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Software · head to head

Homebase vs Zoho Books

Homebase logo

Homebase

Software

Scheduling, time tracking and HR for hourly teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho Books logo

Zoho Books

Software

Simple, smart accounting software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Homebase free Basic plan is capped at 10 employees and a single location; Zoho Books payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Homebase and Zoho Books actually diverge.

Attributes where Homebase and Zoho Books differ
AttributeHomebaseZoho Books
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Zoho Books does not also cover.

Only in Zoho Books

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Financial reports
  • Tax compliance
  • Zoho CRM
  • PayPal
  • Stripe

What people use each for

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

Homebase

No use cases recorded yet. See the Homebase review.

Zoho Books

  • Invoicingnot Homebase
  • Expense managementnot Homebase
  • Tax preparationnot 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

Zoho Books

  • Payroll only available in Texas and California, limiting US usefulness
  • Limited access to historical financial data compared to competitors
  • Customer support is slow with long response times and frustrating workarounds
  • Fewer integrations than QuickBooks Online and Xero
  • User limit restrictions (1-15 depending on plan) compared to Xero's unlimited users
  • Occasional inaccuracies in automatic exchange rate updates for international transactions

Pricing, plan by plan

Homebase

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Homebase review.

Zoho Books

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user + accountant
    • Unlimited invoices
  • Standard$20/month
    • 3 users
    • Core accounting
  • Professional$60/month
    • 5 users
    • Advanced reporting
  • Premium$120/month
    • 10 users
    • Inventory management

Which should you pick?

Choose Homebase if

  • You want to start without paying.
Homebase review

Choose Zoho Books if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Zoho Books review

Questions people ask

Is Homebase or Zoho Books better?
Neither clearly leads. Homebase starts at Free and Zoho Books at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Homebase or Zoho Books?
Homebase starts at Free and Zoho Books at Free.
Does Homebase or Zoho Books run on more platforms?
Homebase runs on Web. Zoho Books runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Homebase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Homebase do that Zoho Books cannot?
Zoho Books covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Bank reconciliation, Financial reports.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho Books: Does Zoho Books support payroll?

Zoho Books offers limited payroll integration available only in Texas and California currently. Outside these states, users must use separate payroll software.

Source
Zoho Books: How many users can access one account?

User limits vary by plan: Free tier (1 user + accountant), Standard (3 users), Professional (5 users), Premium (10 users), Elite (15 users). Each business requires separate subscription.

Source
Zoho Books: What integrations does Zoho Books support?

Zoho Books integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Razorpay, PayPal, Stripe, Salesforce, Google Sheets, and 500+ apps via Zapier. It integrates with other Zoho products like Zoho Inventory and Zoho Projects.

Source
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Related pages

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