Tip pools without the spreadsheet
Card tips from Square and Toast and declared cash pool by role and store, then split by hours, equally or by points, with tip-outs to support roles.
Explore tip distributionKronto vs Homebase
Homebase pricing vs Kronto for restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries
Homebase pricing starts free for one small shop, then charges per location for each paid plan, with tip pooling and task lists as separate add-ons. Kronto is one price per user with scheduling, time clock, tips, checklists, a manager log book and payroll included. Here is what each costs, and when Homebase is the better choice.
- Works with Square, Toast and Clover
- Competitor facts checked October 24, 2026
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Kronto vs Homebase at a glance
What each one includes for a restaurant, coffee shop or bakery. Homebase's facts come from its own site, and each cell links to its source.
| Feature | Kronto | Homebase |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Kronto$5 per user per month, billed monthly[1] | HomebasePer location per month: Basic free, Essentials $30, Plus $70, All-in-One $120[2]Monthly prices. Billed annually: $24, $56 and $96 per location per month. |
| Free plan | KrontoFree setup: Yes | HomebaseBasic is free for one location with up to 10 employees[2] |
| Free trial | KrontoBook a demo to see Kronto with your own schedule first | Homebase14 days of All-in-One, no credit card, then Basic[2] |
| Contract | KrontoNo contract. Cancel anytime.[1] | HomebaseChange plan or cancel anytime[2] |
| Shift trading | KrontoOn every account: a teammate accepts, a manager approves, and staff can offer part of a shift | HomebaseTrade, cover and claim open shifts on Essentials, Plus and All-in-One, not on Basic[2] |
| Tip pooling | KrontoIncluded: split by hours, equally or by points, with tip-outs to support roles | HomebaseTip Manager add-on, $25 per location per month, splits pooled tips by hours tracked[3] |
| Checklists and tasks | KrontoIncluded: tablet checklists checked off by PIN, with due times and photo tasks | HomebaseTask Manager add-on, $13 per location per month[2] |
| Manager log book | KrontoIncluded: the Daily Manager Log fills in sales, labor and hours | HomebaseNot listed on Homebase's pricing page[2] |
| Payroll | KrontoIncluded in the one price, or export approved hours and tips to your provider | HomebaseAdd-on on every plan: first 6 months free, then $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid[4]$29 a month for teams of up to 5. |
| Sales forecasting | KrontoFrom each store's own POS sales, by half hour, 8 weeks ahead | HomebaseSchedules from forecasted sales and labor targets on All-in-One[2] |
| POS connections | KrontoSquare, Toast and Clover | HomebasePAR, Square, Clover, Toast, Shopify, GoDaddy and Lightspeed[5] |
| Hiring | KrontoComing soon | HomebaseHiring Assistant from $99 a month; background checks $30 each[2] |
| Industries | KrontoRestaurants, coffee shops and bakeries | HomebaseFood and beverage, retail, beauty and wellness, home services and more[6] |
See what your Homebase bill looks like in one price
We'll put your stores and team size next to Kronto's one price per user, with tips, checklists, the log book and payroll included.
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Included in Kronto's one price
Hear about the missed close-out task tonight
Opening, closing and side work lists on the store tablet, checked off by name and PIN, with due times, photo tasks and an alert when a task runs late.
Explore checklists
A manager log book that fills in the numbers
Each store's day starts with its sales, labor and hours already filled in. Managers add what happened, and the log goes out by email when the day locks.
How does Homebase pricing compare with Kronto's?
Homebase pricing is per location: Basic is free for one shop with up to 10 employees, and paid plans cost $30, $70 or $120 a month, or $24, $56 or $96 billed annually. Kronto is $5 per user per month with everything included. On Homebase, tip pooling and task lists cost extra.
Here is one location on list prices, before payroll, for a team that wants scheduling, tip pooling and checklists[2]:
- 12 staff. Kronto is 12 × $5 = $60 a month. Homebase Essentials with Tip Manager and Task Manager is $30 + $25 + $13 = $68.
- 25 staff. Kronto is 25 × $5 = $125. Homebase Essentials with both add-ons is still $68, and All-in-One with both is $120 + $25 + $13 = $158.
So Kronto costs less than Homebase Essentials with both add-ons up to 13 staff per store (13 × $5 = $65), and less than All-in-One with both up to 31 (31 × $5 = $155). Past that, Homebase costs less, as long as its plan has what you need. Kronto's case is everything in one price, with nothing to add up as you grow.
