10 Best Online Employee Scheduling Apps for Every Business

Online employee scheduling apps give you all the tools you need to create optimal schedules for your teams and avoid misunderstandings or shift conflicts. Check out these 10 best employee scheduling apps to find the right fit for you.

Every business owner knows how time-consuming and (nearly) impossible it can be to create a well-rounded employee schedule – especially if you’re still relying on pen and paper or an Excel spreadsheet to get the job done.

In fact, businesses lose 140 hours each year on manual job scheduling and experience 174% higher turnover due to manual scheduling errors. No, thank you!

If you’re looking for a solution to easily create and manage optimal schedules for your teams, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve lined up the 10 best online employee scheduling apps to help your find one that best suits your business needs and budget.

Let’s dive in!

If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.

Our Top Picks

Best all-in-one employee scheduling app with smart tools
Learn more
Good for appointment scheduling.
Good for calendar management.

What to Look For in a Employee Scheduling App

A star employee schedule app will function differently than one that’s just average, and

here’s how:

Functionality: flexibility to customize & save templates, drag & drop, alert notifications.
Cost: the point is to save money, not waste more of it. Find fixed pricing, not per user.
Scalability: for all SMB sizes, that can support growth without a change in operation.
Easy Integration: an intuitive all-in-one, that has everything you need in one place.
Customer Support: reachable at all times and has a top rating from customer reviews.

The 10 Best Employee Scheduling Apps of 2023

Connecteam — Best all-in-one employee scheduling app with smart tools
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Kicking off our list is Connecteam’s all-in-one employee scheduling app, which gives you all the tools you need to create and manage optimal schedules for your teams with complete ease and efficiency, even while on the go. In addition, Connecteam offers top-notch customer support, an intuitive user experience, and a highly customizable platform that can be adjusted to suit your exact business needs.

Its scheduling capabilities go above and beyond with time-saving tools and automations, inconsistency flagging, shift instructions, self-service employee shift replacement, notifications, a time clock, an in-app chat, and more.

To give you a clear understanding of these capabilities, we’ve detailed how you can use them to improve your workforce management.

Time-saving scheduling capabilities

Besides creating single or multiple shifts, you can save time by simply copying shifts from a previous week, duplicating existing ones, setting shifts as recurring, and using customizable templates for a particular job, shift, or entire week that can be dragged and dropped right into your calendar view.

You can then assign shifts and jobs based on each employee’s registered qualifications and submitted availability, ensuring you always have the right person for the job. You can also publish open shifts for eligible users to claim with or without admin approval.

Inconsistency flagging

The employee scheduling app also helps avoid scheduling mistakes by highlighting scheduling conflicts and inconsistencies. Connecteam will flag when an employee has two shifts scheduled at once or when their working hours exceed your set overtime limit.

Shift instructions

You can add information to each shift, such as location, notes, tasks, and attachments so that your employees have all the information they need to get right to it. This allows you to reduce unnecessary back-and-forth and streamline your processes.

Self-service employee shift replacement

With the shift replacement feature, you can enable employees to swap shifts with other available and qualified team members without having to go through you, the manager. This saves you valuable time, effort, and a lot of back-and-forth with your staff.

Time clock

Your employees can clock in and out from shifts by simply clicking the time clock button right at the bottom of each shift. This allows you to track your employees’ work hours as well as the time spent on any specific projects, jobs, or clients if relevant.

Read our in-depth review of the best employee time clock apps for small businesses.

Notifications

Customizable notifications allow you and your employees to never miss any scheduling updates, changes, or requests. You can, for instance, receive instant notifications for when users accept or reject a shift, complete shift tasks, or when they didn’t check in or out from their shift on time. This allows you to stay in the loop and immediately take action when necessary.

In-app chat

Connecteam’s app also includes an in-app team chat that allows you and your team to maintain a direct line of communication no matter where they are working from. You and your employees can easily access the chat from anywhere within the platform and instantly get in touch with all the right people.

Overall, employee scheduling and management become easy, clear, and reliable, and your team can access everything they need right from your mobile devices.

Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!

