Free Employee Scheduling Software
Which employee scheduling apps a startup can build shift schedules and track hours for its team with for free today, how many employees the free plan covers, what it leaves out, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . Scheduling apps change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
Employee scheduling apps a startup can use for free today include Sling (Free for up to 30 users), Planday (30-day free trial), ZoomShift (Free plan for up to 20 users), Agendrix (Free trial, up to 21 days), and Shiftbase (Free forever for up to 15 employees). Each of the 9 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, how many employees it covers, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
A store, cafe, support team or warehouse that runs on shifts needs a schedule everyone can see, swap and confirm. Several employee scheduling apps have a free plan for a small team, and the rest offer a free trial.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free plans cap employees or locations, and time clocks, payroll exports and messaging are often kept for paid plans. Each app below shows what is free, its main limit, how many employees it covers, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which apps we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which apps are listed or where.
Employee scheduling apps with a free plan
Build and share shift schedules on a plan that stays free.
- 1
Sling
Schedules for up to 30 users at no cost
Sling's free plan covers shift scheduling for up to 30 users. Time tracking is added on Premium, which costs $2.00 per user a month.
- Employees covered
- Up to 30 users (source: getsling.com)
- First paid plan
- Premium: $2.00 per user a month (source: getsling.com)
- 2
ZoomShift
Small teams of up to 20 users on one location
ZoomShift's Essentials plan is free for up to 20 users, with scheduling for one location. Its Starter plan is priced per active team member.
- Employees covered
- Up to 20 users (source: zoomshift.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: zoomshift.com)
- First paid plan
- Starter: $2.50 a team member a month (source: zoomshift.com)
Start free at ZoomShiftTerms read on zoomshift.com on ZoomShift: the free allowance and how to start - 3
Shiftbase
Up to 15 staff who log hours by hand
Shiftbase's free plan is free forever with no hidden costs, for up to 15 employees in one department and up to 5 teams.
- Employees covered
- Up to 15 employees (source: shiftbase.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: shiftbase.com)
Start free at ShiftbaseTerms read on shiftbase.com on Shiftbase: the free allowance and how to start - 4
7shifts
One restaurant location with up to 15 staff
7shifts' Comp plan is free for a single location with up to 15 employees. The first paid plan, Essentials, is $39.99 per location a month.
- Main limit
- One location only (source: 7shifts.com)
- Employees covered
- Up to 15 employees (source: 7shifts.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: 7shifts.com)
- 5
Findmyshift
Small teams of up to 5 people
Findmyshift will always be free for small teams of up to 5 employees, with one week of forward planning. Sign-up needs no credit card.
- Employees covered
- Up to 5 team members (source: findmyshift.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: findmyshift.com)
Start free at FindmyshiftTerms read on findmyshift.com on Findmyshift: the free allowance and how to start
Employee scheduling apps with a free trial
Try a full scheduling and time clock app free before you pay.
- 1
Planday
Teams that want a 30-day test before paying
Planday gives 30 days for free with no credit card required. Its Starter plan needs at least 5 users.
- What's free
- 30-day free trial (source: planday.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: planday.com)
- 2
Agendrix
Teams that want up to 21 days to test
Agendrix gives up to 21 days of free trial with no credit card required. The full suite runs for 7 days, and completing the discovery flow adds up to 14 more.
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: agendrix.com)
- 3
When I Work
Teams that want a card-free 14-day test
When I Work's scheduling, time tracking and messaging are all free for 14 days, with no credit card required. Pricing starts at $2.50 per user a month.
- What's free
- Free for 14 days (source: wheniwork.com)
- Payment card
- No card needed (source: wheniwork.com)
- First paid plan
- Essentials: $2.50 per user a month (source: wheniwork.com)
Start free at When I WorkTerms read on wheniwork.com on When I Work: the free allowance and how to start - 4
Deputy
Teams that want to test Lite or Core
Deputy offers a free trial on its Lite and Core plans. Lite is $5 per user a month, and a minimum monthly spend of USD $30 applies.
- First paid plan
- Lite: $5 per user a month, USD (source: deputy.com)
Also useful for hiring, HR and legal
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
Compare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers employee scheduling apps a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each app's terms. Every term comes from the app's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A cap on employees or locations, time clock, payroll or messaging kept for paid plans, a short trial instead of a free plan can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these apps pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a app appears, and no app pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free employee scheduling software?
By the terms each provider states, Sling is free for up to 30 users, ZoomShift for up to 20 users, Shiftbase free forever for up to 15 employees, 7shifts' Comp plan covers one location with up to 15 employees, and Findmyshift is free for teams of up to 5.
Is Sling free?
Yes. Sling is free for up to 30 users, with time tracking on Premium at $2.00 per user a month.
Is 7shifts free?
7shifts has a free Comp plan for one location with up to 15 employees and no card needed. Essentials is $39.99 a month per location.
Which scheduling apps have a free trial?
Planday has a 30-day free trial, Agendrix up to 21 days, When I Work 14 days with complete access, and Deputy a free trial on its Lite and Core plans.
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