The Papershift Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Papershift in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Papershift
The Insider’s Guide
German shift planning, time tracking and absence software
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among shift scheduling apps, read from Papershift’s own pages.
Made by Papershift · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Papershift’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Papershift’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 6 of the 23 other shift scheduling apps we grade
Papershift is a German cloud workforce tool covering shift planning, digital time tracking, absence management and payroll preparation. It is sold in three packages priced in euros per employee, and its pricing page is in German. Data is stored in the EU and exports to DATEV and LODAS are listed.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Papershift, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Accounts, rules and staff have to be set up first.
- 1
Best for German shift and absence planning
Papershift covers shift planning, time tracking, absences and payroll prep for German-speaking teams.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $4.02 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: €3.60 per employee / month, billed yearly (€4 monthly), plus €39 base.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free test account after booking, all features
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Shift planning
Schedules are built visually and shared online, with multi-location planning, work-time models and break rules in the Premium and Professional packages.
- 6
Automatic shift assignment
Premium assigns shifts automatically by rules; Professional lists fully automatic filling of the schedule.
- 7
Time tracking
Staff clock in via smartphone, tablet or browser, with automatic break rules set per employee.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 6 of 23
That is against the other shift scheduling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Papershift you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Papershift at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from €3.60 per employee / month, billed yearly (€4 monthly), plus €39 base
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free test account after booking, all features
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Papershift
- Category
- Shift Scheduling
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for German shift and absence planning
Papershift covers shift planning, time tracking, absences and payroll prep for German-speaking teams. Shift planning starts at the second plan, every booking carries a EUR 39 monthly base fee, and the pricing page is in German.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | EUR 3.60 a person a month on yearly billing, excluding VAT, plus a EUR 39 base fee. Shift planning starts at Premium, EUR 5.40. For five people that is well above the category middle. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 14-day test account with all features after booking. The page does not say whether a card is needed. There is no free plan. |
| Features | C | Shift planning, automatic assignment, time tracking, absences and payroll prep. The cheapest plan, Core, has no shift planning, so the listing shows a gap. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Accounts, rules and staff have to be set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iOS and Android apps, with five integrations listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Papershift is for
- Fits if you run a small team in Germany and want shifts, absences and time tracking together
- Works for a business that can read the German pricing page and pay in euros
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you are very small, as every booking adds a EUR 39 monthly base fee
- Skip it if you want shift planning on the cheapest plan, as Core is time tracking and absences only
- Watch out: prices are in euros and exclude VAT, and the page is in German
- Watch out: higher support levels than Basic are sold separately
Good to know
Good for
- German small and mid-sized businesses in hospitality, retail, production and care
- Teams that need surcharges and DATEV or LODAS payroll export
- Employers that want EU-hosted data
Worth knowing
- Prices are in euros, exclude VAT, and the page is in German; the shown totals assume 16 employees.
- Shift planning starts at Premium; Core is time tracking and absences only.
- Every booking carries a €39 monthly base fee that includes Basic support; higher support levels are sold separately.
- For teams of up to 15 there is a separate Papershift Light, and larger companies get an individual Enterprise quote.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$4.02
A month to start, for each person
Papershift is a paid product with a free trial, starting at €3.60 per employee / month, billed yearly (€4 monthly), plus €39 base.
For five people that is well above the category middle.
Core
€3.60
per employee / month, billed yearly (€4 monthly), plus €39 base
Digital time tracking, absence management, employee profiles and documents, no shift planning. The page shows €57.60 a month for 16 employees.
Premium
€5.40
per employee / month, billed yearly (€6 monthly), plus €39 base
Adds digital shift planning, rule-based automatic shift assignment, work-time models and multi-location planning. €86.40 a month for 16 employees.
Professional
€8.10
per employee / month, billed yearly (€9 monthly), plus €39 base
Adds full automation, absence blackout periods, surcharges, DATEV and LODAS export and reports. €129.60 a month for 16 employees.
Trying it first
14-day free test account after booking, all features
Read from papershift.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
10% off with yearly payment
The pricing page says paying yearly saves 10% against monthly payment, on a one-year subscription.
Stated on papershift.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
German shift planning, time tracking and absence software. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: payroll, shift scheduling, time clock, employee records, time off.
Shift planning, automatic assignment, time tracking, absences and payroll prep.
- Shift planning
- Schedules are built visually and shared online, with multi-location planning, work-time models and break rules in the Premium and Professional packages.
