everything. No credit card required to start.

Does Homebase work in the UK?

Homebase works in any country for scheduling, time tracking, and team communication. The payroll integration features are US-focused (QuickBooks, Gusto integration), but UK businesses can export timesheets for their own payroll processing or UK payroll software. For UK businesses, Homebase primarily adds value through scheduling, availability management, and time tracking — all available on the free plan.

What is the difference between Homebase and Deputy?

Deputy charges $4.50 per employee per month for scheduling — a 10-person team costs $45/month. Homebase's free plan covers unlimited employees at one location at no cost. Feature-wise, the free plans are comparable for basic scheduling needs. Deputy has stronger compliance features for large organizations, but for a small business with 2-15 staff, Homebase free is a complete solution. Homebase's employee app is also generally better-reviewed for ease of use.

Can I use Homebase if I'm a sole trader with no staff?

Homebase is designed for businesses with at least 2 people. If you're a sole trader managing your own schedule, a calendar app (Google Calendar) plus the booking system from Guide 06 is more appropriate. Homebase becomes valuable when you have 2+ staff members whose schedules you need to coordinate — managing availability, shift notifications, time tracking, and swap requests.

📅 Guide 20 · Free Staff Scheduling

No more paper rotas.
No more WhatsApp
scheduling chaos.

Homebase is free for unlimited employees at one location. Build rotas, let staff set availability, send shift reminders, track time, and handle swap requests — all in one app. Replaces the paper rota, the WhatsApp group, and a £40/month Deputy subscription.

❌ The Old Way

~~Deputy: £4.50/employee/month (10 staff = £45/mo)~~

~~Paper rota on the wall — staff "didn't see it"~~

~~WhatsApp group chaos for every shift change~~

✅ Homebase Free

Unlimited employees — forever free

Staff get shift notifications on their phones

Availability + swap requests in the app — no texting

📅 Save £540/year vs Deputy for a team of 10

📅 Week Rota

← Apr 14–18 →

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sarah

9–5

Off

9–5

James

2–9

Off

2–9

9–9

Emma

Off

9–5

Off

2–9

Luca

9–5

2–9

9–5

Off

142

Hours this week

£1,420

Est. labour cost

4/4

Shifts filled

📨 James wants to swap Thu 2–9 with Emma

✓

✗

👥

Free employees

Unlimited

📱

Shift notification

Auto-sent

💰

vs Deputy 10 staff

Save £540/yr

Homebase vs paid alternatives

Homebase ⭐

Free

Unlimited employees · 1 location · Scheduling, time tracking, team messaging, availability · Employee app

Deputy

$4.50/emp/mo

10 staff = $45/mo. Strong compliance features. Used by large teams.

When I Work

$2.50/emp/mo

Good UX. 2 weeks free then paid. Strong for shift-heavy businesses.

Rotaready

£4/emp/mo

UK-focused. Strong payroll integration. Overkill for under 10 staff.

👥

Unlimited employees freeNo per-seat pricing ever

📱

Employee mobile appStaff see shifts, clock in, request swaps

⏱

Time tracking built inClock in/out from phone or shared tablet

🏆

You've completed all 20 SetupFree guides!

Every tool in this guide is set up and running. Staff scheduling, time tracking, and rota management — professional, free, done. And that completes the full SetupFree stack.

Save $6,000+/year

That's the total annual saving across all 20 guides — compared to the paid alternatives.

All 20 guides — quick access:

Unlock AI Support

One-time $5 — Unlimited help with your staff scheduling setup. 7 days.

Homebase setup, employee onboarding, first rota

Time clock configuration for your workplace

Shift swap and availability policy setup

Labour cost tracking and UK employment law basics

50 messages · 7 days access

Each guide has its own $5 support session.

No more paper rotas. No more WhatsApp scheduling chaos.

No more paper rotas.
No more WhatsApp
scheduling chaos.