Question 1

Is When I Work free?

Accepted Answer

No. When I Work offers a 14-day free trial, but there is no permanently free plan for employers. After the trial ends, you must subscribe to a paid plan to continue using the platform. If you are evaluating free scheduling options, compare the trial-only model against vendors that offer permanent free tiers with seat or feature caps. When I Work comparison

Question 2

Is Connecteam actually free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with limits. Connecteam's Small Business Plan is permanently free for teams of 10 or fewer users. There is no trial expiration for that tier. Once your headcount exceeds 10, you move to a paid plan. The free tier includes basic time clock functionality but does not include payroll export, so you will need to manually transfer time data to your payroll system.

Question 3

Is Homebase actually free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, partially. Homebase offers a free plan that covers one location with unlimited employees. It includes basic scheduling and a time clock. However, the free plan excludes payroll integration. To sync approved hours to a payroll provider like ADP or Gusto, you need the Essentials plan or higher. That gap means manual data re-entry on every pay cycle if you stay on the free tier.

Question 4

Is Sling scheduling really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with feature caps. Sling's Free plan supports unlimited users for basic shift scheduling and team messaging. However, advanced features like labor cost management, overtime tracking and time clock functionality require an upgrade. Sling's Premium plan starts at a per-user monthly rate, and the Business tier adds additional controls. The free tier works for simple scheduling but falls short when you need payroll-ready time data.

Question 5

Is Microsoft Shifts free?

Accepted Answer

Not as a standalone product. Microsoft Shifts is included in Microsoft 365 Business Basic and higher plans. There is no separate free tier for Shifts alone. If your organization already pays for Microsoft 365, you have access to Shifts at no additional cost. If not, you are paying for the full Microsoft 365 subscription to get scheduling functionality.

Question 6

How much does When I Work cost per month?

Accepted Answer

When I Work's Essentials plan starts at a per-user monthly rate for scheduling only. The combined Scheduling plus Attendance plan is priced higher per user per month. Costs scale directly with headcount, so a larger team pays proportionally more. Check When I Work's pricing page for current figures, as rates adjust periodically. scheduling software comparison

Question 7

How much does Connecteam cost per month?

Accepted Answer

Connecteam's paid plans start at a flat monthly rate for up to 30 users, with the Operations Hub tier priced higher. Additional users beyond 30 are charged per user. This flat-rate structure can be cost-effective for teams in the 10-to-30 range compared to pure per-user pricing models. Verify current rates on Connecteam's pricing page before committing.

Question 8

How much does Homebase cost per month?

Accepted Answer

Homebase uses per-location pricing. The Essentials plan starts at a monthly rate per location, while the All-in-One plan is priced significantly higher per location. This model favors businesses with high headcount at a single site because you pay the same location fee whether you have 15 employees or 150. Multi-location operations should calculate total cost across all sites before deciding.

Question 9

How much does 7shifts cost?

Accepted Answer

7shifts offers a free plan for one location with up to 30 employees, designed for restaurants. Its paid Entree plan is priced monthly per location, and higher tiers add features like labor budgeting and manager logbooks. Because 7shifts is built exclusively for restaurants, buyers outside food service should evaluate whether the feature set fits their industry before comparing on price alone.

Question 10

Is per-location or per-user pricing better for multi-site teams?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your team shape. Per-location pricing (used by Homebase and 7shifts) favors businesses with many employees concentrated at a few sites, because you pay per site regardless of headcount. Per-user pricing (used by When I Work and Sling) favors lean teams spread across many locations, because you pay only for active users. Map your actual employee count per location and calculate both models before choosing. fair scheduling guide

Question 11

How much does employee scheduling software cost on average?

Accepted Answer

Paid tiers for SMB scheduling tools typically fall in a low per-user-per-month range. Free tiers exist at Connecteam, Homebase, Sling, and 7shifts, each with seat or feature caps. The real cost question is not the subscription price alone but what manual work remains after the tool's limits are reached. A free plan that requires manual payroll re-entry every pay period has a cost you will not see on the pricing page.

Question 12

Do free scheduling app tiers support payroll integration?

