Best Employee Scheduling Software for Small Business in 2026

I like that Connecteam makes communication easy for our team. PTO requests go straight to the manager, and the forms are easy to use. I appreciate how user-friendly the app is. Some of my staff are older, but the app’s ease of use makes training simple.

Shift Requests are a convenient way for employees to request overtime, and this feature has helped us save money on overtime.

We decided to use Connecteam to track employee timesheets and their PTO. We were having trouble managing timesheets and vacation approvals previously. Connecteam has helped us save on overtime expenses. It has also improved transparency on available PTO for our employees. I have used Connecteam for 8 months.

The company setup and onboarding on Connecteam were difficult. The built-in AI chatbot helped me get through the process, but it could have been easier.

I wish Connecteam integrated with QuickBooks, which is where I run my payroll. It would be helpful if I could download my timesheet data into QuickBooks.

I also wish Connecteam had more reporting features.

Connecteam stood out from its competitors. We use their free version for 10 employees or fewer, which was a major selling point to upper management. None of the competition offers a free version.

If you have 10 employees or fewer, this is a great platform to explore. Connecteam includes everything you need for job scheduling, timesheet tracking, and PTO management.

I haven't noticed many changes since starting in January. I also haven't had any needs that the platform doesn't already meet.

Any business with multiple employees, multiple schedules, or benefits to manage will find Connecteam helpful.

1. Buddy Punch has a very intuitive user interface.
2. It is a complete tool with time tracking, scheduling, and leave tracking, and it has great payroll integration, allowing us to retire other inefficient, legacy, and more manual processes.
3. It offers good pricing and is value for money, considering the functionality you receive in return.

We were using a timesheet system already. It was a free, open-source system, but as we grew and our needs became more complex, the system could not keep up. The reporting was not good enough, and it didn't have enough automation. It also lacked employee location-based time tracking, which was becoming essential now that our employees were going remote. Buddy Punch provided greater automation, more self-service, and location-based time tracking. I have used it for about 18 months.

1. There wasn't an option for phone support. Online chat is good for simple problems but not as effective for more complicated issues. Typing takes a long time, so a phone support option would be helpful.
2. If you make an error when punching in or out, it is not easy to go back and fix it.
3. The software can be a little slow and glitchy at times.

It offers great value for money. You get a lot of features for the price. I found the chat and email support fast and responsive, better than others, though I would still prefer the option of phone support. The scheduling tool and geofencing apps are the best available for a time-tracking tool.

Geofencing is becoming essential if you have a remote or field team.

Feature-rich time clock and scheduling functionality is crucial, especially in this hybrid and remote working world where people work flexibly. Collaboration is key.

The geofencing functionality has become more robust and easy to use. The scheduling tool has also gradually increased its functionality.

Organizations with field and remote workers can benefit from Buddy Punch.

1. User-friendly interface in both the app and the web-based platform
2. Easy to manage a high-volume of team members
3. Solved our problems of needing a centralized scheduling system for multiple locations and a reliable time-keeping app

I utilized when-i-work while employed with JAG Physical Therapy. I have 8 months' experience utilizing the system. It was purchased to be a schedule management system to schedule, track time and attendance, and communicate with our hourly employees. The pain points leading to purchase included a need for an all-access central scheduling system that can accommodate multiple site locations. The key benefits included the ability to keep track of time off, employee availability, and manage shift swaps with a few clicks.

1. The chat feature is clunky. We chose to utilized WhatsApp instead for security purposes
2. Difficulty with integration into ADP payroll system
3. Various aspects of the clock in/clock out logistics, with GPS tracking. This led to extra work when people forgot to clock in or out and had to manually enter

I preferred When-I-Work's App vs Deputy, however preferred the web-based interface of Deputy. It was easier to find settings for changes, easier to copy and duplicate shifts in a series with customization.

1. Cost - When-I-Work is an affordable choice for what you get
2. Other systems in your workplace - check for the ability to integrate
3. Comparison of chat features vs other options - have to find what works best for you. Would be better if when-i-work was encrypted.

It became more user-friendly over the 8 months I utilized the app. The customer service team was helpful in solving challenges that arose.

Any multi-location entity

• Rippling is an all-in-one platform that manages the entire employee journey, from interviewing to offboarding.
• It has direct integrations with Carta.
• It offers a seamless payroll process through its flexible benefits platform.

We adopted Rippling in 2021 as a small tech startup with fewer than 15 people, seeking a solution to manage essential HR functions without a dedicated HR or Finance team member. We needed software that could efficiently handle payroll, onboarding, and offboarding while ensuring compliance with local and federal laws and regulations.

Over the past three years, we have expanded our use of Rippling to include its recruiting platform and ASO services, which provide enhanced support for federal and state filings and reporting. Most recently, to integrate benefit deductions seamlessly into payroll, we appointed Rippling as our Broker of Record and began using its Flexible Benefits module.

• The support process can be overly complex and too dependent on AI.
• The Recruiting Module does not allow the exclusion of specific job boards, such as Indeed, which often results in a high-volume but low-quality applicant pool.
• Rippling’s step-by-step wizard makes it difficult to view entire processes, like employee offboarding, in one comprehensive view.

Rippling is a robust all-in-one platform that has consolidated services we previously outsourced. Before using Rippling, we managed separate vendors for applicant tracking and flexible benefits administration. Rippling has enabled us to bring all these functions together in a single, integrated system.

Companies should evaluate whether they prefer an all-in-one system or specialized tools that integrate throughout the employee lifecycle. It’s important to assess the team's capacity and willingness to learn and manage the platform. While Rippling is intuitive, it requires a time investment to fully leverage its features.

During our time with Rippling, we have seen enhancements to the recruiting platform, including improved resume screening and stronger communication automation.

Rippling has introduced customizable workflows and in-platform app customization options, allowing us to tailor the platform to our needs. Its expanded support and compliance features led us to adopt its ASO service in early 2025.

Rippling is ideal for companies seeking a strong, user-friendly, all-in-one HRIS solution. It provides value even for users without payroll or HR expertise due to its intuitive interface.

It suits small to mid-sized businesses and is especially beneficial for companies with remote teams or global employees, as it includes device management and global payroll features.

I really love the time-clock app, which makes time recording more efficient and reduces time theft. I love that Homebase is highly expandable—we started with just the rota and expanded to include the time clock, timesheets, and payroll. I think it is well-priced, and you get a lot of value for your money.

We were using an Excel-based rota to manage staff hours, but as staff numbers increased, it became cumbersome. The rota had macros that were proving unreliable on different platforms. We wanted an online system to manage our rotas. The key benefits Homebase provided were a lot of automation, including staff shift-swapping. I have used Homebase on and off for about five years.

The geolocation on the time clock can be glitchy at times. It's only suitable for US employees, as you can only pay in dollars, and customer service is US-centric. The mobile app seems to be somewhat limited on iOS.

I think Homebase offers more expandability compared to its competitors. It is also reasonably priced in comparison. The pricing model suited us better than others because we have just a few locations with quite a few staff, and Homebase's pricing is driven by the number of locations rather than the number of employees.

Since it's primarily a scheduling tool, it needs to have a high-quality rota with plenty of automation and shift-swapping as a minimum. Rotas, timesheets, and payroll are closely linked workflows, so it's best to look for software that includes all three areas of functionality to maximize efficiency.

Homebase has gradually expanded its service offerings, allowing users to treat it as a one-stop shop for HR functionality. While this can be more expensive than using separate tools, the convenience of available add-ons is beneficial for those who want an all-in-one HR solution.

Homebase is ideal for US-based organizations with a tech-savvy workforce.

Shiftboard is highly customizable and allows us to have multiple qualifiers for employees to accept shifts, such as credentials or specific training requirements. The platform is easy to use and understand for our employees. The "Tradeboard" feature allows employees to swap shifts if they qualify and meet the requirements, offering flexibility when they need time off. The support team is highly responsive when issues occur, which is not frequent.

My organization contracted with Shiftboard for scheduling over eight years ago. We needed a solution for scheduling 350+ employees in the healthcare industry working in various locations that were staffed 24/7. Our payroll provider had timekeeping and scheduling capabilities, but they were very limited and didn't operate well with 24-hour scheduling. We needed something that employees would find easy to navigate and use daily. We also wanted our employees to have more than one option for how they clock in and out for each shift that would update in real-time.

From an administrative standpoint, the system can be challenging for schedulers to learn. The training modules offered could be expanded to make this easier. The visual calendar is a bit rudimentary.

I find Shiftboard superior to its competitors. Prior to contracting with Shiftboard, I researched 6-7 other timekeeping/scheduling systems, and none of them were as customizable. I appreciate the added benefits of company announcements and communication features, and the price is highly competitive and affordable.

When considering timekeeping/scheduling software, first identify the goals you need it to achieve. The larger and more complex your needs, the more customizable the software should be. Do your employees have the same basic schedule? Do they work at the same location frequently? If so, you may not need much customization. If you have many employees and multiple locations, your scheduling needs will be complex, and you'll want the ability to mold the software to fit your exact specifications.

Shiftboard is proactive about contacting and meeting with their customers regularly to identify any pain points. Shiftboard has undergone multiple upgrades over time, each beneficial to our company. This includes a company dashboard for announcements to all employees, the ability to contact employees individually or by location, and the Tradeboard feature. Their support team responds well to feedback and requests.

Any sized company with complex scheduling needs will find Shiftboard to be a great fit. It is especially useful for healthcare companies, which have hundreds of employees in multiple locations.

I can tell you that there are several things that I really like about the software. Here are a few of the main pros:

1. Ease of use: 7shifts is very intuitive and easy to use, even for someone who is not tech-savvy. The interface is clean and simple, and the features are well-organized and easy to access.

2. Flexibility: 7shifts is highly customizable, which has been great for us as we have a large and varied workforce. We can set up our scheduling rules and preferences, and the system automatically generates optimal schedules based on our needs.

3. Communication: 7shifts has greatly improved our communication with our team. We can easily send messages and announcements to our employees through the app, and they can quickly and easily request time off or shift swaps. This has helped to reduce conflicts and improve morale among our team.

Overall, I have found 7shifts to be a great solution for managing our scheduling and time-tracking processes. The ease of use, flexibility, and communication features has been particularly helpful, and I would highly recommend it to other organizations.

Our organization purchased 7shifts in order to streamline our scheduling and time tracking processes. Prior to using 7shifts, we were using a combination of spreadsheets and paper schedules, which was time-consuming and often led to errors or conflicts. We were looking for a tool that would allow us to easily create and manage schedules, track employee hours, and communicate with our team.

One of the key benefits of using 7shifts has been the ability to quickly and easily create schedules, even for a large and varied workforce. We can customize our scheduling rules and preferences, and the system automatically generates optimal schedules based on our needs. We can also easily communicate with employees through the app, and they can quickly and easily request time off or shift swaps.

Another benefit has been the time tracking feature, which has helped us to track employee hours and ensure compliance with labor laws accurately. We can easily view and export timesheets, which has streamlined our payroll processes.

Overall, we have been using 7shifts for about a month, which has been a game changer for our organization. It has saved us time, reduced errors and conflicts, and improved communication with our team.

There are a few things that I think could be improved about the software. Here are a few cons:

1. Glitches: Like any software, 7shifts occasionally has glitches or bugs. While these are usually resolved quickly, they can be disruptive to our operations when they occur.

2. No GPS tracking: 7shifts does not offer GPS tracking, which can be a downside for organizations with mobile or remote employees who need to track time and location.

3. Mobile app limitations: While the mobile app is useful for checking schedules and communicating with employee’s on-the-go, it can be a bit clunky and slow at times. It would be great to see some improvements in this area.

Overall, while there are a few things that I think could be improved about 7shifts, I still find it to be a great solution for managing our scheduling and time-tracking processes. The pros outweigh the cons for us, and we have been very satisfied with the value we have received from using the software.

