Homebase vs ZoomShift

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Our analysts compared Homebase vs ZoomShift based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Employee Scheduling Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Homebase is a cloud-based solution that helps manage employee schedules, maintain timesheets and streamline payroll processes. Managers can create staff shifts using drag-and-drop scheduling tools and pre-built templates. They can also define rules to put schedules on autopilot for recurring tasks based on employee availability, skills and labor budget.

The platform is mobile-optimized and offers a native app for employees to view schedules, communicate, set preferences and trade shifts. You can use a POS system to track employee attendance and work hours or use the app to let staff log time from their phones. The platform maintains timesheets while integrating with payroll modules for wage calculation.

Verify employee identity and location with the built-in photo capture or GPS time clock functionality. Additionally, you can automate break tracking and overtime calculations to comply with shift worker regulations. It sends automatic alerts for employee absences or late logins while allowing managers to record daily summaries using the manager log.


Pros
  • Ease of setup
  • Efficient scheduling and time tracking
  • Robust mobile app
  • Cost-effective
Cons
  • Limited customization
  • Customer service issues
  • System update bugs
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Zoomshift helps small and mid-sized businesses manage workforce scheduling, time tracking and team communications. It offers user-friendly scheduling and shift planning tools to create, assign and handle employee shifts. You can use intelligent automation for time-consuming tasks such as assigning shifts, sending reminders and maintaining timesheets.

Additionally, Zoomshift provides time tracking and PTO management features. Employees can record their work hours using the built-in time clock functionality, ensuring accurate and reliable timekeeping data.

The system streamlines PTO management, allowing employees to submit and track time-off requests while helping managers review, approve or deny requests. This eliminates manual processes and reduces the risk of errors or disputes related to time and attendance.

The platform also includes features that enhance communication between employees and managers, such as announcements, notifications and messaging capabilities. Also, Zoomshift offers a robust mobile app that allows employees to access their schedules, submit time-off requests and communicate with their team remotely.

