HomebasevsPaddl
Homebase is a US-built scheduling and time clock app for small businesses, with team messaging, hiring and (in the US) payroll. It has a free tier for one location and is available in the UK, though its pricing and payroll are American.
43 features compared · 29 Paddl only · prices verified 22 September 2026
Paddl is food safety, compliance and operations software for UK hospitality: digital SFBB, HACCP plans, allergens and Natasha's Law labels, temperature, cleaning and training records, and an EHO-ready audit pack. £69 per location per month with every feature included, a 30-day free trial and no contract. Homebase: Free for one location up to 10 employees; Essentials $30, Plus $70, All-in-One $120 per location per month.
Used Daily & Trusted By:
Used Daily & Trusted By: Edgie Eats, Frothed, Good Chemistry Brewing, Paper Tiger Food Services, Restore, Royal Marine Hotel, The Staff of Life, The Tower Inn, World Famous Dive Bars.
Homebase pricing
Homebase publishes its prices. Checked 22 September 2026 against joinhomebase.com.
Prices published in US dollars only; add-ons include Task Manager at $13 a location a month. Payroll is US-only.
Every feature. Staff seats are free; 5 owner and manager users per location, £2.99 a month for each extra. 30-day free trial, card required, no contract.
- One site, 12 staff: £89.93 a month
- One site, 40 staff: £173.65 a month
- Five sites, 100 staff: £569.25 a month
Homebase reviews: what customers say
4.6 out of 5 from 1,155 reviews on Capterra, read 22 September 2026.
Homebase vs Paddl: what matters most
Last reviewed: 22 September 2026
American software used in Britain
Homebase is good at what it does, but it is built for US small businesses: dollars on the pricing page, US payroll, US labour law. None of the UK specifics a venue needs, from SFBB to the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, are in it.
Free tier versus everything included
Homebase is free for one location up to ten people, then $30 to $120 a location a month with add-ons. Paddl is £69 a location with every feature, staff seats free, and no add-ons.
Where Homebase wins
Price at the smallest end. One cafe with under ten staff who only need a schedule and a clock-in can run it for nothing.
Where Homebase and Paddl differ
From the 43-row grid below, checked against Homebase's published feature list on 22 September 2026.
Food Safety & Compliance
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Digital SFBB Packs, HACCP Plans, AI HACCP Generation, Allergen Management, Risk Assessments, EHO Report Generation, One-Click Audit Packs, Fire Safety - Drills, Certificates & Expiry Alerts, COSHH Management.
Operations & Equipment
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Equipment Tracking, AI Equipment Anomaly Detection, Temperature Monitoring, Maintenance Swimlanes, Supplier Management, Delivery Checks.
Team & Training
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Training Tracking, Shift Handovers / EOD Reports.
Homebase covers in part: Staff Inductions.
Documents & Knowledge
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Knowledge Hub, Licence Management, Insurance Gap Detection, Lease & Property Management.
Homebase covers in part: Document Management, Digital Signatures.
Reporting & Incidents
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Complaint Monitoring, Incident & Accident Reporting, EHO Visit Dashboard, AI Legal Guidance & Evidence Packs.
Platform & AI
Paddl has, Homebase does not: Offline Mode, AI That Carries Out Tasks, AI Document Extraction, Compliance Dashboard.
Homebase covers in part: AI Assistant.
