Managing work schedules might be difficult, particularly with regards to balancing enterprise calls for with worker wants. However with work schedule apps, managers can discover a resolution 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 suggests some instruments will fit your wants higher than others. 

This text will evaluation the highest seven work schedule apps primarily based on their options, pricing, and person expertise. So, whether or not it’s good to streamline your scheduling or get higher oversight of who’s working and when, we’ll discover one of the 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 means you’ll discover it simpler to identify one of the best one for you.

• Crew availability: You possibly can’t write a schedule with out figuring out when your crew can work, however gathering this info is time-consuming. Good apps minimize this process out by gathering employees availability and utilizing the data 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, function, and seniority.
• Templates: Whenever you’ve received a timetable that works for everybody, you in all probability need 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 every time it’s good to.
• Self-scheduling instruments: You possibly can cut back the period of time you spend on scheduling by giving staff extra management over their hours. Which means you want options that permit your crew organize swaps or covers and declare open shifts. 
• Reminders and notifications: To assist staff keep on with their schedules, you possibly can immediate them about upcoming shifts. Alerts for points like late arrivals and missed breaks may help you resolve points instantly as an alternative of last-minute, whenever 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 cell. That’s why you want a platform that gives the identical performance in your cellphone and pill.
• Information and analytics: Most apps gather your gross sales and wage information that can assist you forecast your labor necessities. Some additionally monitor attendance, late arrivals, and no-shows to point out you the way completely different crew members are performing.
• Interconnected worker administration instruments: In addition to scheduling, small companies typically 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 possibly can share information seamlessly throughout the platform as an alternative of multitasking with varied apps. 
• A variety of integrations: No apps are ‘one dimension 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 could want software program like Toast to handle these additional funds. By selecting an app that connects to all of the niche software program you may want, you’ll save time juggling completely different instruments.
• Inexpensive pricing: The best app shouldn’t pressure your price range or make you pay for too many options you don’t want. 

Our prime choose for work schedule apps in 2023 (+ the remaining ranked)

With its reasonably priced pricing and versatile vary of options, Homebase is the clear selection for many small companies. You possibly can entry fundamental scheduling and time monitoring at no cost, and entry extra superior options, like shift trades, break day requests, and shift reminders, for simply $24.95 per 30 days. Plus, you get entry to time monitoring and accounting instruments so you’ve every little thing you want in a single place.

However Homebase may not be for everybody. For bigger and extra complicated companies, it’s possible you’ll discover Connecteam gives extra customization. And Humanity is good for these within the healthcare business because it solves a lot of their distinctive challenges. 

1. Homebase: Greatest all-in-one resolution
2. Sling: Greatest for time zone variations
3. Connecteam: Greatest for personalisation
4. Once I Work: Greatest for a number of admins
5. Humanity: Greatest for Apple Watch compatibility
6. HotSchedules powered by Fourth: Greatest for worker suggestions
7. Calendly: Greatest for scheduling appointments

Comparability chart: High 6 work schedule apps in 2023

Title	Pricing	App Retailer Score	Notable Options
Homebase	Plans vary from free to $99.95 per location per 30 days. Customers get a 20% low cost with an annual dedication.	4.8	• Automation, template, and self-scheduling instruments • Crew availability • Strong communication options • Labor forecasting instruments • Constructed-in time monitoring and accounting instruments
Sling	Plans vary from free to $4 per person per 30 days.	4.7	• View throughout completely different time zones • Versatile self-scheduling options • Scheduling by the point of the day
Connecteam	Plans vary from free to $297 per 30 days.	4.2	• Sub-jobs • Admin permissions filters • Job checklists and administration
Once I Work	Plans vary from $2.50 to $8 per person per 30 days.	4.8	• Autoscheduling • Template instruments • Labor forecasting
Humanity	A selection 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 person per 30 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 resolution: Homebase

Designed with small companies in thoughts, Homebase gives all of the important options that you just’re prone to want. You possibly can sync information throughout our scheduling, time monitoring, and payroll instruments. Then, you need to use its built-in options to coordinate all of your crew processes. 

High options

• Autopopulation primarily based on employees roles and availability
• Clock-in on tablets, computer systems, and POS gadgets — together with location-based clock in and the power to seize crew images
• A vast template library
• Crew 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 variety of different HR instruments like a GPS time clock, timesheets, and payroll

Professionals and cons

Homebase has a sturdy set of scheduling instruments to streamline creating timetables, cut back errors, and preserve your crew completely happy. You possibly can autopopulate shifts utilizing your crew’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 particularly, we’re not well-suited to some setups. For instance, we don’t supply assembly schedule instruments or assist timetables for giant, complicated organizations.

Pricing

Homebase has a free plan for as much as twenty customers that gives fundamental scheduling instruments. For extra management and suppleness, listed here are our paid plans:

• Necessities for $24.95 per 30 days per location for superior scheduling and time monitoring options, like crew availability, shift notes, and self-scheduling instruments.

• Plus for $59.95 per 30 days per location, which has every little thing in Necessities plus go away administration and customized permissions.

• All-in-one for $99.95 per 30 days per location for labor forecasting and reporting.

It can save you 20% off all plans by making an annual dedication.

Run a greater crew with smarter scheduling.

Optimize your schedule and preserve your crew in sync with Homebase.

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 important to assign hours that swimsuit the enterprise, the worker, and the shopper. To keep away from confusion, Sling enables 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 section days into morning, afternoon, and night shifts

Professionals and cons

The principle upside of Sling is the free plan with limitless customers. This implies in case you simply want the essential instruments, you don’t must pay a cent. 