• In my experience, one thing that sets 7shifts apart from its competitors is its focus on the restaurant industry. While other scheduling and time-tracking software options are more general-purpose, 7shifts is specifically designed to meet the needs of restaurants, with features like shift swapping, time off requests, and menu item tracking.
• Additionally, I have found that 7shifts has a more user-friendly interface than some of its competitors, which makes it easier to train new employees on how to use the software. The scheduling process is also very intuitive and easy to use, which has helped us to save time and reduce scheduling errors.
• In terms of similar tools that I have used, I have found that 7shifts compares favorably to other scheduling and time-tracking software options. While there are certainly other good options out there, we have found that 7shifts meets our needs well and provides good value for the cost.
• Overall, while there are certainly other scheduling and time-tracking software options available, I believe that 7shifts is a strong choice for organizations in the restaurant industry. Its focus on this industry and its user-friendly interface set it apart from some of its competitors, and we have been very satisfied with our experience using the software.

When buying a tool, it's important to consider several key criteria to ensure that you get the best value for your money. One important factor is the tool's quality and durability, which can affect its lifespan and how well it performs. Another important factor is its functionality and features, which should align with your needs and intended use. It's also important to consider the price and your budget, as well as any additional costs such as maintenance or replacement parts. Lastly, you should also look at reviews and feedback from other users to get a sense of the tool's performance and reliability.

As we have just started using the tool, I cannot provide much information on this.

7shifts is a great tool for businesses in the food and hospitality industry, such as restaurants, cafes, and bars. It's designed to help managers and employees streamline their scheduling processes, track labor costs, and manage time-off requests, which are all important aspects of managing a successful restaurant or hospitality operation. Additionally, 7shifts has several features that are tailored to the unique needs of these types of businesses, such as shift swapping, automatic scheduling, and integrations with popular POS systems. Overall, if you're running a food or hospitality business and need a reliable tool to help manage your scheduling and labor costs, 7shifts is definitely worth considering.

I liked that you could geo-limit clocking in and out to the property. Clocking in and out was fast and simple. The system allowed for integration of benefits and vacation time, which had potential even though we didn’t fully implement it.

I used HotSchedules for about six months earlier this year while working with a contract client. They were already using it, so I continued with the existing setup. That was the extent of my use, and I stopped using it as of October 2025.

It made clocking in and out easy, and I appreciated the ability to limit access to the location’s wireless internet to help prevent fraud. However, the weekly scheduling system and notifications were unnecessarily frustrating to manage.

Making adjustments in the system was cumbersome. The app would often default to the wrong week when clocking in, requiring users to toggle to the correct date manually. Integrating with external tools was difficult and time-consuming.

HotSchedules charges a per-user fee rather than a flat team fee, which can add up quickly. The user interface was overly complex—navigating to key features often required clicking through multiple layers.

I also wasn’t confident the platform was fully HIPAA compliant. I now use ConnectTeam, which has proven to be better in every aspect.

Ease of setup and the ability to make quick changes are critical. The constant billing changes can be frustrating, so it's important to regularly remove former employees from the system.

Consider whether the platform offers full payroll capabilities. Also evaluate the responsiveness and quality of customer support.

I honestly don’t believe HotSchedules has evolved enough to stay competitive.

HotSchedules may work well for small businesses without many benefits or staffing changes.

• Deputy’s interface is great.
• It is easy to use and navigate.
• It helps us stay organized and saves us a lot of time.

I’m not sure of the exact date we started using Deputy, but I’ve been using it for at least two years. We purchased Deputy to create clear schedules for our shift workers. They can also clock in and out within the system, so we use it for payroll purposes as well.

Prior to Deputy, we were using spreadsheets, and Deputy has helped us stay much more organized. The key benefit is that it gives us a centralized place to share schedules with our hourly team.

I can't think of any cons.

I haven’t used other similar tools, so I’m not sure how to compare them. Our CX Director is great, and I trust that he has selected a good platform for us.

One important factor is the type of employment. For example, we do not include our salaried team in Deputy, as they are not shift workers and have unlimited PTO, so we don’t track their time off.

I am unsure how it has changed over the years.

