ShiftWizard vs SmartLinx (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SmartLinx grades higher than ShiftWizard: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SmartLinx grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ShiftWizard
Healthcare staff scheduling with self-scheduling and shift swaps
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick ShiftWizard if
- Fits if you run a hospital unit and want staff to pick and swap their own shifts
- Works for health systems that already use HealthStream or Workday
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're not in healthcare staffing
- Not for you if you want a price before a demo
- Watch out: it's one product in the HealthStream catalogue, with the page hosted there
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
| 1.6GPAShiftWizardWeak | 2.0GPASmartLinxFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price on record: the page offers a demo request only. | 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 | CSelf-scheduling, mobile swaps, predictive scheduling and dashboards. The listing is short, and it names only Workday as an integration. | 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 a sales-led rollout inside a larger vendor's products. | CNo store rating on record; we did not read the store listings. It's a sales-led rollout. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb, with mobile swaps mentioned and Workday as the one named integration. No desktop app. | BWeb plus the Go app for iPhone and Android, and linked time, payroll and HR modules. No desktop app. |
| Best for | hospital nurse self-scheduling | 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: ShiftWizard and SmartLinx. How we grade
Where they differ
- ShiftWizard also covers dashboards.
- SmartLinx also covers payroll, time clock and time off.
In commonWebReportsShift scheduling
At a glance
| ShiftWizard | 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 | HealthStream | Smartlinx |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ShiftWizard
- No pricing is published; the page offers a demo request only.
- ShiftWizard is one product in the HealthStream catalog, and its page is hosted on healthstream.com.
- Built for healthcare staffing, so it is a narrow fit for retail or restaurant rosters.
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
ShiftWizard
- Self-scheduling
- Staff manage their own availability, preferences and shift changes from their phones.
- Mobile shift swaps
- Managers and staff can view, swap and manage shifts from anywhere on mobile.
- Predictive scheduling
- Demand forecasting and real-time staffing insights, which the vendor says help cut overtime and agency spend.
- Live dashboards and reports
- Dashboards and reports across teams and time periods to support staffing decisions.
- System integrations
- Connects to HR, payroll, EMR and ERP systems; the vendor calls it the first healthcare scheduling product with a Workday-certified integration.
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
ShiftWizard
Pricing could not be confirmed. See healthstream.com.
SmartLinx
Pricing could not be confirmed. See smartlinx.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ShiftWizard or SmartLinx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ShiftWizard has no price we could confirm, and SmartLinx has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, ShiftWizard or SmartLinx?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither ShiftWizard nor SmartLinx has a free plan.
Which platforms do ShiftWizard 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.