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Best Employee Scheduling Software for SMBs

Best Employee Scheduling Software for Small Business (2024)

Our guide to the best employee scheduling software is the product of extensive research conducted by our HR experts coupled with external insights from across the industry. Find pricing, pros & cons, best practices and more below.

Phil Strazzulla
Written by
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Aug 05, 2024
TOP
Refined features + affordable price
When I Work
4.1
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.2
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Refined features + affordable price
When I Work
4.1
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.2
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Mobile-friendly shift scheduling software, free plan available
Connecteam
4.1
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.3
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Mobile-friendly shift scheduling software, free plan available
Connecteam
4.1
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.3
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Great fit for SMBs
Homebase
4.6
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.7
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Great fit for SMBs
Homebase
4.6
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.7
Product  Score
Learn More
Over 3 million HR leaders trust our advice

Best Employee Scheduling Software for SMBs

When I Work

: Refined features + affordable price

Connecteam

: Mobile-friendly shift scheduling software, free plan available

Homebase

: Great fit for SMBs

Deputy

: AI-driven schedule optimization

Shiftboard

: Great for manufacturing + production SMBS

7shifts

: Fully-featured and simple

ScheduleBase

: Simple features for ease of use

QuickBooks Time

: 360° platform streamlines processes

OpenSimSim

: Free features + great options for SMBs

TCP

: U.S. workforce scheduling for teams under 200 employees

Calendly

: Great UI + schedule visibility

Introduction to SMB Employee Scheduling Software

The best employee scheduling software solutions help organizations plan their labor needs, assign jobs to the right employees, and ensure that the total available working hours are being optimally utilized.

We spent hours researching, evaluating, and comparing the best employee scheduling software for small businesses.

Our focus has been the same as if we were in your shoes, on the market for an employee scheduling tool. We looked at their features, user experience, and main strengths and weaknesses.

However, finding the most suitable employee scheduling tool for your business is as much about understanding your business as it is about the product. Depending on how you’re set up, ‘the best’ product will vary.

For that reason, we’ve tried to put together a list with sufficient variety in industries, types of tech, and pricing styles. That being said, all of these are good bets for businesses with less than 1,500 employees. 

Sounds good? Let’s dive in and take a closer look at each tool’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Best Employee Scheduling Software for SMBs

To find the ideal employee scheduling software tools for small businesses, we conducted an exhaustive evaluation of over 30 products. We carefully considered numerous factors, including what we believe are four key criteria for these products: ease of use, customization, pricing, and integrations with payroll tools.

Our editorial team, consisting of seasoned HR professionals guided by insights from industry leaders, spearheaded the research. Additionally, we collected valuable data through hands-on user research.

  • Ease of Use: Small businesses often need more time and resources for extensive software training. Therefore, we prioritized employee scheduling software that boasts user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation.
  • Customization: We focused on scheduling solutions that provide a high degree of customization. Our selections offer flexible shift templates, customizable scheduling rules, and the ability to cater to different workforce arrangements, such as part-time, full-time, and seasonal employees.
  • Pricing: The selected solutions offer subscription plans suitable for SMB budgets, with pricing tiers based on the number of employees or schedule complexity. Additionally, we highlight software that provides free trial periods or freemium versions.
  • Integrations with Payroll Tools: We sought out software options that seamlessly integrate with popular payroll systems, accounting software, and HR platforms. These integrations facilitate seamless data transfer, reducing manual work and minimizing the risk of errors.

For more insights into our comprehensive evaluation process and to explore our selection of the best HR tech, we invite you to read our piece on how we select the best HR tech.

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Compare the Best Employee Scheduling Software for SMBs

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

When I Work

Most Popular
4.1
Teams on a budget
Intuitive company-wide schedule dashboard
Starts at $4/mo
Yes
150,000+ companies
4.4
4.2

Connecteam

Most Popular
4.1
SMBs with no more than 30 employees
Good time clock and shift scheduling tools
Starts at $29/mo
Yes
36,000+ companies
4.6
4.3

Homebase

Most Popular
4.6
Small hourly companies
Well-designed interface for admins and employees
Starts at $20/mo
Yes
100,000+ companies
4.6
4.7

Deputy

Most Popular
4.6
SMBs to replaces spreadsheets and other manual work
AI-driven employee scheduling tool
Starts at $2.5/mo
Yes
355,000+ companies
4.5
4.7

Shiftboard

Most Popular
4.5
Teams with complex scheduling needs
Enables multiple employee qualifiers for shift acceptance
Custom Pricing
No
Undisclosed
3.5
4.2

7shifts

Most Popular
4.6
Small restaurants
Great integration capabilities
Starts at $29.99/mo
Yes
1.5 million+ companies
4.6
4.8

ScheduleBase

Most Popular
4.0
Shift-based teams
Very easy to use
Starts at $10/mo
Yes
20,000+ companies
4.2
4.1

QuickBooks Time

Most Popular
4.0
Small-scale organizations
Integrated time tracking and accounting
Starts at $8/mo
Yes
75,000+ companies
4.6
4.2

OpenSimSim

Most Popular
4.0
Hospitality and service businesses
Free feature-rich plan for up to 10 employees
Starts at $12.99/mo
Yes
180,000+ companies
4.5
4.1

TCP

Most Popular
4.1
U.S.-based small organizations
Solid tool for managing schedules, timekeeping, and compliance
Undisclosed
Yes
18,000+ companies
3.6
4.0

Calendly

Most Popular
4.1
Entrepreneurs, consultants, service-oriented companies
Intuitive UI, free plan available
Starts at $10/mo
Yes
100,000+ users
4.6
4.5
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

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Detailed Reviews of the Best SMB Employee Scheduling Software

When I Work

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When I Work
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked When I Work

When I Work is ideal for small businesses with limited budgets looking for a robust employee scheduling application. It’s not loaded with unnecessary features like many other HR tools but delivers excellent employee scheduling and time tracking capabilities.

PROS

  • Easy shift scheduling for managers and employees.
  • Global organization view of all employees.
  • Minimizes absences and no-shows through shift confirmation messages and seen receipts.
  • Allows managers to decide how much control employees get

CONS

  • No way to track paid time off
  • Limited reporting data
  • Technical and user-experience issues with the mobile app

When I Work Review

When I Work is a robust employee scheduling tool ideal for small businesses. It gives employers a bird’s eye view of their team’s work schedule and allows them to make changes on the go. It also empowers employees and makes their off-time more enjoyable by giving them control over their schedule and saving them from unplanned work.

When I Work Customers

When I Work Pricing

When I Work offers the following subscription plans.

  • Small Business - $2/user per month
  • Enterprise - Custom quote

The Small Business plan comes with a 14-day trial, while Enterprise users can schedule a Demo before purchase.

Best For

  • It gives employers the company-wide schedule dashboard simplifying decision making and saving countless hours.
  • Allows users to track their work hours and update schedules anytime.
  • Enables instant communication between employees and managers to improve coordination and minimize confusion.
When I Work in action
Reviewer's Rating
6/10

I utilized it for 8 months. The primary function was schedule management - utilizing the platform to keep track of work schedules and shifts available to pick up. Additionally we utilized it for timekeeping purposes, generating reports from the system to pay 10-99 employees. The chat function was used, however sparingly due to preferred other platforms for this. We had users at multiple access levels, with leaders managing the schedules and reports.

