Search for “home care software pricing” and you will find two unrelated things mixed together: subscription platforms that home-care agencies use to run their operations, and apps that families use to find a caregiver. They solve different problems for different people, and their costs work completely differently.
This guide separates the two, explains how each is typically priced, and helps agency owners, families and caregivers work out which product they actually need. It is general information, not commercial or medical advice.
| What to compare | Home care software | Caregiver marketplace (SoftCare) |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Home-care agencies and their staff: owners, coordinators, schedulers, billers. | Families arranging care, and independent licensed caregivers offering it. |
| What it does | Runs the agency back office: shift scheduling, electronic visit verification (EVV), care plans, billing, payroll and compliance reporting. | Connects the two sides directly: verified CareGiver profiles, free chat before booking, session booking, a live care sheet and family access during visits. |
| How it is priced | Monthly subscription paid by the agency — commonly per office user, per active client, or in feature tiers; setup and training are often charged separately. Most vendors quote custom pricing. | Searching, chatting and booking are free. Patients pay only the CareGiver’s set hourly rate — the platform fee for patients is 0%. |
| Who provides the care | The agency’s own employed or contracted caregivers; the software only manages them. | The independent CareGiver you choose. SoftCare is a marketplace, not a care provider or employer. |
| Vetting | None — vetting staff remains the agency’s job; the software just stores the records. | Every CareGiver’s government photo ID, professional licence (number and expiry) and live selfie are reviewed within 24–48 hours. |
| Typical buyer question | “How much does home care software cost per month?” | “How do I find a verified caregiver near me — and what will I pay?” |
What “home care software” actually is
Home care software — sometimes called home care agency software or home health software — is a business platform for care companies. Typical modules cover caregiver scheduling and shift matching, electronic visit verification, care plans and visit notes, client and family portals, invoicing, payroll and compliance reports. It is bought by the agency, not by families.
Pricing is almost always a recurring subscription. The most common models are per office user per month, per active client per month, or flat feature tiers, and many vendors add one-time implementation or training fees. Published prices vary widely with agency size, which is why most vendors quote individually — if you are comparing options for an agency, ask each vendor for a quote on your exact user and client counts.
What a caregiver marketplace is
A caregiver marketplace is a two-sided app: independent, licensed caregivers publish profiles with their qualifications and hourly rate, and families browse, compare, chat and book directly. On SoftCare, every CareGiver passes a review of their government photo ID, professional licence (number and expiry) and a live selfie, taking 24 to 48 hours, before the shield badge appears — the badge verifies identity and licence status, not clinical skill.
For families the cost model is simple: searching, chatting before booking and booking are free, and you pay only the CareGiver’s set hourly rate. The platform fee for patients is 0%. There is no subscription or minimum commitment, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before a session. During visits, a live care sheet documents the session and relatives can follow along in the app, with an SOS button available.
Which one do you need?
The fastest way to decide is to ask who you are in the situation:
- You are arranging care for yourself or a relative → you need a caregiver marketplace or an agency, not software. Compare those two options in our guide to home care options.
- You are a licensed caregiver looking for clients or extra sessions → a marketplace lets you set your own hourly rate and accept bookings that fit your schedule. See SoftCare for CareGivers.
- You run a home-care agency → you need agency software for operations. Some agencies additionally list availability on marketplaces to fill gaps, so the two can coexist.
- You are pricing a care budget → see our home care cost guide and home care vs nursing home cost comparison.
Comparing the costs side by side
Because the two products charge different people for different things, “which is cheaper” is the wrong question. Agency software is a business expense that scales with the size of the agency: more schedulers, more active clients, more modules — a higher subscription. A marketplace shifts the cost to the care itself: the family pays the caregiver’s hourly rate, and on SoftCare nothing on top of it.
For a family, that makes budgeting straightforward: the visible hourly rate on a CareGiver’s profile is what you pay, whether you book a single session or recurring visits. For an agency owner, the software subscription is only one line in a larger cost structure that also covers recruitment, insurance and coordination — which is why agency hourly rates to families are typically higher than an independent caregiver’s rate for the same visit.
Frequently asked questions
No. SoftCare is a caregiver marketplace app for families and independent licensed caregivers, not an operations platform for agencies. It verifies CareGiver identity and licences, hosts profiles and chat, and handles booking and session documentation.
Agency software is typically a monthly subscription priced per office user, per active client, or in feature tiers, often with separate setup or training fees. Prices vary widely with agency size and most vendors quote individually, so request quotes on your exact numbers.
Searching, chatting before booking and booking are free. You pay only the CareGiver’s set hourly rate — the platform fee for patients is 0%, with no subscription and no minimum commitment. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before a session.
Yes. Independent licensed caregivers create a profile, pass ID and licence verification, set their own hourly rate and accept bookings that fit their schedule — including single sessions alongside other work.
Looking for care, not software?
Browse verified CareGivers near you, chat free of charge before booking and pay only the CareGiver’s set hourly rate — with a 0% platform fee for patients. Available on iOS and Android.
Download the SoftCare app →