Managing employee schedules is tough and time-consuming, especially for businesses with large teams or rotating shifts. Free employee scheduling software simplifies the process. It helps managers easily organize shifts, track work hours, and ensure full coverage. These tools save time, boost organization, and ease operations for smoother business management.
With employee scheduling software, businesses can automate the process, saving time and reducing errors. Employees can also view their schedules, request time off, and even swap shifts with colleagues. This improves communication, minimizes conflicts, and keeps everyone on the same page.
Free employee scheduling software is available at no cost, making them ideal for small businesses or startups that want to keep overhead low while effectively managing their workforce.
Top Features to Look Out For
When choosing employee scheduling software, it’s essential to look for features that match your business needs. Here are some key functions:
- Shift planning: Easily create and assign shifts to employees.
- Calendar integration: Sync the software with other calendar apps to streamline scheduling.
- Employee availability: Allow employees to input their availability to avoid scheduling conflicts.
- Shift swapping: Enable employees to swap shifts with co-workers, reducing the manager’s workload.
Benefits of a Scheduling Software
- Improved efficiency: Free employee scheduling software allows managers to easily create and adjust schedules, eliminating the hassle of manual updates or spreadsheets. This keeps everything efficient and ensures shifts are always current.
- Real-time notifications: Employees get instant alerts for any schedule changes, so everyone stays informed. This reduces the chances of missed shifts or conflicts.
- Easy access: Most free scheduling tools are cloud-based, giving employees and managers access from anywhere. Whether on a desktop or mobile device, the schedule is always available.
- Time and attendance tracking: Some free options also offer clock-in/clock-out tracking, helping ensure accurate timekeeping and smoother payroll management.
Here’s a list of the top 20 best free employee scheduling software:
1. Connecteam
Connecteam stands out as one of the top employee scheduling software solutions, offering a powerful combination of scheduling and GPS-based time tracking. This all-in-one platform allows managers to easily create and adjust work schedules, assign shifts, and track employee hours with real-time location data, ensuring that staff are where they need to be.
2. Resource Guru
Resource Guru is a top choice for project-based scheduling and resource management. It’s designed to help teams efficiently allocate resources and plan workloads across various projects. The platform is for businesses that handle multiple projects simultaneously, as it provides a clear view of team availability and resource utilization. It also offers features like drag-and-drop scheduling, leave management, and detailed reports to optimize performance.
3. monday.com
monday.com excels in providing a clear and customizable way to manage weekly schedules. Its intuitive design helps you visualize schedules effortlessly, allowing you to set up and track shifts with ease. The platform features color-coded weekly layouts that make it simple to see who is scheduled when and spot any scheduling conflicts.
4. TimeClock Plus
This tool provides employees with flexibility in managing their shifts. It enables users to switch their shifts with others, pick up available shifts, swap shifts with teammates, and view upcoming schedules—all without needing manager approval. Ideal for shift management, TimeClock Plus excels at organizing staff schedules with ease, ensuring smooth operations and clear shift assignments.
5. TimeTrex:
Known for its automated scheduling capabilities, TimeTrex simplifies the scheduling process by automatically creating and adjusting shifts based on your set rules and preferences. Created to manage a range of HR and payroll tasks for businesses of all sizes, this platform provides essential features like time and attendance tracking, payroll processing, job costing, employee scheduling, and leave management.
6. ClockShark
ClockShark is a cloud-based solution designed specifically for businesses in construction and field services. Designed specifically for mobile and field-based workforces, ClockShark is great for managing schedules on the go, making it easier for remote teams to stay organized and connected.
7. OnTheClock
A great choice for small business owners, OnTheClock offers straightforward staff scheduling tools that help keep track of hours and manage shifts without complexity.
8. Buddy Punch
Ideal for teams across multiple locations, Buddy Punch helps manage staff schedules efficiently, making it easier to coordinate and track employee hours from different sites.
9. Zoho People
Zoho People is a free HR software that offers comprehensive employee scheduling capabilities. It integrates scheduling, employee data management, and time tracking into one platform. With features such as shift scheduling, time-off requests, and attendance tracking, Zoho People is ideal for businesses looking for a unified HR and scheduling solution.
10. Shifts by Everhour
Shifts by Everhour offers an easy-to-use solution for shift scheduling, planning, time-off management, attendance, and payroll. It is flexible and free with no learning curve, though it has limited customization options.
11. Sling
Sling is a user-friendly platform that excels in shift scheduling, team performance insights, and inventory management. It offers robust features such as labor cost tracking and provides support via email, chat, and phone. While its pricing structure can be complex, Sling delivers comprehensive tools to streamline workforce management and optimize team performance.
12. 7shifts
7shifts allows employees to manage their schedules, trade shifts, and handle availability and time-off requests. It integrates seamlessly with POS systems, enhancing operational efficiency. While some features are available only in paid plans, the platform offers email and chat support to assist users.
13. When I Work
When I Work simplifies the process of creating and sharing schedules for managers. The free version accommodates up to 75 users and offers features like time tracking, shift reminders, and messaging. It includes drag-and-drop scheduling, shift swapping, team messaging, and a time clock.
14. Homebase
Homebase provides an all-in-one solution for managing work schedules and tracking time. It’s an excellent choice for businesses with hourly employees, offering a free plan that covers scheduling, time tracking, and messaging for unlimited staff members.
15. Social Schedules
Social Schedules is a platform for managing shift schedules, facilitating shift swaps and requests, and ensuring labor compliance. It offers task management features and provides support via email and chat. However, it has limited customization options.
16. Findmyshift
Findmyshift is an intuitive shift scheduling tool that facilitates shift swapping, tracks availability, and streamlines shift management. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to all team members. It supports various user roles and offers email support. However, its reporting capabilities are somewhat limited compared to other solutions.
17. Staffjoy
Staffjoy is an employee scheduling tool with a straightforward interface designed for simplicity and ease of use. It primarily supports scheduling through email notifications. However, it offers limited mobile support, which may affect usability for those who need to manage shifts on the go. Despite this, it remains a practical choice for organizations seeking a basic, user-friendly scheduling solution.
18. Wrike
Wrike is a task management and shift scheduling tool that offers a wide range of features. It provides support through email, chat, and phone, making it accessible for users with various needs. While Wrike boasts an extensive feature set, its complexity might be challenging for beginners. The platform is well-suited for organizations that require detailed task tracking and comprehensive scheduling capabilities.
19. ZoomShift
ZoomShift simplifies employee scheduling and timesheet management with ease. It offers features like shift swapping, real-time notifications, and a convenient drag-and-drop schedule builder. The platform also provides schedule templates, a time clock function, and tools for team communication.
20. Shiftbase
Shiftbase is a user-friendly tool that simplifies shift planning and attendance tracking with its mobile-friendly website. It offers comprehensive reporting and support through email, phone, and a knowledge base. However, advanced features come at a higher cost.
Picking the right employee scheduling software is essential for keeping things running smoothly and staying productive. Whether you’re in charge of a small business or a big company, these free tools are designed to help you manage schedules easily and keep your team organized and up-to-date.