What do you like about this tool?
  1. User-friendly interface in both the app and the web-based platform
  2. Easy to manage a high-volume of team members
  3. Solved our problems of needing a centralized scheduling system for multiple locations and a reliable time-keeping app
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

I utilized when-i-work while employed with JAG Physical Therapy. I have 8 months' experience utilizing the system. It was purchased to be a schedule management system to schedule, track time and attendance, and communicate with our hourly employees. The pain points leading to purchase included a need for an all-access central scheduling system that can accommodate multiple site locations. The key benefits included the ability to keep track of time off, employee availability, and manage shift swaps with a few clicks.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. The chat feature is clunky. We chose to utilized WhatsApp instead for security purposes
  2. Difficulty with integration into ADP payroll system
  3. Various aspects of the clock in/clock out logistics, with GPS tracking. This led to extra work when people forgot to clock in or out and had to manually enter
How is this tool different than their competitors?

I preferred When-I-Work's App vs Deputy, however preferred the web-based interface of Deputy. It was easier to find settings for changes, easier to copy and duplicate shifts in a series with customization.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  1. Cost - When-I-Work is an affordable choice for what you get
  2. Other systems in your workplace - check for the ability to integrate
  3. Comparison of chat features vs other options - have to find what works best for you. Would be better if when-i-work was encrypted.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

It became more user-friendly over the 8 months I utilized the app. The customer service team was helpful in solving challenges that arose.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Any multi-location entity

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I cannot think of a situation where it wouldn't be helpful for tracking schedules and time cards.

Connecteam

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Connecteam
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked Connecteam

You can enjoy using all three of Connecteam’s hubs (Operations, Communications, and HR & Skills) for free for up to 10 users.

PROS

  • Reach staff instantly with native team communication tools.
  • Forms and checklists provide workers with necessary job information.
  • Track employee hours with a user-friendly time clock.
  • Geofencing and automated timesheets for payroll.
  • Offers auto-scheduling, error-flagging, and scheduling templates.
  • Competitive pricing. Free plan and free trial available.
  1. One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
  2. Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
  3. Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.

CONS

  • Limited native integration options. API access for Enterprise plan only.
  • No phone support.
  1. In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen. 
  2. Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
Connecteam employee scheduling software screenshot

Connecteam Review

Creating shifts on Connecteam is designed to be flexible and accommodating. You have the option to create single or multiple shifts, import from Excel, provide open spots for your workers to claim, or set up repeating shifts. Further, given that small businesses often function on shift-based models rather than specific job roles, the platform's adaptability in enabling users to approve individuals for shifts independently is truly a plus.

Connecteam has a clear interface that worked well despite the devices we used: laptop, tablet, and phone. The help center has easy-to-digest video tutorials and articles and a search function that, during our testing, made it easy for us to find what we needed. Plus, we like that the platform keeps everything current and in three languages.

Pricing-wise, we were impressed with Connecteam’s transparency and flexibility. There’s a free-for-life plan for teams with no more than 10 users and a couple of paid options that could be of good use for these businesses as they expand.

Our main concern about Connecteam, though, is its integration limitations: It can natively connect with very few HR tools, while API access is restricted to the Enterprise plan.

We love the thorough Help Center, but it’s a shame there is no phone support. In our experience, being able to engage with support immediately over the phone when required is greatly appreciated by many businesses.

Connecteam Customers

36,000+ companies, including Eco-Moving, Cage Free Voices, and UGS Private Security.

Connecteam Pricing

Connecteam offers a free plan for SMBs with up to 10 employees. The platform’s paid plans start at $29 per user per month billed annually.

Best For

SMBs with no more than 30 employees and which do not need extensive integration choices.

Connecteam in action
No items found.

Homebase

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Homebase
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.7 / 5

Why we picked Homebase

There’s a lot to like about Homebase. Its central scheduling interface is its biggest strength, which gives employers and employees a clear view of the company-wide schedule. We also love the fact that it offers a free version which is sufficient for most small businesses.

PROS

  • Provides a fully integrated employee scheduling system with separate interfaces for managers and employees.
  • Instant messaging feature to directly communicate with team members and make schedule changes on the go.
  • Makes requesting time off a breeze.
  • Allows you to create schedule templates.
  • Has desktop, android, and iPhone applications.
  • Separate dashboards for managers and employees
  • Real-time communication features allow for schedule changes on the move
  • Requesting and approving paid time off is easy
  • Great scheduling templates help managers streamline work

CONS

  • It doesn’t have the most intuitive user interface, making it hard to navigate the product.
  • Offers limited third-party integrations
  • The tool offers very little room for customization
  • Limited third-party integration support
  • Additional features are somewhat expensive

Homebase Review

Homebase is among the best employee scheduling applications with thousands of customers worldwide. It provides organizations with an integrated system to manage their team’s schedule and instantly notify the relevant employees of any changes.

Its mobile apps allow employees to access their schedule on the go, coordinate with team members, and stay updated on any changes.

Similarly, it allows managers to assign work shifts and instantly notify employees of their schedules. 

Try Homebase For Free

Homebase Customers

Homebase Pricing

Homebase offers the following subscription plans (billed annually)

  • Basic - Free
  • Essentials - $14/month per location [most suitable plans for employee scheduling features]
  • Plus - $35/month per location
  • All-in-one - $70/month per location

Best For

Homebase in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

I used the software every day. Everyone initially had to log in via a portal, but that didn't work well due to how my users had to log in and out. I switched the company to the app and utilized their geofencing, which worked beautifully.

The owner was very meticulous and spent a lot of time checking clock-in locations for all staff, including remote employees. The geofencing was extremely flexible by location. My team caught on to the app quickly and even showed me features.

It is a high-quality app for employees to use. We did have trouble with the initial setup due to labor laws in different states. Their help team walked us through the fix in no time. The issue was over employee breaks, paid or not. Our solution was to turn that feature off and have the employees take their breaks without clocking in or out.

Sending approved hours into payroll was also a simple process. Once the managers approved the hours, I logged into the payroll system and directed a download.

What do you like about this tool?

The app for admins and employees is so well done that they hardly needed any instruction. Scheduling can be tricky for a new user, but once it's set up, changes are simple, and deploying the schedule is a breeze. The connection to payroll was very straightforward and always correct once the hours were approved and downloaded into payroll. Employees knew exactly what was happening and could immediately get a correction in place prior to the payroll download if they made an error.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

I was working for a manufacturing company. The warehouse workers were not tracking their time properly when I came on board. They needed a solid solution quickly. To solve this problem, I looked towards the payroll company. I was seeking an app that connected directly to my payroll, provided complete accuracy, and allowed employees to know exactly where they stood at any given time.

Homebase connected beautifully to Gusto, one of their partners. Homebase has a scheduling feature that is very easy to use, allowing easy distribution of new schedules, changes, updates, etc., to employees. I installed this system in a hotel, and the staff loved it. The manager was computer illiterate and struggled a lot with the scheduling feature.