When is Homebase the better choice?
Homebase is the better choice for one small shop that only needs scheduling and a time clock, since Basic is free for up to 10 employees. It also fits businesses outside food service, owners who want hiring help and background checks, and larger stores where one per-location price beats paying per user.
Homebase also lets you try All-in-One for 14 days without a credit card[2]. Kronto has no free-forever plan, but setup is free and you can create your account with no credit card. Or book a demo and see it with your own schedule first.
Kronto is built for restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries. Homebase serves many more industries, from retail to home services[6].
What do Homebase's add-ons add to the bill?
Homebase's Tip Manager adds $25 per location per month and Task Manager adds $13, on top of the plan. Homebase Payroll is free for the first 6 months, then $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid. Kronto has no add-ons: tips, checklists, the manager log book and payroll are in the $5 per user.
Close out tips without the spreadsheet
See a tip pool split by hours, equally or by points, with tip-outs to support roles and every share sent to payroll.
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Which one handles tip pooling better for a restaurant?
Kronto gives you more ways to split tips. Homebase's Tip Manager splits pooled tips by the hours each person worked. Kronto splits by hours worked, equally or by points, pools by role and location, and sends a set percentage to support roles as a tip-out, with each share going to payroll beside the hours.
Homebase pulls card tips from Clover, Toast and Square and adds cash and custom amounts by hand, then adds tip outs to timesheets[3].
In Kronto, card tips come in from Square and Toast, and cash is declared in the app or on the store tablet. You choose how often each pool closes: by day, week, two weeks, pay period or day part.
Do both run payroll?
Yes. Homebase Payroll is an add-on on every plan, free for 6 months and then $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid. Kronto runs payroll in the same $5 per user, with approved hours and tip shares already in it. If you keep your current provider, Kronto exports the same numbers to it.
Homebase runs payroll from its timesheets, with tip pools[4]. In Kronto, a missing pay rate is caught before payroll runs, and you can export approved hours and tips to providers such as ADP, Paychex or Rippling. See restaurant payroll in Kronto.
Which has opening and closing checklists and a manager log book?
Kronto has both in the one price. Its checklists run on the store tablet with name and PIN check-off, due times, photo tasks and an alert when a task runs late, and its Daily Manager Log fills in each day's numbers. Homebase sells Task Manager as an add-on and doesn't list a log book.
Homebase's Task Manager costs $13 per location per month[2]. Kronto's log book reads sales, labor, hours and checklist progress from the app, so managers only write what happened. See the restaurant manager log book.
How switching from Homebase works
Book a demo
We walk through a week of your own stores, roles and pay periods, and answer what's different from the app you use now.
Connect your POS
Kronto imports your locations and team members from Square, Toast or Clover, and reads sales for your forecast.
Build your first week
Copy a template, check the week's cost against your labor budget, and publish it to everyone's phone.
Pay your team
Approved hours and tip shares go to payroll in Kronto, or export to the payroll provider you use now.
Sources
- Kronto pricing, Kronto. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
- Homebase pricing, Homebase. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
- Tip Manager, Homebase. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
- Homebase Payroll, Homebase. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
- Homebase integrations, Homebase. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
- Homebase, Homebase. Read October 24, 2026. ↩
Competitor facts come from each company's own website, checked October 24, 2026. Prices change, so check the vendor's site before you decide. Last reviewed October 28, 2026.
Reviewed by Jamie Rosenberg, Product, Kronto, on October 28, 2026.
Know what next week costs before you publish it
Watch a week priced against your labor budget as you build it, with overtime and clopenings flagged before anyone sees the schedule.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Homebase charge per location?
Yes. Homebase's paid plans are priced per location per month, and its Tip Manager and Task Manager add-ons are per location too[2]. Kronto charges per user, the same at every store.
Does Kronto have a free plan?
Kronto doesn't have a free-forever plan. It's $5 per user per month, billed monthly, with no contract. Setup is free, and you can create your account yourself with no credit card. Prefer a walkthrough? Book a demo.
Is there a contract with either one?
Which POS systems does each work with?
Kronto reads sales, locations and team members from Square, Toast and Clover. Homebase lists PAR, Square, Clover, Toast, Shopify, GoDaddy and Lightspeed[5].
Scheduling, time clock, tips and payroll in one app
One price per user, no add-ons and no contract, built for restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries.
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