The Zip Schedules Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Zip Schedules 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.
Zip Schedules
The Insider’s Guide
Employee scheduling with per-location pricing, aimed at restaurants
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among shift scheduling apps, read from Zip Schedules’s own pages.
Made by Zip Schedules · checked Nov 13, 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 Zip Schedules’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Zip Schedules’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 17 of the 49 other shift scheduling apps we grade
Zip Schedules is employee scheduling software that markets itself mainly to restaurants. Managers build schedules, handle shift swaps, time-off and availability requests, and watch labor budgets, while staff use a free iPhone and Android app. Pricing is a flat monthly fee per location, set by headcount.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Zip Schedules, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Setting up locations and templates is the work.
- 1
Best for small restaurants paying per location
But no trial or integrations are listed, and the site shows signs it may not be maintained.
- 2
Paid plans start at $19 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $19 per location / month for 1-20 employees.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 4
Schedule building
Managers check staff availability and build schedules from templates, with alerts for schedule changes and reminders.
- 5
Employee requests
Shift swaps, time-off requests and availability changes are handled in one request queue.
- 6
Labor budgeting
Forecasting tools and budget alerts help schedule the right number of staff, and overtime is flagged automatically.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 17 of 49
That is against the other shift scheduling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
The plain part of Zip Schedules you could make: time off, calendar and reports. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Zip Schedules at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $19 per location / month for 1-20 employees
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Zip Schedules
- Category
- Shift Scheduling
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for small restaurants paying per location
Zip Schedules charges $19 a month per location for up to 20 employees, with schedules, swaps and labor budgeting. But no trial or integrations are listed, and the site shows signs it may not be maintained.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $19 a month per location for 1 to 20 employees, $39 for 21 to 50. A five-person team pays under $4 a head. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial on the pricing page. |
| Features | C | Schedule building, swaps, time-off requests, labor budgeting and labor law settings. But no time clock and no integrations are listed. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Setting up locations and templates is the work. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iPhone and Android apps and multi-location support. No desktop app and no integrations. |
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 Zip Schedules is for
- Fits if you run a restaurant with 20 or fewer staff and want a low flat price
- Works for owners with several locations and one per-location bill
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a trial first, as none is mentioned
- Not for you if you need integrations, since none are listed
- Watch out: the site footer reads 2023 and its 404 page carries the Altametrics name
- Watch out: over 50 employees per location is custom
Good to know
Good for
- Restaurants and small shops with one or a few locations
- Managers who want a low flat monthly price per site
- Teams that handle swaps and time-off requests in one app
Worth knowing
- Price depends on headcount per location: $19 up to 20 employees, $39 for 21 to 50, and custom above 50.
- The pricing page does not mention a free trial.
- The site's footer reads 2023, and its 404 page carries the name Altametrics, so check that the product is actively maintained.
- No integrations are listed on the pages we read.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19
A month to start, for each person
Zip Schedules is a paid product, starting at $19 per location / month for 1-20 employees.
No free plan and no trial on the pricing page.
1-20 employees
$19
per location / month for 1-20 employees
Scheduling, communication tools, templates, shift swap, time-off and availability requests, multi-location support, labor budgeting and the iPhone and Android apps.
21-50 employees
$39
per location / month for 21-50 employees
The same feature list as the smaller tier, for locations with 21 to 50 employees.
Enterprise
Custom
For locations with more than 50 employees; the page offers a demo instead of a price.
Read from zipschedules.com on Nov 13, 2026.
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
Employee scheduling with per-location pricing, aimed at restaurants. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: calendar, reports, shift scheduling, time off.
Schedule building, swaps, time-off requests, labor budgeting and labor law settings.
- Schedule building
- Managers check staff availability and build schedules from templates, with alerts for schedule changes and reminders.
- Employee requests
- Shift swaps, time-off requests and availability changes are handled in one request queue.
- Labor budgeting
- Forecasting tools and budget alerts help schedule the right number of staff, and overtime is flagged automatically.
