Employee Scheduling Software
Best Free Employee Scheduling Software
Free scheduling plans work well for small teams. Sling, ZoomShift, Homebase and 7shifts all list a free plan, each with its own limit on users, locations or features. Check where your plan stops before you rely on it, and what the first paid tier costs.
- products that fit
- 5
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.
How we make money
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
Our top picks
- Best overall
Highest LeadChange Score here (8.8/10), with 8 of 11 core employee scheduling capabilities verified.
- Best value
Sling
by Toast
Lowest published list cost at 25 employees ($50/mo) among products scoring at or above the median.
From $2/user/mo
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
Free employee scheduling software, ranked
Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.
Filter by verified facts
Homebase
Homebase suits small businesses with hourly teams, such as restaurants, retail and services, that want scheduling, a time clock, team chat and optional payroll in one app. Basic is free for one location and up to 10 employees; Essentials, Plus and All-in-One cost $30, $70 and $120 per location a month.
- Pricing model
- Tiered plans
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
Sling
Sling fits shift-based teams in restaurants, retail, hospitality and care that want scheduling and messaging free for up to 30 users, and time tracking and labor cost tools for a low per-user price: Premium is $2.00 and Business $4.00 per user a month, 15% less billed annually.
- Pricing model
- Per user
7shifts
7shifts suits restaurants, from single independents to franchise groups, that want scheduling, time clocking, labor compliance, tips and team messaging built around restaurant shifts.
- Pricing model
- Tiered plans
Connecteam
Connecteam fits shift-based and deskless teams that want a GPS time clock, scheduling, team chat and basic HR in one mobile app. Teams of up to 10 users get every hub free, and paid hubs start at $29 a month for the first 30 users on yearly billing.
- Pricing model
- Base fee + per employee
- SOC 2 Type II
- Yes
ZoomShift
ZoomShift is a low-cost scheduling and time clock tool for small hourly teams, with a free plan up to 20 users and paid plans at $2 or $4 per active team member per month. Overtime warnings and geofenced clock-in sit on the $4 Premium plan.
- Pricing model
- Per user
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
What matters in free employee scheduling software
User and location caps
Free plans often end at a set number of employees or sites, which can force an upgrade as you grow.
Core features included
Shift swaps, the mobile app and notifications may sit in the paid tiers.
Time clock and payroll link
Some free plans schedule shifts but leave out time tracking or the payroll export.
Export of schedule history
You may need records of past schedules for disputes or audits, so make sure you can download them.
Upgrade price
Know the price of the first paid plan before your team outgrows the free one.
More free tools
- Applicant Tracking SystemsFree applicant tracking systems
- Corporate LMSFree corporate LMS
- Employee Engagement SoftwareFree employee engagement software
- Employee Survey SoftwareFree employee survey software
- HRIS SoftwareFree HRIS software
- OKR SoftwareFree OKR software
- Onboarding SoftwareFree onboarding software
- Payroll SoftwareFree payroll software
- Performance Management SoftwareFree performance management software
- PTO & Leave ManagementFree PTO & leave management
Find your fit
By industry
- Best employee scheduling software for construction
- For Education
- For Franchises
- Best employee scheduling software for government
- Best employee scheduling software for healthcare
- Best employee scheduling software for hospitality
- Best employee scheduling software for manufacturing
- Best employee scheduling software for nonprofits
- Best employee scheduling software for restaurants
- Best employee scheduling software for retail
By company size
By price
Popular comparisons
More on employee scheduling software
- All employee scheduling software, ranked
The full ranking, top picks and how to choose.
- Employee Scheduling Software comparison table
Every product side by side: score, price and verified features.
- Employee Scheduling Software pricing guide
Published list prices, cost by headcount and fees to ask about.
- Employee scheduling software for small business
The ranking reweighted for small business.
- Employee scheduling software for retail
The ranking reweighted for retail.
- Employee scheduling software for enterprises
The ranking reweighted for enterprises.
- Employee scheduling software for healthcare
The ranking reweighted for healthcare.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free employee scheduling software?
Yes. Some vendors offer a free plan, usually limited by the number of users, locations or features. Our ranking flags which products have a free plan or a free trial. Before you commit, check whether the time clock, shift swaps and the employee app are part of the free plan.
What is the best free employee scheduling software?
On the LeadChange Score weighted free, the highest-scoring of the 4 products with a published score are Homebase (8.8/10), Sling (8.8), and 7shifts (7.3).
Which employee scheduling platforms free offer a free trial?
7shifts, Connecteam, Homebase, Sling, and ZoomShift list a free trial, according to their vendors: 5 of the 5 products free.
Which employee scheduling platforms free have SOC 2 Type II?
Connecteam and Homebase state a current SOC 2 Type II report; Connecteam also holds ISO 27001. That is 2 of the 5 products free.
Which employee scheduling platforms free integrate with Square?
Square, listed by 4 of the 5 employee scheduling platforms free: 7shifts, Connecteam, Homebase, and Sling.
Which employee scheduling platforms free have a mobile app?
Connecteam, Homebase, Sling, and ZoomShift confirm a mobile app; 1 of the 5 products free does not document one.
Which employee scheduling platforms free are built for enterprises?
7shifts and Connecteam list enterprises among the company sizes they serve.
Which employee scheduling platforms free support single sign-on?
Connecteam and Homebase document single sign-on; 3 of the 5 products free do not.
How we research
This ranking of free employee scheduling software reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 25%, pricing transparency & value 40%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 10%, fit & support 5%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.
Get a shortlist of free employee scheduling software
Tell us about your team and get a shortlist ranked without regard to who pays us.