Trusted by Over 36,000 Companies Worldwide
Key Features
- Automated scheduling
- Drag & drop
- Customizable templates
- Recurring shifts
- Shift notes & attachments
- Overtime notifications
- In app-chat
Pros
- Intuitive and easy to use
- All-in-one solution
- Great customer support
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Additional integrations in development
Pricing

Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users Free 14-day trial Free plan available
No credit card required!
Start Scheduling Now

Jump to

Top Picks
Connecteam mHelpDesk Shiftboard QuickBooks Time Homebase Deputy Sling Fourth (Previously called: HotSchedules) Jolt Skedulo
Compare All FAQ
mHelpDesk — Good for appointment scheduling
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
mHelpDesk is very similar to Google Calendar and Outlook, but was designed especially for those in the field service business. A few core features of this work schedule app include: quickly see everyone’s availability, easily schedule field technicians, automated assignment notifications, view job, and customer details, and eliminate overbooking and underbooking. mHelpDesk can also integrate with Google Calendar, Home Advisor, and QuickBooks.
Learn more about mHelpDesk
Key Features
- Quick reference employee availability
- Several integrations
- Automated features
- Appointment scheduling
Pros
- User friendly
- Responsive customer service
- Simplified billing and invoicing
Cons
- Slow loading times
- Some integrations don’t work very well
- Cannot remove old users
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
Shiftboard — Good for calendar management.
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
When it comes to scheduling, Shiftboard has a few features that can be highly beneficial when you have hourly workers. For example, automated scheduling, schedule distribution, shift swapping, push notifications, two-way texting, mobile clock in and out, and more. In addition, Shiftboard can integrate with numerous software solutions such as Oracle, Dropbox, ADP, Paycor, and more.
Learn more about Shiftboard
Key Features
- Automated scheduling
- Budgeting and budget forecasting
- Calendar management
- Applicant and candidate management
Pros
- Good variety of features and tools
- Good for managing complex employee schedules
Cons
- Hard to use and requires training
- No training material or tutorials
- Some users complain the software looks old and outdated
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
QuickBooks Time — Good for small businesses looking for flexible scheduling
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
TSheets, now Intuit QuickBooks, has similar features as most employee scheduling apps in the market. Schedule by shift or by job, use drag & drop, send notifications about shift changes, easily copy the previous week’s schedule and more. Receive alerts about overtime or missed shifts so you can reduce labor expenses. TSheets has a cool “Who’s Working” feature, so you can immediately see who is available for urgent jobs.
Learn more about QuickBooks Time
Key Features
- Accounting integrations
- Simple employee scheduling
- Budget tracking and forecasting
- Asset management and tracking
Pros
- Easy to use
- Good variety of features
Cons
- Lacking customer support
- User report many bugs
- Hard to get software up and running
- Can get expensive for large teams
Pricing

Starts at $8.5/user/month Trial: Yes — 30-day Free Plan: No
Homebase — Good for pre-made scheduling template choices
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
With Homebase, it’s easy to drag & drop team schedules, make changes from your mobile phone, easily copy last week’s schedule, or use automatic scheduling (takes into account team availability and roles). Employees can simply update their availability or request shift trades, which is sent to management for approval. Additionally, Homebase can total hours and overtime, plus it is capable of subtracting break times. Homebase also integrates sales data from Clover, Toast, Square, and more.
Learn more about Homebase
Key Features
- Schedule templates
- Automated scheduling
- Overtime alerts
- Availability tracking
Pros
- Easy to use
- Easy to track employee hours
Cons
- Less expensive plans lack important features
- Requires some training before use
- Setting availability is problematic
Pricing

Starts at $20/location/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes — For a single location
Deputy — Good for tech-savvy people in need of complicated scheduling solutions
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
When using Deputy, you really need to be tech-savvy and Deputy knows it – that’s why they request all of your pen and paper timesheets and scheduling ahead of time so that they can customize the work schedule app to meet your business needs.

Some of their scheduling features include auto-scheduling with lunch and rest breaks. You can create, copy, or publish schedules, shift swapping, and shift replacements. Also, Deputy integrates the software with POS and HR systems like Gusto, Xero, QuickBooks, Lightspeed, and more.

