As labor management becomes more complex and compliance demands rise, more businesses are turning to employee scheduling platforms to stay organized and competitive. Homebase and 7shifts are two leading solutions in this area built specifically for hourly teams—but they serve very different operational needs.
Homebase is best suited for small businesses looking for a simple, all-in-one way to handle schedules, payroll, and team communication without added complexity. In contrast, 7shifts is tailored for restaurants that need precise control over staff scheduling, compliance, and multi-location operations.
This guide breaks down exactly how these two platforms compare in real-world usage. We’ll look at their key features, pros and cons, pricing models, and which one best aligns with your business goals.
Homebase Vs 7shifts: At A Glance
Features
Homebase
7shifts
Scheduling
Sales forecast-based scheduling with POS sync and overtime alerts
Restaurant-focused scheduling with compliance warnings and shift task management
Time Clock
Free app with PINs, GPS, photo capture, payroll sync, and break reminders
7punches app, photo clock-ins, geofencing, and labor law compliance tools
Payroll
Full-service payroll with tax filing, PTO, multi-location, and early pay
Tip tracking and payroll sync, no tax filing or multi-location support
Team Communications
Chat channels, shift notes, and alerts (paid plans only)
Messaging and schedule updates available even on free plan
Pricing
Free plan available (up to 10 employees), paid plans start at $30/location/month (Essentials Plan))
Free plan available (up to 20 employees), paid plans start at $34.99/location/month (Entrée Plan)
What Is Homebase?
Homebase is an employee scheduling software designed to help businesses manage hourly employees more efficiently. More than 100,000 companies use this system to create schedules, track employee hours across devices, calculate wages, and handle payroll taxes.
One example is Vapor Haus, a small retail shop in Chicago that struggled with seasonal staffing, last-minute availability changes, and low employee engagement. After testing multiple tools, they found Homebase to be a practical fit for handling advanced scheduling and improving internal coordination. It also had a positive effect on team morale and hiring.
For businesses in retail or service sectors with similar needs, Homebase offers a straightforward, flexible option for managing hourly teams.
Standout Features Of Homebase
Live Certified HR Experts: Businesses can connect with certified HR experts for support on compliance, labor laws, and custom policy questions—but this feature is only included in the ‘All-in-One Plan’, so it won’t be available on lower-tier plans
Multi-Platform Job Posting: It automatically distributes your job postings across major online job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and more—all from one dashboard
Pros And Cons Of Homebase
Pros
Quickly fix punch issues and shows at a glance who hasn't started their shift
Allows to post one job to multiple sites and shows applicant’s acquired certifications
Users find it helpful that it offers free plan for time tracking
Cons
Option for employees to manually enter hours in not available
It doesn't support automated break reduction from total hours worked, forcing managers to manually input break times per shift
What Is 7shifts?
7shifts is an employee scheduling and labor management software especially designed for restaurants and food service businesses. Over 50,000 businesses rely on this system to schedule shifts, communicate with staff, and track time and attendance.
One company that put this into practice is Chatime Canada, a bubble tea brand with 75 locations. Before they started using 7shifts, each location handled scheduling with its own spreadsheet. That made it nearly impossible to see where money was going—some stores were overspending without even knowing it. After switching to 7shifts, they began using real sales data to plan ahead and adjust staffing. The results came fast. Within a few months, some locations cut labor costs by up to 13%.
This shows it can be a good fit for businesses like franchises, small restaurant chains, or fast-food places, where each location needs to stay on budget and avoid scheduling guesswork.
Standout Features Of 7shifts
Restaurant-Specific Scheduling: 7shifts is designed specifically for restaurants, offering scheduling tools that account for roles, departments, and peak hours unique to the hospitality industry
Three Mobile Apps Available: It offers three dedicated mobile apps to make restaurant team management easier. 7shifts for scheduling and team chat, 7punches for time tracking, and 7tasks for managing daily task completion
Minor Employee Scheduling Indicator: This tool automatically marks employees under 18 on the schedule, so managers can easily spot them and follow local labor laws. The system shows an icon next to the minor’s name during scheduling, helping you avoid violations like assigning late-night or too many hours
Pros And Cons Of 7shifts
Pros
Includes a manager logbook to record shift updates and issues for quick follow-up
It provides smart messaging filters so managers can tailor communication based on staff roles
Gives users control over which scheduling notification they receive and when through custom alerts
Cons
Some users find it inconvenient that they can't view a full weekend schedule in one display
Old or incorrect job codes cannot be deleted, which may cause confusion in scheduling and reporting
Homebase Vs 7shifts: Key Feature Comparison
Scheduling
Homebase is designed for small business across various industries and stands out with its sales forecast integration. This means you can sync your POS data (from systems like Square, Clover, or Shopify) to build smarter schedules based on sales patterns and labor targets. It also offers features like automatic alerts for overtime and blackout date controls for time-off requests.
On the other hand, 7shifts is specifically built for restaurants, and this industry-specific focus is reflected in its core functionalities. The software includes built-in labor compliance alerts to help prevent violations. It also features integrated task management, allowing managers to assign duties within each shift—an option not available in Homebase. Moreover, 7shifts pulls data directly from POS, payroll, and time clock systems to build labor-efficient schedules, making it ideal for fast-paced environments where shift accuracy and legal compliance are critical.
