Scheduling Software Pricing: 9 Tools, Real Costs
What employee scheduling software really costs in 2026. Compare 9 tools by per-user pricing, per-location fees, free plans, and hidden costs.
Diego Cárdenas
Founder of Turnozo
In this article
Quick answer
Scheduling software pricing baseline: Most employee scheduling tools cost about $2-$8 per employee per month once scheduling and time tracking are both included. Per-location tools can look cheaper for one site and get expensive as locations grow.
Best value for small teams: Turnozo Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included. Pro is €2.99/employee/month from employee 11 or the second location (centro), billed across the whole workforce.
What to compare: Do not compare the cheapest advertised tier. Compare the plan that includes scheduling, mobile time tracking, GPS or location controls, shift swaps, absence handling, and payroll-ready exports.
| Fact | Turnozo answer |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro); Pro is €2.99/employee/month from employee 11 or the second location (centro), billed across the whole workforce |
| Per-location fees | None |
| Included features | Every feature on Essential and Pro |
| Main advantage | Predictable Pro pricing without per-location jumps |
| Main trade-off | Not a native payroll suite; exports timesheets for payroll cleanup |
| Best alternatives to compare | Sling, Homebase, When I Work, Deputy, 7shifts, Connecteam, Planday, and RotaCloud |
The pricing page says $2/user/month. But by the time you add time tracking, a second location, and the features you actually need, you're paying $6. That gap is where teams waste money. If you only want free options, use the free employee scheduling software comparison first.
Scheduling software pricing is confusing on purpose. Per-user, per-location, flat-rate, tiered, add-ons, "contact sales" - every vendor structures it differently, and they all want to look cheapest in the headline.
We got tired of it. So we pulled actual pricing from 9 scheduling tools and calculated what you'd really pay for a 15-person team and a 50-person team. No affiliate links. No "sponsored pick." Just the real costs.
Methodology and source notes
We used public pricing pages and compared the realistic plan for a shift-based team: scheduling plus time tracking, mobile access, and payroll-ready timesheets. When vendors price by location or hide details behind sales calls, we call that out instead of forcing a neat per-user comparison. Prices change, so verify current vendor pricing before buying.
Scheduling Software Price Comparison
Adjust team size and locations to see real costs. No hidden fees.
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Monthly cost for 20 employees at 1 location. Sorted cheapest to most expensive.
Pricing data from each tool's public pricing page, verified February 2026
Scheduling Software: What Would You Actually Pay?
Adjust your team size and locations to see real annual costs across 7 tools.
Save $1,053 vs most expensive
Turnozo includes scheduling, time tracking, GPS, and timesheets at one flat rate. No per-location fees, no feature tiers.
Check simple scheduling pricingThe quick comparison (2026 pricing)
Here's what each tool actually costs. All prices are monthly. We used the plan that includes both scheduling AND time tracking, since most teams need both.
| Tool | Pricing model | Starting price | 15-employee cost | 50-employee cost | Free plan? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnozo | Per employee | Essential €9.99/month; Pro €2.99/employee/mo from employee 11 or the second location (centro), whole workforce billed | Essential €9.99 / €44.85/mo Pro | €149.50/mo Pro ($157) | Essential €9.99: ≤10 and 1 location |
| Sling | Per user | $2/user/mo (Premium) | $30/mo | $100/mo | Yes (30 users, no time tracking) |
| When I Work | Per user | $4/user/mo with time | $60/mo | $200/mo | No |
| Planday | Per user | $2.99/user/mo | $45/mo | $150/mo | Free ≤10 employees |
| Deputy | Per user | $6.50/user/mo annual Core | $98/mo | $325/mo | No |
| 7shifts | Per location | $44.99/location/mo | $45/mo (1 loc) | $90/mo (1 loc) | Yes (1 location, 15 employees) |
| Homebase | Per location | $30/location/mo | $30/mo (1 loc) | $30/mo (1 loc) | Yes (1 loc, 10 employees) |
| Connecteam | Flat + per user | $49/mo (first 30) | $49/mo | $99/mo | Yes (10 users) |
| RotaCloud | Flat (by team size) | £10/mo (1-5 users) | ~£30/mo | ~£100/mo | Free ≤10 employees |
A few things jump out immediately.
