ShiftCare vs Homebase
Both Homebase and ShiftCare will help you schedule your caregivers. But which is best for home care agencies?
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Which Care Management Software Is Best?
Your workforce is key to your care business’ success — but it’s also your biggest expense. The good news is that the right workforce management software will help you create more cost-efficient shift patterns. And it will do so while motivating your team and empowering them with the tools they need.
Not all workforce management software has the same features, however. That’s why we’re taking a detailed look at Homebase and our own software, ShiftCare. From features to pricing, companion apps, and customer support, we’ll break down the differences.
What Is Homebase?
Homebase is workforce management software for shift workers and hourly staff. It comes with scheduling, time-tracking, and recruitment tools. Plus, there’s a mobile app for staff working remotely.
The software is known for its transparent pricing plans. It operates on a pay-for-what-you-need basis. You’ll pay per location, and you can also choose to pay extra for add-ons such as payroll and task manager.
What Is ShiftCare?
ShiftCare is a care management software suite for home care and home health agencies, assisted living facilities, and other care providers. It comes with a web app for admin staff, a caregiver mobile app, and a portal for clients and their loved ones.
Here are just some of the reasons it’s a top choice for care businesses:
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Powerful scheduler
Recurring and team shift patterns help you create schedules in minutes. Just drag and drop clients to assign them to individual caregiver’s shifts. Switch between the client and caregiver views of the schedule to make sure the schedule works for everybody. When you’re done, click publish and ShiftCare will immediately notify your staff and clients. Plus there’s a built-in job board so your team can pick up extra shifts — with no extra work required on your part.
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Home care features
ShiftCare comes with care plan management, visit notes, client goals and progress tracking, and client funds management and spending forecasts. You can set up care document expiry notification alerts so that you’re always working with up-to-date information. And your caregivers can access client care details and add records on the go.
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HIPAA compliance
ShiftCare is purpose-built for the care industry, which means HIPAA compliance is baked into it. You’ll find it easy to control and update access to patient data. The cloud storage system is secure, and two-factor authentication helps prevent data leaks and breaches.
ShiftCare vs Homebase: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Homebase | ShiftCare |
|---|---|---|
| Country | USA | US, Canada, Australia |
| Monthly Price | Freemium; paid plans start at $20/location | From $8 user / month |
| Minimum Contract Length | One month | One month |
| Scheduling | ||
| Free Trial | ||
| Shift to-do Lists | Optional add-on | |
| Care Note Management | ||
| Patient Goals Tracking | ||
| Attendance and Time-Tracking | ||
| Late Alerts | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Recruitment Tools | ||
| In-app Employee Shoutouts | ||
| Accounting Integrations | ||
| Live Customer Support Chat | ||
| Mobile Caregiver App | ||
| Portal for Clients’ Loved Ones |
Disclaimer: This comparison is based on publicly available information and customer feedback as of March, 2025. All comparative statements are intended to be truthful, accurate, and evidence-based. ShiftCare has no affiliation with or endorsement from Homebase. Their name is used strictly for comparative purposes. If you represent Homebase and believe any information presented here is inaccurate or misleading, please contact us, we’re open to feedback and will review any substantiated concerns.
For a detailed overview of ShiftCare plans and pricing, please see our pricing page.
ShiftCare vs Homebase: Which Is Best?
Homebase and ShiftCare are two very different tools: Homebase is a workforce management platform, while ShiftCare is care management software.
They will both help you schedule your team, create shift to-do lists, and track time and attendance. But ultimately, they’re designed with different functions in mind.
This means that Homebase also comes with some additional features to help you track new staff applications and even accept tips. This is in contrast to ShiftCare. Although ShiftCare can help you onboard staff, it doesn’t have applicant tracking systems.
But unlike Homebase, ShiftCare has a wealth of care management features. These include care plan management, care documents, visit notes, incident reports, and client goals tracking. There’s also a companion web portal where clients and their loved ones can receive updates and view invoices.
And, it goes without saying that ShiftCare is HIPAA-compliant.
Psst! Already using workforce management software? We know that transitioning to a new system can be a worrying time. Our blog post breaks down some of the main things to do to avoid downtime and lost data. And our onboarding packages will ensure a hiccup-free changeover, so you can get straight to work with your new system.
ShiftCare vs Homebase - FAQs
Are there any hidden fees with Homebase or ShiftCare?
With Homebase, you’ll have to pay extra to set your team tasks or run payroll. ShiftCare charges $0.10 for SMS messages.
Does ShiftCare offer time-tracking like Homebase?
Yes. ShiftCare comes with a geo-verified clock-in system so you can create accurate timesheets for payroll.
Does ShiftCare or Homebase offer better on-shift support for caregivers?
ShiftCare has many features for providing on-shift support. With Homebase, you can pay extra to create shift to-do lists. But with ShiftCare, you can set up need-to-know pop-ups for each client visit along with shift to-do lists, visit note templates, and incident reports that will immediately notify a manager.
How does ShiftCare’s mobile app compare to Homebase’s?
With both the ShiftCare and Homebase mobile apps, staff can view their schedules and track time while working remotely. ShiftCare’s also comes with care-specific features such as need-to-know client information, visit notes, client digital signatures, and incident reports that will be automatically escalated to a manager.
Which software is better for home care agencies, ShiftCare or Homebase?
ShiftCare has more tools for managing clients’ care services. Features include care plans, client funds management, and patient goals tracking.