Shift trades are inevitable — even with probably the most well-managed schedules. To tame the chaos of last-minute adjustments, you would possibly think about a shift-swapping coverage. However even then, managing it turns into a time-consuming problem involving frantic texts, cellphone calls, and a whole lot of staff confusion in the case of protecting observe of the brand new schedule.
A shift commerce app may also help workers handle schedule adjustments instantly — and make issues extra organized and environment friendly within the course of. How? Supervisors begin by setting customized guidelines to ensure all adjustments observe the coverage. Then, workers coordinate shift trades with their teammates and submit their swaps for approval, which managers approve or deny with a click on. And the very best half? The device is normally constructed into your scheduling or staff administration platform, so that you don’t have to spend cash on extra software program.
It’s the form of device managers can’t dwell with out as soon as they struggle it. However with so many shift buying and selling platforms accessible, the place do you start? To avoid wasting you from an awesome Google search, we’ve put collectively a listing of our high six picks for 2023, evaluating every primarily based on greatest use case, high options, execs and cons, and pricing.
Key options to search for in shift commerce apps
Not like different sorts of software program, shift commerce instruments don’t normally come as standalone apps. They most frequently belong to a collection of merchandise which are included inside a scheduling platform. Nonetheless, some options stand out in comparison with others. Apart from shift swapping capabilities, the very best software program contains:
- Open shift posting — An important shift commerce app ought to allow you to share open shifts if you publish your primary staff schedule. That manner, workers can declare accessible shifts, saving you from assigning them to workers who can’t or don’t wish to work.
- Constructed-in chat — Discovering a alternative normally means monitoring down cellphone numbers and emails so teammates can attain out and coordinate the adjustments they want. Constructed-in messaging helps the staff talk in a single spot and permits managers to make bulletins, coordinate duties, and hold workers on the identical web page all through the day.
- Interconnected workers administration instruments — The extra options your app has, like time monitoring, payroll, scheduling, worker happiness, and HR and compliance, the extra versatile it’s. When all of the instruments you must handle your staff are in a single place, it additionally prevents you from having to pay for separate platforms that don’t cooperate with one another.
- Alerts and notifications — You don’t need shift commerce requests to get misplaced within the shuffle, so make sure your app of alternative sends notifications when workers submit swaps to your approval. One other plus is when the platform alerts your whole staff about schedule updates and adjustments so everybody stays in control.
- Straightforward to make use of and intuitive — You most likely don’t wish to add to your to-do listing with coaching, so the better the device is to begin utilizing, the higher. It’s ultimate when it solely takes a day (or much less) for staff members to get snug with an app. You must also prioritize a system that makes it simple for managers to approve or deny commerce requests and retains their involvement to a minimal.
- A variety of integrations — You is likely to be utilizing software program for level of sale (POS) transactions, e-commerce, accounting, budgeting, and reporting. Keep away from repeated knowledge entry and dear errors by checking that your shift commerce app integrates easily with the instruments you already depend on and belief.
- A cellular app — You’ll need your staff to have the ability to examine the schedule and get essential shift updates — whether or not they’re at work, in transit, or on the go. A great shift commerce device ought to have a devoted cellular app that has the identical functionalities because the desktop model, so your staff can use it from wherever.
- Free or reasonably priced plans — The app that’ll work greatest for you is determined by your price range, enterprise wants, and staff measurement. However ultimate platforms embrace a free plan. Homebase’s free account contains primary scheduling and time monitoring instruments for as much as 20 workers at one enterprise location. We additionally supply per-location pricing, so your subscription gained’t change into unmanageable as your staff grows.
Our high shift commerce app decide for 2023 (+ the remaining in contrast)
Homebase isn’t only a shift commerce app — our platform has all of the instruments you must run a small enterprise staff in 2023. That’s why it’s our high decide.
With our app, directors can publish open shifts on the high of each schedule and discover cowl shortly. Workers can even ask for substitutes instantly from their schedules on the cellular app. And there’s no want for staff members to textual content coworkers or shift supervisors once they’re sick or have an sudden battle.