Per-location pricing looks cheap until you have two locations. Homebase Essentials at $30/month is manageable for one cafe. But a second location doubles it to $60. A third? $90. Meanwhile, Turnozo charges the same €2.99/employee whether you have one location or five. (For a deeper dive, see our Homebase vs When I Work comparison.)
"Free" plans always cost something. Sling's free plan doesn't include time tracking. Homebase limits you to 10 employees. Connecteam locks scheduling features behind the $29/month tier. Free gets you in the door, but rarely through it. I broke down the actual trade-offs in best free scheduling apps for small teams.
The spread is massive. For a 15-person team, you're paying anywhere from $30/month (Sling) to $98/month (Deputy Core on annual billing). That's more than a 3x difference for tools that do roughly the same thing.
What you're actually paying for (tier by tier)
Most scheduling tools have 3-4 tiers. Here's what moves you up a tier (and what it costs):
Scheduling only (cheapest tier)
Every tool offers basic shift scheduling in its entry plan. Drag shifts onto a calendar, publish to your team, done. This is the commodity feature - everyone does it.
Typical cost: $0-$3/user/month
Scheduling + time tracking (mid tier)
This is where most teams land. You want employees to clock in and out, GPS verification, and automatic timesheets. Some tools bundle this in the base plan. Others charge extra.
Who includes time tracking in the base plan:
- Turnozo - Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included; Pro keeps the same feature set for larger teams at €2.99/employee/month from employee 11 or the second location (centro), billed across the whole workforce
- When I Work - Essentials is $2.50/user for scheduling only; with time tracking it is $4/user
- Connecteam ($29/mo for 30 users) - time clock included in Operations hub
Who charges extra for time tracking:
- Sling - free plan is scheduling only. Premium ($2/user) adds time tracking
- Deputy - Lite is $5/user on annual billing ($5.50 monthly), Core is $6.50 annual ($7.25 monthly), and Pro is $9 annual ($10 monthly)
- RotaCloud - time tracking is a £4.50/month add-on on top of the base plan
Advanced features (premium tier)
Labor cost forecasting, custom reporting, API access, auto-scheduling. Most small teams don't need these, but if you do, expect to pay 2-3x the base price.
Typical cost: $5-$8/user/month
The real cost for a 15-person team
Let's get specific. You manage a 15-person team across one location. You need scheduling, time tracking, and shift notifications. Here's what you'd actually pay monthly:
| Tool | Plan needed | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase | Essentials | $30 | $360 |
| Sling | Premium | $30 | $360 |
| 7shifts | Essentials | $45 | $540 |
| Turnozo | All-inclusive | $47 (€44.85) | $471 (€448.20) |
| When I Work | Essentials | $38 | $450 |
| Planday | Starter | $45 | $540 |
| Connecteam | Basic (Operations) | $49 | $588 |
| Deputy | Core (annual) | $98 | $1,170 |
The winner on pure price? Homebase and Sling tie at $30/month for this one-location example. Homebase Basic no longer covers 15 employees, so this is a paid Essentials case. The moment you add a second location, Homebase jumps to $60/month and Sling or Turnozo become cheaper.
Best value overall? Turnozo. Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included. For a 15-person team on Pro, it's about €44.85/month. Sling is $30/month at that size but locks GPS and labor tools behind the $4/user Business plan.
The real cost for a 50-person team
This is where pricing models really diverge. At 50 employees, per-location pricing either saves you or destroys you depending on how many locations you have.
Scenario A: 50 employees, 1 location
| Tool | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Homebase Essentials | $30 | $360 |
| 7shifts Pro | $90 | $1,080 |
| Sling Premium | $100 | $1,200 |
| Connecteam Advanced | $99 | $1,188 |
| Turnozo | $171 (€150) | $2,051 (€1,794) |
| When I Work | $125 | $1,500 |
| Planday | $150 | $1,800 |
| Deputy Core | $325 | $3,900 |
With one location and 50 people, per-location pricing (Homebase, 7shifts) wins on raw cost. The trade-off: Homebase's $30 plan doesn't include labor cost management or PTO controls. Adding those bumps you to the $70/month Plus plan.
