Compare UK Home Care Software
Six options compared on what matters most: pricing transparency, CQC compliance tools, eMAR, rota management, and whether you can try before you buy.
Try KareShift Free — 90 DaysNo credit card · No lock-in · 90-day trial
All six platforms handle core home care management. The differences are in pricing model (per-carer vs flat tiers), trial availability (free tier vs 90 days vs demo-only), CQC tooling depth, clinical features (eMAR), and whether you need residential care support. KareShift offers a 90-day free trial, flat-tier pricing that doesn't scale with team size, and built-in CQC inspection tracking.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Last verified: 28-Aug-2026
✗ indicates the feature was not present in publicly accessible documentation or website at time of verification. Verify directly with each vendor before making a purchasing decision.
| Feature | Birdie | Nourish | Skedulr | Log my Care | KareShift |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-hour-of-care, from £200/mo (Source: birdie.care, Aug 2026) | Quote-only — contact sales (Source: nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | Per-carer £7–£22/mo (Source: skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Free Starter (≤10 service users); paid plans per service user (Source: logmycare.co.uk, Aug 2026) | Flat tier (£69–£349/mo) |
| Free trial / free tier | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Free (up to 2 carers, forever) | Free Starter ≤10 service users (logmycare.co.uk, Aug 2026) | 90-day free trial (up to 5 carers; Xero Payroll sync and payroll export need a paid plan) |
| Self-serve signup | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Yes (skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Yes (logmycare.co.uk, Aug 2026) | Yes — under 2 minutes |
| CQC compliance tracking | Care plan auditing and CQC reporting (Source: birdie.care, Aug 2026) | CQC-aligned (Source: nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | CQC-ready evidence (Source: skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Full KLOE evidence tracking + inspection history |
| Rota / scheduling | Yes (Source: birdie.care, Aug 2026) | Yes — drag-and-drop (Source: nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | Yes + AI auto-scheduling (Source: skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Yes (drag-and-drop, UK presets, conflict detection) |
| GPS clock-in/out | Yes — Electronic Visit Monitoring (birdie.care, Aug 2026) | NFC, OTP, landline, app (nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | Yes — carer app check-in (skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ GPS + geofencing, plus NFC/QR tag check-in |
| eMAR / Medication management | ✓ Medication management (birdie.care, Aug 2026) | ✓ eMAR (nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | Not available as of Aug 2026 | Not available as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Full eMAR — orders, rounds, PRN, controlled drugs, MAR chart, allergy alerts |
| Mobile app / PWA | Native iOS + Android (birdie.care, Aug 2026) | Native app (nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | Native iOS + Android (skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | PWA (works in browser, no download) |
| Residential care support | Home care focus | Home care + Residential | Home care only (as of Aug 2026) | Residential focus | Home care + Residential (same platform) |
| Custom forms | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Growth, Scale and Aged Care plans (conditional logic, PDF export, signature pad) |
| Xero Payroll integration | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Direct timesheet sync, employee mapping (Scale and Aged Care plans) |
| Invoicing | ✓ Built-in (birdie.care, Aug 2026) | ✓ Invoicing (nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) | ✓ Auto-invoicing (skedulr.com, Aug 2026) | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ Invoicing with credit notes, receipts, PDF |
| Worker compliance tracking | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Yes (DBS, Right to Work, Care Certificate, auto-blocking) |
| In-app messaging | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Yes (group + 1:1, file sharing, read receipts) |
| Two-factor authentication | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | ✓ TOTP + trusted devices + admin reset |
| Countries supported | UK only | UK primarily | UK only | UK only | AU, NZ, UK, CA |
| Credit card required for trial | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | Not publicly documented as of Aug 2026 | No | No | No |
Feature information from public websites, help documentation, and G2/Capterra reviews. Features and pricing may change — contact each provider directly for current information. We verify this page quarterly. Access Group is not included in this table (enterprise pricing, quote-only) — see the dedicated Access comparison page.
Pricing comparison (home care)
Last verified: 28-Aug-2026
Competitors
Per-carer pricing — costs scale with team size
| Provider | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Birdie | Per-hour-of-care, from £200/mo (Source: birdie.care, Aug 2026) |
| Skedulr | Per-carer £7–£22/mo — free tier for up to 2 carers (Source: skedulr.com, Aug 2026) |
| Log my Care (paid) | Free Starter (≤10 service users); paid plans per service user — contact Log my Care for rates (Aug 2026) |
| Nourish | Quote-only — contact Nourish for current rates (Source: nourishcare.com, Aug 2026) |
Pricing estimates from public sources and review platforms. Contact each provider for exact quotes.