Accepted Answer

Most do not. Homebase's free plan excludes payroll sync entirely. Connecteam's free tier includes a time clock but not payroll export. Sling's free plan lacks time clock features needed for payroll data. In practice, staying on a free tier means someone on your team is manually transferring hours into payroll every cycle. That manual step introduces errors and adds processing time. If payroll-ready data matters to your operation, confirm which plan tier includes direct payroll integration before you sign up. payroll errors in small business

Question 13

What payroll features typically require a paid plan in scheduling tools?

Accepted Answer

Overtime alerts, break-compliance tracking, direct payroll export (to systems like ADP, Gusto or QuickBooks), and audit-ready timesheets are commonly gated behind paid tiers. When I Work, Homebase and Sling all restrict one or more of these features to higher plan levels. If your payroll process depends on automated overtime calculations or direct data sync, budget for a paid plan from the start rather than planning to upgrade later.

Question 14

Is the Homebase time clock free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the basic time clock is included in Homebase's free plan for one location with unlimited employees. Employees can clock in and out, and you get basic timesheets. However, syncing that time data to a payroll provider requires the Essentials plan. So the clock itself is free, but the payroll connection is not.

Question 15

How much does manual payroll cleanup cost compared to a paid scheduling plan?

Accepted Answer

Manual payroll cleanup is expensive in ways that do not show up on an invoice. Correcting timesheet errors, chasing missing punches, recalculating overtime and issuing retro pay adjustments all consume admin hours and create compliance exposure. A paid scheduling plan that delivers clean, approved time data to payroll typically costs far less per month than the labor and risk associated with manual corrections. The comparison is not subscription cost vs. zero; it is subscription cost vs. the real hours your team spends fixing data every pay period.

Question 16

How does EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software handle scheduling and time tracking pricing?

Accepted Answer

EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software uses a subscription model with pricing based on seats (active users). The platform bundles scheduling, time and attendance, biometric hardware options, and payroll integrations. Pricing is quote-based and varies by module selection, hardware configuration, contract term and headcount. The system ships hardware and software as one integrated package, which means you are not paying separate vendors for clocks and software. Contact EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software directly for a quote tailored to your site count and team size. request a quote

Question 17

How do I compare scheduling software pricing plans before buying?

Accepted Answer

Use a three-step framework. First, calculate the per-user cost at your actual headcount, because a low published rate can add up quickly at scale. Second, confirm which plan tier includes the payroll integration you need, not just scheduling. Third, verify that time clock features, overtime alerts and break tracking are included in your tier rather than sold as add-ons. Run these three checks for every vendor on your shortlist before scheduling demos.

Question 18

Is Connecteam free forever, or does the free plan expire?

Accepted Answer

Connecteam's Small Business Plan is permanently free for teams of 10 or fewer. There is no trial clock or expiration date. The plan remains active as long as your team stays at or below 10 users. Once you add an 11th user, you move to a paid tier. This makes Connecteam a viable long-term free option for very small teams, but not for growing organizations that expect to scale past 10 employees.

Question 19

What hidden costs should I watch for in 'free' scheduling tools?

Accepted Answer

Watch for three things. First, payroll integration gaps. If your free plan lacks payroll sync, you absorb the cost of manual data transfer every pay period. Second, feature gates on compliance essentials. Overtime rules, break tracking and audit trails are often locked behind paid tiers, leaving you exposed. Third, migration costs. If you outgrow the free tier and the vendor's paid plans do not fit your budget, switching to a different platform means re-onboarding your entire team. Factor all three into your true cost calculation, not just the monthly subscription line item. free time clock pricing true cost

Question 20

What should I prioritize when choosing between a free and paid scheduling plan?

Accepted Answer

Prioritize payroll readiness. The scheduling interface matters, but the real value is whether approved hours flow into payroll without manual cleanup. Ask these questions: Does the plan export directly to your payroll system? Does it calculate overtime and flag exceptions before payroll runs? Does it capture break compliance data your state requires? If the answer to any of these is no, you are not saving money on a free plan. You are deferring the cost to your payroll team and your compliance posture.

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