Comparison
Homebase vs When I Work
Our take
Same fraud toolkit, GPS pins, geofences, photo clock-in, and neither is biometric, so the decision is pure pricing geometry. Homebase charges per location: unbeatable for one shop with a big crew. When I Work charges per user: better for small teams and mobile crews that move between job sites. Do the arithmetic on your actual headcount and locations, and remember When I Work's time tracking is a paid toggle on top of its sticker price.
H
Homebase
The cheapest real fix for buddy punching, especially if you're already using it for scheduling
VERIFIED JUN 18, 2026
W
When I Work
Per-user pricing makes it the buddy-punching fix for very small teams
VERIFIED JUL 5, 2026
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Starting point | Free plan available for a single location with basic scheduling and time tracking | Per user per month: Essentials $2 |
| Best for | Small hourly-workforce businesses (retail, restaurants, service) that want to shut down casual buddy punching without buying a separate biometric system. | Small hourly teams, especially mobile ones (cleaning, field service, home care) where per-user pricing and per-site geofences beat the per-location model. |
| Countries | United States, Canada | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia |
| Editorial score | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
Homebase
Pros
- Genuinely cheap, free tier covers a single location's basics
- GPS/geo-fencing stops the most common low-effort buddy punching (clocking in from home)
- Bundles fraud-resistant time tracking with scheduling you probably need anyway
Cons
- No biometric verification, so a determined coworker with physical access to someone's phone can still buddy punch
- GPS features require the paid tier, not available on the free plan
- Built for hourly/shift teams, not a fit for salaried-only offices
When I Work
Pros
- Per-user pricing is the cheapest route for teams under ~10 people
- Geofences work per job site, not per storefront, so mobile crews are covered
- No contract, no minimums, easy to trial on one team before rolling out
Cons
- Time tracking costs extra on top of every advertised plan price, and the add-on price isn't published
- No biometric verification, a coworker with someone's phone can still buddy punch inside the fence
- Payroll integrations are US-centric even though the app works elsewhere
United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustralia