Nursegrid vs SmartLinx (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Nursegrid if

• Fits if you run a care team and want scheduling and swaps at a flat per-person rate
• Works for teams with PRN and contract staff mixed in with full-timers

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you need a time clock, payroll or forecasting, as none is listed
• Not for you if you have more than about 250 staff, which is the size it describes
• Pricey if you have a big headcount, because every PRN and contract person is billed too
• Watch out: the trial has no stated card policy

Pick SmartLinx if

• Fits if you run a nursing home and want schedules that follow resident census
• Works for facilities that also want time and payroll from the same vendor

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're not in senior care
• Not for you if you want a price, as none is published
• Watch out: time, payroll and HR are separate products to price

Nursegrid

• The vendor describes it for teams of up to about 250 staff; larger organizations are outside what the page covers.
• Pricing is per staff member, so the monthly bill follows headcount including PRN and contract staff.
• The page lists scheduling and swaps only; it does not mention time clocks, payroll or labor-cost forecasting.

SmartLinx

• No prices are published; every call to action on the pages we read is a demo request.
• It is built for senior care, so it is a poor fit for restaurants or retail.
• The vendor says scheduling also works with time and attendance, payroll and HR modules, which are separate products to price.
• The Go app page links to App Store and Google Play badges; we did not read the store listings.

Nursegrid

Schedule creation and sharing

Managers set up a worksite, departments and shift types, then build and share schedules from staff preferences and availability.

Self-scheduling

Staff can choose shifts and see gaps in the schedule, so open shifts are visible and can be picked up.

Swaps and giveaways

Staff trade shifts among themselves, and the manager approves or denies each change.

Mobile app updates

Schedule changes are sent in real time to the Nursegrid mobile app that staff use for their calendar.

All staff types

Covers full-time, part-time, PRN and contract staff within one schedule.

SmartLinx

Census-driven scheduling

Staffing levels adjust automatically as resident census, acuity and hours-per-patient-day requirements change, instead of relying on a fixed template.

License and qualification checks

The vendor says built-in checks confirm that a CNA, LPN or RN assigned to a shift holds a current credential for the role.

Overtime warnings

Potential overtime, overruns and conflicts are flagged while schedules are being built, before payroll closes.

Open shift fill

Open shifts and call-outs are sent by text to available qualified staff, who can claim them; sharing can exclude staff who would go into overtime.

Smartlinx Go app

A mobile app for iOS and Android lets employees view schedules, swap and pick up shifts, request time off, clock in with GPS-verified punches and read pay stubs.

Linked time, payroll and HR

Scheduling connects to the vendor's time and attendance, HR, payroll and compliance products.

Nursegrid

• Nursegrid Manager$5

  per staff member / month

  One flat rate for full-time, part-time, PRN and contract staff; the page gives 25 staff as $125 a month.

SmartLinx

Pricing could not be confirmed. See smartlinx.com.