Homebase: Staff Scheduling App Reviews

by Not A Stalker2

The new update makes it very difficult to see how many hours I’ve earned. It’s pushing the cash out option really aggressively and I don’t particularly have a need for that feature. I mostly need to keep track of my hours and avoid going into overtime. The new update doesn’t show the total number of hours worked, just the amount of money I’ve earned so far.

I also find it annoying that the old version showed my shift in hours and minutes but the total number of hours in hours and decimals. Just pick one! I don’t care how it tracks time, but don’t make me jump through conversation hoops to calculate my hours! It’s a problem because the second week of the pay period has the first week of the pay period added on to it, so I have to remember how many hours I did the previous week in order to make sure I didn’t go over 40 the second week.

by Qwertbsufbrks

I am a retail employee who uses this app to clock hours and message managers. What I don’t like about this app is that it doesn’t update automatically. Like most other apps, such as social media and texting, you are notified as soon as you receive a message or you have changed your status. However, this app takes a few minutes, usually several (like 20-30) to register that something has been changed or received. For example, if I tap the clock in button, the page layout will not change, making it seem as though I have not clocked in. If I tap a different page, such as scheduling, and then return to my homepage, then it will reload. Additionally, I messaged my manager to notify that I’d be late–my manager got the message After I’d arrived to work. Notification badges don’t dissappear for a while after notifications/messages have been read, as well.
As an employee, using this app would be much more user-friendly if it updated in real time.

by StrongSad32

App is kinda annoying to use. You clock in, nothing updates not sure if it worked. If you want to verify any action has taken place, you have to close Homebase and reopen it to see if the state has changed.

The cash out feature is pretty nice though and the only thing that saves this for me. If youre in a tight spot, your company can authorize up to like $150 early pay through Homebase that is handled by this app incase you find yourself tight on money. They do charge your bank account for the amount paid out at the next pay day so plan ahead and dont make a habit of it. Really nice for those pay periods that hit you with some unexpected smaller expenses. Bad explanation but I appreciate the service offered.

by G16703

Overall this app seems to be a really good system, I really appreciate some of the functions and features it has (like messaging coworkers, seeing your money earned per shift, clocking in and out on Homebase , etc.). That being said, there’s one glitch/issue that drives me NUTS. There doesn’t seem to be any way to clear message notifications on this this app app. When I get a message, no matter how many times I close Homebase , open the message, scroll through all of the messages, or even delete messages, I still always have a notification that there’s an unread message. Not only is this super annoying visually, it makes me think I’ve missed something from a boss/coworker every time I open Homebase . It seems like such a simple thing to have read messages NOT give unread notifications, yet Homebase still struggles with that. If they’d fix that issue it really would be 5 stars from me.

by Luciuslips

I use this app for my work, so far I’ve only had one issue in which, I was unable to clock out due to an update. Eventually it was fixed and I could clock out. Unfortunately I have run into another issue, this time it’s worse. When I try to open Homebase , it loads and brings me to the dashboard, but nothing is on it except the date and time, and clock in button. All the buttons are there, but I cannot access them, because the entire app is frozen, after waiting a bit, the entire app crashes. I’ve tried deleting Homebase and downloading again, but it doesn’t work. I saw that there was a new update, it seems that every time there is a new update, more base parts of Homebase don’t work. Please read this and please fix it. Homebase is great other than constant updates that constantly bring more problems to Homebase . Thank you.

by Word Loving Woman

use Homebase as an employee and as a manager.
It has some pretty decent options but has plenty of room for improvement

It is fairly basic, allows for widespread messages to be easily sent to the entire staff and some very basic sorting into employee category to narrow message audience.
However that sorting feature could use lots of improvement.
•Sorting by: name, department, job title • the ability to form and save groups for later use ... things along those lines would be really beneficial.

