Software · head to head
Workday vs Basecamp
Workday
Software
Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees; Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
- They diverge on capability: Workday covers Human capital management, Basecamp covers Message boards.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Workday and Basecamp actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Workday
- Human capital management
- Financial management
- Planning
- Analytics
- Payroll
- Time tracking
- Talent management
- Procurement
Only in Basecamp
- Message boards
- To-do lists
- Schedules
- Documents & files
- Group chat
- Check-in questions
- Hill Charts
- Email forwards
Both cover
- Slack
- SOC2
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Workday
- HR managementnot Basecamp
- Financial planningnot Basecamp
- Workforce planningnot Basecamp
- Compliancenot Basecamp
- Analyticsnot Basecamp
Basecamp
- Project management for a small team in one placenot Workday
- Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Workday
- Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Workday
- Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Workday
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Basecamp
- The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
- Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
- Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
- Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited
Pricing, plan by plan
Workday
On request- Small Business$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
Basecamp
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Workday if
- You need human capital management.
- You work on Cloud/Web.
- You also want financial management.
Choose Basecamp if
- You need message boards.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want to-do lists.
Questions people ask
- Is Workday or Basecamp better?
- Neither clearly leads. Workday starts at On request and Basecamp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Workday or Basecamp?
- Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Workday and Free for Basecamp.
- Does Workday or Basecamp run on more platforms?
- Workday runs on Cloud/Web. Basecamp runs on Web.
- Can I use Basecamp for free?
- Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workday starts at On request.
- What is Workday best used for?
- Workday is most often used for hr management, financial planning, workforce planning, compliance. Of those, hr management and financial planning are not what Basecamp is typically brought in for.
- What can Workday do that Basecamp cannot?
- Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics. Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceWorkday: 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.
SourceWorkday: 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.
SourceWorkday: 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.
SourceWorkday: 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