Scheduling is essential in a small enterprise that depends on hourly employees, however it could actually really feel like juggling plates at the perfect of instances.
Writing everybody’s schedule manually is sort of unattainable. You don’t have time to waste on determining when everybody’s free, factoring in PTO, or avoiding time beyond regulation. To not point out the stress of questioning whether or not workers have seen the brand new plan earlier than their subsequent shift.
That’s why discovering the perfect scheduling platform for your online business is so essential. You want a instrument that may schedule in minutes, and robotically account for depart, breaks, and availability. It additionally wants to have the ability to translate all that right into a easy payroll course of whereas avoiding costly time beyond regulation.
In a comparability of Homebase vs HotSchedules (powered by Fourth), you’ll discover that they each supply these essential options.
However deciding which instrument will work finest for your online business now and sooner or later isn’t that easy, and also you don’t need to choose a instrument solely to search out that you’ll want to change it in just a few months.
That’s why we’re right here to assist. On this publish, we cowl:
- How Homebase and HotSchedules evaluate, together with their execs and cons and pricing choices.
- An in-depth take a look at Homebase and HotSchedules’ options, so that you will be clear on how they evaluate.
We’ve additionally defined why we predict Homebase may very well be an important selection for your online business in comparison with HotSchedules in 2023 (we could also be biased, however we nonetheless assume it’s your only option!)
The knowledge on this piece relies on our analysis on HotSchedules alternate options. All consumer suggestions referenced within the textual content has been sourced from unbiased software program evaluation platforms, equivalent to G2 and Capterra, in Could 2023.
Why select Homebase as a substitute of HotSchedules in 2023?
Homebase is an all-in-one workforce administration platform that focuses on serving to small enterprise homeowners such as you handle the folks you depend on.
It consists of the whole lot from an worker scheduler, time clock, and correct payroll to HR and compliance, workforce communication, and even worker happiness. We work laborious to supply the whole lot you want in a single intuitive, handy, accessible, and user-friendly bundle.
In distinction, HotSchedules is an worker scheduling-focused instrument initially designed for the hospitality business and positioned to assist bigger firms adjust to restaurant guidelines and rules throughout completely different websites. This implies it won’t be your best option if your online business is smaller and on a tighter finances, or your wants are significantly completely different from these within the hospitality and restaurant sectors.
How Homebase and HotSchedules evaluate
First, let’s take a snapshot take a look at how the 2 instruments match up (we take a extra detailed look beneath) to make it straightforward so that you can evaluate them at a look.
Key options and prices
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| Scheduling | ✅ Some options obtainable free of charge.
Simple-to-use schedule builder that may be optimized with forecasted gross sales and labor targets. Handle availability and time-off requests. Self-managed shift trades. Actual-time worker reminders and notifications. |
✅ Drag-and-drop scheduling, shift swapping, and correct demand forecasting in 15-minute increments. |
| Time monitoring | ✅ Some options obtainable free of charge. Customizable clock-in/out instruments for tablets, computer systems, and POS. Distinctive worker PINs. Mechanically creates timesheets. | ✅ Worker clock-in/out, attendance historical past, meals, and breaks, and permits PTO requests. |
| HR & compliance | ✅ Reside entry to licensed HR consultants. Alerts for breaks, time beyond regulation, and labor regulation updates. Digital paperwork signing and doc storage. | ✅ Compliance notifications, end-of-shift surveys. |
| Staff messaging | ✅ Some options obtainable free of charge. One-to-one and group messaging. Share bulletins and create customized shift notes, reminders, and alerts, plus affirmation when workers view the schedule and browse messages | ✅ Particular person and group communication, computerized alerts, shift change approvals, and reminders for breaks. |
| Payroll | ✅ Immediately convert timesheets into wages with Homebase Payroll, or export to a supported system to make payroll prep a breeze. Pay bonuses and ideas. | ✅ Timesheets for payroll document export. Integrates with Fourth’s payroll and tax answer for cost. |
| Cellular app | ✅ All options on the app, with some obtainable free of charge. iOS and Android. | ✅ Prices additional to make use of all options. iOS and Android. |
| Hiring instruments | ✅ Some options obtainable free of charge. Entry to 130+ job posting templates. Publish and promote on prime job boards. Display screen, observe, and phone candidates. Simple, digital worker onboarding. | ✅ Applicant Monitoring System (ATS), “textual content to use,” pre-interview screening, onboarding, and cellular paperwork. |
| Pricing and charges | From $0 to $99.95 per 30 days per location, relying on the options you want. | Fourth doesn’t publish pricing for HotSchedules publicly. As a substitute, it asks you to request a demo through its web site. |
Homebase execs and cons
Customers reward Homebase for being “straightforward to make use of”, particularly relating to sending schedules to workers. Equally, Homebase is designed for every kind of hourly-based companies, together with meals and beverage, retail, magnificence and wellness, medical, and training.