Suggestion: Ensure your manager goes through the Homebase training if they are unfamiliar with timekeeping/scheduling systems. Their help is available most of the time via live chat, and both admins and employees can use it.

I used Homebase for two years. I stopped because of their growing pains, as too many issues popped up. However, when I used it for the hotel, those issues had been resolved.

What do you dislike about this tool?

When they were growing rapidly, getting help could take time. During this time, the transmission of hours into payroll wasn't always working properly, which made the software unacceptable for us. That has since been fixed, as it worked fine for the hotel I put onto the system. The scheduling portion can be cumbersome for a person who is a novice. Ensure users who are doing the scheduling receive training if they're new to timekeeping software.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

It's very similar to other timekeeping applications I've experienced. I prefer Homebase over most due to its simplicity and how much the employees liked the app.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Initially, ensure this timekeeping system integrates with your payroll provider, which is the most important. Determine if your employees will use their own cell phones or if you want to have a login portal. The best system for me was biometric, but adding that piece can be expensive. Employees did not mind having the app on their phone; they actually loved the feeling of control Homebase gave them. If you're seeking software that will help with scheduling your team, this one does well.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

From the time I used it, they had many growing pains, including internal staffing changes and getting them up to speed. That's been resolved as far as I can tell from the hotel. This is a really good application for employees and employers.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Homebase is very good for hourly scheduled employees in hotels, restaurants, and other service-oriented businesses.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Homebase’s limitation would be due to the size of a company; it is best for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Deputy

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Deputy
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Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.7 / 5

Why we picked Deputy

Deputy makes employee scheduling a breeze. But what makes it different from other employee scheduling software is its AI capabilities. It does the heavy lifting for you by developing optimized employee schedules for departments, teams, or individual employees based on their workload and availability.

PROS

  • Quickly create optimized employee schedules with AI assistance.
  • Easily find replacements when an employee doesn’t show up.
  • Accurately track breaks and unproductive time.
  • Easily integrates with Google Calendar and other workforce management and scheduling apps.
  • Create AI optimized employee schedules
  • Eliminate no-shows with quick replacements
  • Track unproductive time and breaks with precision

CONS

  • Very limited reporting and analytics
  • Average customer support in case of technical problems
  • It has a complex user interface that makes editing shifts, and employee schedules unnecessarily complicated.
  • Limited reporting functionality
  • Once published, upcoming schedules can’t be changed

Deputy Review

Deputy’s AI-powered employee scheduling features make it an ideal solution for busy small business owners. It takes the hassle out of employee scheduling by providing up-to-date workforce engagement details to managers and allowing employees to access their schedules online.

Deputy Customers

Deputy Pricing

Deputy offers a full-featured free trial of up t0 31 days. After that, you can sign up for one of its paid plans.

Scheduling - $2.5/user per month (billed annually)

Premium - $4.5/user per month (billed annually) 

The Premium plan includes scheduling and time & attendance features.

Best For

  • Simplifies team communication and workload planning a breeze.
  • It helps you identify underutilized and overburdened employees.
  • Replaces spreadsheets and other manual work management methods with real-time dashboards.
Deputy in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

My team and I used the Deputy system on a daily basis to manage workplace schedules for our sports medicine department. We had users at multiple levels of system access. Deputy was used separately from our Hospital ADP Payroll system, as we were not permitted to integrate them. Additionally, we utilized the messaging component to share key updates with the team. The key workflows I relied on included creating and publishing schedules, managing time off requests and shift-drop requests, tracking employee hours, and generating reports for tracking and invoicing purposes.

What do you like about this tool?
  1. User-friendly ease of access via the app
  2. Customization ability in creating shift locations based on our outreach partnership sites
  3. Very affordable option to address our needs
  4. Feed features - helpful communication tool
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

When I worked for RWJBarnabas Health, we purchased Deputy to manage the scheduling, shift details, and communications for the outreach sports medicine team. We utilized it for two years. Our pain points included lack of per diem employee access to outlook schedules and disjointed communication platforms. Key benefits of use included an easy centralized scheduling system that was customizable to make our contracted partners along with an easy-to-navigate app for the end-users

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. Lack of / difficulty with integration to our other hospital systems
  2. Feed - while it was a useful tool, at times, it was clunky; notifications were not always pushed through
  3. Not all settings and functions are intuitive and easy to find - especially with differences between the web-based version and the app version
How is this tool different than their competitors?

I have also used "When-I-Work" as a comparison. I preferred the app interface of When-I-Work. However, I preferred the web-based interface of Deputy, which was much more user-friendly.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  1. Cost - very affordable option, we paid per user
  2. Volume of users - was an effective schedule management option for 30-40 users with varying access levels
  3. Chat function - should seek a platform with a consistent messaging function, both with individual messaging and group messaging
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Deputy was receptive to ideas for enhancements during calls with customer service, and the overall experience and user-ease improved during the two years we utilized this service.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Single or multiple-location entities in need of customizable location details

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I can honestly not think of a user or organization situation where the tool would not at least be somewhat helpful.

Shiftboard

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Shiftboard
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Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
3.5 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked Shiftboard

ShiftBoard is ideal for large production-centric organizations looking to effectively schedule shifts and optimize labor costs. It makes life much easier for shift managers by giving employees access to their schedules and the option to trade hours.

PROS

  • Offers two different products for production-centric companies and service providers.
  • It’s a sophisticated employee scheduling solution that links directly with production plans, HR software, account, etc., to provide 360-degree resource management.
  • It reduces absences and missed shifts resulting in lower labor costs and optimized production planning.

CONS

  • Offers limited functionality to accommodate project-based employees.
  • The user interface is clunky and hard to navigate.
  • It has a learning curve due to its complex options.

Shiftboard Review

Shiftboard is a robust employee scheduling platform that offers significantly more features and functions than the other software in this list. This is why 60,000+ manufacturing and service-oriented companies use it for employee scheduling. 

But it isn’t very customizable and lacks several key features for small businesses and companies that operate with contractual employees.

Shiftboard Customers

Shiftboard Pricing

ShiftBoard offers two different scheduling products for manufacturing and service-oriented organizations.

ScheduleFlex Pricing (Service Industry)

Basic - $3/month per user

Professional - $6/month per user (ideal for growing companies)

Enterprise - Custom Quote.

SchedulePro Pricing (Manufacturing Industry)

Enterprise and Enterprise Plus plans - Custom quotes

You can schedule a free demo of SchedulePro and ScheduleFlex from their respective pricing pages.

Best For

  • Improves employee motivation and productivity by helping companies minimize overtime and unplanned shifts.
  • Allows organizations to manage employees at multiple production facilities from a central dashboard.
  • Minimizes communication gaps in large companies through group announcements and one-on-one chats.
Shiftboard in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

We use Shiftboard for multiple purposes. Our program schedule for over 40 program site locations is housed in Shiftboard for our program schedulers to administer and adjust daily. This includes not only publishing available shifts but also narrowing down who can pick up shifts at various locations based on their credentials and training. We also use Shiftboard to communicate with our employees, as most of them utilize the Shiftboard app daily. We send announcements and reminders through Shiftboard. Our employees use Shiftboard to see their schedules, find available shifts, and clock in or out when they work. They also use Shiftboard to request time off and designate whether they'd like to use PTO.