However the draw back is in case you want extra performance, Sling doesn’t supply as many instruments on its paid plans as some opponents. It additionally prices per worker. So, you may find yourself paying a excessive price regardless that you don’t get accounting or HR options.

Pricing

There are three Sling plans:

• Free for limitless staff, managers, and areas which gives fundamental scheduling instruments.

• Premium at $2 per person per 30 days so as to add availability administration and self-scheduling instruments. 

• Enterprise at $4 per person per 30 days for every little thing in Premium plus autoscheduling.

3. Connecteam: Greatest for personalisation

Relying on the complexity of your online business, it’s possible you’ll want a excessive stage of customization. Connecteam’s granular settings may help 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 could add to your plan.

High options

• Sub-jobs to allow you to categorize shifts in advantageous element — for instance, which restaurant areas they’re liable for
• Permission filters so you possibly can management what different managers or staff can do and see
• Job checklists so you possibly can 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 supplied you don’t exceed the restrict of ten customers. 

The issue is you probably have a bigger crew, 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

Except for the free plan for the ten customers we talked about, Connecteam has 4 plans:

• Fundamental at $29 per 30 days (plus 60 cents for each person over the restrict of 30) which has fundamental scheduling and self-scheduling instruments.

• Superior at $49 (plus $1.80 cents for each person over the restrict of 30) for every little thing in Fundamental plus template instruments and customized notifications.

• Professional at $99 (plus $3.60 cents for each person over the restrict of 30) so as to add the compliance instruments.

• Enterprise with a customized worth for all of the options from the earlier plans and limitless sub-jobs. 

4. Once I Work: Greatest for a number of admins

Not like many different work schedule apps, Once I Work offers you three admins from the bottom price plan. This implies you possibly can share scheduling duties simply with different managers. If multiple supervisor can log in concurrently, this additionally will increase the probabilities of one in all you receiving an pressing message and responding rapidly.

High options

• Autoscheduling to create immediate 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 it’s possible you’ll find yourself having to manually enter schedule information within the different platforms you utilize.

Pricing

Once I Work has two plans at $2.50 and $4 per person per 30 days. The upper-cost plan has superior scheduling instruments like customized reporting and guidelines. You may as well add time monitoring and early pay entry to every plan for $1.50 and $2.00 per person respectively.

5. Humanity: Greatest for Apple Watch compatibility

Lots of Humanity’s options make it a very good possibility for on-the-go employees. First, it’s appropriate with Apple Watch so staff can see alerts as they’re working. And secondly, you possibly can schedule based on 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 crew, 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”. Nevertheless it’s value noting additionally they report “bother saving” schedules and sometimes must recreate them.

Pricing

Humanity gives customized pricing so that they don’t promote their charges. There are three plans accessible:

• Starter for fundamental scheduling instruments and entry to the cell app.

• Basic for every little thing in Starter plus autoscheduling and analytics instruments.

• Enterprise which has every little 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 inform you every little thing. For example, demanding prospects who don’t purchase many merchandise can masks how difficult a specific shift actually is. So, HotSchedules’ end-of-shift survey lets staff go away extra in-depth suggestions. Which means you possibly can gather extra qualitative information for a well-rounded thought of whether or not you’re adequately staffed or teaming the fitting folks collectively. 

High options

• Finish of shift surveys to let crew members share considerations 
• Alerts for compliance points whereas schedule constructing
• Selection of messaging people or broadcasting messages to the whole crew

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 probably to have the ability to run all of your duties from one platform somewhat than switching between a number of. It’s important to put apart a while to be taught HotSchedules, although — customers warn the app is “sophisticated” 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 somewhat than opening hours. That is likely to be as a result of they’ve freelance employees who handle their very own timetables or as a result of they cost shoppers per appointment. If that’s you, then you definately may just like the sound of Calendly. This scheduling app enables you to discover the optimum time for conferences rapidly and integrates with fashionable chat instruments together with Zoom and Google Meet.

High options

• Assembly polls to find out one of the best time to speak effectively
• Availability settings so staff can point out after they’re free
• Analytics on fashionable assembly sorts 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 you will discover the precise pricing to fit your price range. However Calendly’s lack of options for scheduling hourly employees makes it unsuitable for a lot of sorts of small companies like retailers and cafes.

Pricing

As talked about above, Calendly has 5 plans:

• Fundamental which is free and gives one calendar, limitless conferences, and integrations to software program like Slack and Microsoft Groups.

• Necessities at $8 per person per 30 days for a second calendar, reminders, and follow-ups.

• Skilled at $12 per person per 30 days so as to add workflows, analytic instruments, and branding.

• Groups at $16 per person per 30 days for every little thing in Skilled plus syncing occasions throughout your crew.

• Enterprise with customized pricing for compliance instruments and devoted assist personnel. Calendly recommends this for groups of over 30 folks.

Homebase makes scheduling simple

In the case of selecting a piece schedule app for your online business, 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 rather a lot into our app and don’t add pointless extras. We offer options to streamline scheduling, ensure you keep inside your labor price range, and provides staff extra management over their hours. That means it can save you time on scheduling and make your crew completely happy with out slicing into your income.

Run a greater crew with smarter scheduling.

Optimize your schedule and preserve your crew in sync with Homebase.

**The knowledge above relies on our analysis on work schedule apps. All person suggestions referenced within the textual content has been sourced from impartial software program evaluation platforms, corresponding to G2 and Capterra, in April 2023.