Both Homebase and 7shifts deliver strong functionality, depending on the scheduling priorities, including drag-and-drop scheduling, availability tracking, time-off management, and shift swapping, all accessible through easy-to-use mobile apps.
Winner: It's a tie. Homebase offers advanced forecasting and flexible scheduling tools across industries, while 7shifts excels with deeper labor compliance features and built-in task management with a focus on one niche (restaurants).
Time Clocking
With Homebase, you get a free ‘Time Clock App’ compatible with phones, tablets, computers, and even POS (point-of-sale) systems. Employees can clock in using a unique PIN, and managers can enable GPS tracking or photo capture to confirm the identity and location for the check-in.
This feature helps to reduce buddy punching, which is when one employee clocks in for another. Homebase also automatically calculates hours, breaks, overtime, and paid time off. Employers can either run payroll inside Homebase or export timesheets to another payroll provider. Features like overtime alerts and break reminders are included to help with basic labor compliance.
7shifts also provides free time tracking through its companion app, ‘7punches’, which synch automatically with employee schedules. Employees can only clock in on their scheduled shifts, avoiding records of unapproved hours and shifts. Like Homebase, it also uses photo clock-ins and optional geofencing, which means employees can only clock in when they’re physically within a set location range.
Where 7shifts really stands out is in labor compliance. It includes built-in alerts and rules to help you follow city or state laws—like making sure employees take legally required breaks and avoid working beyond set overtime hours. It even supports laws like Fair Workweek, which applies in places like New York and California.
Both platforms help reduce time theft (getting paid for time not worked), make payroll easier, and support remote or in-person teams.
Winner: While both tools cover the basics well, 7shifts wins for taking time clocking a step further with built-in labor law compliance.
Payroll
Homebase offers a full-service payroll system that takes care of everything—from time tracking to tax filing. It automatically calculates hours, breaks, overtime, and PTO, then processes payroll via direct deposit or printable checks, without the need for manual input.
This system even files your payroll taxes, generates W-2s and 1099s, and keeps your business compliant with labor laws. Employees can track their hours, receive payday alerts, and even access earned wages early through the mobile app. Payroll runs are unlimited and supported across multiple locations that use the same EIN, all covered under one flat monthly fee. It’s a solid choice for businesses that want payroll and HR tools in one easy-to-manage package.
7shifts, in comparison, is built specifically for restaurant payroll. It pulls in hours and tips directly from the schedule and time clock, saving managers manual entry hassle. The system handles wage calculations, PTO tracking, and speeds up payroll processing—but it doesn’t yet include full tax filing or support for multiple locations.
What really makes 7shifts stand out is how well it manages tip payouts and shift-based wage data—two things that can get messy fast in the restaurant world. For single-location restaurants that need fast, integrated payroll connected to scheduling and tip tracking, it’s a strong, purpose-built option.
Winner: Homebase wins for offering a full-service payroll system that handles everything from tax filing to multi-location support.
Team Communications
Homebase helps teams stay organized with handy features like shift notes, custom chat channels, and read confirmations. But here’s the downside—these tools are only available on paid plans. If you’re on the free version, there’s no built-in messaging or alert system, which can easily lead to missed updates and more manual coordination.
7shifts, in contrast, offers essential communication tools even in its free version. Managers and staff can send one-on-one or group messages, check schedules, and stay in sync—all from within the mobile app. There’s no need to rely on texts or outside apps, and communication stays centralized, right from the start.
Winner: 7shifts wins this round by providing essential team communication features for free, while Homebase limits access to paid users only.
Pricing
Homebase uses a location-based pricing model, which works well for small businesses managing hourly teams at one or more physical locations. Instead of charging per employee, it offers a flat rate per location—so you can add unlimited team members on any paid plan without extra cost. There's also a 14-day free trial of the All-in-One plan, and you won’t need a credit card to try it. Moreover, the software offers payroll, tip management, and task management as add-ons.
Here’s a breakdown of the plans:
Basic: $0/location/month (1 location, up to 10 employees)
7shifts also follows a per-location pricing model and offers both free and paid plans with increasing access to scheduling, labor compliance, and management tools. You can also test-drive the top-tier ‘The Works’ plan with a 14-day free trial. It offers tip management, a manager logbook, and task management as add-ons. Here’s how 7shifts pricing breaks down:
Comp (Free): 1 location, up to 20 employees
Entrée: $34.99/month/location (Up to 30 employees)
The Works: $76.99/month/location (Unlimited employees)
Winner: Homebase takes the win here with its flat-rate pricing that includes unlimited employees, plus lower-cost entry plans that make it budget-friendly.
Final Verdict: Which One Wins?
With the score tied at 2:2 and one category ending in a draw, Homebase and 7shifts come out evenly matched—each bringing strengths that suit different types of businesses.
Homebase is ideal for small businesses that want an all-in-one platform—especially those needing built-in payroll, flexible scheduling, and flat-rate pricing that supports unlimited employees. 7shifts, by contrast, is purpose-built for restaurants. Its edge lies in labor compliance, shift-specific tools, and built-in communication features.
Both platforms offer free trials, so you can test them out firsthand. And if you're exploring more options, tools like Deputy software or When I Work offer different takes on scheduling and workforce management.