What do you like about this tool?

Shiftboard is highly customizable and allows us to have multiple qualifiers for employees to accept shifts, such as credentials or specific training requirements. The platform is easy to use and understand for our employees. The "Tradeboard" feature allows employees to swap shifts if they qualify and meet the requirements, offering flexibility when they need time off. The support team is highly responsive when issues occur, which is not frequent.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization contracted with Shiftboard for scheduling over eight years ago. We needed a solution for scheduling 350+ employees in the healthcare industry working in various locations that were staffed 24/7. Our payroll provider had timekeeping and scheduling capabilities, but they were very limited and didn't operate well with 24-hour scheduling. We needed something that employees would find easy to navigate and use daily. We also wanted our employees to have more than one option for how they clock in and out for each shift that would update in real-time.

What do you dislike about this tool?

From an administrative standpoint, the system can be challenging for schedulers to learn. The training modules offered could be expanded to make this easier. The visual calendar is a bit rudimentary.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

I find Shiftboard superior to its competitors. Prior to contracting with Shiftboard, I researched 6-7 other timekeeping/scheduling systems, and none of them were as customizable. I appreciate the added benefits of company announcements and communication features, and the price is highly competitive and affordable.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When considering timekeeping/scheduling software, first identify the goals you need it to achieve. The larger and more complex your needs, the more customizable the software should be. Do your employees have the same basic schedule? Do they work at the same location frequently? If so, you may not need much customization. If you have many employees and multiple locations, your scheduling needs will be complex, and you'll want the ability to mold the software to fit your exact specifications.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Shiftboard is proactive about contacting and meeting with their customers regularly to identify any pain points. Shiftboard has undergone multiple upgrades over time, each beneficial to our company. This includes a company dashboard for announcements to all employees, the ability to contact employees individually or by location, and the Tradeboard feature. Their support team responds well to feedback and requests.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Any sized company with complex scheduling needs will find Shiftboard to be a great fit. It is especially useful for healthcare companies, which have hundreds of employees in multiple locations.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Small companies with simple scheduling needs won’t need Shiftboard. If your employees generally work the same shifts at the same location, this may not be a necessary expense.

7shifts

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7shifts
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Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.8 / 5

Why we picked 7shifts

7Shifts provides a wide range of scheduling features under one hood. They stand out for their AI-powered auto-scheduler, in-app messaging, time tracking, and even a basic ATS. Few software products that apply to the restaurant business combine many such functions.

PROS

  • This software has a lot of integration options, making it easier to streamline aspects of your business like sales. You can, for example, connect to point of sale systems like Square and Toast so you can easily accept credit card and NFC payments as well as inventory and financing.
  • A fully-featured software that helps you manage team schedules, timesheets, tasks, communications, and much more, within a mobile-friendly platform.
  • Their free plan features basic scheduling and ATS functionalities to get your restaurant up and running, and it can accommodate as many as 30 users per location.
  • This software has a lot of integration options, making it easier to streamline aspects of your business like sales. You can, for example, connect to point of sale systems like Square and Toast so you can easily accept credit card and NFC payments as well as inventory and financing.
  • A fully-featured software that helps you manage team schedules, timesheets, tasks, communications, and much more, within a mobile-friendly platform.
  • Their free plan features basic scheduling and ATS functionalities to get your restaurant up and running, and it can accommodate as many as 30 users per location.

CONS

  • The platform’s scheduling can be a drag for teams with global remote workers because the shifts are only scheduled in CST timezone.
  • The system, sometimes, does not synchronize employee’s mobile shift data with admin data. So shifts could be created and published on the manager’s end and the employees might not receive it.
  • Doesn’t allow you to edit schedules before publishing. If a mistake is made, the schedule will have to be deleted and created again.
  • The platform’s scheduling can be a drag for teams with global remote workers because the shifts are only scheduled in CST timezone.
  • The system, sometimes, does not synchronize employee’s mobile shift data with admin data. So shifts could be created and published on the manager’s end and the employees might not receive it.
  • Doesn’t allow you to edit schedules before publishing. If a mistake is made, the schedule will have to be deleted and created again.

7shifts Review

7Shifts was built specifically to be a human resources software for the restaurant industry, offering a wide range of functionality including employee scheduling, time clocking, labor compliance, and team communication.

Although this software has a lot of moving parts, they all synchronize to streamline restaurant operations. Additionally, the software offers innovative tools like an AI-powered auto-scheduler and templates, to help managers keep up with the fast-paced nature of restaurant HR management.

7shifts Customers

Sambo’s, The Chopped Leaf, Andy’s Frozen Custard, National Coney Island.

7shifts Pricing

7Shifts has four plans available, three with fixed pricing and one with customized pricing. Add-ons are also available for separate purchases. Here are the main plans:

  • Comp: Free plan with basic scheduling and ATS features. It supports only 30 users per location.
  • Entree: $34.99 per location per month, but you can save about 10% if you pay annually. It is a little upgrade from the comp plan with additional reporting and budgeting features. It also supports a max of 30 employees per location.
  • The Works: This plan costs $76.99 per location per month ($69.99 when billed annually). It offers all 7Shifts features to give you an all-in-one restaurant team management platform.
  • Gourmet: The Gourmet plan is their custom plan. What separates this plan for the previous ones is that it comes with a dedicated account manager.

As for the add-ons, these are priced as follows:

  • Task management: $12.99/location/month
  • Tip pooling: $24.99/location/month
  • Operations overview: $6.99/location/month
  • Manager logbook: $14.99/location/month

Best For

7Shifts is a great choice for restaurants that want a little bit of human resource management together with the scheduling.

7shifts in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10
  • As someone who uses 7shifts regularly, I can say that it has become an essential tool for managing our scheduling and time-tracking processes. I use it on a daily basis to create and manage employee schedules, approve time-off requests, and communicate with our team.
  • One of the key workflows that I use 7shifts for is creating schedules. With the ability to customize our scheduling rules and preferences, I can easily create schedules that are optimized for our needs. I can quickly add or remove shifts, assign employees to specific shifts, and communicate any changes to our team.
  • Another workflow that I use 7shifts for is managing time-off requests. Employees can submit time-off requests through the app, and I can easily approve or deny them. I can also set up rules for time-off requests, such as requiring a certain amount of notice or limiting the number of employees who can be off at the same time.
  • I also use 7shifts for time tracking, which has streamlined our payroll processes. I can easily view and export timesheets, and the system automatically calculates overtime and other labor law requirements.
  • Overall, I use 7shifts on a daily basis to manage our scheduling and time-tracking processes, and it has been an essential tool for improving our operations and communication with our team.
What do you like about this tool?

I can tell you that there are several things that I really like about the software. Here are a few of the main pros:

1. Ease of use: 7shifts is very intuitive and easy to use, even for someone who is not tech-savvy. The interface is clean and simple, and the features are well-organized and easy to access.