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$24.95/Location, Monthly, Freemium
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$2/User, Monthly, Freemium
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Start Scheduling For Free: Homebase allows you to schedule up to 20 employees in one location at no cost. You get basic scheduling tools, a time tracker and POS integration to manage employee shifts from anywhere.
  • Streamline Team Communication: The platform excels in collaboration tools, helping managers run their teams efficiently. It includes everything you need, from one-on-one chats and team messaging to a bulletin board, newsfeed and even read receipts. Plus, you can recognize outstanding employees with shout-out cards and appreciation notices.
  • Go Mobile: The Homebase mobile app boasts impressive ratings — 4.4 on the Play Store and 4.8 on the Apple Store. Managers can create open shifts for qualified employees to claim, while features like geofencing and time tracking improve overall control. The app informs everyone with push notifications for upcoming events and alerts employees about late logouts or missed breaks.
  • Create the Perfect Software Stack: According to our analysis, Homebase ranks exceptionally well for its integration and extensibility with third-party solutions. It allows you to easily import or export data in CSV or Excel format. You can connect it with popular solutions like QuickBooks Online, Rippling, Gusto and ADP. It offers a native payroll integration at a cost. You can access its API with partner integrations and design custom connections with any tool!
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  • Start Scheduling for Free: You can start scheduling up to 20 employees in one location with Zoomshift’s ‘Essentials’ plan for free. It supports group chats, shift and manager notes, and shift reminders.
  • Schedule From Anywhere: Zoomshift offers one of the most robust scheduling mobile apps, rated 100 by our analysts. It lets employees log attendance, track time, view and swap shifts, and chat with team members. Managers can use the app to edit schedules and timesheets, add shift notes, and track employee work hours and location using geofencing technology.
  • Manage Shifts Efficiently: According to our data, one of Zoomshift’s strongest suites is its shift management tools and capabilities, which got an 83 analyst rating. The platform's customizable shift layouts, recurring shift options and shift change notifications keep everyone informed and prepared for their upcoming shifts. Additionally, shift swapping and split shifts provide flexibility for both employees and managers, accommodating individual needs and last-minute changes.
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  • Scheduling: Create, copy and save schedules that can be modified or reused later. View employee availability and time off requests, manage shift changes, and forecast labor costs.
  • Time Clock: Clock in and out from the web, a tablet or an integrated POS. The advanced subscription packages can prevent employees from clocking in early for their shifts and returning from breaks early. The time clock feature can also round time and allow for automatic clock-out.
  • Timesheets: Track clock-ins, breaks and overtime hours with online timesheets. Generate a daily summary of activities, track breaks and export timesheets to payroll, reducing time errors.
  • Team Communication: Send direct messages and broadcast messages to entire groups directly through the app.
  • Hiring: Streamline the hiring process by providing pre-written job descriptions, interview reminders and applicant tracking capabilities. Post open jobs to Craigslist and other job boards. Import new hires to the schedule automatically.
  • Reporting: Track and generate reports on labor costs as a percentage of sales, actual hours worked, employee performance and shift feedback summaries. The more advanced subscription plans also track labor costs by type and generate reports on the application programming interface, on-time arrival and other customized reports.
  • Drag-and-Drop Interface: Users can view and sort schedules by role, time period or employee hours with a drag-and-drop interface. Managers can also copy the previous week’s schedule and publish work changes directly through the mobile app.
  • HR and Compliance: Centralize employee information, eSign documents and send automated welcome packets for a smooth self-onboarding experience. Define clear PTO policies and approval workflows, set up black-out dates and define advance notice requirements for more control. The platform offers consultancy with external HR advisors for expert insights and policy reviews, helping comply with labor regulations.
  • Employee Benefits and Productivity Tools: Early access to earned wages allows staff members to avoid overdraft fees. Peer-to-peer recognition tools and automatic performance metric tracking help foster a productive environment. You can also gain valuable insights into employee sentiment through anonymous end-of-shift feedback.
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  • Schedule Management: Copy schedules, apply templates, sort and filter, incorporate variables like location and seasonal needs, assign employees to shifts and automatically create schedules.
  • Absence Management: You can track employee absences, time-off requests and PTO requests to facilitate vacation leave tracking and automatically update schedules.
  • Employee Self-Service: Employees can clock in and clock out for shifts directly using the employee portal. They can view timesheets and schedules, submit time-off requests, request shift swaps, and check total hours worked.
  • Integration: Use open API to integrate it with other HR solutions like payroll or workforce management systems and third-party applications such as Google Calendar.
  • Time Management: The platform helps track employee time, manage timesheets and export the information for payroll processing. Create blackout dates to prevent employees from requesting time off during busy times.
  • Employee Management: You can store staff information in an employee database while accessing relevant information like employee availability and shift duties that can be assigned to individual employees.
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Product Ranking

#6

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

#21

among all
Employee Scheduling Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

84
76
100
39
87
71
91
91
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Collaboration
Integrations and Extensibility
Mobile Capabilities
Leave and Absence Management
Schedule Management
Mobile Capabilities
Leave and Absence Management
Schedule Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Homebase
ZoomShift
+ Add Product + Add Product
Collaboration Employee Management Leave And Absence Management Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reporting And Analytics Schedule Management Security And Compliance Shift Management Time And Attendance Management 100 87 91 93 61 50 88 83 86 74 39 71 91 98 79 33 86 78 84 72 0 25 50 75 100
100%
0%
0%
38%
0%
62%
83%
0%
17%
67%
0%
33%
88%
0%
12%
88%
0%
12%
93%
0%
7%
93%
0%
7%
67%
0%
33%
78%
0%
22%
50%
0%
50%
33%
0%
67%
85%
0%
15%
80%
0%
20%
78%
0%
22%
78%
0%
22%
84%
0%
16%
84%
0%
16%
74%
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26%
68%
0%
32%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

90%
0%
10%
60%
0%
40%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1169 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 124 reviews
91%
of users recommend this product

Homebase has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 1169 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

91%
of users recommend this product

ZoomShift has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 124 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (13)
n/a
4.2 (108)
4.9 (20)
4.6 (1027)
4.5 (104)
4.1 (21)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Homebase and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Collaboration. Homebase stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Collaboration Award

