7 Best Scheduling Software for Small Businesses for 2022

If you’re running a small business, it’s extremely likely that you and your employees need a schedule to easily manage shifts. 

But making schedules on spreadsheets or out of pen and paper can get messy very quickly, and there’s always a chance that your employees could lose it. 

The ultimate solution to this problem is clearly a scheduling software for small businesses. Specifically designed for you and your hourly employees, this is the ideal way to build and share simple schedules that are easy to access and make adjustments to.

Don’t worry, we’re here for you. We know exactly which scheduling software for small businesses is going to best suit you company’s scheduling needs.

Our Top Picks

1. Connecteam – Best all-in-one scheduling software for small businesses
2. mHelpDesk – Good for employee dispatching
3. Wrike – Good for remote teams

What to Look for in Scheduling Software for Small Businesses

You should consider the following capabilities when selecting scheduling software for your small business:

• Ease of use: The ability to simply drag and drop employees into digital shifts, or use premade templates.
• Manager approval: Upper management are able to decide which claimed shifts are approved and rejected.
• Internal communication: Team members can message each other from the schedule, in order to hash out which shifts are taken by whom.
• Advanced notifications: Managers can automatically notify users regarding all schedule-related updates, such as shift requests, new open shifts, managers’ approvals, etc.
• Mobile app: Employees can access their schedules using a mobile version fo the software, regardless of location.

Our research has resulted in a detailed list of some of the best scheduling software solutions for small businesses. Saving time, money and maximizing manpower will become more achievable than ever.

Top 7 Scheduling Software for Small Businesses for 2022

Connecteam is an award-winning scheduling software for small business owners to customize, assign and manage shifts with just a couple of clicks, while employees can easily access their schedule via a mobile app with a simple user interface.

36,000+ businesses use this all-in-one software solution to provide the workforce with accurate schedules, which can be adjusted at any time depending on their business needs. With Connecteam, you can:

• Easily create and assign shifts for individuals and teams, with the ability to import schedules directly from Excel or selecting pre-made templates.
• Fully customize your schedule with jobs, sub-jobs, clients, projects, and much more. Color-code your shifts and attach notes/files/other media.
• Ensure employees instantly know when shifts are open to claim by setting automated reminders and notifications. 
• Employees can easily clock in and out directly from their shift with the employee time clock shortcut.
• Make shift-related communication even simpler via the shift scheduler’s team chat shortcut.
• Empower employees to complete their shift to perfection, with the ability to attach forms and checklists, photos, videos and more.

Key Features

• Open shifts for employees to claim

• Chat built into scheduling feature

• Add tasks directly into shifts

• Attach notes, files and forms in shifts

• Clock in directly from schedules

• Recurring, ongoing and duplicate shifts

Pros and Cons

• Easily spot scheduling conflicts

• Quickly plan and dispatch teams

• Manage multiple locations/departments

• Intuitive and user-friendly

• Integrations in development

Pricing

• Premium plan starts at $29/month for the first 30 users (extra seats available per user)

• 14-day free trial

• Free-for-life plan: For up to 10 users, without limitations

mHelpDesk is a small business scheduling software that helps managers automate various workflows, especially from a scheduling point of view. Plan, dispatch workers and oversee schedules, while also making billing and inventory easier processes for part-time and full-time workers. MHelpDesk integrates with apps such as QuickBooks and Google Calendar, increasing productivity.  

Sounds good? There’s one catch: mHelpDesk is an extremely expensive scheduling solution.

For Whom?

mHelpDesk is a useful, if not one of the best scheduling software for small businesses and medium-sized ones too. It’s particularly great for companies who are looking for more efficient billing processes, better organization and mobile access. HVAC businesses benefit from mHelpDesk’s features.

Key Features

• Schedule and dispatch

• Drag and drop calendar

• Recurring jobs

• Access schedule information

• Workflow/job management

• Offline access

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Good customer support

• Integrates with multiple apps

• Training can take a long time

• Reporting needs work

• Extremely expensive solution

Pricing

• Capterra notes pricing starts at $169/month per user.

• Free trial: 14-day

• Free plan: No

Wrike is a good starting point for small business managers who want to give employees quick access to scheduling information and want to customize schedules with ease. This scheduling software integrates well with multiple apps such as MediaValet and Gmail, to name a few. Also, Wrike makes it easy for employees to request PTO, sick leave and vacation, and also shows workers when and where they should clock in and out. There’s also a limited free plan, making this a good option for free scheduling software for small business.

For Whom?

Wrike is a great scheduling software for small businesses, large enterprises and remote teams alike. It is especially useful for teams with 20 employees or more. 