2. Flexibility: 7shifts is highly customizable, which has been great for us as we have a large and varied workforce. We can set up our scheduling rules and preferences, and the system automatically generates optimal schedules based on our needs.

3. Communication: 7shifts has greatly improved our communication with our team. We can easily send messages and announcements to our employees through the app, and they can quickly and easily request time off or shift swaps. This has helped to reduce conflicts and improve morale among our team.

Overall, I have found 7shifts to be a great solution for managing our scheduling and time-tracking processes. The ease of use, flexibility, and communication features has been particularly helpful, and I would highly recommend it to other organizations.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization purchased 7shifts in order to streamline our scheduling and time tracking processes. Prior to using 7shifts, we were using a combination of spreadsheets and paper schedules, which was time-consuming and often led to errors or conflicts. We were looking for a tool that would allow us to easily create and manage schedules, track employee hours, and communicate with our team.

One of the key benefits of using 7shifts has been the ability to quickly and easily create schedules, even for a large and varied workforce. We can customize our scheduling rules and preferences, and the system automatically generates optimal schedules based on our needs. We can also easily communicate with employees through the app, and they can quickly and easily request time off or shift swaps.

Another benefit has been the time tracking feature, which has helped us to track employee hours and ensure compliance with labor laws accurately. We can easily view and export timesheets, which has streamlined our payroll processes.

Overall, we have been using 7shifts for about a month, which has been a game changer for our organization. It has saved us time, reduced errors and conflicts, and improved communication with our team.

What do you dislike about this tool?

There are a few things that I think could be improved about the software. Here are a few cons:

1. Glitches: Like any software, 7shifts occasionally has glitches or bugs. While these are usually resolved quickly, they can be disruptive to our operations when they occur.

2. No GPS tracking: 7shifts does not offer GPS tracking, which can be a downside for organizations with mobile or remote employees who need to track time and location.

3. Mobile app limitations: While the mobile app is useful for checking schedules and communicating with employee’s on-the-go, it can be a bit clunky and slow at times. It would be great to see some improvements in this area.

Overall, while there are a few things that I think could be improved about 7shifts, I still find it to be a great solution for managing our scheduling and time-tracking processes. The pros outweigh the cons for us, and we have been very satisfied with the value we have received from using the software.

How is this tool different than their competitors?
  • In my experience, one thing that sets 7shifts apart from its competitors is its focus on the restaurant industry. While other scheduling and time-tracking software options are more general-purpose, 7shifts is specifically designed to meet the needs of restaurants, with features like shift swapping, time off requests, and menu item tracking.
  • Additionally, I have found that 7shifts has a more user-friendly interface than some of its competitors, which makes it easier to train new employees on how to use the software. The scheduling process is also very intuitive and easy to use, which has helped us to save time and reduce scheduling errors.
  • In terms of similar tools that I have used, I have found that 7shifts compares favorably to other scheduling and time-tracking software options. While there are certainly other good options out there, we have found that 7shifts meets our needs well and provides good value for the cost.
  • Overall, while there are certainly other scheduling and time-tracking software options available, I believe that 7shifts is a strong choice for organizations in the restaurant industry. Its focus on this industry and its user-friendly interface set it apart from some of its competitors, and we have been very satisfied with our experience using the software.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When buying a tool, it's important to consider several key criteria to ensure that you get the best value for your money. One important factor is the tool's quality and durability, which can affect its lifespan and how well it performs. Another important factor is its functionality and features, which should align with your needs and intended use. It's also important to consider the price and your budget, as well as any additional costs such as maintenance or replacement parts. Lastly, you should also look at reviews and feedback from other users to get a sense of the tool's performance and reliability.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

As we have just started using the tool, I cannot provide much information on this.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

7shifts is a great tool for businesses in the food and hospitality industry, such as restaurants, cafes, and bars. It's designed to help managers and employees streamline their scheduling processes, track labor costs, and manage time-off requests, which are all important aspects of managing a successful restaurant or hospitality operation. Additionally, 7shifts has several features that are tailored to the unique needs of these types of businesses, such as shift swapping, automatic scheduling, and integrations with popular POS systems. Overall, if you're running a food or hospitality business and need a reliable tool to help manage your scheduling and labor costs, 7shifts is definitely worth considering.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

7shifts may not be the best fit for businesses outside of the food and hospitality industry, as its features and functionality are specifically tailored to the unique needs of these types of businesses. For example, if you run a retail store or a manufacturing operation, you may not need some of the scheduling and labor management features that 7shifts offers. Additionally, if your business operates on a significantly different schedule, such as 24/7 or with rotating shifts, you may find that 7shifts is not flexible enough to accommodate your needs.

ScheduleBase

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ScheduleBase
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked ScheduleBase

ScheduleBase does what it promises - simplifying employee scheduling. Its limited features make it an easy-to-use product for field staff and employers looking for a straightforward employee scheduling tool.

PROS

  • ScheduleBase is an easy-to-use tool that takes users straight to employee scheduling without overwhelming them with features.
  • It can be easily accessed from its website and mobile applications (iPhone and Android).
  • It offers a generous free trial of 30 days during which you can test all its features.
  • Automatically sends email and SMS alerts to employees when the employer modifies their schedules.
  • ScheduleBase is an easy-to-use tool that takes users straight to employee scheduling without overwhelming them with features.
  • It can be easily accessed from its website and mobile applications (iPhone and Android).
  • It offers a generous free trial of 30 days during which you can test all its features.
  • Automatically sends email and SMS alerts to employees when the employer modifies their schedules.

CONS

  • ScheduleBase comes with very limited features and is only suitable for companies looking for basic employee software.
  • It does not offer any third-party software integrations, which means you can’t connect it with your payroll or HR solutions.
  • It has an outdated user interface that isn’t visually appealing and lacks the drag & drop functionalities that most modern employee scheduling tools offer these days.
  • ScheduleBase comes with very limited features and is only suitable for companies looking for basic employee software.
  • It does not offer any third-party software integrations, which means you can’t connect it with your payroll or HR solutions.
  • It has an outdated user interface that isn’t visually appealing and lacks the drag & drop functionalities that most modern employee scheduling tools offer these days.

ScheduleBase Review

ScheduleBase has all the basic employee scheduling features that allow you to effectively create and manage your team’s schedules online. It provides you with an easy-to-use employee scheduler and instantly notifies your team of any changes to their shifts. However, you can’t call it an advanced tool since it lacks many additional features such as group chats, time tracking, etc., that the more expensive scheduling tools offer.

ScheduleBase Customers

Subway, Orange Leaf, GoRun Wichita, Holiday Inn Express, Bell Bank, Randy’s Hardware

ScheduleBase Pricing

ScheduleBase has a straightforward pricing structure based on the number of users associated with a company account. You can start as low as $10/month for up to 20 users. If you’re unsure about getting a paid plan, ScheduleBase offers a full-featured one-month free trial to help you decide if the platform is right for your business.

Here are the different pricing ScheduleBase pricing slabs based on the number of users.

Total PeopleTotal Cost Per Month
1-20$10
21-50$25
51-100$50
101-150$75
151-200$100
201-300$150
301-500$250

Best For

ScheduleBase is a versatile employee scheduling tool suitable for diverse industries, especially small to medium-sized businesses with shift-based teams like restaurants, call centers, retailers, and construction companies spanning multiple locations.