We are a very busy restaurant and as examples it would be very helpful to form (and save) groups such as: kitchen staff, dish staff, line cooks, servers, bartenders, cocktail servers-•, bartenders and servers, lunch servers, dinner servers, office staff, bus staff, host/hostess staff, etc AND all manner of combinations of the above groups.
The ability to make and save different groups (or target audiences) would be very useful for a variety of announcements/messages/bulletins which frequently need to be delivered to select groups of employees.
An option to form and keep groups would save lots of time and help prevent the painstaking chore of perusing the entire employee list, selecting all intended recipients and then praying no one was overlooked before sending!

by WestyChunggg

I believe that Homebase has potential to become something great, but right now it is subpar. As a teen working, the UX (User Experience) is rough. It consists of a lot of unnecessary clicking to sections. They clearly wanted it to be organized, but they sectioned it so much, it feels like a mess. I use SubItUp for another job, and find that interface simpler after understanding and getting a grasp of it. I have had Homebase for 2 months+ and still feel like I’m struggle to operate Homebase the way it was intended to work. As a pretty tech savvy person, it shouldn’t be this way. It just needs to be simple and clean instead of trying to be showy and impressing. That would do Homebase a favor and make me like Homebase more over others. Simplicity is impressive nowadays. Hope you have found this helpful :)

by Mamabear Rawwr

I would like to have all the same capabilities in Homebase that I have online. I would also like the option of clocking out employees a head of time. Homebase has been useful and so far I have been pleased with this app. I NEED MORE OPTIONS using Homebase . Another thing I’m running into is not being able to fix their mistakes with clocking in n out vs lunch. I need to be able for it to just do it instead of going to the computer and even then I usually have to delete the whole timesheet. Homebase definitely needs a few more updates for options. I also have a few guys who have a difficult time signing in and figuring it out from the employees side.

by Crjphoto

There are some inconsistencies including clocking in or out from your mobile device when it says you're too far out of range when you're actually in the place of business. It had worked in the past but for some reason not currently. Once or twice it would not let me sign in at all.

That said, it's a very handy app with great scheduling features and time card records, as well as other features. Of course, the more you take advantage of advanced features, the more your monthly fee will be. The free version is basic but is useful for just a basic scheduling and time cards and a few other things.

I can recommend it and hope they fix the mobile clocking in and out.

by Oicorr

I’ve used Homebase for sometime now and always wished it had the option to let you clock out on Homebase as sometimes I forget to clock out since I’m in a hurry, luckily I work for family so I don’t actually get in trouble for it but it is still an inconvenience. Then I remember reading that there was a feature for you to be able to clock out of Homebase and I was so glad, but I can never find it on my app and I have looked everywhere but the only option I get is to send my manager a msg letting them know I forgot to clock out. I updated Homebase to the newest version just today and saw that one of the things on the new update was a problem fixed in which some people didn’t have the clock out feature. I was really happy but then got disappointed, as I was on my way home I realized I forgot to clock out but then remembered the latest update and though thank goodness it was just fixed but much to my surprise I still couldn’t find that feature anywhere within Homebase . I again had to resort to just leaving a msg for my manager. Wish this would get fixed.

by Liss Harmon

I previously reviewed Homebase and gave it 5 stars just for the convenience. I love how easy it makes to view your schedule and contact coworkers, it’s a lifesaver for me to be able to log in and see my next shift right at a glance.
I genuinely love that my work uses Homebase, but after a bit more time with it, I’ve found some quirks I hope will be fixed in future updates. ie, if you leave a chat window it erases what you’ve typed. And it’s really hard to get Homebase to notice you’ve read something and get rid of the notification. It seems to operate with a little bit of a lag in general. These are minor annoyances on an app that I otherwise love, but I feel like they are fixable for the future.

by MTommyBoy93

Homebase is pretty simple to use and tends to be super helpful with managing shifts. The only thing that kinda bugs me is the messages. Sometimes it shows that I have unread messages even though I’ve read all of them so I have to scroll up a few times in order for the notification icon to disappear. Also, when I go to delete one of my messages it takes a few tries. I also had trouble using the camera to send pictures. I have to take it a couple times in order for it to send. The last thing, though not super important but certainly convenient, it’d be nice to be able to label group messages. It can get a little confusing who I’m sending messages to when I have multiple recurring groups. Other than that, pretty solid app!

by 1Help1!

