TimeLeaf vs Homebase: Which Fits a Growing Team of 25?

Homebase and TimeLeaf both help small teams schedule shifts, track hours and handle time off, but they start from different places. Homebase is built for hourly, location-based businesses such as restaurants and shops, with a free tier and a mobile app. TimeLeaf is built around the chat tools you already use, with leave, time and shifts for teams that also care about UK and EU working-time rules.

Prices as published on Homebase on 2026-10-16. Check their pages (linked at the bottom) before you decide.

TimeLeaf vs Homebase at a glance

• Homebase prices per location per month, with unlimited employees on paid plans: Basic $0 (one location, up to 10 employees), Essentials $30, Plus $70, All-in-One $120. Payroll is an add-on ($49 monthly base plus $6 per employee paid, after a promotional period). The page shows a 20% annual-billing badge.
• TimeLeaf is flat-tier with 10 employees included: Starter $50/month, Professional $90, Business $120, then $5, $9 or $12 per extra employee. At 25 staff that is $125, $225 and $300 a month ($5.00, $9.00 and $12.00 per person).
• Trials: Homebase offers a free 14-day trial of All-in-One with no credit card. TimeLeaf offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card.

What 25 people cost

For one location of 25 staff, Homebase's free Basic plan stops at 10 employees, so you would be on a paid plan: $30 (Essentials), $70 (Plus) or $120 (All-in-One) per month, before payroll. TimeLeaf is $125, $225 or $300 per month for the same 25 people.

Homebase is cheaper than TimeLeaf at every tier for a single location ($30, $70, $120 against $125, $225, $300). What TimeLeaf's extra cost buys is chat-native leave and approvals, working-time rules and contracts with e-signature; if you don't need those, Homebase is the better value. Its price grows with the number of locations; TimeLeaf's grows with headcount. If you have several sites with few people at each, Homebase gets more expensive; if you have one big site, it stays low.

What each plan includes

Homebase Essentials adds advanced scheduling, advanced time tracking and team communication. Plus adds time-off controls, an AI scheduling assistant and permissions. All-in-One adds employee onboarding, labour cost management and HR and compliance tools.

TimeLeaf Starter ($125 at 25 staff) covers leave and approvals in Slack, Teams and Google Chat. Professional adds timesheets with GPS clock-in, shift scheduling (including shift swaps and employee availability), contracts with e-signature and QuickBooks/Xero. Business adds auto-roster and shift takeover.

Where TimeLeaf fits better

• Inside Slack, Teams and Google Chat. Managers approve leave and see shift notifications where they already work.
• UK and EU working-time rules, enforced per policy. TimeLeaf checks the 48-hour average (with opt-outs), daily maximum, rest periods, weekly rest, night work and young-worker limits when rostering, and names the rule a shift would break. These rules need Professional or above; your admin sets the figures, and the presets are a starting point. It checks and enforces what you configure; it is not legal advice.
• Leave depth. Accrual and carryover policies, multiple leave types, half days and multi-step approvals.
• Contracts and e-signature and a QuickBooks or Xero sync on Professional.

Where Homebase is the better choice

• A free plan and a low entry price. One location with up to 10 employees costs nothing, and Essentials is $30 a location.
• Mobile app and shared clocks. Homebase lists an employee mobile app, and clocking in on tablets and POS devices. TimeLeaf is a web app with no store app and no kiosk clock, though it installs to the phone's home screen and queues clock-in taps when there is no signal.
• Labour cost and POS. Homebase lists labour cost management and point-of-sale integration. TimeLeaf shows no labour cost on the roster.
• Team communication. Homebase lists messaging, announcements and custom channels. TimeLeaf has no team chat.
• Payroll and hiring. Homebase offers its own payroll add-on, a hiring assistant and background checks. TimeLeaf does not process payroll; it exports to QuickBooks and Xero and produces Gusto and ADP files.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Homebase if you run an hourly, location-based business, want a free or very cheap start, and need an app, a shared clock, POS links or payroll in one place.

Pick TimeLeaf if your team lives in Slack, Teams or Google Chat, you work under UK or EU working-time rules, and leave and approvals matter as much as the roster.

Not sure? Book a walkthrough or start a 14-day free trial, no credit card. See also TimeLeaf vs Deputy.

Sources

Prices and features for Homebase come from Homebase's own site, read on 2026-10-16:

• Homebase pricing