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HR · head to head

Homebase vs Workday

Homebase logo

Homebase

HR

Scheduling, time tracking and HR for hourly teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workday logo

Workday

HR

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Homebase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Homebase free Basic plan is capped at 10 employees and a single location; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Homebase and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where Homebase and Workday differ
AttributeHomebaseWorkday
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud/Web
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Homebase

Nothing recorded that Workday does not also cover.

Only in Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Analytics
  • Payroll
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Homebase

  • Managing shift schedules across restaurant locationsnot Workday
  • Automating tip pool calculations and distributionnot Workday
  • Processing payroll directly from time trackingnot Workday
  • Onboarding and verifying hourly employeesnot Workday

Workday

  • HR managementnot Homebase
  • Financial planningnot Homebase
  • Workforce planningnot Homebase
  • Compliancenot Homebase
  • Analyticsnot Homebase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Homebase

  • Free Basic plan is capped at 10 employees and a single location
  • Paid plans are billed per location per month ($30, $70 or $120), so a multi-location business pays the rate again for each site
  • Payroll is a separate add-on at $39 per month plus $6 per month per employee paid
  • Tip Manager and Task Manager are further add-ons billed per location per month on top of the base plan

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

Homebase

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Up to 10 employees per location
    • Basic scheduling
    • Time tracking
  • Essentials$24/month
    • Unlimited employees per location
    • Advanced scheduling
    • Time tracking
  • Plus$56/month
    • Unlimited employees per location
    • AI-powered scheduling
    • PTO controls
  • All-in-One$96/month
    • Unlimited employees per location
    • Employee onboarding
    • Labor cost management

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Homebase if

  • You want to start without paying.
Homebase review

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.
Workday review

Questions people ask

Is Homebase or Workday better?
Neither clearly leads. Homebase starts at Free and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Homebase or Workday?
Homebase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Homebase and On request for Workday.
Does Homebase or Workday run on more platforms?
Homebase runs on Web. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
Can I use Homebase for free?
Yes. Homebase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workday starts at On request.
What is Homebase best used for?
Homebase is most often used for managing shift schedules across restaurant locations, automating tip pool calculations and distribution, processing payroll directly from time tracking, onboarding and verifying hourly employees. Of those, managing shift schedules across restaurant locations and automating tip pool calculations and distribution are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can Homebase do that Workday cannot?
Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Homebase: Does Homebase offer annual billing discounts?

Yes, Homebase annual billing offers savings: Essentials saves $72/year, Plus saves $168/year, All-in-One saves $288/year compared to monthly billing.

Source
Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
Homebase: Is there a free trial for Homebase?

Homebase offers a free 14-day trial of the All-in-One plan with no credit card required.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
Homebase: What does Homebase Payroll cost?

Homebase Payroll costs $39 per month base plus $6 per employee per month, with add-ons available for Tip Manager ($25/month) and Background Checks ($30 each).

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source
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