Where Homebase is stronger
- Free for a single location with up to ten employees
- Simple scheduling, time clock and team messaging in one app
- Very large review base
- Hiring tools built in
Side-by-side feature comparison
Food Safety & Compliance
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Digital SFBB PacksPaddl only | ||
| HACCP PlansPaddl only | ||
| AI HACCP GenerationPaddl only | ||
| Allergen ManagementPaddl only | ||
| Risk AssessmentsPaddl only | ||
| EHO Report GenerationPaddl only | ||
| One-Click Audit PacksPaddl only | ||
| Fire Safety - Drills, Certificates & Expiry AlertsPaddl only | ||
| COSHH ManagementPaddl only |
Operations & Equipment
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment TrackingPaddl only | ||
| AI Equipment Anomaly DetectionPaddl only | ||
| Temperature MonitoringPaddl only | ||
| Maintenance SwimlanesPaddl only | ||
| Supplier ManagementPaddl only | ||
| Delivery ChecksPaddl only |
Team & Training
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Team Management | ||
| Rota Building & Publishing | ||
| Shift Swaps & Open Shifts | ||
| Holiday & Leave | ||
| Timesheets & Payroll Export | ||
| Training TrackingPaddl only | ||
| Staff Inductions | ||
| GPS Check-in | ||
| Shift Handovers / EOD ReportsPaddl only | ||
| Staff Notifications |
Documents & Knowledge
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Document Management | ||
| Knowledge HubPaddl only | ||
| Digital Signatures | ||
| Licence ManagementPaddl only | ||
| Insurance Gap DetectionPaddl only | ||
| Lease & Property ManagementPaddl only |
Reporting & Incidents
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint MonitoringPaddl only | ||
| Incident & Accident ReportingPaddl only | ||
| EHO Visit DashboardPaddl only | ||
| AI Legal Guidance & Evidence PacksPaddl only |
Platform & AI
| Feature | Paddl | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile App | ||
| Mobile Manager View | ||
| Offline ModePaddl only | ||
| AI Assistant | ||
| AI That Carries Out TasksPaddl only | ||
| AI Document ExtractionPaddl only | ||
| Compliance DashboardPaddl only | ||
| Multi-Location |
What Homebase does not do, shown in Paddl
Screenshots of the Paddl features the grid marks as missing or partial in Homebase.
Shift handovers and end-of-day reports
Paddl AdvantageStaff submit an end-of-day report with urgent actions, stock shortages and equipment problems. The incoming shift acknowledges the handover before starting.
EHO visit view
Paddl AdvantageOne screen with everything an inspector asks for: SFBB pack, delivery records, temperature logs and training certificates.
Equipment records with AI health checks
Paddl AdvantageEvery fridge, oven and extractor with its service history and temperature logs. The AI flags a unit whose readings are drifting before it fails.
Allergen lookup during service
Paddl AdvantageStaff search the menu by allergen from a phone in the middle of service, no folder to find.
Report a fault from the app
Paddl AdvantageStaff log a breakdown or a safety concern with a photo and a priority, and the manager sees it the moment it is raised.
AI HACCP plan generation
Paddl AdvantageThe AI reads your business, routines, equipment and menu, then drafts a complete HACCP plan with process steps and critical control points for you to review.
Ask Paddy: AI that does the admin
Paddl AdvantageAsk Paddy books the contractor visit, builds the routine, drafts the risk assessment and gathers the inspection pack. You confirm every action, and it never fills in or signs a compliance record.
AI insurance gap detection
Paddl AdvantageUpload the policy documents and the AI reads the cover, lists the gaps and says what to ask the broker.
Who should choose Homebase, and who should choose Paddl
Choose Homebase if
- You want a free scheduling app for one small site
- Scheduling, clock-in and basic messaging are the whole need
- You are in the US, where payroll and compliance features apply
Choose Paddl if
- You are a UK venue and need SFBB, HACCP, allergens and the EHO pack
- You want the rota built against UK working time and young-worker rules
- Chat should carry open shifts, jobs and acknowledged broadcasts
Alternatives to Homebase for UK hospitality
| Product | Category | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Paddl | Food safety, compliance and operations | £69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. |
| Deputy | Rota and scheduling | £3.25 to £6.50 per user per month, £20 minimum; a 40-person team on Core is £170 a month for the rota alone |
| RotaCloud | Rota and scheduling | From £10 a month for up to five employees, scaling by headcount; Capterra lists £5 per user; no contract |
| 7shifts | Rota and scheduling | Free plan for one location; paid from US$39.99 a location a month |
Homebase comparison questions
How much does Homebase cost in the UK?
Homebase publishes US prices only: free for one location up to ten employees, then Essentials $30, Plus $70 and All-in-One $120 per location per month, with add-ons such as Task Manager at $13. Paddl is £69 a location a month with every feature.
Does Homebase work in the UK?
The scheduling, time clock and messaging work, and it lists the UK as a supported country. Payroll and the labour-law compliance features are US-only, and there is no UK food safety content.
What is the best Homebase alternative for a UK venue?
Paddl if you want the rota, team chat and the food safety records in one UK-built product; RotaCloud or Deputy if scheduling alone is the need.
Try Paddl alongside Homebase for 30 days
£69 per location per month, every feature included, 30-day free trial. No tiers and no volume discount. Card required to start, nothing charged until the trial ends.
Every feature during the trial · Setup from your own paperwork · Cancel any time