Deputy vs Homebase
Employee Scheduling pricing comparison · 2026
Deputy pricing ranges from $5–$9/month, while Homebase ranges from $0–$120/month. Deputy is typically 87% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Deputy and Homebase are leading employee scheduling platforms with fundamentally different pricing models. Deputy uses per-user pricing: Lite at $5/user/month, Core at $6.50/user/month, and Pro at $9/user/month with a $30 minimum monthly spend. Homebase uses per-location pricing: a free Basic plan for one location with up to 20 employees, Essentials at $24/location/month (annual), Plus at $56/location/month, and All-in-One at $96/location/month.
The pricing model difference creates clear crossover points. A single-location restaurant with 20 employees pays $0/month on Homebase Basic versus $130/month on Deputy Core ($6.50 x 20). Even Homebase's paid Essentials plan at $24/month is 81% cheaper than Deputy for the same team. However, for a 5-employee boutique, Deputy Lite at $30/month (minimum spend) is comparable to Homebase Essentials at $24/month, and Deputy's compliance features, payroll integrations, and biometrics offer more for growing operations.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Deputy | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $5 / | Free / |
| Core | $6.50 / | $30 / |
| Pro | $9 / | $70 / |
| All-in-One | — | $120 / |
Our Verdict
Choose Homebase if you run a single-location small business and want to minimize scheduling costs. The free Basic plan is genuinely useful for one location with up to 20 employees, including scheduling, time tracking, and team communication. Even the paid plans at $24-$96/location/month are cheaper than Deputy for most team sizes. Homebase is strongest for small restaurants, retail shops, and service businesses that need scheduling, hiring, and basic HR in one free or low-cost package.
Choose Deputy if you need advanced compliance automation (award interpretation, break enforcement, overtime rules), deep payroll integrations (ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Rippling), or biometric time clock verification. Deputy's per-user model can be more cost-effective than Homebase for multi-location businesses with many locations but few employees each. Deputy scales better for complex operations with compliance requirements, especially in healthcare, hospitality chains, and enterprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Homebase really free?
Yes, Homebase offers a genuinely free Basic plan for one location with up to 20 employees. It includes scheduling, time tracking (with GPS), team messaging, and basic hiring tools. Paid plans start at $24/location/month (annual billing) and add features like early access to shifts, auto-scheduling, and labor cost controls.
02 How much does Deputy cost for 20 employees?
Deputy Core at $6.50/user/month totals $130/month for 20 employees. Deputy Lite would be $100/month ($5 x 20) and Pro would be $180/month ($9 x 20). Add-ons like Analytics+ ($1.50/user), Messaging+ ($1.95/user), and HR ($2/user) increase costs further.
03 Which is cheaper for a restaurant with 30 employees?
Homebase is significantly cheaper. The free Basic plan covers 1 location with 20 employees at $0/month. Essentials for unlimited employees at that location is $24/month (annual). Deputy Core for 30 employees costs $195/month ($6.50 x 30). Even Homebase All-in-One at $96/month is half the cost of Deputy Core.
04 Does Deputy or Homebase integrate better with payroll?
Deputy has stronger native payroll integrations, connecting directly with ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, and Rippling. Homebase integrates with QuickBooks, Gusto, and ADP but users report issues with overtime hour separation in QuickBooks exports. Deputy's payroll integration is more reliable for complex pay structures.
05 Which is better for multi-location businesses?
It depends on employee count per location. Homebase charges per location ($24-$96/location/month), so 10 locations cost $240-$960/month regardless of employees. Deputy charges per user, so 10 locations with 5 employees each (50 total) costs $325/month on Core. Deputy wins for multi-location businesses with few employees per site; Homebase wins for locations with many employees.