OnShift vs SmartLinx (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SmartLinx grades higher than OnShift: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SmartLinx grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick OnShift if
- Fits if you run a nursing home or senior living community
- Works for care operators who want hiring and scheduling from one vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're not in long-term post-acute care or senior living
- Not for you if you need a price before a sales call
- Watch out: payroll and HRIS are offered through partners, not as standalone OnShift products
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
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAOnShiftWeak | 2.0GPASmartLinxFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price on the site: every route goes to a demo request. | CNo price on record: every call to action is a demo request. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free is listed: no free plan and no trial on the pages we read. | FNothing free is listed: no free plan and no trial on the pages we read. |
| Features | BTemplates, open shift and call-off filling, cost visibility, an employee app and hiring and reporting. Payroll and HRIS come through partners, which is a scope choice, not a gap in scheduling. | BCensus-driven scheduling, license and qualification checks, overtime warnings, open shift fill and the Go app. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It's an enterprise rollout, so expect a managed setup. | CNo store rating on record; we did not read the store listings. It's a sales-led rollout. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb, with an employee app on the listing, and no integrations named in the listing. No desktop app. | BWeb plus the Go app for iPhone and Android, and linked time, payroll and HR modules. No desktop app. |
| Best for | senior care homes and living communities | senior care facilities |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: OnShift and SmartLinx. How we grade
Where they differ
- OnShift also covers applicant tracking.
- SmartLinx also covers payroll, time clock and time off.
In commonWebReportsShift scheduling
At a glance
| OnShift | SmartLinx | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | OnShift, Inc. | Smartlinx |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
OnShift
- No prices are published; the site routes visitors to a demo request.
- It is built only for long-term post-acute care and senior living, not retail or restaurants.
- Payroll and HRIS are offered through partner integrations rather than as standalone OnShift products.
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.
Key features
OnShift
- Template-based scheduling
- Schedules are created from configurable templates, with employees notified of new schedules and open shifts in one click.
- Open shift and call-off filling
- Suggests replacement employees based on work history, availability and cost, and can auto-approve shift requests for those not in overtime.
- Staffing and cost visibility
- Flags understaffing and overstaffing, and supports internal staffing pools shared across communities.
- Employee mobile app
- One app combines messaging, scheduling, performance tracking, rewards and earned wage access.
- Hiring and reporting
- Talent acquisition covers applicant tracking, background screening and onboarding; reporting covers overtime and Payroll-Based Journal.
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.
Plans
OnShift
Pricing could not be confirmed. See onshift.com.
SmartLinx
Pricing could not be confirmed. See smartlinx.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OnShift or SmartLinx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OnShift has no price we could confirm, and SmartLinx has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, OnShift or SmartLinx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither OnShift nor SmartLinx has a free plan.
Which platforms do OnShift and SmartLinx run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SmartLinx lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.