Top 7 Free Employee Scheduling Apps in 2024
byCreating and managing employee schedules can be daunting for business owners and managers who must ensure proper shift coverage, avoid overstaffing, accommodate employee preferences and availability, and stay within budget.
This often leads to stress, lost productivity, and potential errors.
Free employee scheduling apps offer a solution by streamlining the process, reducing errors, and saving valuable time. In fact, studies show that when employees can schedule their shifts, no-show rates drop by 17%.
Here are the key things to know about free employee scheduling apps:
Key takeaways:
- Free employee scheduling apps automate schedule creation and management
- Look for apps with intuitive interfaces, customizable templates, and mobile access
- The best apps offer additional features like time tracking, team messaging, and overtime alerts
- When I Work stands out for its robust free plan and user-friendly design
- Consider your specific needs when comparing options to find the best fit
Table of contents
- Key features to look for in a free employee scheduling app
- Free employee scheduling apps comparison table
- Top 7 free employee scheduling apps
- Start scheduling your employees for free with When I Work
Key features to look for in a free employee scheduling app
Free employee scheduling apps streamline workforce management, but not all solutions are equal. To find the best fit, look for these key features in a free employee scheduling app:
Shift planning capabilities
Look for ways to schedule your employees that accommodate last-minute changes without causing headaches. The right app makes it easy to adjust approved schedules when an employee requests a change, saving you time and frustration.
Free scheduling templates
Businesses with multiple locations or departments save significant time using customizable, pre-built scheduling templates. Managers can generate schedules quickly based on everyday staffing needs and patterns using templates, which reduce errors and ensure adequate coverage with minimal effort. The best apps offer industry-specific templates that are easy to tweak.
Overtime management and visibility
Managers can optimize staffing and control labor costs with free employee scheduling apps, including built-in overtime alerts. The apps automatically adjust schedules based on real-time employee hours, which stops overtime from eating into profits. Visibility tools in the apps display hours worked and alert managers when employees approach overtime thresholds, enabling them to make proactive decisions.
Free employee scheduling apps comparison table
Here’s a table of the leading free employee scheduling apps. The table below compares prices, features, benefits, pros, cons, and free trial options, helping you choose the right tool for your business.
| Product | Features | Pros | Cons | Free Trial |
| When I Work | Drag-and-drop scheduling, Auto-fill shifts based on availability, Built-in team messaging | User-friendly interface, Scalable and customizable, robust free plan | A learning curve for some users | 14-day free trial |
| ZohoShifts | Employee scheduling and time tracking, reporting and payroll integration, mobile app | A solid set of features, Integrates with other Zoho apps | The interface could be more intuitive compared to alternatives | 30-day free trial |
| Calendly | Automated scheduling based on availability, customizable booking pages | Easy to use, Minimizes double bookings | Lacks features designed specifically for employee scheduling | 14-day free trial |
| Homebase | Employee scheduling and labor cost controls, integrated time tracking, and payroll | An all-in-one solution, streamlines the hiring and onboarding process | Cost increases notably for multi-location businesses | 14-day free trial |
| Google Calendar | Integration with Google Workspace, customizable event scheduling and reminders | All-in-one solution, customizable checklists and forms, affordable pricing | Lacks advanced employee scheduling features found in dedicated apps | 14-day free trial |
| Connecteam | Dynamic scheduling with customizable templates, real-time mobile notifications, and shift management | Comprehensive solution, customizable templates, auto-scheduling feature | May experience a learning curve due to extensive features | 14-day free trial |
| 7shifts | Scheduling templates for quick shift creation, mobile app for team communication | User-friendly interface, Industry-specific functionality | Occasional app glitches, troubles with customer service | 14-day free trial |
Top 7 free employee scheduling apps
Let’s explore the details of each leading free employee scheduling app. We’ll check out their standout features, benefits, and considerations to help you find the best fit for your team.
1. When I Work
Rating: 4.3/5 (G2)
Key features:
- Drag-and-drop scheduling
- Auto-fill shifts based on availability
- Free mobile apps for employees and managers
When I Work is employee scheduling software that allows employees to manage their availability, submit time-off requests, and collaborate on shift trades.
The software simplifies repetitive scheduling by offering shift templates and easy copy-paste mechanisms. Adding or removing team members is a breeze.
When you upgrade, you can use When I Work team messaging to ensure everyone stays informed about schedule changes. Managers can view potential overtime hours and wages with a single click. Plus, it has a time clock.
