SharePoint HomeSite Does HomeSite replace Start Page or other functionalities When enabled?

Hi green60,

The SharePoint Home Site has not the same purpose of the SharePoint Start Page.

SharePoint Start Page

Enable by default, this system page (_layouts/15/sharepoint.aspx) allow users to access quickly the:

• Following sites
• Recent sites
• Frequent sites
• Suggested sites
• Save for later

In addition to finding most SharePoint Sites quickly and easily, it is possible to create a new Site and Create New Post.

Important: This page cannot be modified.

SharePoint Home Site

It is a SharePoint Site Collection - /[teams|sites]/[homesite]

It is such as a "Global Intranet" for your Tenant.

You can use most of the OOTB Web Part to build an awesome page to improve the user experience.

You can't replace the Start Page with your Home Site but you can:

• Remove the SharePoint ShortCust from the App launcher and create an Org one to redirect users to your home site
• Specify a custom Tenant/Org logo with an URL to redirect users to your Home Site

Some additional features are linked to the home site:

• Control the SharePoint App Bar
• Viva Dashboard
• Now required for Viva Connection
• It is the official source of organizational news (visible from the SharePoint Start Page)

You can find additional information in the Microsoft Documentation: Plan, build, and launch a home site for your organization | Microsoft Learn

I hope this information will help you.