What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for workforce scheduling software (small businesses) on 2026-09-11

Claude (Anthropic) with web search claude-opus-5 asked 2026-09-11

Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

The question asked, verbatim: best workforce scheduling software for small businesses

Brands named, in the order the engine gave

1. Homebase recommended
   For most small businesses I'd start with Homebase if you have 10 or fewer staff, or When I Work if you have more.
2. 7shifts recommended
   If you run a restaurant, go with 7shifts.
3. Sling mentioned
   Sling: the free option to check if you've outgrown Homebase's 10-person limit.
4. Deputy mentioned
   Deputy: best if you have several locations or strict labor-law rules to follow, like overtime, breaks or predictive scheduling.
5. Toast mentioned
   It handles tip pooling, connects to Toast and Square point-of-sale systems, and has a manager logbook.
6. Square mentioned
   It handles tip pooling, connects to Toast and Square point-of-sale systems, and has a manager logbook.
7. Connecteam recommended
   Connecteam: best for teams that work away from a desk, like cleaning, construction or field service.

Sources the engine cited

The answer, as recorded

For most small businesses I'd start with **Homebase** if you have 10 or fewer staff, or **When I Work** if you have more. If you run a restaurant, go with **7shifts**. 1. **Homebase**: best starting point for small teams of hourly workers. Scheduling, time clock and team messaging come in one app, and the Basic plan is free for up to 10 employees at one location. Note that the limit dropped from 20 to 10 in July 2026. Paid plans cost $30, $70 or $120/month (less if billed yearly) for unlimited employees. Payroll is extra: $39/month plus $6 per employee. Because it charges a flat monthly fee rather than per person, it gets relatively cheaper as you hire. ([costbench](https://costbench.com/software/employee-scheduling/homebase/free-plan/), [costbench plans](https://costbench.com/software/employee-scheduling/homebase/)) 2. **When I Work**: best general choice for a single location. It's simple shift scheduling with good balance between features and price, and it's popular with retail shops and cafés that don't need restaurant-specific tools. It charges per user, from about $2.50 to $4.50/user/month; sources disagree on the exact starting price. ([itqlick](https://www.itqlick.com/compare/deputy/when-i-work), [G2](https://www.g2.com/compare/deputy-vs-when-i-work)) 3. **Sling**: the free option to check if you've outgrown Homebase's 10-person limit. Reviews call its free plan the most generous around, with scheduling, shift swaps, messaging and tasks. But the reviews disagree on the details: some say unlimited users, others say 30, and some say time tracking isn't included for free. Check this before you commit. ([turnozo](https://turnozo.com/blog/sling-scheduling-review), [GetApp](https://www.getapp.com/operations-management-software/a/sling/)) 4. **Deputy**: best if you have several locations or strict labor-law rules to follow, like overtime, breaks or predictive scheduling. It has the deepest compliance features of the group. It costs $5, $6.50 or $9/user/month with a $30/month minimum, and HR and analytics tools cost extra. ([xpay](https://www.xpay.sh/saas-pricing/deputy/), [itqlick](https://www.itqlick.com/deputy/pricing)) 5. **7shifts**: best for restaurants specifically. It handles tip pooling, connects to Toast and Square point-of-sale systems, and has a manager logbook. Other restaurant software doesn't match it. ([selecthub](https://www.selecthub.com/employee-scheduling-software/homebase-vs-7shifts/), [Homebase blog](https://www.joinhomebase.com/blog/7shifts-alternatives)) 6. **Connecteam**: best for teams that work away from a desk, like cleaning, construction or field service. On top of scheduling, it has GPS-checked clock-ins, digital forms and checklists, chat, and auto-scheduling based on who's qualified for each shift. ([Connecteam](https://connecteam.com/scheduling-software-small-business/)) **How to choose:** Try Homebase free first. Move to When I Work or Sling if you pass 10 people and don't want the Homebase price jump. Pick Deputy if you have multiple locations or compliance worries, and 7shifts if you run a restaurant. A caution: several of these rankings come from Homebase's and Connecteam's own blogs, and each puts itself first. Prices also change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you sign up. Sources: - [costbench: Is Homebase free?](https://costbench.com/software/employee-scheduling/homebase/free-plan/) - [costbench: Homebase pricing](https://costbench.com/software/employee-scheduling/homebase/) - [itqlick: Deputy vs When I Work](https://www.itqlick.com/compare/deputy/when-i-work) - [itqlick: Deputy pricing](https://www.itqlick.com/deputy/pricing) - [G2: Deputy vs When I Work](https://www.g2.com/compare/deputy-vs-when-i-work) - [xpay: Deputy pricing](https://www.xpay.sh/saas-pricing/deputy/) - [turnozo: Sling review](https://turnozo.com/blog/sling-scheduling-review) - [GetApp: Sling](https://www.getapp.com/operations-management-software/a/sling/) - [SelectHub: Homebase vs 7shifts](https://www.selecthub.com/employee-scheduling-software/homebase-vs-7shifts/) - [Homebase: 7shifts alternatives](https://www.joinhomebase.com/blog/7shifts-alternatives) - [Connecteam: Scheduling software for small business](https://connecteam.com/scheduling-software-small-business/) - [People Managing People: Best scheduling software for small business](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/tools/best-employee-scheduling-software-for-small-business/)

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Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.