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Managing work schedules will be difficult, particularly with regards to balancing enterprise calls for with worker wants. However with work schedule apps, managers can discover a answer that matches comfortably of their again pocket.
The one query is which app to decide on when there are such a lot of choices on the market. Each small enterprise is exclusive, which implies some instruments will fit your wants higher than others.
This text will assessment the highest seven work schedule apps primarily based on their options, pricing, and consumer expertise. So, whether or not you could streamline your scheduling or get higher oversight of who’s working and when, we’ll discover the very best platform for you.
Key options to search for in work schedule apps
Earlier than we discover the highest work schedule apps, let’s define what options they need to embrace. That manner you’ll discover it simpler to identify the very best one for you.
- Staff availability: You’ll be able to’t write a schedule with out realizing when your staff can work, however gathering this data is time-consuming. Good apps reduce this process out by gathering employees availability and utilizing the knowledge that can assist you create a wise schedule.
- Automations: The highest apps allow you to immediately create schedules primarily based on every worker’s availability, position, and seniority.
- Templates: While you’ve received a timetable that works for everybody, you in all probability wish to reuse it week over week. So, your work schedule app ought to allow you to save schedule templates to a library and simply entry them each time you could.
- Self-scheduling instruments: You’ll be able to cut back the period of time you spend on scheduling by giving staff extra management over their hours. Which means you want options that allow your staff prepare swaps or covers and declare open shifts.
- Reminders and notifications: To assist staff persist with their schedules, you may immediate them about upcoming shifts. Alerts for points like late arrivals and missed breaks can assist you resolve points instantly as an alternative of last-minute, once you’re attempting to calculate payroll.
- Shared capabilities with the desktop model: It’s no use having a piece schedule app that’s lacking important options on cellular. That’s why you want a platform that provides the identical performance in your cellphone and pill.
- Information and analytics: Most apps accumulate your gross sales and wage knowledge that can assist you forecast your labor necessities. Some additionally monitor attendance, late arrivals, and no-shows to point out you the way totally different staff members are performing.
- Interconnected worker administration instruments: In addition to scheduling, small companies usually require different HR options like time monitoring and payroll. It’s greatest to decide on software program that features all of the necessities so you may share knowledge seamlessly throughout the platform as an alternative of multitasking with varied apps.
- A variety of integrations: No apps are ‘one measurement suits all’ and also you’ll want integrations to unravel a few of your challenges. For example, eating places and bars settle for suggestions so they may want software program like Toast to handle these further funds. By selecting an app that connects to all of the niche software program you may want, you’ll save time juggling totally different instruments.
- Inexpensive pricing: The perfect app shouldn’t pressure your funds or make you pay for too many options you don’t want.
Our high decide for work schedule apps in 2023 (+ the remaining ranked)
With its inexpensive pricing and versatile vary of options, Homebase is the clear alternative for many small companies. You’ll be able to entry primary scheduling and time monitoring without spending a dime, and entry extra superior options, like shift trades, day without work requests, and shift reminders, for simply $24.95 per thirty days. Plus, you get entry to time monitoring and accounting instruments so you’ve every thing you want in a single place.
However Homebase may not be for everybody. For bigger and extra complicated companies, you might discover Connecteam affords extra customization. And Humanity is good for these within the healthcare trade because it solves a lot of their distinctive challenges.
- Homebase: Greatest all-in-one answer
- Sling: Greatest for time zone variations
- Connecteam: Greatest for personalisation
- Once I Work: Greatest for a number of admins
- Humanity: Greatest for Apple Watch compatibility
- HotSchedules powered by Fourth: Greatest for worker suggestions
- Calendly: Greatest for scheduling appointments
Comparability chart: High 6 work schedule apps in 2023
Identify | Pricing | App Retailer Score | Notable Options |
![]() |
Plans vary from free to $99.95 per location per thirty days.
Customers get a 20% low cost with an annual dedication. |
4.8 |
• Automation, template, and self-scheduling instruments • Staff availability • Sturdy communication options • Labor forecasting instruments • Constructed-in time monitoring and accounting instruments |
![]() Sling |
Plans vary from free to $4 per consumer per thirty days. | 4.7 |
• View throughout totally different time zones • Versatile self-scheduling options • Scheduling by the point of the day |
![]() Connecteam |
Plans vary from free to $297 per thirty days. | 4.2 |
• Sub-jobs • Admin permissions filters • Job checklists and administration |
![]() Once I Work |
Plans vary from $2.50 to $8 per consumer per thirty days. | 4.8 |
• Autoscheduling • Template instruments • Labor forecasting |
![]() Humanity |
A alternative of three plans with customized pricing. | 4.9 |
• Self-scheduling instruments • Compatibility with the Apple Watch • Scheduling primarily based on key efficiency indicators (KPIs) |
![]() HotSchedules by Fourth |
Costs aren’t available. | 4.6 |
• Finish-of-shift surveys • Compliance notifications and alerts • Messaging and announcement options |
![]() Calendly |
Costs vary from free to $16 per consumer per thirty days and there’s additionally the choice of a customized pricing plan. | 4.9 |
• Assembly polls • Availability settings • Reporting and analytics |
A breakdown of the 6 greatest work schedule apps
1. Greatest all-in-one answer: Homebase