ZoomShift stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of Setup and Use: Many users found Homebase easy to set up and navigate. The platform is intuitive, making it simple for both managers and employees to use.
Scheduling and Time Tracking: The platform simplifies employee scheduling, making it easy to create, modify and track schedules. It includes useful features like a time clock, timesheets and attendance tracking.
Integration with Other Tools: Users appreciated its integration with various payroll processors and POS systems.
Accessibility: You can access the software from various devices, including desktops, tablets and smartphones, enhancing flexibility for managers and employees on the go.
Cost-Effectiveness: Several reviews mentioned that the free basic plan suffices for smaller businesses, providing essential features without extra cost.
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Ease of Use: Many users appreciate ZoomShift's simplicity and ease of use when creating and managing schedules. It's especially beneficial for businesses with frequently changing schedules.
Robust Mobile App: The mobile app allows employees to clock in and out, view schedules, and request shifts from their phones. This provides significant convenience for businesses with staff who are constantly on the move.
Cost-Effective: Several users mentioned that ZoomShift provides good value for money, especially considering its features and flexibility.
Time-Saving: The software simplifies scheduling and timesheet management, helping businesses save time with features like copying shifts, exporting schedules and setting reminders.
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Undo and Modification Limitations: The lack of an undo feature can be problematic if accidental changes or deletions occur.
User Interface Issues: Some users found the new updates and interface changes cumbersome, with issues like light markings, lack of lines and frequent refresh rates. Others mentioned that the iPad app is not optimized and often mimics the mobile website, limiting its functionality.
Customer Support: Several reviews highlighted delayed responses from customer support and insufficient support hours, which can be challenging for businesses operating outside regular hours. Also, the platform heavily targets the U.S. market and offers limited support for international users.
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Limited Reporting: Users expressed the need for more robust reporting options, including access to older shift histories beyond just a few months.
Declining Customer Service: Users reported a decline in customer service quality over time, citing slow responses and a lack of attention to fixing bugs.
Lack of Advanced Features: ZoomShift lacks certain features, such as more customizable alerts and the ability to mark events without adding them to the schedule or integrating payroll processing into the app.
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In my research, I was particularly impressed by the guided onboarding process. The intuitive setup allowed me to get the platform up and running within minutes, enabling easy scheduling without a steep learning curve. This ease of use also extends to onboarding employees.The auto-documentation request feature stood out to me. I could define the required documents for each employee, and the system automatically sent follow-up reminders. This automation significantly streamlined the process of maintaining up-to-date employee profiles with all the necessary paperwork.Homebase’s integration with other tools, such as payroll processors, accounting solutions and POS systems, is a huge plus. It saves time and reduces the hassle of manual data transfers, making the overall management process smoother. Additionally, the system can handle basic hiring, onboarding, payroll and compliance management, making it an all-in-one HR suite for small businesses.However, I encountered some drawbacks. One notable issue was the auto-scheduling feature. While the idea behind it is great, it proved complicated in practice and lacked customization options to meet my specific needs.Users have reported facing issues with the vendor’s customer support team. There were reports of delayed responses, and the support hours were insufficient for businesses operating outside regular U.S. business hours. Despite these issues, the platform’s cost-effectiveness, especially with the free basic plan, makes it a viable option for small and medium enterprises. It offers essential scheduling and time-tracking features without hidden costs and implementation complexities.

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Zoomshift is an economical scheduling and time tracking solution. It offers a free starter plan, and its paid plans start at just $1 per user per month. As a user, I found it to be a user-friendly and efficient tool, especially for smaller businesses.One of the first things I appreciated about Zoomshift was its intuitive interface. The platform is easy to navigate, with a clear and organized layout that makes it simple to find the features you need. The scheduling process is straightforward, allowing you to assign shifts and view the overall schedule in a calendar format. While it lacks drag-and-drop functionality, the smart calendar view provides a comprehensive overview of shift coverage over time.The most impressive aspect of Zoomshift is its mobile app, which is packed with features typically found in more expensive scheduling solutions. It includes time tracking, shift swapping, team chat, and even sophisticated options like geofencing and offline working.However, Zoomshift does have some limitations, particularly for larger enterprises. It lacks essential features like budgeting tools and cost tracking, which are crucial for making data-driven scheduling decisions. Additionally, it doesn't offer advanced features like automatic conflict alerts, embedded AI or automatic insights to optimize schedules.Overall, I found Zoomshift to be an excellent choice for small and medium businesses that need a simple and affordable scheduling solution. It's particularly well-suited for companies with 15 to 60 employees but can also handle larger teams of up to 150 employees. If you're looking for a user-friendly platform that offers essential features like time tracking, shift management and mobile accessibility, Zoomshift is definitely worth considering.

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