Nonetheless, some say they don’t all the time use all of the options, like geofencing. Homebase makes a speciality of being a one-stop store for small companies, so if you happen to’re in search of a instrument that solely focuses on scheduling, Homebase could supply extra options than you need proper now.
HotSchedules execs and cons
Many customers report a constructive expertise, for instance, saying that it “doesn’t include any bells or whistles so is fairly straightforward to make use of”, and that it makes it “straightforward to see schedules”.
Nonetheless, some say that “set-up is tough” and “don’t like that the app prices cash”. Plus, Fourth doesn’t publish pricing for HotSchedules publicly, so that you’ll have to contact them to get a tailor-made quote. This will likely make it harder so that you can make a quick choice about whether or not it’s proper to your finances.
An in-depth take a look at Homebase’s options and charges
Scheduling
Homebase’s scheduling instrument provides templates, which makes it straightforward to create schedules in minutes. You too can arrange consumer profiles for workforce members with info on their availability. Homebase will then create a schedule primarily based on this info, which is far simpler than figuring all of it out manually.
It’s additionally straightforward to share the schedule together with your staff instantly, utilizing the cellular app. Staff members also can change shifts at quick discover, for instance, if somebody is sick. Plus, it’s free to make use of.
Time monitoring
Homebase’s time monitoring instrument works seamlessly to trace hours, time beyond regulation, and breaks. You too can set alerts to remind your groups to clock out and in, and it then creates computerized timesheets that will help you pay correct wages.
Any machine is usually a time clock, together with smartphones and tablets. The Fundamental plan provides this free of charge. And you may improve at any time if you’d like additional options, like late alerts.
HR and compliance instruments
One in all Homebase’s standout options is the entry it provides to HR consultants. You may schedule a 30-minute name to examine any insurance policies and guarantee compliance.
Inside the app, you can too create an worker handbook and welcome packets tailor-made to your online business, making onboarding a lot simpler. It even handles digital paperwork signing, and shops essential paperwork securely for as much as 4 years.
Staff messaging
Homebase’s worker messaging app is out there for everybody in your workforce, and can be utilized on-the-go within the app or on-site through cellular, pill, or laptop computer. It permits one-to-one chat or group communication so it’s straightforward to maintain everybody up to date, and quick (with out the noisy group chat, or problem of chasing down telephone numbers or emails).
Upgrading to the Necessities plan unlocks additional options like reminders and message confirmations. There’s additionally a supervisor logbook to enhance communication between managers.
Payroll
Homebase’s scheduling instruments not solely observe time however allow you to make use of that monitoring to robotically generate timesheets, and run payroll easily, all inside the similar platform.
There’s no want for separate instruments, and you’ll change between options seamlessly. Homebase even enables you to file taxes robotically.
Cellular app
The Homebase app enables you to do the whole lot on cellular that you are able to do on the desktop instrument, making it straightforward to entry all options – for each employers and workers. Staff can clock in, examine their schedules, and consider their timesheets and wages on any machine. And, as an employer, you’ll be able to handle your online business anytime and wherever utilizing the app.
Hiring instruments
With Homebase, you’ll be able to simply create job adverts with ready-to-go templates, then publish to prime job boards like Certainly, ZipRecruiter, and Google. The platform additionally has a helpful instrument to display job candidates and observe the standing of their purposes.
You may even add screener inquiries to the shape to see in the event that they’re appropriate for the job. In the event that they’re not a great match, the instrument filters them out robotically, saving you time. You too can message candidates and schedule interviews, proper inside the similar platform.
Homebase pricing
Homebase’s scheduling and timesheet instrument is totally free. Nonetheless, if you wish to maximize effectivity and get probably the most out of your complete software program, we provide the next value choices.
- Fundamental. Free for one location and as much as 20 workers. It consists of primary scheduling and time monitoring, worker administration instruments like Messaging, point-of-sale integrations, and entry to electronic mail assist.
- Necessities. $24.95 per 30 days per location. Every part in Fundamental, plus payroll integrations, workforce communication, efficiency monitoring, superior time monitoring and scheduling, and entry to dwell assist.
