Tanda vs When I Work (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Tanda if

• Fits if you run an Australian hourly business that wants rosters and payroll together
• Works for hospitality and retail teams under Australian awards

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're outside Australia, because awards and STP are built around Australian rules
• Not for you if you want to try it free first, as the page lists no trial
• Watch out: single modules have no published price
• Watch out: the page doesn't name the currency

Pick When I Work if

• Fits if building the schedule eats your Sunday evenings
• Works for call centers and retail stores sharing part-timers across locations

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you need the time clock, since it adds $1.50 to $2 a user on every plan
• Skip it if you want a free plan to stay on, as there's only a 14-day trial
• Not for you if you need an API, webhooks or single sign-on without paying for Premium at $8 a user
• Watch out: the page doesn't say whether prices are monthly or yearly, and its FAQ says the clock is included when the plans charge extra
• Watch out: payroll runs through partners, and scheduling rules, role permissions and custom reports need Pro at $5 a user

Tanda

• The pricing page shows one bundle price and asks you to request prices for each module separately.
• Prices are shown in dollars plus GST on the Australian site; the page does not name the currency.
• Award interpretation and STP filing are built around Australian rules, so the payroll side is not aimed at other countries.
• No free plan or free trial is stated on the pricing page.

When I Work

• The time clock, breaks and attendance are an add-on that raises each plan by $1.50 to $2 per user a month, though the page's FAQ says every plan includes them.
• The pricing page offers monthly or annual billing but does not say which basis the listed prices use.
• API keys, webhooks and SAML single sign-on need the Premium plan.
• Payroll runs through partners; Rippling, the preferred partner, offers When I Work customers six months free.

Tanda

Rostering

Build rosters from templates, typical hours or drag and drop, and see who is working, for how long and at what cost. Validations flag overtime and qualification risks.

Award interpretation

An award interpreter works out pay and entitlements from the hours staff actually work, and break rules can be set to match an award's requirements.

Employee app and clock-ins

Staff receive rosters, accept or swap shifts, apply for leave and clock in with GPS from their phones. Managers get alerts for late arrivals and missed breaks.

Payroll from timesheets

Pay runs are created from timesheets, and the payroll page says STP filing can be done from within the account.

Leave management

Staff request leave and unavailability in the app; managers review requests in a calendar next to public holidays and other time off.

HR and hiring

Onboarding, contracts, policies and an applicant tracking feature (Tanda Hire) are part of the same system.

When I Work

Auto-scheduling

Managers enter the coverage they need and the app assigns shifts from employee availability and qualifications in one click.

Templates and multi-week schedules

Saved templates such as a weekend rush or holiday plan are reused to build schedules weeks ahead, across several locations.

Shift trades and OpenShifts

Employees swap or pick up open shifts from the app, and managers approve or decline each request before the schedule updates.

Time clock on any device

With the time tracking add-on, staff clock in from phones, tablets or terminals, with GPS or geofencing, break tracking and overtime tracking tied to the schedule.

Team messaging

Managers and staff message individuals or the whole team in the app without sharing phone numbers.

Payroll exports

Approved hours go to payroll services including Rippling, Gusto, Square Payroll, Paychex, QuickBooks Online and OnPay.

Tanda

• All in One$12.80

  per user / month, plus GST

  Workforce management, payroll and HR bundled. Each module can also be priced on its own on request.

• Single modulesCustom

  Workforce Management, Payroll or HR sold separately; the page gives no price and asks you to request one.

When I Work

• Essentials$2.50

  per user / month ($4 with time tracking and attendance)

  Unlimited users. Auto-scheduling, multi-week and multi-location schedules, templates, forecasting, messaging, OpenShifts and swaps.

• Pro$5

  per user / month ($7 with time tracking and attendance)

  Adds scheduling rules, role permissions, labor sharing, custom forecasting units, custom reports and callout reporting.

• Premium$8

  per user / month ($10 with time tracking and attendance)

  Adds API keys, webhooks and SAML single sign-on.