The paid version provides detailed resource and budget management information, including payroll forecasts and expenses. When I Work integrates with popular tools such as Acuity Scheduling, Calendly, and TSheets. Users can access support via email and chat.
Pricing: When I Work offers a 14-day free trial, allowing businesses to explore its features before committing. Paid plans start at $1.50 per user per month.
2. ZohoShifts
Key features:
- Employee scheduling and time tracking
- Reporting and payroll integration
- Mobile app for on-the-go access
ZohoShifts helps businesses streamline employee scheduling and time-tracking processes. The platform’s reporting and payroll integration enables easy labor cost monitoring and accurate payment data export.
While ZohoShifts offers a solid set of features, some users find the interface could be more intuitive compared to alternatives like When I Work.
Pricing: ZohoShifts offers a free plan for up to 4 users, with paid plans starting at $1 per user per month (minimum $10/month, including the first 10 users) and a 30-day free trial.
3. Calendly
Key features:
- Automated scheduling based on availability
- Customizable booking pages
- Integration with popular calendar apps
Calendly automates scheduling by allowing users to create personalized booking pages that reflect their availability. It streamlines appointment settings for both users and clients.
It may not be the best for managing employee shifts due to its lack of features like shift templates and attendance tracking.
Pricing: Calendly offers a free plan for individual users, with paid plans starting at $10 per user per month (1 seat included) and additional features and integrations.
4. Homebase
Key features:
- Employee scheduling and labor cost controls
- Integrated time tracking and payroll
- Hiring and onboarding tools
Homebase simplifies employee scheduling with built-in templates and automated labor cost calculations. It allows managers to create and publish schedules, track employee hours, and process payroll from a single dashboard.
However, the cost can increase notably for multi-location operations, with each additional location incurring a monthly fee plus per-employee charges.
Pricing: Homebase offers a free basic plan for single-location businesses with up to 20 employees, while paid plans start at $20 per location per month for unlimited employees.
5. Google Calendar
Key features:
- Seamless integration with Google Workspace
- Customizable event scheduling and reminders
- Shared calendars for team collaboration
Google Calendar offers a user-friendly platform for small teams to handle essential shift planning, allowing users to create events for shifts and invite employees. Its seamless integration with Google Workspace apps ensures smooth communication and coordination among team members.
Despite its user-friendly interface and widespread adoption, Google Calendar lacks advanced scheduling features in dedicated apps.
Pricing: Google Calendar is free for individual users, while businesses using Google Workspace can access it starting at $5.40 per user per month (Business Starter plan, 1-year commitment) with a 14-day free trial.
6. Connecteam
Key features:
- Dynamic scheduling with customizable templates
- Real-time mobile notifications and shift management
- Auto-scheduling based on availability and qualifications
Connecteam streamlines scheduling, communication, and task management with customizable templates, issue flagging, and real-time mobile notifications.
The app enables employees to accept, reject, and swap shifts with manager approval, while the auto-scheduling feature aligns shifts with employee availability, time off, and qualifications. Connecteam’s extensive features offer a comprehensive solution, but some users may experience a learning curve.
Pricing: Connecteam offers a free plan for up to 50 users, with paid plans starting at $29 per month for the first 30 users and $0.50 per month for each additional user. The company also offers a 14-day free trial.
7. 7shifts
Key features:
- Scheduling templates for quick shift creation
- Mobile app for seamless team communication
- Integrations with popular restaurant tools
With customizable scheduling templates, a mobile app for real-time team communication, and integrations with point-of-sale systems, 7shifts simplifies restaurant shift management.
Built-in features streamline operations and optimize labor costs. Occasional app glitches have frustrated some users, who have also noted slower-than-expected customer support response times.
Pricing: 7shifts offers a free plan for a single location with up to 10 employees, while paid plans start at $29.99 monthly with a 14-day free trial.
Start scheduling your employees for free with When I Work
The When I Work free employee scheduling app combines scheduling, time tracking, attendance, messaging, and payroll processing into one platform. The integrated approach eliminates redundant data entry and provides real-time visibility into staffing needs, labor costs, and budget forecasting.
With the global Employee Scheduling Software market expected to reach $940.72 million by 2028, now is the perfect time to optimize your scheduling process. Try When I Work for free today to streamline staff scheduling, optimize resources, and boost productivity.
