Best Free Employee Scheduling Software for 2023

• Online schedule builder and shift manager: Homebase offers a drag-and-drop functionality that includes shift preferences and availability. It has a library of schedule templates that can be used to create daily, weekly, and monthly schedules. One of Homebase’s standout features (not found in 7shifts or SocialSchedules) is its auto-scheduling, which will allow you to create a duplicate schedule.
• Recruiting tools: Homebase provides basic tools for recruiting candidates. You can post your open jobs to job boards, like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. Additionally, you can track applicants right from your dashboard, add screening questions to your job posts, and store documents such as staff forms.
• Employee time tracking: Homebase has digital time sheets that allow for tracking employee time, as well as a time clock app for computers, tablets, POS devices, and smartphones. Unlike SocialSchedules, your employees can use pin code-based time-ins/outs. Additionally, for employees that work in the field, Homebase offers a GPS locator so you can tell where your employees are when they clock in and out.
• Offline mode: In case Wi-Fi is down, Homebase will record the time-ins/outs and sync these later to the virtual clock once the internet connection is restored.
• Unlimited Employees: While Homebase’s free plan is limited to only one location, there is no limit to the number of employees you can schedule. 7shifts and SocialSchedules’ free plans are only for one location and up to 10 employees.

Basic Plan – Free

• Covers one location and unlimited employees
• No-cost plan includes:
  • Staff scheduling
  • Time sheets and time clocks
  • Hiring tools
  • Basic reports
  • Payroll and POS integrations
  • Mobile apps (for iOS and Android)
  • Online time clock options (for smartphones, tablets, computer, and POS devices)

Paid Plans

Three plans (Essentials, Plus, and All-in-One); fees range from $24.95 to $99.95 per location monthly; premium tiers include budgeting and labor cost controls, PTO policies and accruals tracking, and onboarding tools. It offers a 20% discount when you opt to pay annually.

Add-on services

• Job posting boosts (starts at $79 per job post)
• Payroll ($39 per month base fee plus $6 per active employee monthly)
• Access to HR advisers and resources ($99 per month for non-All-in-One plan subscribers; free for All-in-One subscribers)

• Customized scheduling: 7shifts provides an online schedule builder with drag-and-drop functionality that can be customized to fit your staff needs and departments. You can use schedule templates to create next week’s schedule, as well as track shift swaps and notifications.
• Manager logbook: While Homebase and SocialSchedules both offer a manager logbook, 7shifts stands out due to its default setting of restaurant operations categories, such as customizable shift notes and daily operations (customer complaints, maintenance issues, employee management, and employee concerns).
• Integrations with third-party software: 7shifts integrates with an impressive 23 POS systems (top-ranked for the restaurant industry) and 13 payroll software services. Additionally, it integrates with a training solution software (ExpandShare) and HigherMe, a hiring app specifically designed for restaurants and retail.
• Mobile time clock apps: With the app, employees must provide facial recognition to clock in (preventing buddy punching). A geolocation feature is built in to prevent employees from clocking in before reaching their destination.
• Health screening questions: Similar to Homebase, employees who are clocking in via 7shifts are asked a series of health-related questions to ensure your staff’s and patrons’ safety.

“Comp” plan: Free; covers one location and 30 employees; comes with basic scheduling and time tracking tools including:

Paid plans: Three options (Entree, The Works, and Gourmet) with monthly fees that start at $34.99 for 30 up to $150 for unlimited employees. Save 10% with annual billing for 7shifts.

Add-ons: $6.99–$24.99 per location monthly

• Affordability: Its free tier for US customers allows you to publish up to 100 shifts per month and includes PTO leave management. If you need more advanced features, Deputy’s paid products are budget-friendly, with monthly fees that start at $2 per active employee—making it the most affordable paid time tracking solution on this list.
• Scheduling: Deputy’s scheduling feature lets you create schedules from scratch or with a template. You can also set rules for breaks, labor budgets, spread of hours, and more. It automatically alerts you when an employee is on paid time off (PTO), so you don’t add them to a shift. Like SocialSchedules, Deputy also tracks employee qualifications and lets you know if the person you assign is qualified or not.
• Task assignments: With Deputy, you can add single and recurring tasks to staff schedules. Although it doesn’t record the actual hours that your employees spend on each task, it sends you notifications whenever an assignment has been completed.
• Communications: You can send out schedules, inform employees about open shifts, and send reminders of upcoming shifts. Like other software in this guide, it has a chat feature to let you communicate with others. However, it’s the only one with a newsfeed where you can post announcements, policies, and events. You can use its video feature in creative ways, such as sharing motivational messages or presenting new products.

Starter Free plan: Only available in the US

• • Publish up to 100 shifts per month; no auto-scheduling
  • PTO and leave management
  • Newsfeed
  • Unlimited 24/7 support

Standalone packages: $3.50 per employee for separate Time and Attendance and Scheduling options

Paid plans with complete time tracking and scheduling solutions:

• Premium tier ($4.90 per employee) and Enterprise option (custom priced)
• Flexible weekly option ($2 per employee)

Please Note: Scheduling, Time and Attendance, and Premium tiers require a minimum monthly spend of $10 per invoice.

• Schedule maintenance: SocialSchedules also has an online schedule builder with drag-and-drop functionality. It assists in tracking staff availability (including PTO management) and allows schedule planning by position. Additionally, you can create shifts for off-site addresses and remote staff.
• Compliance tools: SocialSchedules has the most robust compliance tools in this guide. It helps you to remain compliant with labor and wage laws in your state by using rule-setting, alerts, and tracking features.
• In-app messaging: You have the ability to send private and group messages through SocialSchedules, which includes unlimited chat history. You can send out schedules, approve shift swaps, and send and receive time-off requests. You can also set disclaimers (messages) that your employees must read and acknowledge before they can clock in/out.
• Availability management: You can manage your employee’s schedule availability right through the app and make necessary changes, including days off, times available, and locations preferred. Employees can create availability sets showing when they can work, and those availability can be set to repeat weekly.
• Day notes: Another helpful feature that only SocialSchedules has is for managers to leave day notes for employees, so they know which areas or locations they are working in. You can also lock days so employees can’t change shifts or take certain days off.

• Basic: Free; includes one location, one department, up to 10 employees, and cloud storage of 28 days. Features include:
  • Desktop and/or mobile apps
  • Scheduling
  • In-app management
  • Availability management
  • Time off requests
• Paid plans: Starter ($15.99 per location monthly); Premium ($39.99 per location monthly); Enterprise (Custom priced); get up to 20% discount when you opt for annual billing

Setup assistance:

• Ruby package ($149 per location)
• Sapphire package ($299 per location)