# Homebase vs Valchemy

Homebase and Valchemy both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Homebase's written reviews are positive against 0% of Valchemy's. Homebase also leads on ratings volume (96K vs 9) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Valchemy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Homebase sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $30.00 per month. Valchemy asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Homebase against 4.7 for Valchemy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Homebase has 96K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Homebase's written reviews are positive against 0% of Valchemy's.

Homebase ships an update weekly, Valchemy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Homebase | Valchemy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (96K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebase-employee-scheduling/id871544379/reviews)** | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/valchemy/id6444050555/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **96K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#50** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pioneer Works, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/871544382) | [Valchemy, inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651908505) |

## What reviewers say

### Homebase

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebase-employee-scheduling/id871544379)

**Currently charting:** #50 Top Free · Business, #61 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

This app helps small business owners manage hourly teams by streamlining employee scheduling, time tracking, and payroll. It offers features like mobile time clocks, automated payroll calculations, and team communication tools to save time and ensure compliance.

**Highlights:** Employee scheduling and shift management, Mobile time clock and attendance tracking, Automated payroll and paycheck management, HR and hiring tools, Team communication and messaging, Labor cost and sales monitoring

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homebase Essentials Plan | $30.00 | per month |
| Homebase Plus Plan | $70.00 | per month |
| Homebase Essentials Annual | $289.00 | per year |
| Homebase Plus Plan Annual | $669.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient features
- 💰 Helpful cash out option
- 📅 Useful scheduling and shift management
- 💬 Good communication tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔁 Inconsistent performance
- 🔒 Location access issues
- 💬 Notification problems
- 🗓️ Limited calendar/schedule view options

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent location access
- Unresolved message notification issues
- Freezing/crashing on login or clock-in
- Delayed app updates and sync issues

**Requested features**

- Improved calendar/schedule view options
- Direct message reply functionality
- Ability to delete chat threads
- Automatic read notification clearing
- Shift-level details in shift trading


### Valchemy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/valchemy/id6444050555)

This platform fosters trust and motivation within workplaces by promoting a culture of gratitude and psychological safety. It helps teams build healthier, more productive environments through meaningful recognition.

**Highlights:** Team recognition platform, Builds trust, Motivates employees, Measures psychological safety, Promotes gratitude, Enhances workplace culture

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Homebase free?

Homebase is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Valchemy free?

Valchemy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Homebase or Valchemy?

Homebase is rated higher. Homebase averages 4.8 out of 5 from 96K ratings, while Valchemy averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Homebase or Valchemy have ads?

Homebase shows ads; Valchemy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Homebase or Valchemy?

Homebase ships an update weekly, and Valchemy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Homebase was updated on October 27, 2026 and Valchemy on October 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*