- Automatic shift assignment
- Premium assigns shifts automatically by rules; Professional lists fully automatic filling of the schedule.
- Time tracking
- Staff clock in via smartphone, tablet or browser, with automatic break rules set per employee.
- Absence management
- Absence requests and employee-specific target hours are in every package; Professional adds blackout periods and employee-specific holidays.
- Payroll preparation
- Professional calculates hours and surcharges (night, Sunday, holiday) and exports to DATEV and LODAS for the tax advisor.
- HR records
- Employee profiles with master data, uploaded contracts and documents, tags and qualifications, and EU-hosted storage described as GDPR-compliant.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- DATEV
- LODAS
- Personio
- Fareharbor
- Lohn24
Papershift is made by Papershift.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/23
Other shift scheduling apps it is graded above
Papershift's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 23 other shift scheduling apps we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 2 of 23) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $4.02 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.33 for the category: 7 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 24 shift scheduling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Papershift’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 23
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 23
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 23
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 23
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 23
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 18 shift scheduling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Papershift is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Papershift you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 13 of the 23 other shift scheduling apps grade higher. It costs $48.26 a year.
What you could make
- Time off and employee records: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- A rota the whole staff sees on their phones, with swaps and alerts.
- Clocking in from a phone, checked against where and when.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- It plugs into other products, DATEV, LODAS and Personio among them.
What this rests on. Papershift’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Staffomatic, Shiftbase, Planday, Connecteam and Deputy
The 5 tools Papershift is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Staffomatic
Free trial · from €2.00/mo
Shift planner and time tracking priced per person in euros.
- Papershift also covers payroll.
- 2.6GPA
Shiftbase
Free plan · from €27/mo
Dutch shift scheduling, time clock and absence app, free to 15 staff.
- Shiftbase has a free plan. Papershift does not, though it has a free trial.
- Papershift also covers payroll.
- Shiftbase also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Planday
Free trial · from $2.99/mo
Rota planning, punch clock and payroll reports for shift-based teams.
- Papershift also covers payroll.
- Planday also covers auto-scheduling and team chat.
- 3.2GPA
Connecteam
Free plan · from $29/mo
Employee app for shifts, time clock, chat and HR, free up to 10 users.
- Connecteam has a free plan. Papershift does not, though it has a free trial.
- Papershift also covers payroll and employee records.
- Connecteam also covers auto-scheduling, forms and team chat.
- 2.6GPA
Deputy
Free trial · from $5/mo
Shift scheduling, time clock and labor-law tools for hourly teams.
- Papershift also covers employee records.
- Deputy also covers auto-scheduling.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Papershift free?
No, Papershift is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free test account after booking, all features.
How much does Papershift cost?
Papershift lists 3 plans. Core: €3.60 per employee / month, billed yearly (€4 monthly), plus €39 base.
What platforms does Papershift work on?
Papershift is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Papershift offer any discounts?
Papershift publicly lists the following: 10% off with yearly payment.
Does Papershift have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Papershift is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Papershift have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Papershift is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Papershift open source?
Papershift is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Papershift integrate with?
Papershift's listing names DATEV, LODAS, Personio, Fareharbor and Lohn24.
Who makes Papershift?
Papershift is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Papershift?
The closest alternatives to Papershift in our directory are Staffomatic, Shiftbase, Planday, Connecteam and Deputy.
How does Papershift compare with other shift scheduling apps?
Papershift's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 23 other shift scheduling apps we grade, and level with 4.
Is Papershift good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Papershift C for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $4.02 a month for each person, against a middle price of $5.33 for the category: 7 of the 17 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Papershift?
To replace Papershift you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Papershift’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Papershift's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Papershift. Prices change, so check papershift.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Papershift, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/papershift
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Papershift: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/papershift
Know someone choosing between shift scheduling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/papershift/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded shift scheduling apps after Papershift, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Shift Scheduling Insider's GuideEvery one of the 24 shift scheduling apps we grade, compared
- Connecteam Insider's GuideEmployee app for shifts, time clock, chat and HR, free up to 10 users3.2 GPA
- Homebase Insider's GuideSmall-business scheduling, time clock and payroll, priced per location3.2 GPA
- 7shifts Insider's GuideRestaurant scheduling, time clock, tips and payroll, per location3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Papershift’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Papershift is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Papershift. Prices and plans change: check papershift.com before you buy.