On high of that, Homebase has built-in options for time monitoring, full-service payroll, staff chat, hiring and onboarding, and HR and compliance — all accessible with our per-location paid plans.
Nonetheless, different apps might have particular options that can be extra helpful to you. For instance, instruments like 7shifts are designed particularly for managing eating places. There are additionally apps like Coast, which is a strong choice for enterprise house owners who want devoted job administration and checklists.
That’s why we’ve damaged down our listing primarily based on greatest use case:
- Homebase: Finest all-in-one answer
- Deputy: Finest for labor compliance
- Connecteam: Finest for distant or transferring groups
- ZoomShift: Finest for staff accountability
- 7shifts: Finest for the restaurant {industry}
- Coast: Finest for assigning duties with shifts
Comparability chart: Prime 6 shift commerce apps in 2023
A breakdown of the 6 greatest shift commerce apps
1. Finest all-in-one answer: Homebase
Homebase is an all-in-one workers administration and HR app designed for hourly groups. We all know how chaotic coordinating shift trades could be, which is why we’ve made our app tremendous simple to make use of from wherever. Plus, it’s customizable so you’ll be able to arrange controls to keep away from extra time and make sure the proper roles are staffed, even with trades.
Along with shift swapping, Homebase makes small enterprise administration extra streamlined with instruments for scheduling, time monitoring, payroll, hiring and onboarding, staff communication, and HR and compliance.
Prime options
- Straightforward-to-use shift swapping options
- Customizable shift buying and selling guidelines
- Open shift posting
- Constructed-in staff messaging so workers can coordinate trades and get in contact with one another
- Computerized worker notifications when schedules are revealed
- No present, late clock in, and late clock out alerts for managers
- Person-friendly schedule builder with auto-scheduling and template instruments
- Cell time monitoring, full with geofencing instruments
- Hiring and onboarding templates, dashboards, and workflows
- An intensive library of HR templates, guides, and coaching supplies
- Constructed-in, full-service payroll
Execs and cons
Homebase customers discover our platform user-friendly, which is nice for groups with completely different ranges of tech-savvy. Managers get notified when workers request a change, which implies much less time spent because the intermediary. They merely should deny or approve all requests, and once they make adjustments to the schedule, their staff routinely will get alerted by way of textual content, e-mail, and the Homebase app.
And though it lacks job administration instruments, Homebase makes up for that with built-in chat options.
Managers can use the messaging device to get in contact with particular person workers members, particular teams, or the entire staff with bulletins and updates. However workers can even message one another and coordinate swaps with out having to trace down contact info — permitting for extra effectivity (and privateness!).
Pricing
Homebase’s primary scheduling and time monitoring instruments are fully free. However, if you wish to maximize effectivity and get probably the most out of our platform, we provide the next paid plan choices:
- Primary — Free for one location and as much as 20 workers. It contains primary scheduling and time monitoring, worker administration instruments like messaging, point-of-sale integrations, and entry to e-mail assist.
- Necessities — $24.95 per thirty days per location. Every little thing in Primary, plus payroll integrations, staff communication, efficiency monitoring, superior time monitoring and scheduling, and entry to dwell assist.
- Plus — $59.95 per thirty days per location. Every little thing in Necessities, plus hiring instruments, retention and efficiency monitoring, day without work controls, and departments and permissions.
- All-in-one — $99.95 per thirty days per location. Every little thing in Plus, with HR and compliance, new rent onboarding, labor value controls, and enterprise insights.
Customers can even save 20% on their total value once they join an annual plan.
2. Finest for labor compliance: Deputy
Deputy combines options for scheduling, time monitoring, and compliance in a single platform. Its shift buying and selling options give managers the choice to ship workers open slots primarily based on the app’s suggestions. Or, they will let workers organize protection on their very own.