ScheduleBase in action
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QuickBooks Time

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QuickBooks Time
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked QuickBooks Time

QuickBooks Time isn’t the most robust product on this list. But the overall feature package that comes with QuickBooks makes it worth using. It provides you a 360 solution for employee scheduling, time tracking, and costing, which saves you countless hours and a significant amount of money in the long run.

PROS

  • Increases profitability with integrated time-tracking and employee scheduling features.
  • It makes scheduling simpler by highlighting work windows and available employees.
  • Provides accurate labor costing thanks to time-tracking, scheduling, and accounting features.
  • This product offers promotions and discounts (up to 50%) from time to time.
  • Their customer service is personalized. You get to reach them by scheduling a call and customers have commended the courteous, tailored responses to issues they have.
  • Consolidated clock in/clock out system for central work locations.

CONS

  • Not very user-friendly
  • Limited customizations
  • No features for scheduling sub-contractors
  • The GPS technology is slow to catch up on current locations at times. Instead of live updates, the software shows the employee’s previous locations.
  • While their customer support is very helpful, they don’t provide many options for you to contact them. You can only schedule a call.

QuickBooks Time Review

QuickBooks is a global leader in accounting and HR software. QuickBooks Time is a part of its ecosystem and provides employers with time tracking and employee scheduling features. It isn’t as impressive as some of the other apps in this article. But the overall QuickBooks feature range enhances its employee scheduling capabilities and links it directly to your payroll software and HR systems resulting in more accurate costing and streamlined operations.

QuickBooks Time Customers

QuickBooks Time Pricing

QuickBooks Time offers two subscription plans

Premium - $8/user per month + $20 base fee/month

Elite - $10/user per month

Both plans come with a 30-day free trial

Best For

  • Helps in creating employee schedules and tracking employee activities in the same tool.
  • Replaces the manual work in employee scheduling with a fully automated system with real-time shit tracking.
  • Streamlines communication through notifications and email alerts.
QuickBooks Time in action
Reviewer's Rating
4/10

Employees log all paid hours in the system, including work hours by project and any paid leave offerings. Employees also utilize the "who's working" feature to see who on the team is working and available at a given time. Managers review and approve time entries. Managers, HR, Finance, and Operations leaders use the reporting features to understand productivity, profitability, and overall staff activity. The data from QuickBooks Time is pushed to QuickBooks Online for invoicing to clients and pushed to ADP for payroll processing.

What do you like about this tool?

The ability to set up different projects for clients allows us to track specific types of work employees are doing for each client and invoice accordingly. Integration with other QuickBooks products allows for easy invoicing. Reporting features give managers real-time data about employee time and productivity.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We purchased QuickBooks Time because we were already using QuickBooks for accounting and needed a system for time tracking as our team grew. I have used this system for three years and currently still use it. Prior to QuickBooks, we had a timekeeping system that frequently had errors and glitches, so this transition helped to solve that pain point and allowed us to work within a single, integrated product for time reporting and accounting.

What do you dislike about this tool?

The project design is limited in its ability to be customized, so we have had to adjust our business to fit within the confines of the system. The leave time features do not provide the robust view and data that employees expect to have at their fingertips, which generates questions and unnecessary extra work. The paid leave settings are fairly simplistic and don't allow us to automate accruals based on our company policies, so manual accruals must be set and adjusted annually on an individual basis.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

In terms of timekeeping, QuickBooks is on par with competitors in that it is fairly simple and intuitive for employees to log in and clock in and out. QuickBooks does offer some advantageous features in terms of project tracking, but its customization limits put it behind competitors and really make it suited for only specific types of organizations or work. In terms of approvals, customizable workflows, different access and view levels, etc., QuickBooks is also limited and falls behind competitors. The leave tracking, in particular, is far behind what I've seen in any other time tracking system I've used.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Strongly consider the larger picture for how the data in the system will be used beyond individual time entries. Consider downstream needs such as invoicing, reporting, and payroll to determine if the limitations in the system will meet all of your needs.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

In the years I've used this system, I have seen no meaningful changes. I have been encouraged to submit feedback for consideration for system updates but have not seen any updates that have affected me or my team.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

QuickBooks Time is suited for an organization that has very defined, distinguished projects. For example, possibly a company with various separate construction sites and projects. QuickBooks Time is also likely suited for a small-scale organization of limited complexity.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

QuickBooks Time would not be suited for a large, complex organization. QuickBooks Time would also not be suited for a highly matrixed organization due to the limitations around access and user views. QuickBooks Time would also not likely be valuable for an organization that does not bill time or record hours based on client work. While the system would still allow clocking in and out, most features would not be valuable, and there are other more customizable and user-friendly timekeeping options available for an organization such as that.

OpenSimSim

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OpenSimSim
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked OpenSimSim

SocialSchedules by OpenSimSim covers most (if not all) of the core features you need in a modern scheduling software tool: from scheduling to time off management, shift replacements, and in-app messaging. It even offers a free feature-rich plan for up to 10 employees.

PROS

  • SocialSchedules is easier to use than other employee scheduling tools thanks to its drag & drop user interface and excellent user experience.
  • Generous free plan with all core features: scheduling, in-app messaging, availability management, and time off requests.
  • You can try all features in the premium plan for free for 14 days.
  • The knowledge base provides in-depth help content.
  • Includes time tracking, recruitment, and sales management modules to provide a fully integrated one-stop HR management solution.
  • Unlimited chat history means your group chats can become a secondary knowledge base for your team to quickly refer to and find previously discussed information.

Easier to use compared to other employee scheduling tools thanks to its drag & drop user interface and excellent user experience.

  • Offers a generous free plan, ideal for small teams, which includes all its core features with unlimited usage.
  • Includes time tracking, recruitment, and sales management modules to provide a fully integrated one-stop HR management solution.
  • Offers unlimited chat history which means your group chats can become a secondary knowledge base for your team to quickly refer to and find previously discussed information.

CONS

  • The free plan is available for up to 10 scheduled workers. It also stores data for 28 days.
  • Dedicated customer support, SLAs, API access, and custom reports are only available for the highest-tier plan.
  • No features for auto-scheduling and labor cost forecasting.
  • It can be quite confusing to see two websites: one with the former name Opensimsim and the other with the newly branded one SocialSchedules, co-exist separately.
  • The iOS app hasn't been updated since Oct 2022, while the Android app gets several negative reviews for lacking certain features compared to the web version.
  • Its knowledge base has in-depth help content, but its customer support is limited to Enterprise users.

OpenSimSim Review

There’s a lot to like about SocialSchedules’ employee scheduling capabilities. It offers an easy (drag & drop scheduling features) and inexpensive way (the free plan with all core scheduling features) to schedule shifts and keep track of your employees.