Since the last couple of updates, I’m no longer able to see GPS of employees where they are clocking in and out. Also when adjusting clocking in/out or breaks I’m getting a conflict on schedule warning. I’m not adding to the schedule, just adjusting time already scheduled. The notes section where employees can leave a message for manager on clocking in/out are now missing. My company is a service company and would be helpful if employees can clock in and out multiple times during the day. They were leaving a note as to when they left one job and arrived at another, but can’t as the notes have been removed from Homebase . Overall it has been a good app though.

by CPCMARSH

Love this app! We were looking for an option to make scheduling easier for everyone and a way to streamline requests. This is SO easy for everyone to use, convenient and meets all our needs. Scheduling is a breeze - I love that staff can block out times that don’t work for them, request time off and trade shifts. This is all with the free version. We tried the paid version - there were some nice options like blocking time off and the clocking in, but I didn’t like that it gave you the option to choose what time you arrived. I would recommend this to someone looking for a great app to use! Homebase is very user friendly!

by Dibeiveihdihei

I am an employee with the this app app and it’s so nice! It’s super user friendly and intuitive. It’s easy to clock in and out for everything, I get reminders when my lunch breaks are almost over, which is a life saver. The best part, however, is that it shows my earnings right on my main page! It’s so motivating to see how much I’ve earned as the day goes on. There’s also an “earnings” tab in Homebase so I can see how much I’ve earned pre-tax for any given week so I have an idea what my next paycheck will be. It’s so transparent! You can also take money out before payday without having to ask your employer- if you’ve logged hours worked, it’s going to allow you to take a small percentage out before payday if you need to. There’s no fee or interest- it works like PayPal or Venmo in the sense that you pay a few dollars if you want it immediately and it’s free if you wait a few days for it to process. I’ve never used it, but it’s awesome that it’s an option!

by NoehlSB

We looked at many other time and attendance programs. this app is by far the best for the price, great support as well. Of course there is always room for improvement but they are on the right track. While we were on the trial plan I requested that that they add a “Today” button to the calendar & they did. It must have been in high need, requested by many others for them to add that fast. It’s makes quicker work moving between weeks when planning out our schedule. Our employees have been quick to pickup Homebase as well and we are also using the clock-in component at two stations for those that aren’t technically adept.

by Blanca Cherrie

Out of all the apps I have used throughout my years of employment Homebase is hands down the best one. It allows you to view your schedule, gives you your estimated earnings that you have made so far in the pay period and your estimated earnings for the entire pay period. My favorite yet small detail about Homebase is how it tells you how long you have left for you break. If you’re like me and constantly forget what time you clocked out Homebase will notify you 5 mins before your break is over and you can also go onto Homebase and it will tell you how much time you have left on your break. Highly recommend!

by Bird4650

This is a good and user-friendly app overall. Some things that could be offered that would make my life easier are allowing managers to move events from one day to another without having to delete one event and re-enter it on a new date. Also, please allow events to be placed in chronological order by day. I’d love to be able to review resumes on my mobile device. I used to be able to do this on my iPhone and then that functionality disappeared. Finally, there is a huge jump in pricing between the entry level paid subscription and the next level. Can you offer a middle ground for small businesses? Thank you!

by Gordon Fletcher

First: I freaking hate scheduling. As a business owner I hate it! I love my staff and always give them the time off they need. Requests on this app for days off are a great reminder in aiding the scheduling process. So for me to say I actually enjoy scheduling now, is a big deal. Second: the seamless communication between my desktop, sending out notifications and the ability for my staff to keep track of their hours rather than calling me, saves me loads of mental energy and anguish. Last: If you are a small business owner and would rather spend your energy on things besides scheduling you are doing yourself a disservice by not having Homebase. The free version works amazing for me! Thank you this app.