Prime options
- Shift swapping instruments
- Time monitoring
- Schedule builder
- AI-powered auto-scheduling capabilities
- Worker profiles
- Cell time clock app
- Labor value dashboards
- Compliance instruments
Execs and cons
Deputy makes use of AI capabilities to assist managers plan schedules primarily based on predicted gross sales, upcoming supply orders, and foot site visitors knowledge, which permits them to keep away from overstaffing or understaffing. It additionally lets directors set compliance guidelines for all shift swaps in order that staff members can’t make trades that’ll end in extra time, for instance.
Nevertheless, Deputy isn’t a complete staff administration platform. Committing to a paid plan means you’ll nonetheless want integrations for communication and payroll.
Pricing
Deputy has a Scheduling plan and a Time & Attendance plan for $3.50 per person per thirty days. Its Premium plan helps you to mix each Scheduling and Time & Attendance for $4.90 per person per thirty days.
3. Finest for distant or transferring groups: Connecteam
Connecteam’s platform is right for any staff that’s all the time on the go. It presents instruments for scheduling, time monitoring, communication, and labor compliance and is designed so you should utilize all of its options out of your cellular gadget.
Prime options
- Shift reminders and self-service shift swapping options
- Schedule builder with shift duplication and template instruments
- Activity administration with kinds and checklists
- GPS-enabled time monitoring
- Crew messaging
- Labor and compliance instruments
- Worker surveys
Execs and cons
Whereas some platforms have hard-to-find shift swapping instruments, Connecteam shift buying and selling is simple to navigate. Customers simply should go to their shift particulars, click on Discover Substitute, and a listing of doable choices will seem in a drop-down menu. Then, they merely click on on an worker’s identify to request a commerce — there’s no have to ship a mass textual content asking for a substitute.
Nevertheless, Connecteam’s pricing mannequin isn’t simple. Moderately than providing easy tiered plans or per-feature pricing, it teams its packages into “hubs,” making it arduous to get every thing you want.
Pricing
Connecteam presents three “hub” packages: Operations, Communications, and HR & Expertise. Connecteam’s Operations hub comes with scheduling, time monitoring, and job administration options, and the plans embrace:
- Small Enterprise — Free for as much as ten customers.
- Primary — $29 per thirty days for as much as 30 customers. Additional customers are $0.50 per thirty days.
- Superior — Every little thing in Primary, plus further options like time monitoring duties. $49 per thirty days for 30 customers. Additional customers are $1.50 per thirty days.
- Knowledgeable — Every little thing in Superior, plus GPS options and automation. $99 per thirty days for 30 customers. Additional customers are $3 per thirty days.
4. Finest for staff accountability: ZoomShift
ZoomShift is a shift planning, scheduling, and time clock software program that makes monitoring worker time extra environment friendly. And since it additionally has timesheet instruments, ZoomShift makes the payroll course of quicker, too.
Prime options
- Open shift posting
- Shift swapping
- Time monitoring with geofencing
- Scheduling with reusable templates
- Break day administration
- Timesheets for payroll
Execs and cons
Though it doesn’t have an in-app chat, ZoomShift permits workers to go away notes explaining why they should commerce shifts. This will increase transparency although your workers will nonetheless have to textual content or name their teammates to coordinate the logistics of the commerce.
The platform additionally tracks worker time, turns it into timesheets, and takes care of your wage calculations earlier than payday. Then, you’ll be able to merely export the info to a third-party payroll platform.
Sadly, some customers say ZoomShift’s customer support has declined in the previous couple of years, so it may not be the best choice for a small enterprise proprietor who wants further assist.
Pricing
You possibly can strive any ZoomShift plan without spending a dime for 14 days. In any other case, paid choices embrace:
- Starter — Scheduling, time monitoring, and PTO administration for $2.50 per person per thirty days.
- Premium — Additional time administration, superior scheduling instruments, geofencing, timesheets, and superior reporting for $5 per person per thirty days.
5. Finest for the restaurant {industry}: 7shifts
It’s not simply 7shifts’ branding that makes it a great match for the restaurant {industry} — the platform additionally caters to industry-specific wants with options for scheduling, time monitoring, staff messaging, hiring and onboarding, coaching, and tip administration.