Designed with small companies in thoughts, Homebase affords all of the important options that you just’re prone to want. You’ll be able to sync knowledge throughout our scheduling, time monitoring, and payroll instruments. Then, you should use its built-in options to coordinate all of your staff processes.
High options
- Autopopulation primarily based on employees roles and availability
- Clock-in on tablets, computer systems, and POS units — together with location-based clock in and the power to seize staff images
- A vast template library
- Staff availability that collects which days employees can and might’t work
- Worker self-scheduling for trades, covers, and open shifts
- Customized additional time and break preferences
- Automated, real-time reminders and notifications for workers
- Labor forecasting by roles, days, and extra
- Versatile communication options like shift notes and group messaging
- A spread of different HR instruments like a GPS time clock, timesheets, and payroll
Professionals and cons
Homebase has a strong set of scheduling instruments to streamline creating timetables, cut back errors, and preserve your staff comfortable. You’ll be able to autopopulate shifts utilizing your staff’s availability, reuse templates out of your library, and let employees regulate their hours utilizing swaps and covers. All these can be found in both the free or lowest-cost plan.
However as Homebase targets small companies like retailers and cafes specifically, we’re not well-suited to some setups. For instance, we don’t supply assembly schedule instruments or help timetables for giant, complicated organizations.
Pricing
Homebase has a free plan for as much as twenty customers that gives primary scheduling instruments. For extra management and suppleness, listed here are our paid plans:
- Necessities for $24.95 per thirty days per location for superior scheduling and time monitoring options, like staff availability, shift notes, and self-scheduling instruments.
- Plus for $59.95 per thirty days per location, which has every thing in Necessities plus go away administration and customized permissions.
- All-in-one for $99.95 per thirty days per location for labor forecasting and reporting.
It can save you 20% off all plans by making an annual dedication.
2. Sling: Greatest for time zone variations

Some small companies function in numerous time zones which provides an additional layer of complexity to scheduling employees. It’s a must to assign hours that go well with the enterprise, the worker, and the shopper. To keep away from confusion, Sling permits you to schedule and monitor shifts in everybody’s native instances.
High options
- Scheduling with a view of the enterprise and the worker’s native time zone
- Open shifts with the choice to let employees assign themselves on a primary come first serve foundation or to select from the volunteers
- The power to phase days into morning, afternoon, and night shifts
Professionals and cons
The principle upside of Sling is the free plan with limitless customers. This implies for those who simply want the fundamental instruments, you don’t must pay a cent.
However the draw back is for those who want extra performance, Sling doesn’t supply as many instruments on its paid plans as some rivals. It additionally fees per worker. So, you may find yourself paying a excessive charge though you don’t get accounting or HR options.
Pricing
There are three Sling plans:
- Free for limitless staff, managers, and areas which affords primary scheduling instruments.
- Premium at $2 per consumer per thirty days so as to add availability administration and self-scheduling instruments.
- Enterprise at $4 per consumer per thirty days for every thing in Premium plus autoscheduling.
3. Connecteam: Greatest for personalisation

Relying on the complexity of your enterprise, you might want a excessive stage of customization. Connecteam’s granular settings can assist you obtain this. There are instruments like sub-jobs that allow you to categorize shifts and filters to find out who can entry what. The platform additionally has a wealth of different built-in options like programs and messengers that you may add to your plan.
High options
- Sub-jobs to allow you to categorize shifts in positive element — for instance, which restaurant areas they’re accountable for
- Permission filters so you may management what different managers or staff can do and see
- Job checklists so you may assign work in addition to hours
Professionals and cons
Like Homebase and Sling, Connecteam has a free plan. You should use all of the options you want offered you don’t exceed the restrict of ten customers.
The issue is when you have a bigger staff, Connecteam requires many upgrades to entry all of the options. For instance, the communication instruments are in a separate hub and the compliance instruments are solely within the two highest-cost plans.
Pricing
Other than the free plan for the ten customers we talked about, Connecteam has 4 plans:
- Primary at $29 per thirty days (plus 60 cents for each consumer over the restrict of 30) which has primary scheduling and self-scheduling instruments.
- Superior at $49 (plus $1.80 cents for each consumer over the restrict of 30) for every thing in Primary plus template instruments and customized notifications.
- Professional at $99 (plus $3.60 cents for each consumer over the restrict of 30) so as to add the compliance instruments.
- Enterprise with a customized value for all of the options from the earlier plans and limitless sub-jobs.
4. Once I Work: Greatest for a number of admins