Key Features

• Shared team calendars

• Absence request forms

• Schedule templates

• Automated scheduling

• Real-time chat

• Employee database

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Ideal for team collaboration

• Easy to use

• User interface is unattractive

• Poor customer support

• Expensive scheduling software

Pricing

• Professional plan costs $9.80/user per month, with up to 200 users

• Free trial: 14-day

• Free plan: Yes

7shifts is much more than a scheduling software for small businesses. Managers can make the most of this app’s scheduling capabilities, as well as time tracking, communication and task management. Workers can easily access schedules from mobile devices and managers can quickly monitor schedules on the go. 

For Whom?

7shifts was originally designed specifically for managers who needed scheduling software to run restaurants successfully. But the app is useful for many small businesses that revolve around shift-based work. 

Key Features

• Drag & drop scheduler

• Customizable schedules and templates

• PTO requests

• Shift trading

• Automated notifications

• Set and track budgets

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Functional and attractive

• Good customer support

• Unable to edit reports

• Can’t customize notifications

• Can take time to load

Pricing

• Starts at $32.99 per location/month

• Free trial: 14-day

• Free plan: Yes, up to 10 users and 1 location

Deputy is a useful small business scheduling software that makes your scheduling duties digital and efficient. Syncing timesheets, tracking time and attendance, and managing leave are easy with this app. Deputy integrates with a variety of payroll apps and is compatible with both iOS and Android.

For Whom?

Deputy is an ideal scheduling software for small businesses. It benefits healthcare staff and the following other industries: retail, hospitality, education, construction, and security, to name a few.

Key Features

• Automated scheduling

• Fatigue/overtime management

• Shift trading

• Claim open shifts

• Leave management system

• Flag missed or unscheduled breaks

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Customizable timesheets

• Easy to manage time off

• Integrating payroll apps can be difficult

• Frequent data lagging

• Doesn’t sync with calendar apps

Pricing

• Scheduling plan costs $2.50/user per month. Other features like time and attendance are also $2.50/user per month each.

• Free trial: 31-day

• Free plan: No

Jobber is an effective small business scheduling software that makes scheduling more efficient for managers and employees. Workers have easy access to their flexible schedule and shift details, and managers receive notifications when shifts/jobs are complete. Users will also enjoy viewing schedules and scheduling meetings in multiple ways. Jobber integrates with many other apps and is compatible on both mobile and desktop.

For Whom?

Jobber benefits small businesses from various industries, such as cleaning businesses, HVAC companies, and plumbing teams, to name a few. It is generally best for businesses that require more efficient scheduling and better organization.

Key Features

• Scheduling and dispatching

• Drag and drop calendar

• Job alerts and reminders

• Invoicing and payment

• Team push notifications

• Employee availability management

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Attractive and easy to use

• Quick to learn how to use

• Lack of customization

• Poor customer service

• Expensive solution

Pricing

• $30/month for 1 user, $90/month for up to 7 users, $180/month for up to 30 users (for the first year)

• Free trial: 14-day

• Free plan: No

Skedulo is a small business scheduling software that eliminates manual scheduling. This app makes it easy to match qualified workers with relevant shifts and tasks, like a 4/10 or 9/80 schedule. Regardless of time zone, Managers can allocate shifts, manage various kinds of leave (sick, vacation, PTO) and improve internal communication across all departments.

For Whom?

Workers in various industries benefit from Skedulo’s scheduling software. These include real estate agents, healthcare workers and security guards, to name a few. Deskless workers, nonprofit organizations and enterprises also use Skedulo.

Key Features

• Automated scheduling

• SMS and push notifications

• Open shifts to claim

• Communication built into shifts

• Customize schedules

• Integrations with multiple apps

Pros and Cons

Based on customer reviews

• Attractive and easy to use

• Easy integration with multiple apps

• No attendance reports

• Pricing lacks transparency

• Poor customer support

Pricing

• Skedulo’s prices vary by feature/number of users. Contact a representative for pricing.

• Free trial: No

• Free plan: No

Comparing The Top Scheduling Software For Small Businesses

What Is Scheduling Software for Small Businesses?

As the term suggests, scheduling software for a small business is a cloud-based or computer-based program that automates aspects of employee scheduling, specifically tailored for small businesses. This includes the creation, sharing and management of shift schedules.

Scheduling software allows managers to create the most optimal schedule for their hourly workers. It takes employees’ availability and skills into consideration and eliminates issues such as double-booking and scheduling conflicts. Acuity scheduling solutions also include similar features.

How Does Scheduling Software for Small Businesses Work?

Scheduling software for small businesses usually allows managers to book appointments, customize specific shifts, with the ability to attach tasks, shift details and other media. It’s possible to assign shifts to specific employees, or open shifts for employees to claim. 

Employee appointment scheduling software may also include time tracking capabilities, which allow employees to clock in and out and managers can set overtime limits. Hours are often processed into timesheets, which can be exported to payroll software. 