Prime options
- Shift buying and selling
- Employees scheduling
- Time monitoring
- Crew communication
- Hiring and onboarding instruments
- Doc storage
- Coaching and job administration
- Payroll integrations
- Tip administration and payout instruments
Execs and cons
Shift buying and selling is a frequent prevalence within the restaurant {industry}, and 7shifts makes it simple for managers to remain on high of it. With the shift pool dashboard, directors can view, approve, or deny all swap requests.
The platform can be useful for companies with a number of areas, roles, and ranges of administration as a result of it prevents staff members from buying and selling shifts with anybody outdoors of their place, division, or job website.
Moreover, 7shifts customers admire how nicely it integrates with high POS techniques, a necessary characteristic for at present’s small eating places and cafes. Nevertheless, 7shifts doesn’t have a built-in payroll product, though it integrates with in style software program like Gusto and QuickBooks.
Pricing
7shifts has a free plan for single-location eating places and presents primary scheduling and time monitoring options. In any other case, paid plans embrace:
- Entrée — Labor costing and efficiency administration for $34.99 per location per thirty days.
- The Works — Shift suggestions, geofencing, buddy punch prevention, and payroll integrations for $76.99 per location per thirty days.
- Chef’s Alternative — Labor compliance instruments for $99.99 per location per thirty days.
- Gourmand — Superior customization and devoted assist for $150 per location per thirty days.
6. Finest for assigning duties with shifts: Coast
With devoted show widgets for fast entry to instruments, Coast is designed to assist hold workers on job. Apart from options for shift swapping, scheduling, time monitoring, and chat, Coast gives instruments for delegating assignments to any form of staff.
Prime options
- Shift swapping instruments
- Worker scheduling
- Time monitoring
- Recurring duties and checklists
- Crew chat
- Stock administration
- Upkeep monitoring and duties
Execs and cons
Coast’s shift swapping options work equally to different choices on this listing, making the platform one other viable choice for small enterprise house owners. One benefit of Coast, nevertheless, is its recurring job device, which helps you to assign smaller jobs together with shifts. And when workers use Coast’s cellular app, they get alerts when duties are pending, so nothing is ever left unfinished.
Like 7shifts, Coast can be a match for the restaurant {industry}, significantly these with busy kitchens that want extra upkeep administration instruments. For instance, the app lets managers schedule and delegate duties within the type of work orders to their upkeep or restore crews with built-in notifications and due-date reminders.
The draw back is Coast’s upkeep and work instruments are expensive, so it is probably not accessible for small companies with restricted budgets who don’t wish to pay on a per-employee foundation.
Pricing
Coast presents two sorts of plans (and every one has a free choice with restricted instruments):
- The Primary plan for staff scheduling and chat options
- The Premium plan for upkeep work orders
The Primary tiers embrace:
- Starter — Crew collaboration instruments for $2 per person per thirty days.
- Professional — Stories and productiveness dashboards for $4 per person per thirty days.
The Premium tiers embrace:
- Starter — Crew collaboration, upkeep, and work order instruments for $22 per person per thirty days.
- Professional — Every little thing included in Primary Professional, plus upkeep administration for $38 per person per thirty days.
Revolutionize your staff scheduling with Homebase
Shift commerce apps are important for any enterprise proprietor who has ever panicked about scheduling. And so they make the work expertise simpler for shift staff as they will relaxation simple figuring out there’s all the time a plan B if they should reschedule.
However out of all of the choices on the market, Homebase is a transparent frontrunner. Our free plan has primary scheduling, time monitoring, and messaging options for as much as 20 workers at one enterprise location. And for bigger groups, our per-location pricing will hold prices low as you rent extra workers.
Homebase can be probably the most complete choice on this listing — we provide hiring and onboarding, staff communication, worker happiness, payroll, and HR and compliance instruments, making our platform the only option for impartial small enterprise house owners who depend on hourly groups to maneuver their firm ahead.
**The knowledge above relies on our analysis on shift commerce apps. All person suggestions referenced within the textual content has been sourced from impartial software program overview platforms, similar to G2 and Capterra, in April 2023.