In contrast to many different work schedule apps, Once I Work offers you three admins from the bottom price plan. This implies you may share scheduling duties simply with different managers. If a couple of supervisor can log in concurrently, this additionally will increase the possibilities of considered one of you receiving an pressing message and responding shortly.
High options
- Autoscheduling to create instantaneous timetables primarily based on availability
- Template instruments that allow you to create reusable schedules
- Labor forecasting to foretell what number of employees you want per shift
Professionals and cons
Once I Work’s greatest draw is the vary of instruments it contains in its lowest price plan. You should use autoscheduling, templates, and labor forecasting with out upgrading.
Nonetheless, Once I Work lacks important options like payroll and HR instruments and doesn’t combine with many different enterprise apps. This implies you might find yourself having to manually enter schedule knowledge within the different platforms you utilize.
Pricing
Once I Work has two plans at $2.50 and $4 per consumer per thirty days. The upper-cost plan has superior scheduling instruments like customized reporting and guidelines. You can too add time monitoring and early pay entry to every plan for $1.50 and $2.00 per consumer respectively.
5. Humanity: Greatest for Apple Watch compatibility

Lots of Humanity’s options make it a great possibility for on-the-go employees. First, it’s suitable with Apple Watch so staff can see alerts as they’re working. And secondly, you may schedule in line with particular expertise and {qualifications} which makes it simpler to assign employees primarily based on their particular experience.
High options
- Scheduling primarily based on what expertise and {qualifications} you want for every shift
- Risk to make use of the app with Apple Watch
- Importing exterior KPIs into the platform to forecast future scheduling wants
Professionals and cons
In the event you’re contemplating an app for an on-the-go staff, you want one thing that may work with telephones, tablets, and even the Apple Watch. And Humanity customers say the software program is “easy” and “simple to make use of”. However it’s price noting in addition they report “bother saving” schedules and sometimes must recreate them.
Pricing
Humanity affords customized pricing in order that they don’t promote their charges. There are three plans obtainable:
- Starter for primary scheduling instruments and entry to the cellular app.
- Traditional for every thing in Starter plus autoscheduling and analytics instruments.
- Enterprise which has every thing from the earlier two plans and labor forecasting.
6. HotSchedules powered by Fourth: Greatest for worker suggestions

Whereas labor and gross sales figures are helpful, they will’t let you know every thing. As an example, demanding clients who don’t purchase many merchandise can masks how difficult a selected shift actually is. So, HotSchedules’ end-of-shift survey lets staff go away extra in-depth suggestions. Which means you may accumulate extra qualitative knowledge for a well-rounded thought of whether or not you’re adequately staffed or teaming the precise individuals collectively.
High options
- Finish of shift surveys to let staff members share considerations
- Alerts for compliance points whereas schedule constructing
- Alternative of messaging people or broadcasting messages to your entire staff
Professionals and cons
As Fourth owns HotSchedules, you’ve the choice so as to add their different HR merchandise like time monitoring, payroll, and stock administration. Which means you’re extra doubtless to have the ability to run all of your duties from one platform relatively than switching between a number of. It’s a must to put apart a while to study HotSchedules, although — customers warn the app is “difficult” and “takes getting used to”.
Pricing
Fourth doesn’t promote its pricing plans.
7. Calendly: Greatest for scheduling appointments

Some companies base their schedules round assembly instances relatively than opening hours. That may be as a result of they’ve freelance employees who handle their very own timetables or as a result of they cost purchasers per appointment. If that’s you, then you definitely may just like the sound of Calendly. This scheduling app permits you to discover the optimum time for conferences shortly and integrates with common chat instruments together with Zoom and Google Meet.
High options
- Assembly polls to find out the very best time to speak effectively
- Availability settings so staff can point out after they’re free
- Analytics on common assembly varieties and instances
Professionals and cons
The most important professional to Calendly is the selection of 5 plans together with a free one and a customized pricing one. Which means yow will discover the precise pricing to fit your funds. However Calendly’s lack of options for scheduling hourly employees makes it unsuitable for a lot of forms of small companies like retailers and cafes.
Pricing
As talked about above, Calendly has 5 plans:
- Primary which is free and supplies one calendar, limitless conferences, and integrations to software program like Slack and Microsoft Groups.
- Necessities at $8 per consumer per thirty days for a second calendar, reminders, and follow-ups.
- Skilled at $12 per consumer per thirty days so as to add workflows, analytic instruments, and branding.
- Groups at $16 per consumer per thirty days for every thing in Skilled plus syncing occasions throughout your staff.
- Enterprise with customized pricing for compliance instruments and devoted help personnel. Calendly recommends this for groups of over 30 individuals.
Homebase makes scheduling simple
On the subject of selecting a piece schedule app for your enterprise, there are various nice choices on the market. However Homebase stands out as your best option.
Homebase understands that small companies must make each expense depend. So, we pack lots into our app and don’t add pointless extras. We offer options to streamline scheduling, be sure you keep inside your labor funds, and provides staff extra management over their hours. That manner it can save you time on scheduling and make your staff comfortable with out reducing into your earnings.
**The knowledge above relies on our analysis on work schedule apps. All consumer suggestions referenced within the textual content has been sourced from unbiased software program assessment platforms, corresponding to G2 and Capterra, in April 2023.
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