KareShift
Flat-tier pricing — same price regardless of team size within tier
| Plan | Monthly + VAT |
|---|---|
| Starter (up to 5 carers) | £69/mo |
| Growth (up to 20 carers) | £149/mo |
| Scale (50 included) | £349/mo |
Funding tracking, notes, incidents and leave are on every plan. Growth and above add custom forms, invoicing and shift swap; Scale adds Xero Payroll and payroll export. No per-carer fees within tier. Admins and coordinators always free.
Savings calculator
How much could you save with KareShift vs per-carer pricing?
At 20 carers, KareShift Growth costs £149/mo.
Illustrative per-carer tools at £10–15/carer/month (a generic assumption, not a quote from any vendor) would cost £200–300/mo — you save £51–151/mo (£612–1,812/year).
Savings estimate based on generic per-carer pricing of £10–15/carer/month for illustration only. Named competitors (Birdie, Log my Care, Nourish) use different pricing models — contact each provider for your actual quote before comparing savings (varies by provider and plan). Contact competitors directly for exact pricing. KareShift prices exclude VAT.
Where each competitor is stronger
An honest assessment — every platform has strengths.
Where Birdie is stronger
- Longer UK market presence — more established with local authorities
- Native mobile apps (iOS + Android) vs KareShift's PWA approach
- Deeper integration with UK local authority commissioning systems
- Family app for relatives to view care updates (per the vendor's website, Aug 2026). KareShift's family update feed is one-way: staff post text and photo updates and relatives read them in a private portal (care homes)
Where Log my Care is stronger
- Free tier available — good for very small providers just starting out
- Simple, focused interface — less feature-rich but potentially easier to learn
- Native mobile apps (iOS + Android)
Where Nourish (CarePlanner) is stronger
- Largest UK care platform — over 8,000 providers, NHS Assured Solutions List (per the vendor's website, Aug 2026)
- DSCR accredited to all 14 NHS England standards (per the vendor's website, Aug 2026)
- Family portal with a care timeline (per the vendor's website, Aug 2026). KareShift: family update feed, staff post text and photo updates, relatives read them in a private portal (care homes); one-way, not a live care timeline
- GP record integration via NHS Spine (per the vendor's website, Aug 2026)
- Multiple visit verification methods (NFC, OTP, landline, app)
- Dedicated implementation support for larger organisations
Where Skedulr is stronger
- AI auto-scheduling — builds a full day's rota in one click
- Route optimisation — travel-aware visit ordering
- ISO 27001 + ISO 9001 certified
- PRSB care record standards
- Recruitment pipeline — job posting to DBS tracking
- Competitive per-carer pricing for very small teams
Where KareShift is stronger
- 90-day free trial — no sales call required
- Flat-tier pricing — costs don't scale with team size within tier
- eMAR — medication orders, rounds, PRN, controlled drugs, MAR chart, allergy alerts, error reports
- Xero Payroll integration (Scale and Aged Care plans) — direct timesheet sync, employee mapping
- Invoicing with credit notes, receipts, and PDF export
- Multi-country payroll export (AU/NZ/GB/CA with country-specific fields) on the Scale and Aged Care plans
- Two-factor authentication (TOTP + trusted devices + admin reset)
- Built-in CQC KLOE evidence tracking and inspection history
- Both home care AND residential on the same platform
- Self-serve signup in under 2 minutes — no demo booking required
- Voice dictation for care notes — carers speak, not type
- Custom forms with conditional logic, PDF export, and signature pad on Growth, Scale and Aged Care plans
- Mileage logging at a configurable rate (45p per mile by default) — essential for domiciliary care
- Shift Offers — broadcast open shifts, carers accept from their phone
- In-app messaging with push notifications — replace WhatsApp
- Carer availability self-service — carers update their own availability
- 4 countries supported (AU, NZ, UK, CA) — not UK-only
Detailed individual comparisons
Deep-dive feature and pricing breakdowns for each UK competitor.
KareShift vs Birdie
Flat-tier pricing vs per-hour-of-care. How they compare on rostering, travel tracking, and cost at every agency size.
View comparison →KareShift vs Nourish
Transparent pricing vs quote-only. The largest UK platform — DSCR accredited, family portal, GP integration.
View comparison →KareShift vs Skedulr
Clinical depth vs AI scheduling. eMAR and multi-country vs route optimisation and ISO certification.
View comparison →KareShift vs Log my Care
Workforce management vs care planning focus. Free Starter vs 90-day trial. Full feature breakdown.
View comparison →KareShift vs Access
Self-serve vs enterprise. Flat tiers by team size vs per-module pricing. Transparent costs vs sales process.
View comparison →KareShift vs CarePlanner
CarePlanner is now Nourish (acquired Oct 2023). Context on the acquisition and how to evaluate alternatives.
View comparison →See for yourself — 90 days free
No sales call. No credit card. A 90-day free trial for up to 5 carers.
Start Free Trial — No Credit CardQuestions? Email hello@kareshift.com — we reply by email.