- Labor law settings
- The vendor says it tracks timesheet data, certifications and schedule-change records and offers settings for minimum wage rules.
- Free mobile app
- Managers and employees use iPhone and Android apps to view schedules, send broadcast messages and approve requests.
- Multiple locations
- Every plan lists multi-location support, with the price counted per location.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Zip Schedules is made by Zip Schedules.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
17/49
Other shift scheduling apps it is graded above
Zip Schedules's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 17 of the 49 other shift scheduling apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 38 of 49) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $19 a month for each person, against a middle price of $16.76 for the category: 15 of the 28 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 50 shift scheduling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Zip Schedules’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 38 of 49
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 49
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 49
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 49
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 16 of 49
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 shift scheduling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Zip Schedules 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
The plain part of Zip Schedules you could make: time off, calendar and reports. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $228 a year.
What you could make
- Time off, calendar and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A rota the whole staff sees on their phones, with swaps and alerts.
- 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.
What this rests on. Zip Schedules’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
7shifts, When I Work, Homebase, Sling by Toast and Schedulefly
The 5 tools Zip Schedules is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
7shifts
Free plan · from $39.99/mo
Restaurant scheduling, time clock, tips and payroll, per location.
- 7shifts has a free plan. Zip Schedules does not.
- Zip Schedules also covers calendar and reports.
- 7shifts also covers team chat, payroll, time clock and applicant tracking.
- 2.8GPA
When I Work
Free trial · from $2.50/mo
Staff scheduling with auto-fill, shift trades and an add-on time clock.
- Zip Schedules also covers calendar and reports.
- When I Work also covers auto-scheduling, team chat and time clock.
- 3.2GPA
Homebase
Free plan · from $24/mo
Small-business scheduling, time clock and payroll, priced per location.
- Homebase has a free plan. Zip Schedules does not.
- Zip Schedules also covers calendar and reports.
- Homebase also covers team chat, payroll, time clock, job board posting and employee records.
- 2.8GPA
Sling by Toast
Free plan · from $1.70/mo
Free shift scheduling for up to 30 users, with paid time clock tiers.
- Sling by Toast has a free plan. Zip Schedules does not.
- Zip Schedules also covers calendar and reports.
- Sling by Toast also covers tasks, auto-scheduling, team chat and time clock.
- 2.2GPA
Schedulefly
Free trial · from $30/mo
Restaurant staff scheduling priced by headcount, all features included.
- Zip Schedules also covers calendar.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Zip Schedules free?
No. Zip Schedules is a paid product, starting at $19 per location / month for 1-20 employees.
How much does Zip Schedules cost?
Zip Schedules lists 3 plans. 1-20 employees: $19 per location / month for 1-20 employees.
What platforms does Zip Schedules work on?
Zip Schedules is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Zip Schedules have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Zip Schedules is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Zip Schedules have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Zip Schedules is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Zip Schedules open source?
Zip Schedules is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Zip Schedules?
Zip Schedules is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Zip Schedules?
The closest alternatives to Zip Schedules in our directory are 7shifts, When I Work, Homebase, Sling by Toast and Schedulefly.
How does Zip Schedules compare with other shift scheduling apps?
Zip Schedules's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 17 of the 49 other shift scheduling apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is Zip Schedules good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Zip Schedules B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $19 a month for each person, against a middle price of $16.76 for the category: 15 of the 28 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Zip Schedules?
The plain part of Zip Schedules you could make: time off, calendar and reports.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Zip Schedules’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zip Schedules's own pages on 13 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 Zip Schedules. Prices change, so check zipschedules.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Zip Schedules, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/zipschedules
- 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, "Zip Schedules: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zipschedules
Know someone choosing between shift scheduling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zipschedules/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded shift scheduling apps after Zip Schedules, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Shift Scheduling Insider's GuideEvery one of the 50 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 Zip Schedules’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. Zip Schedules is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zip Schedules. Prices and plans change: check zipschedules.com before you buy.