Homebase vs Payroll4Free
Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?
The short answer
Payroll4Free is the stronger AI pick in Payroll: it has a visibility score of 3.7 versus 3.1 for Homebase, and ranks ahead in 100% of the answers that name both.
Choose Homebase if…
- You prefer a larger, established vendor (201–500 employees)
- free plan covers scheduling and time tracking
- attractive annual savings for scheduling and workforce management
Choose Payroll4Free if…
- You want the brand AI engines rank higher (3.7 vs 3.1)
- AI answers describe it more positively (33% vs 25% positive)
- Genuinely free payroll platform
- Free tier covers payroll, tax calculations, pay stubs, and PTO tracking
AI visibility side by side
Latest weekly run · Nov 3
| Metric | Homebase | Payroll4Free |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Change vs last week | New | New |
| Rank in Payroll | #22 | #20 |
| Share of voice | 1% | 0.7% |
| Mentions this run | 5 | 3 |
| Positive in AI answers | 25% | 33% |
The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.
Visibility score trend
Weekly runs over the last 60 days
Homebase 0pp · Payroll4Free 0pp over 0 weekly runs.
Engine by engine
Payroll4Free leads on 2 of 3 engines
Head to head in AI answers
2 engine answers name both brands
| Prompt | Engine | Homebase | Payroll4Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is there a free payroll platform for small teams? | ChatGPT | #6 | #1 |
| Is there a free payroll platform for small teams? | Perplexity | #4 | #1 |
Features, pricing & fit
| Dimension | Homebase | Payroll4Free |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat tiers | — |
| Entry price | Free; paid from $30 / mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Support | 24/7 AI chat support and Help Center, Live support by chat and phone, Certified HR Advisors on the All-in-One plan, Phone line (415) 951-3831 | Phone, Email |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA, United States | Beachwood, OH |
| Employees | 201–500 | 11–50 |
| Funding | Series D · $189M raised | Wefunder equity crowdfunding |
| Best for | Small businesses with hourly, shift-based teams, such as restaurants, retail, beauty and wellness, medical, and home services. | Small businesses with 9 or fewer employees that pay monthly |
Plans side by side
Homebase
Payroll4Free
Pricing not available.
Pros and cons
Themes from the AI answers that mention each brand
Homebase
- free plan covers scheduling and time tracking
- attractive annual savings for scheduling and workforce management
- payroll is a paid add-on
Payroll4Free
- Genuinely free payroll platform
- Free tier covers payroll, tax calculations, pay stubs, and PTO tracking
- Suitable for zero-budget payroll needs
Data collected ·ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode·coverage 100%·next run
Cite as: SlateIndex, “Homebase vs Payroll4Free”, https://slateindex.ai/compare/homebase-vs-payroll4free, data of Nov 3, 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.