by Princess Kirsten

I have been using mainly the scheduling portion of this app for 1 year now and love it. My employees can easily ask for time off, trade shifts, fix availability, and more. I get notifications each time they ask and it inputs into the system so I never miss one and make a mistake on scheduling. I am easily able to see employee availability when making schedules, cutting my schedule making in half. I also love the employee interactions! You can give shoutouts to employees, which creates a positive work environment between managers and employees! l Since using, I have had less tardiness of employees due to a one hour work text that is sent out. I am able to effectively communicate scheduling conflicts and other human resource issues with Homebase. Overall, wonderful app. Love it.

by Glaack

I’m glad my place of work has moved into the 21st century and has tried to use something like this as a means of scheduling, but wow do I wish they used something besides this app. For such a widely used and extensive app, this is the glitchiest, most infuriating app I’ve used in a LONG time. Why am I on Homebase Store page right now in the first place? I’m reinstalling this app, because it bugged out and I was forced to reinstall the entire app just to fix it. A few days ago I was trying to clock out of work, and this app crashed as soon as I hit the button - forcing a restart of my entire phone, and a clock out time that was 5 mins after I actually left the building. The idea behind Homebase is great, but I honestly don’t believe it’s worth using when one has to deal with the laggy, glitchy nature of every feature in it.

by DrRosenQuist

Got Homebase after reading a positive review of free time clock apps. It’s free, for about two weeks, after which, they take every measure to make their system dysfunctional under their free plan, while trying to bait you into buying a pay plan. The free plan is essentially a platform full of pop ups advertising their pay plans, while even the most basic features (like clocking in, clocking out) will be disabled unless a manager enables it, which also seems to not be an option. I get it, people don’t want to give services for free, but if that’s the case, just make it clear from the beginning that the free plan is essentially the same as not having a time clock, or better yet, just have it be a paid service from the beginning. What a hassle.

by Fashauer

We started using this app for our scheduling needs several months ago and it has made such a huge difference! Before that I was doing everything by hand on a spread sheet. Not only is it faster but all the other features have stream lines communication and more for us. It also made our employees more responsible for there day to day and opened us up to focusing on other aspects on the job.

Granted it’s a work in progress but as Homebase evolves it truly gets better and better and their support team has been there every step we have needed them.

Our employee base is around 30-40 depending on the season.

by Alexander Sisco

I have worked in F&B since I was 16. As such, I have dealt with multiple forms of scheduling from the management to employee the employee side of things using different apps and the classic paper and email way of doing things. Home-base is by far the most useful and user-friendly scheduling tool out there. With options to text employees automatically before shifts, request offs and shift changes done in app by the employees themselves allow for smooth operation. I would highly recommend this to any F&B operation in need of some help with scheduling. All in all, Homebase will save you time, stress, your life as a manager that much easier.

by Drummerboy12560

Easy to use and easy to understand. The user interface is very friendly and not too complicated. One thing I may add is for the time off you can request. When requesting time off, you can request for multiple WHOLE days, and most of the time where I have weeks to request off, I have time to work within those days. Instead of a whole week off. I could work from 1-10 pm after the morning because I have something else planned. Very wordy, hard to put in words. Even if you don’t make sense of this entry, I enjoy Homebase greatly.

by MAJOR UPGRADE TIME!!

Homebase has been needing a Facelift and I'm glad it has finally gotten it! I'm in love with the new look and I'm glad you brought back being able to view the hours on shift weeks!!! Very important feature!!!

Now if only I could see the exact same thing on my Apple Watch, my scheduled weeks with the hours on top and scheduled times for Mon-Sun that would be Awesome!! Please make an Apple Watch app!!!!! This would make so many lives happier and easier to see things at a glance and keep up with hours worked and hours scheduled per day per week!!!

by Johnnysays

Been using this app for just over a year and I love it! Very easy to view shifts for yourself, coworkers, and other available shifts. I usually turn off all notifications on apps, but the 1hr pre-shift notification on Homebase has saved me numerous times lol! I’ve recommended it to other managers to use for their teams to help with organization and scheduling.
Homebase is very user-friendly, and I love that employees are color-coded to make viewing on the web a lot easier!
I love that everything you need is within Homebase ; checking schedules, requesting cover, available shifts, messaging, and [estimated] earnings.