I would say Deputy is great for organizations that have hourly shift workers. It is also helpful for teams that formally log their PTO.

You can create custom reports to fit the needs of project and client costing. QuickBooks Time is user-friendly—our team has a wide range of technology users, and it is intuitive for everyone. It offers full customization in how you set up projects, customers, client bases, and groups to fit your billing and reporting needs.

Our organization first looked into QuickBooks Time because we needed a solution where we could house all of our project- and retainer-based time. We are a management consulting firm, and it's critical for serving our clients well that we accurately report and categorize our time.

We have clients on retainer, and we also have clients with whom we do only project-based work. It is crucial in these situations to have a system that links the time we spend working with a client and/or project, with the option of adding layers of categorization. Additionally, we needed a system that allowed us to take detailed notes.

QuickBooks Time can be set up in almost any configuration you need for this type of work. As an administrator, you can determine how it makes the most sense to set up your client categories and project-based work. You can do it differently or the same for every client or project. You may only work with internal clients, but this solution would work just as well for external clients.

QuickBooks Time allows for accurate time tracking—either to the minute clocking in and out or clocking durations of time. It has mobile accessibility for those who work in the field or remotely. One of my favorite features is the ability to integrate with payroll and accounting systems, which reduces the risk of inaccurate reporting.

Speaking of reporting, the ability to get customized reports on hours, project or client-specific data, and overtime is valuable. All these features help with job costing, invoicing, and productivity analysis. While we don't currently use this feature, the system also allows users to create and share employee schedules.

After one year of using the system, I have found it incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate.

There are too many clicks involved when selecting categories and subcategories to align your working time. Sometimes, instead of a whole page changing when navigating, a box or separate page pops up. I would prefer a single screen for navigation. It would be helpful if employees received an alert when they forget to clock out at the end of their shift. As an administrator, I get an alert, but to my knowledge, employees do not.

QuickBooks Time is user-friendly and intuitive. In my opinion, it sits in the middle of the pack. There aren't any extraordinary features that set it apart, but there also aren't any major drawbacks.

You should have an idea of how you want to handle time costing before purchasing this type of tool. A clear understanding of how you will report on your time and use the data for reporting will help you identify the necessary features and where you can be flexible. Knowing how to break down internal and external clients is also essential, as is understanding how you want to tie time tracking to specific customers.

Yes, I feel they may be slightly behind in proactive innovation, but they're certainly not at the back of the pack.

QuickBooks Time is great for consulting firms and users who need to track time for specific projects or workflows.

I like that Calendly is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It connects directly to both the interviewer’s and the candidate’s calendars, simplifying time management.

Rescheduling is straightforward—Calendly saves the interviewer’s availability, so candidates can easily choose a new time without reconfirming availability.

Before using Calendly, it was very challenging to set up interviews with potential candidates. Calendly makes it easy to share the interviewer’s availability, allowing the candidate to choose a time that works for them. If rescheduling is needed, Calendly saves the interviewer’s availability and enables the candidate to select a new time slot.

The fact that Calendly provides a link that can be quickly added to emails and other communications makes it one of the easiest interview tools available. I’ve been using Calendly for the past couple of years and find it incredibly helpful!

When rescheduling, I wish there were a way to ensure the candidate is assigned to the same interviewer. When there are multiple interviewers, the system randomly selects one rather than defaulting to the original interviewer.

If none of the available times work for the candidate, it would be helpful to allow them to suggest an alternative date or time for the interviewer to accept or modify.

Additionally, if an interviewer needs to cancel or reschedule, it would be better if the calendar system sent a notification to the candidate.

Calendly offers more flexibility for candidates by allowing them to view available time slots and make informed scheduling decisions, unlike other tools where they may need to note down dates and times manually. Its ease of use and intuitive interface set it apart, making it a preferred choice compared to similar solutions.

Ease of use and navigation should always be top priorities. Calendly is also relatively inexpensive, which is an important factor when making a well-informed purchasing decision.

The tool hasn’t changed much since I started using it.

Calendly is well-suited for large organizations, especially those with multiple positions to fill and high-volume hiring needs.