homecareOS vs Access Care Planning
Access is enterprise-grade with deep NHS integration. But enterprise comes with enterprise complexity and cost. homecareOS delivers the power without the enterprise price tag.
On Access, every coordinator, manager and back-office user adds to your bill, on top of £5k-£25k implementation fees and three-year contracts. On homecareOS, only carers count: your office team is unmetered, there's no implementation fee, no contract minimum, and you're live in days not weeks.
Free under 5 carers (no credit card. See full pricing →
6 Reasons Agencies Choose homecareOS Over Access Group
Access Group is the most widely used care software in the UK. But size does not always mean the best fit for your agency.
Simplicity Over Complexity
Access requires lengthy implementation projects, consultants, and training programmes. homecareOS is intuitive from day one. Coordinators are productive within hours, not weeks.
Transparent Pricing, No Enterprise Fees
Access charges enterprise licence fees per user (including coordinators and back-office), plus implementation. homecareOS is simple per-carer pricing. Your office team is unmetered, with no per-user fees, no implementation charges and no annual contracts. There's also a free starter tier for agencies under 5 carers.
Bradford Factor Scoring
Automatic absence pattern analysis (S² × D) with RAG thresholds. homecareOS calculates Bradford Factor automatically.
Cover Finder
Scores available carers out of 100 on continuity with that person (45), headroom against their contracted hours (30) and travel to the address (25), and puts the ranked list in front of the coordinator, who decides. Included as standard.
Built for Home Care, Not Everything
Access is a generic enterprise suite covering HR, finance, payroll, and dozens of sectors. homecareOS is purpose-built exclusively for UK domiciliary care. Every feature serves your agency.
Fast Setup
Access implementations typically take weeks or months with dedicated project managers. homecareOS agencies are live in days: onboard your team, import your data, and start scheduling.
Full Comparison Table
A transparent look at how both platforms stack up across every major feature category.
| Feature | homecareOS | Access Group |
|---|---|---|
| Care Delivery | ||
| Care plans | Yes | Yes |
| Care notes | Yes | Yes |
| Task management | Yes | Yes |
| Risk assessments | Yes | Yes |
| Handover notes | Yes | Yes |
| Outcomes tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Incident management | Yes | Yes |
| PBS (Positive Behaviour Support) | Planned | Partial |
| Medication | ||
| eMAR | Yes | Yes |
| dm+d integration | Planned | Yes |
| PRN protocols | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduling | ||
| Drag-and-drop rota | Yes | Yes |
| Rota templates | Yes | Yes |
| cover finder | Yes | No |
| Carer-client matching | Yes | Yes |
| Route optimisation | Yes | Yes |
| Open shifts | Planned | Partial |
| Visit Verification | ||
| GPS check-in/out | Yes | Yes |
| NFC / QR verification | Yes | Partial |
| Geofencing | Yes | Yes |
| Late/missed visit alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile App | ||
| Carer mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Yes | Yes |
| Voice input | Planned | Partial |
| Compliance | ||
| CQC dashboards | Yes | Yes |
| Four-nation compliance | Yes | No |
| Audit trail | Yes | Yes |
| Training management | Yes | Yes |
| Assured Solutions List (NHS England) | No | Yes |
| Finance | ||
| Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Payroll integration | Yes | Yes |
| Mileage tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Council billing | Yes | Yes |
| Communication | ||
| Family portal | Yes | Yes |
| In-app messaging | Yes | Yes |
| VoIP telephony | Yes | No |
| Integrations | ||
| GP Connect | Planned | Yes |
| Payroll systems | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Planned | Yes |
Comparison data is based on publicly available information from theaccessgroup.com as of March 2026. If anything is inaccurate, let us know and we will update it.
Enterprise Power. Without the Enterprise Bill.
Book a personalised demo and see why agencies are choosing homecareOS over Access Group: faster setup, simpler tools, and transparent per-carer pricing with the office team unmetered.
Worried about moving your data? See what moves across and why every import can be undone.