- Plus. $59.95 per 30 days per location. Every part in Necessities, plus hiring instruments, retention and efficiency monitoring, day without work controls, and departments and permissions.
- All-in-one. $99.95 per 30 days per location. Every part in Plus, with HR and compliance, new rent onboarding, labor price controls, and enterprise insights.
- Customers also can save 20% on their general price after they join an annual plan.
An in-depth take a look at HotSchedules’ options and charges
Scheduling
HotSchedules (powered by Fourth) provides scheduling options designed to be each employer- and employee-friendly, together with a drag-and-drop function for creating schedules, and the flexibility for workers to simply swap, drop, and choose up shifts. It additionally lets you make schedules much more correct, with demand forecasting in 15-minute increments, so you’ll be able to schedule sooner and smarter.
Time monitoring
HotSchedules’ time and attendance instrument makes it straightforward for workers to punch out and in, and creates a time attendance historical past for every workforce member. It additionally retains observe of scheduled meals and breaks, and converts time monitoring to payroll timesheets. Workers could make time-off requests contained in the app. Nonetheless, in contrast to Homebase, it solely creates timesheets for export to course of with an additional payroll instrument, so if you happen to’d like a platform that may do the whole lot underneath one digital roof, Homebase may very well be a greater possibility.
HR and compliance instruments
With HotSchedules, you’ll be able to arrange compliance notifications and alerts whereas scheduling, to make sure your scheduling doesn’t must be modified later, and doesn’t price you additional. It additionally enables you to monitor labor compliance threat and any increased related prices. You too can ship end-of-shift surveys to identify turnover threat, and provides employees a protected house to voice opinions.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t supply the identical dwell HR assist that Homebase does. Should you don’t have HR on employees and are in search of customized recommendation from licensed execs, Homebase stands out as the stronger possibility for you. Remember that Homebase additionally provides lots of the similar labor and compliance instruments as HotSchedules.
Staff messaging
HotSchedules’ messaging instruments allow you to chat with particular person workforce members and create “blast broadcasts” to all workers, making quick communication simpler. You too can set and ship computerized alerts to keep away from costly time beyond regulation, and remind employees to take breaks. Managers also can approve shift adjustments in the identical app.
Payroll
HotSchedules makes it straightforward to show time monitoring into timesheets, for correct payroll document export era. Fourth has a payroll and tax answer that integrates with HotSchedules, which works seamlessly with its time and attendance instruments to calculate correct wages and tax submitting particulars quick. Nonetheless, this can be a separate system to the primary HotSchedules product, in distinction to Homebase, which has a payroll instrument inside the similar platform. Should you want this, Homebase may fit finest for you.
Cellular app
HotSchedules is out there through a cellular app with Fourth, which is out there for iOS and Android, and consists of scheduling as one in every of its options. Nonetheless, you do have to pay extra to unlock all the workforce administration instruments. Homebase’s cellular app consists of all the platform’s fundamental options and doesn’t price additional, so may very well be a greater cellular answer.
Hiring instruments
Fourth’s “Applicant Monitoring System (ATS)” is designed that will help you entice, rent, and onboard hourly staff, in excessive volumes. It provides mobile-friendly methods like a “textual content to use” course of, and likewise consists of pre-interview screening to make sure you solely see the correct candidates. It additionally provides computerized onboarding and lets new hires full paperwork simply on their telephone.
HotSchedules pricing
HotSchedules doesn’t publish its pricing publicly. As a substitute, it invitations would-be customers to request a demo and fill in a web-based web site type to search out out extra info and get a quote. If you’ll want to know pricing choices shortly, have a tighter finances, and/or need transparency on what you’re paying for (and what may very well be obtainable if or whenever you improve), Homebase may very well be a greater possibility.
Homebase vs. HotSchedules: Select the perfect for your online business
Between factoring in everybody’s availability, juggling PTO, and avoiding costly time beyond regulation, determining scheduling and timesheets manually will be anxious and time-consuming.
That’s why it’s so essential to contemplate and evaluate the perfect digital instruments, so you already know that no matter you select, it stands a greater likelihood of genuinely serving to you and your online business.
And naturally, we consider Homebase is a platform that does simply that. In our (admittedly biased) opinion, we consider it consists of all of the instruments you want, with out difficult methods or charging you over costly extras.
Our purpose is to offer all the required options in an easy-to-use and accessible bundle, and we’ve labored laborious to do it. So you will get on with operating your online business, and make the correct choice about which instrument will work finest for you—no plate-juggling required.