Learn more about Deputy
Key Features
- Automated scheduling
- Alerts and notifications
- Employee database
- Drag & Drop features
Pros
- Good time management feature
- Several integrations
Cons
- Some bugs and technical issues with breaks
- Difficult to use
- There are more features and functionalities on the iOS app as opposed to Android
Pricing

Starts at $3.5/user/month Trial: Yes — 1 month Free Plan: No
Sling — Good for notification alerts for shift conflicts
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Sling makes it easy to create employee schedules, manage time off, availability, and shift swapping. Schedule overtime, reduce absenteeism, and late arrivals, and you can also receive notifications of overlapping shifts or double-booking. Save scheduling templates so creating new ones is a breeze.
Learn more about Sling
Key Features
- Employee directory
- Payroll reporting and management
- Alerts and notifications on overtime or double-booking
- Reporting and analytics
Pros
- Easy to use work schedule app
- Filter fields to view specific schedules
Cons
- Not great for large teams
- Private messaging
- Not the best user experience on the mobile version
Pricing

Starts at $1.70/user/month Trial: Yes — 14-day Free Plan: Yes
Fourth (Previously called: HotSchedules) — Good for complete visibility into scheduling changes
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
HotSchedules, now Fourth, has a simple interface that makes employee scheduling easier to manage. Employees can request to swap, release, or pick up shifts right from their mobile phone. As a manager, you have total visibility over this and can approve or deny the changes. From your POS system, you can receive labor and sales data which makes it simpler to create an accurate schedule.
Learn more about Fourth (Previously called: HotSchedules)
Key Features
- Automated scheduling
- Budgeting management and forecasting
- Employee management
- Employee database
Pros
- Easy scheduling feature
- Easy to use
Cons
- Lack of customer support
- Poor scheduling templates
- Frequent software updates
Pricing

Pricing is not publicly available Trial: No Free Plan: No
Jolt — Good for easy-to-use shift swap capabilities
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
A few features on Jolt that can help with employee scheduling include schedule distribution, shift swapping, mobile access, messaging, reports, and an in-app time clock. Jolt makes it easy to achieve team accountability, compliance, and boost employee performance.
Learn more about Jolt
Key Features
- FDA compliance
- Employee scheduling
- Desktop and mobile access
- Time clock management
Pros
- Easy to use
- Good customer support
Cons
- Setting availability is hard to do
- Not able to request PTO or vacation days
- The app interface is not as good as the desktop
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
Skedulo — Good for healthcare industries looking for HIPAA compliant software
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Skedulo is a good scheduling software tool for a mobile workforce. It is intended to increase productivity and streamline day-to-day operations of employees who do not sit behind a desk. With Skedulo businesses can manage scheduling and dispatching, oversee their deskless employees through a mobile app, and analyze the data gathered by the app for reporting purposes.
Learn more about Skedulo
Key Features
- Alerts and notifications
- Automated scheduling
- Drag & Drop
- HIPAA compliant
- Employee database
Pros
- Good for appointment booking
Cons
- Can get a bit pricey as they charge by feature per user, per month.
- Is really only an ideal solution for the healthcare industry
Pricing

Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No

Compare the Best Employee Scheduling Apps

Topic
Reviews	4.8	4.3	5	4.7	4.6	4.6	4.6	3.9	4.7	4.3
Pricing	Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users	Contact vendor for price	Contact vendor for price	Starts at $8.5/user/month	Starts at $20/location/month	Starts at $3.5/user/month	Starts at $1.70/user/month	Pricing is not publicly available	Contact vendor for price	Contact vendor for price
Free Trial	yes 14-day	yes	no	yes 30-day	yes 14-day	yes 1 month	yes 14-day	no	no	no
Free Plan	yes Up to 30 users	no	no	no	yes For a single location	no	yes	no	no	no

What Is An Employee Scheduling App?

Finances Online explains this in detail: “Employee scheduling software is a workforce and scheduling management platform that helps owners and managers administer their hourly workers. Automating the process of creating schedules produces consistent results, manages labor costs, increases productivity, and improves workforce satisfaction.”

How Do Employee Scheduling Apps Work?

Each employee scheduling app will be different based on catered services, but the general idea of automated scheduling should be present. Once you pick your choice of software, you’ll generally be taken through a set of directions that are designed to make everything as seamless and easy as possible.

You’ll set up control preferences for both you and your employees so that the employee scheduler app is customized to your liking. Preferences can include maximum hours worked per week, alert notifications, and claiming rights of shift openings.

Once your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule is in order, you can clearly track everything, and if cancellations or other sudden changes come into the mix, you can use this software to quickly recover and update all relevant staff members.