We like how simple it is to navigate the platform from managers’ perspectives. Upon sign-up, we got a virtual tour guide that walked us through the platform briefly, a help center with more details on how a feature works, and chat support in the right corner of the dashboard to get help when needed. As soon as we sent a schedule, assigned a new task, or updated shifts related to them, stakeholders got updated instantly. The platform gave us a bird’s-eye view of the team’s daily and weekly schedules, with individuals’ workloads and availability in different color codes. For the monthly view, we needed to switch to time cards. In the time cards section, you can also filter what you want to see by departments, positions, workers, and shift status. It simply worked well. However, filtering by status is locked for free users. Only paid users can access it, along with other cool features, such as advanced time tracking, certification tracking, and compliance.

Besides evaluating it from a manager’s perspective, we enjoyed testing the platform out as an employee too. Through SocialSchedules, we could see our assigned weekly schedule and the countdown until our next shift began. The ability to request time off and leave a note on reasons for the request was also a nice touch for both managers and employees. Our favorite feature was native messaging: we could contact managers and team members privately or via a group chat within the app. The only downside experienced was the mobile app. It underperformed compared to the platform version.

SocialSchedules integrations include Point of Sale Systems (POS) and payroll applications such as Heartland, ADP Workforce Now, and Square POS. However, POS integrations are only available for paid users. Custom API is also limited to the highest-priced plan.

OpenSimSim Customers

OpenSimSim Pricing

SocialSchedules offers three different subscription plans along with a generous free plan that includes all the core product features for one location, one department, and up to 10 workers. Following is a summary of its paid plans when billed annually:

  • ‍Starter: $12.99 per month per location, 2 departments per location. Features include unlimited workers, shift confirmations, block time off on dates, overtime (daily/weekly), overtime report, and manager logbooks.
  • Premium: $33.99 per month per location and comes with 5 departments per location, cloud storage (7 years), mobile time clock, POS integrations, certification management, auto break allocation, and advanced reporting.
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing. The plan includes unlimited locations, departments, cloud storage (7 years), dedicated support contact, negotiated pricing, custom API integration, custom reports, and custom features.

Best For

SocialSchedules’ generous free plan makes it ideal for teams with 10 employees or fewer, whereas their paid plans with tools for compliance, certifications tracking, and labor budgeting make it a solid option for hospitality and service businesses.

OpenSimSim in action
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TCP

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TCP
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
3.6 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked TCP

Throughout our tech test, TCP proved to be a solid tool for managing schedules, timekeeping, and compliance, particularly for U.S. companies with detailed operational requirements.

PROS

  • It accelerates the employee scheduling process through predictive technology, AI tools, and templates.
  • Offers an excellent user interface to employees for time-off requests, schedule changes, and communication with managers.
  • Significantly reduces overtime costs by timely identifying relevant employees, accurate costs calculations, and schedule optimization.

CONS

  • Schedule builder doesn’t automatically adjust time zones.
  • No way to prioritize shifts.
  • Employee leave changes are not automatically incorporated into the schedule.

TCP Review

TCP has long been praised for its time and attendance software. After its acquisition of Humanity, we soon discovered that this vendor also has an impressive employee scheduling product.

There is a great deal of flexibility for both account-wide and employee-level customization in TCP’s employee scheduling tool.

From the ShiftPlanning settings, we could easily enable employees to trade or drop shifts, with or without managerial approval. This feature allows us to tailor policies based on team needs. Also, the ability to have custom leave types, such as Sick Days or Maternity Leave, and enable them at the employee level made it trouble-free to accommodate various leave policies across teams.

The vendor also knocked it out of the park with its employee availability management features. Employees are set to be available 24/7 by default, but they can update their specific availability via the TCP app or desktop interface. They can also use the one-time availability feature to communicate temporary availability changes, like doctor appointments or picking up extra hours.

Not to mention, there’s an auto-fill schedule function that, in our test, helped us quickly fill shifts with available team members while also flagging potential conflicts with a red warning icon. With this feature in hand, we'd argue that there would be minimal scheduling conflicts.

We tested the Time Clock feature and loved it. It gives employees options for clocking in through the app or physical terminals and supports Geofencing.

Managing leave requests was straightforward with TCP. Employees could request partial or full days off, and before approving leave, we could easily see which shifts needed coverage and who was available to step in.

Manually double-checking each schedule to ensure we met specific labor requirements is indeed not an enjoyable task, so knowing that we could define the minimum and maximum hours our staff could work in a day or week right within TCP was nothing short of impressive.

Despite its many features, we noticed a few drawbacks. TCP keeps its user interface simple, but compared to competitors like Homebase or Deputy, it’s doesn’t feel as modern and intuitive.

This vendor's hyper-focus on US-based companies is, in some ways, double-edged. While it’s well respected in North America, it has limited capability in the global market. Also, we’re not a big fan of its lack of pricing transparency, especially considering that most good brands are upfront about their costs.

TCP Customers

18,000+ companies, including Hilton, the University of Michigan, and iFLY Toronto.

TCP Pricing

TCP pricing is not disclosed.

Best For

Small businesses in North America, particularly in healthcare, government, and education.

TCP in action
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Calendly

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Calendly
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Calendly

Calendly differentiates itself through a user-friendly interface, sleek design, and exceptional time-saving capabilities. Notably, it offers a rare indefinite free plan, setting it apart in the scheduling tool arena.

PROS

  • Calendly’s simplicity is its biggest pro. It has an elegant user interface, it's very easy to navigate, it promptly gets the task done, and connects seamlessly with other applications.
  • The reduction in back-and-forth emails. Your invitees can book a meeting slot, without reaching out to you multiple times. Calendly automatically sends them a confirmation and they can reschedule or cancel on their own. It’s even better for virtual meetings because once your invitees schedule a meeting with you, Calendly will automatically generate a meeting link based on your preferred video conferencing tool. 
  • The ability to set your own rules so that you can get complete control over your availability preferences. For example, you can decide how long a particular kind of meeting should be, buffer time between meetings, how many appointments can be booked per day, etc. 
  • Calendly seamlessly integrates with popular calendar and mailing tools. Meetings are automatically reflected on your personal calendar and video conferencing links with tools like Zoom or Google Meet are generated without any extra steps.
  • Provides a bird’s eye view of your team’s availability for meetups and events.
  • Calendly’s simplicity is its biggest pro. It has an elegant user interface, it's very easy to navigate, it promptly gets the task done, and connects seamlessly with other applications.
  • The reduction in back-and-forth emails. Your invitees can book a meeting slot, without reaching out to you multiple times. Calendly automatically sends them a confirmation and they can reschedule or cancel on their own. It’s even better for virtual meetings because once your invitees schedule a meeting with you, Calendly will automatically generate a meeting link based on your preferred video conferencing tool. 
  • The ability to set your own rules so that you can get complete control over your availability preferences. For example, you can decide how long a particular kind of meeting should be, buffer time between meetings, how many appointments can be booked per day, etc. 
  • Calendly seamlessly integrates with popular calendar and mailing tools. Meetings are automatically reflected on your personal calendar and video conferencing links with tools like Zoom or Google Meet are generated without any extra steps.