Scheduling software for small businesses can also include mobile apps for their employees to access their schedules from any location.

The Benefits of Scheduling Software for Small Businesses

There are countless benefits that small businesses can benefit from using scheduling software. These include:

• Keeps Employees Up to Date: Ensuring everyone’s on the same page is a key benefit of scheduling software for small businesses. Managers can use this software to plan, assign and oversee shifts in an instant. All scheduling situations are accounted for, including rotations, conflicts and vacancies.
• Optimizes Use of Staff: There are many cases where a businesses can become understaffed or overstaffed. Or, the staff who are available don’t have the relevant skills to tackle the tasks at hand. Scheduling software for small businesses ensures that every shift has the optimal number of employees available and the right ones for the job.
• Eliminates Scheduling Conflicts: There are many cases when employees mix up their schedules and potentially arrive to the wrong shifts or miss the ones they were assigned to. Scheduling inconveniences can occur without the right resources. Due to its usability and automation capabilities, scheduling software reduces these issues considerably, if not completely.
• Boosts Efficiency: Building and managing employee schedules can be awfully time-consuming. Ensuring every employee has work and all shifts are filled in takes a lot of time when using just pen and paper or spreadsheets. A digital solution makes these processes much quicker.
• Easy Access: Rather than needing to keep a paper schedule in their pocket or opening a laptop every time they want to check their shift times, employees can simply open their mobile app from any place and claim or reject shifts with a couple of clicks.

How Much Does Scheduling Software for Small Businesses Cost?

Scheduling software for small businesses usually varies in pricing depending the features included and the number of users it’s designed for. 

Some of the scheduling tools on this list fall on the pricier side. For example, 7Shifts and Wrike cost $1649.50 and $490 per month for 50 users, respectively. While other solutions are much more affordable, such as Jobber, which costs $180 per month for up to 30 users. 

It’s also worth noting that some software solutions don’t advertise their pricing information on their websites. In this case, we advise contacting a sales representative.

With that said, we advise selecting a solution that combines the most affordable pricing with the widest range of features. And with a basic pricing plan of $29 per month for the first 30 users, Connecteam is definitely worth considering. 

FAQs

1. Is scheduling software for small businesses expensive?

The truth is that the prices of scheduling software for small businesses (retail stores, for example) varies. While some may certainly appear to be overpriced when considering the features and benefits they provide, it’s worth playing around with solutions that match your company’s budget. 

A lot of employee scheduling software for businesses offer paid plans that vary in price depending on the number of employees – not Connecteam though. This all-in-one scheduling software has a fixed price for the first 30 users. This means that regardless whether your company has 10, 20 or 50 employees, the price stays the same. 

2. Is scheduling software customizable to my small business?

Unfortunately, not every scheduling software for small businesses includes features that admins can customize. But there are specific solutions that excel in this department. Apps like Connecteam recognize how important it is for small businesses to put their stamp on scheduling features (such as not allowing overtime requests), so that employees can use technology that speaks their language.

Connecteam is extremely customizable, so admins can tweak the features to meet the needs of their company. This means they can prepare a job schedule that makes sense, choose the relevant features and rename them accordingly. 

3. Do I really need scheduling software for my small business?

As a small business owner, we can understand if you have grown accustomed to building schedules with pen and paper, and might be hesitant to use technology. With that said, we firmly believe that replacing those manual methods with the latest software can make scheduling processes so much easier and efficient in the long run. 

Let’s say you’re a retail manager who has just started using Connecteam. You will basically do all of the same things, like building schedules, allocating shifts and keeping your team up to date with the latest schedule changes. The main difference though is that you can do all of this from the convenience of your phone. What originally took hours of writing, phone calls, spreadsheets and emails will now take a matter of minutes and a couple of clicks. 

The Bottom Line on the Best Scheduling Software for Small Businesses in 2022

So now you should be a bit more familiar with some of the best scheduling software for small businesses. You are now well on your way to finding a solution that ensures all shifts are covered, you’re making the most of your manpower and you’re saving time and effort on the go.

We’re aware that as a small business owner, you might be looking for new scheduling software for one of two reasons. For example, you’re running a construction business who might be used to creating schedules manually. Now you’re looking to go digital. 

Or, you might already be using scheduling software – but the one you are using is either too expensive or simply not ticking all of the boxes. 

Whatever the case may be, we firmly believe that Connecteam is the ideal scheduling software for small business owners that want to easily create schedules, increase productivity, and reduce business costs.

One final note – we recommend trying out some of the scheduling apps mentioned above. If they offer a free trial, then even better. Make the most of the apps that have free capabilities, give them a test run, and see if it meets your business needs. 

Now, you can make a smart, informed decision that is bound to benefit your small business.