Benefits Of Using An Employee Scheduling App

Increased Productivity and Efficiency

Using an employee scheduling app can significantly increase the productivity and efficiency of a business. By streamlining the scheduling process, businesses can quickly and easily create a schedule, find substitutes for last-minute absences, and manage availability for multiple locations or teams. This helps to ensure that all employees are fully utilized in their roles and that tasks are completed on time.

Reduced Administrative Cost

With an employee scheduling app, businesses save money by reducing administrative costs associated with manual scheduling processes. Time saved creates cost savings in terms of wages paid to perform administrative tasks, as well as in paper expenses used to post schedules at multiple locations or hand out copies to each individual team member.

Streamlined Communication

An effective employee scheduling app can also help streamline communication between managers and their staff. With advanced notifications and alerts, managers can be sure that they’re reaching staff members at the right times – whether it’s about schedule changes or asking them to pick up extra shifts. This increases engagement and makes it easy for people to stay updated on their work hours without any confusion.

Accurate Scheduling

Employee scheduling apps can help businesses create accurate schedules each week. By using automated tools to consider employee availability, skill sets, and preferences, businesses can ensure that the right people are working at the right times, as well as make sure that labor costs remain within budget.

Improved Employee Satisfaction

Having an efficient scheduling system provides employees with more control over their work-life balance. By having access to all of their upcoming shifts on a single platform, they can plan ahead and schedule other commitments around their work hours. This helps to increase morale and ensure that your team is happy and productive in their roles.

Read our in-depth review of the best employee engagement software.

Real-Time Insights

Finally, employee scheduling apps provide closer insights into who’s working when, allowing managers to evaluate trends in performance or staffing needs. With the ability to quickly view the status of a staff member’s shift, managers can easily keep track of attendance patterns or any changes in assigned duties throughout the week.

FAQs

What can an employee scheduling app do for my company?

An employee scheduling app will definitely decrease the amount of time it takes you to schedule all your employees. In addition, it helps improve and increase employee productivity, provides management clear oversight, and reduces costs from human error. There should also be features that allow for employee collaboration and communication in real-time.

Is an employee scheduling app a good fit for both small and large businesses or even those who have deskless or mobile workers?

Yes, an employee scheduling app is beneficial for both small and large businesses no matter what industry they are in. Furthermore, they’re a great way for companies that have deskless or mobile workers to schedule their employees.

A robust employee scheduling app will provide management with complete oversight and control over all aspects of employee scheduling. Employee scheduling apps help small and large businesses alike save time and money when it comes to common scheduling issues and problems.

Is a free employee work schedule app a good choice for my business?

This really depends on what the free plan includes and what features are provided. There are only a few scheduling apps for employees that are also an all-in-one solution to employee scheduling and management. One of them, Connecteam, is an all-in-one employee scheduling and employee management app that offers a free, unlimited plan for up to 10 users.

Why should I use an employee scheduling app?

Approximately 140 hours a year are lost when manually taking care of job scheduling. For this reason alone, you should switch to employee scheduling apps to have more spare time and money in your pocket. On another note, statistics show that manualized scheduling can hike up turnover, and that’s because when scheduling is in chaos, this can exhaust your entire team.

Employee scheduling apps take the work out of your hands and maintain work hours that honor labor law, reduce overtime costs, and utilize your entire team so that work is dispersed equally and fairly.

With software like this, the endless hours you normally have to put into reaching out to employees about availability, constantly re-doing print-out schedules or pen and paper ones, and sweating over calculating your timesheets, can all be redirected to more important aspects of your business.

The Bottom Line on Online Employee Scheduling Apps

As you are aware, scheduling employees can be a long and arduous process, especially if you’re still doing it by pen and paper. Not only can it be full of mistakes, but it’s hard to disseminate to employees, papers can be easily lost or misplaced, and it’s an inefficient and archaic process.

In 2023, more and more companies of all sizes are making the technological jump to an employee scheduling app that helps streamline employee scheduling. Management can now focus on more important daily tasks as opposed to spending hours creating and executing a working schedule that fits all of your employees’ needs and wants.

Connecteam is the best employee scheduling software and offers a host of other solutions, such as communication, task management, and employee training, and will definitely be an advantage to your business.

Start your free 14-day trial today and see how Connecteam can help streamline your business.