The short version
We make PinkLinq, and Homebase is a good product that's often cheaper for one kind of business: a single location with a big team. It charges by location, so adding your 40th employee costs nothing extra.
PinkLinq tends to win when you have several small locations, when you want training and HR tools without add-ons, or when you stay under 10 people. We've worked out both below so you can check your own numbers.
How each one charges
Homebase charges per location, per month. Here's what its pricing page listed on November 6, 2026:
| Homebase plan | Price per location | People |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 1 location, up to 10 employees |
| Essentials | $30 | Unlimited |
| Plus | $70 | Unlimited |
| All-in-One | $120 | Unlimited |
The page has a "Save 20%" toggle but doesn't label which billing period these prices belong to, so treat them as list prices.
PinkLinq charges per hub. Operations holds schedules, the time clock and payroll hours. Communications holds chat and updates. HR & Skills holds time off, documents and training.
| PinkLinq plan | Per hub, yearly | Per hub, monthly | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free, up to 10 people | Free | Free | 1 |
| Basic | $14.50 | $17.50 | 3 |
| Advanced | $24.50 | $29.50 | 10 |
| Expert | $49.50 | $59.50 | Unlimited |
Paid plans include the first 30 people, then add a small fee per person.
Worked examples
Say you want schedules, a time clock and team messaging. On Homebase, that means Essentials, where team communication starts. On PinkLinq, you'd buy Operations and Communications on Basic.
| Your business | Homebase | PinkLinq |
|---|---|---|
| 1 location, 8 people | $30.00 | Free |
| 1 location, 25 people | $30.00 | $29.00 |
| 1 location, 60 people | $30.00 | $48.50 |
| 3 locations, 25 people | $90.00 | $29.00 |
| 3 locations, 60 people | $90.00 | $48.50 |
So one big location favors Homebase, and several locations favor us. The small team on the first row can stay free with us and still get chat, because our Free plan includes every hub.
Add-ons change the math
Homebase keeps its plans low and sells some things separately. These are the add-ons its page listed:
- Payroll: $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid
- Task Manager: $13 a month per location
- Tip Manager: $25 a month per location
- Hiring Assistant: from $99 a month
- Background checks: $30 each
In PinkLinq, tasks, checklists, hiring, courses and onboarding are part of the hubs. There's nothing extra to buy for them. We also don't run payroll, which brings us to the next part.
Where Homebase is the better pick
It runs payroll. Homebase can pay your people and file the taxes through its payroll add-on. PinkLinq doesn't do that. We hand approved hours to your payroll provider as a file, so you still need Gusto, ADP, QuickBooks, Paychex or Square.
Tips. If you run a restaurant and need tip pooling worked out, Homebase has a tool for that. We don't.
One large location. At 60 people in one place, Homebase is the lower bill and that gap grows with every hire.
Android and history. Homebase has been around for years, with apps on both major phone platforms. We're new, and we don't have an Android release yet.
Where PinkLinq is the better pick
Several small locations. You pay for hubs, not for each address. Three shops with 25 people between them still pay one price.
Training and HR in the same app. Courses, quizzes, onboarding packs and e-signatures live in HR & Skills. If those matter, you won't need a second tool. Homebase's page mentions managing certifications, but didn't state a training course tool.
Clock-in that's strict or automatic. You can draw each store's circle on a map and require people to be inside it. On Advanced and up, the iPhone app can clock them in when they arrive.
Small teams who want everything. Our Free plan covers all three hubs for up to 10 people. Homebase's free Basic plan also covers up to 10 employees, but team communication starts on a paid plan.
Moving over
Export your team from Homebase as a CSV and upload it under Users. PinkLinq reads the columns by their headers and shows you a preview first. Run both for one pay period, compare the hours, and then switch.
Sources
- Homebase pricing, read November 6, 2026.
- PinkLinq pricing, always current.
Prices change often in this market. If you spot something out of date, send us a note using the form below.