Alternatives · Shift Scheduling
Planday alternatives
Planday compared with 6 alternatives: Deputy, RotaCloud, Shiftbase, When I Work, 7shifts and 1 more.
Planday is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users). 2 of the 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 4 more offer a free trial.
6 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 18, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlandayThis tool | Free trial · from $2.99/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Deputy | Free trial · from $5/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| RotaCloud | Free trial · from £10/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Shiftbase | Free plan · from €27/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| When I Work | Free trial · from $2.50/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| 7shifts | Free plan · from $39.99/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Shiftie | Free trial · from £2.75/mo | Trial only | Web |
Price against what you get
Planday starts at $2.99 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 1 of the 6 alternatives on this chart scores higher and starts lower: When I Work.
Deputy and 7shifts score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Planday
- Free trial · from $5/mo
Deputy
Shift scheduling, time clock and labor-law tools for hourly teams
- Deputy starts at $5 per user / month, billed annually (Lite). Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- Deputy also covers payroll.
- Planday also covers team chat and employee records.
Suits: Hospitality, retail and healthcare employers scheduling hourly staff
- Free trial · from £10/mo
RotaCloud
UK rota planning with leave tracking and an add-on clocking-in app
- RotaCloud starts at £10 per month for up to 5 employees, billed monthly (Standard). Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- RotaCloud also covers reports.
- Planday also covers auto-scheduling and team chat.
Suits: UK care homes, vets and dental practices planning staff rotas
- Free plan · from €27/mo
Shiftbase
Dutch shift scheduling, time clock and absence app, free to 15 staff
- Shiftbase starts at €27 per month for up to 6 employees, billed yearly (Basic). Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- Shiftbase has a free plan. Planday does not, though it has a free trial.
- Shiftbase also covers reports.
- Planday also covers auto-scheduling and team chat.
Suits: Hospitality, retail and care teams in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK
- Free trial · from $2.50/mo
When I Work
Staff scheduling with auto-fill, shift trades and an add-on time clock
- When I Work starts at $2.50 per user / month (Essentials, without time tracking). Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- Planday also covers employee records.
Suits: Restaurants, retail stores and call centers scheduling hourly staff
- Free plan · from $39.99/mo
7shifts
Restaurant scheduling, time clock, tips and payroll, per location
- 7shifts starts at $39.99 per location / month, billed annually (Essentials). Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- 7shifts has a free plan. Planday does not, though it has a free trial.
- 7shifts also covers payroll and applicant tracking.
- Planday also covers auto-scheduling and employee records.
Suits: Restaurants, cafes and bars scheduling front- and back-of-house staff
- Free trial · from £2.75/mo
Shiftie
UK rota and time clock web app with one per-employee plan
- Shiftie starts at £2.75 per employee / month. Planday starts at $2.99 per user / month (Starter, minimum 5 users).
- Only Planday lists iOS and Android apps.
- Shiftie also covers reports.
- Planday also covers auto-scheduling and team chat.
Suits: UK visitor attractions and hospitality venues that staff to bookings
Limits worth knowing in Planday
- Users are billed in bundles of five, so 23 users are charged as 25. Starter needs at least 5 users and Plus at least 10.
- Plus adds a monthly subscription fee on top of the per-user price; the page data sets it at 30 in the visitor's currency, and Pro is priced by quote.
- Leave and absence management, payroll integrations and the API need Plus; auto-scheduling needs Pro.
- Each SMS sent through Planday and any onboarding help cost extra, and no prices are published for either.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Planday?
The alternatives to Planday in this directory are Deputy, RotaCloud, Shiftbase, When I Work, 7shifts and Shiftie. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Planday.
Is there a free alternative to Planday?
Yes. Shiftbase and 7shifts have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 18, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.