CONS

  • Doesn’t provide shift management features.
  • Besides branding and the ability to choose different colors, Calendly does not offer a lot of options for customizations. This could be frustrating for users who want to embed Calendly in their website without making it seem like a completely different component. 
  • Calendly is not very mobile-friendly. You can’t perform all the functions on the mobile version. 
  • The payment collecting feature is not available in all currencies. Your invitees can only pay in ​​the United States Dollar (USD), Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Pound Sterling (GBP), and Euro (EUR). 
  • You’ll be severely limited in terms of features if you choose the free plan or the cheaper ones. According to Craig, a Customer Success Manager at a small business, “All advanced functionality is locked behind higher subscription levels – We have the Professional level so that we can set up a team, but they locked the most obvious and useful meeting type for teams behind yet another upgrade to the sub level.”
  • Besides branding and the ability to choose different colors, Calendly does not offer a lot of options for customizations. This could be frustrating for users who want to embed Calendly in their website without making it seem like a completely different component. 
  • Calendly is not very mobile-friendly. You can’t perform all the functions on the mobile version. 
  • The payment collecting feature is not available in all currencies. Your invitees can only pay in ​​the United States Dollar (USD), Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Pound Sterling (GBP), and Euro (EUR). 
  • You’ll be severely limited in terms of features if you choose the free plan or the cheaper ones. According to Craig, a Customer Success Manager at a small business, “All advanced functionality is locked behind higher subscription levels – We have the Professional level so that we can set up a team, but they locked the most obvious and useful meeting type for teams behind yet another upgrade to the sub level.”

Calendly Review

Calendly is a modern meeting scheduling platform designed for entrepreneurs, consultants, service-oriented companies, and businesses that frequently conduct meetings across time zones.

Businesses looking for an affordable solution can use it as a makeshift tool for assigning work slots to in-house and remote employees.

However, it isn’t an employee scheduling platform for managing shifts, employee communication, shift trading, or leave management.

Calendly Customers

Calendly has many big names in their customer base, such as eBay, Compass, Lyft, Dropbox, La-Z-Boy, Twilio, and Stack Overflow.

Calendly Pricing

Calendly has five pricing plans that can be billed either monthly or annually. If you choose the latter, you’ll save 20%. Below are the prices you’ll pay per month per user, if you choose to get billed annually. 

  • Basic Plan: This is completely free of cost. However, as the name suggests, you’ll only have limited features to use. 
  • Essentials Plan: This plan costs $8 and is suitable when you need scheduling automation.
  • Professional Plan: This plan costs $12 and is their most popular plan. Use it if you need customizations, integrations, and basic team features. 
  • Teams Plan: This plan costs $16 and is useful for teams that rely on collaboration and need to align on a scheduling process. 
  • Enterprise Plan: This plan has custom pricing and is suitable for teams with 30+ members and advanced needs. You’ll have to contact their sales team to get pricing.

All the paid plans come with a 14-day trial, at the end of which, you’ll automatically be downgraded to the free plan. They also offer special pricing for non-profit organizations. You’ll have to reach out to their customer support specialists for details.

Best For

Calendly suits businesses of varying scales seeking an economical and intuitive scheduling solution. Particularly advantageous for solo entrepreneurs and small enterprises, Calendly's inclusion of a free plan caters to individual professionals and modest business setups.

Calendly in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

As a Recruiter and Business owner, Calendly has been beneficial in my business and profession. I used it for scheduling interviews with job candidates. I used it to book one-on-one meetings with prospects and clients, allowing me to specify the duration and location of each meeting. I also used it to coordinate events such as training, and coaching session with my mentees. That said, these key workflows, allow me to simplify the scheduling process to save time so I can focus on other important tasks.

What do you like about this tool?

What I like about Calendly is that it eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails. It makes it a simple and easy way for others to book time with me based on my availability. This process helps to schedule more effectively and efficiently thereby saving time and energy.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We use Calendly as it eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails. It makes it so easy for our candidates, clients, stakeholders, and others to book time with us based on our availability. This can save us a lot of time and energy and make scheduling a more efficient and effective process.

What do you dislike about this tool?

I have been using Calendly since 2018 and so far, I haven't come across anything I don't like about Calendly. That said, I am completely satisfied with Calendly and have no negative feedback to provide.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

What I like about Calendly is that it is user-friendly making it so easy to navigate. It has customizable event types as it allows me to create various types of events and I can customize the details for each type. It has real-time availability. I don't need to check timebuddy.com anymore to ensure that the time and date are accurate as Calendly integrates with my calendar. 

It has email and calendar integrations such as Gmail, Outlook, and Google Calendar too, making it easy to manage my appointments and meetings. Finally, it has an automated email reminder. I don't miss a single meeting since Calendly sends automated email reminders to me.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • User-friendly: This is the number priority that each has to consider. A tool that is easy to use and navigate will make your life easier and help you save time and energy.
  • Customizability: The ability to customize events and appointments to meet your specific needs is also crucial.
  • Integration: Look for a tool that integrates with your existing email and calendar tools. This will make it easier to manage your appointments and meetings.
  • Multi-user support: If you are part of a team, it's crucial to find a tool that supports several users and makes it easy for everyone to coordinate their schedules in real time. 
  • Automated email reminders: Run the risk of missed appointments which will definitely affect your reputation as a professional. Automated email reminders can help reduce the risk and keep everyone on track.
  • Pricing: Make sure you understand the pricing structure. Identify if the price is within your range.

By considering these criteria, you can ensure that you choose a scheduling tool that meets your needs and helps you streamline your processes.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Calendly has evolved through time and has added changes and additions. The goal is to ensure customer satisfaction and streamline the process. It has enhanced customization options. They also improved integration options and added a mobile app. 

These are just some of the changes that have evolved and added through time showing their commitment to having a seamless scheduling process.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Calendly is ideal for Freelancers, Small Business Owners, Event Planners, Real Estate Agents, Sales Agents, and the like.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Large companies

What is Employee Scheduling?

Employee scheduling is the process of managing your employees' total available working hours and scheduling them properly to ensure the continuation of work with optimal productivity.

In easier words, an employee schedule outlines employee working hours across different work shifts so that everyone knows who’s working when.

Why is employee scheduling important?

A well-planned employee schedule means everyone in your workforce knows their working hours. This reduces miscommunication and allows managers and team leads to plan their work with more clarity.

In short, employee scheduling brings transparency to your workplace and leads to a more organized, satisfied, and motivated workforce.

On the contrary, the absence of staff scheduling can result in employees working overtime, losing interest in their jobs, and feeling burned out because of unplanned work and last-minute changes.

Research shows that frequent overtime poses a severe health risk to employees and directly impacts their productivity.

Overworking reduces productivity and increases health risks

This is why it’s crucial for large organizations that operate across shifts to carefully plan their employee schedule and ensure that their workforce performs at the optimal level.

This is where employee scheduling software comes in.

Pro Tips on SMB Employee Scheduling Software

What Is The Best Employee Scheduling Software For Your Business?

We’ve covered some of the world’s highest-ranked and most widely used employee scheduling software in this article.

Most of them offer similar features and benefits. However, they’re all different products with their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Which tool is right for your business depends ultimately on your specific scheduling needs. Since most of these software products offer free trials, free plans, or demos, we recommend using these options before finally choosing a product for your business.

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