Scenario B: 50 employees, 3 locations
| Tool | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sling Premium | $100 | $1,200 |
| Connecteam Advanced | $99 | $1,188 |
| 7shifts Pro | $270 | $3,240 |
| Turnozo | $171 (€150) | $2,051 (€1,794) |
| When I Work | $125 | $1,500 |
| Planday | $150 | $1,800 |
| Homebase Essentials | $90 | $1,080 |
| Deputy Core | $325 | $3,900 |
Per-user tools hold steady regardless of locations. Per-location tools multiply. Homebase still stays below Sling in this scenario because $30 × 3 = $90, but the gap is narrow. The real question is whether the Essentials plan gives you enough features, or if you need Plus ($70 × 3 = $210/month).
5 pricing traps to watch for
1. "Per user" means different things
Some tools count all employees. Others only count active/scheduled employees. If you have seasonal staff who aren't scheduled for three months, check whether you're still paying for them. Turnozo and When I Work charge for active users only. Deputy charges for anyone with an account.
2. Time tracking as an add-on
If a tool advertises "$2/user" but time tracking costs extra, the real price for most teams is higher. Sling, Deputy, and RotaCloud all separate scheduling and time tracking into different plans or add-ons. Always price the bundle. Our time tracking guide covers the five methods and which tools include it for free.
3. Per-location fees that stack
Homebase and 7shifts charge per location. If you're a single-location business, this is often the cheapest model. If you're opening a second location next year, do the math now. Switching scheduling software mid-growth is a headache nobody wants.
4. Feature gating on lower tiers
Connecteam's $29/month plan covers 30 users, which sounds great. But it only includes "basic scheduling" - you need the $49/month Advanced plan for shift templates, repeating shifts, and geofencing. The headline price rarely tells the whole story.
5. Annual billing discounts (and traps)
Most tools offer 15-20% off for annual billing. That's real savings - but it also means you're locked in. Planday requires a 12-month contract minimum. Others let you cancel anytime but won't refund unused months. If you're trying a new tool, start monthly even if it costs more.
Which pricing model is best for your team?
Two things matter: how many people you're scheduling and how many locations they work at.
Under 10 employees, 1 location: Free plans work. Turnozo Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included. Homebase Basic covers one location with up to 10 employees and 90-day timesheet history. Sling has the larger scheduling-only free cap, but time tracking requires a paid plan.
10-30 employees, 1-2 locations: Per-user pricing makes the most sense. You'll pay $30-$75/month for a solid tool. Turnozo Pro (€2.99/employee/month from employee 11 or the second location (centro), billed across the whole workforce) and Sling Premium ($2/user) are among the cheapest paid options that include time tracking.
30-100 employees, 2+ locations: Per-user pricing scales linearly and predictably. Avoid per-location pricing unless you're confident you won't add locations. Connecteam's flat-rate model ($49/month for 30 users, then per-user after) can be economical here.
100+ employees: You're in enterprise territory. Contact sales for Connecteam Enterprise, Deputy, or Planday Pro. Prices are negotiable at this size.
For a full comparison of all options: Best Employee Scheduling Software Compared
How we gathered this data
We pulled pricing from each tool's public pricing page in July 2026. Where pricing wasn't publicly listed, we avoided printing a made-up number. Per-user prices are monthly unless noted as annual-plan pricing. We calculated team costs using the plan that includes both scheduling and time tracking, since that's what most teams actually need.
We didn't include enterprise-only tools (Workforce.com, Rotageek) or tools that require a demo to see pricing. If you can't see the price without talking to sales, it's probably not built for small teams.
Prices change. If you notice something outdated, let us know and we'll update it.
If you want deeper dives on specific tools, check out our individual comparisons: Sling review, best Homebase alternatives, best When I Work alternatives, and best Connecteam alternatives. UK-based? See our best rota software for UK teams.
Sources: Sling · When I Work · Deputy · Homebase · Connecteam · 7shifts · RotaCloud · Planday · Turnozo
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Most scheduling software costs between $2 and $8 per employee per month once scheduling and time tracking are both included. Budget options like Turnozo Essential/Pro and Sling ($2/user/month) sit at the low end. Mid-range tools like Deputy Core ($6.50 annual or $7.25 monthly) and When I Work Essentials with time tracking ($4/user/month) charge more for advanced features. Enterprise tools like Connecteam can run $29-$99/month for the first 30 users.
Yes. Turnozo Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included. Sling offers free scheduling for up to 30 users (no time tracking). Homebase has a free plan for one location with up to 10 employees. Connecteam is free for up to 10 users.
Turnozo Essential is €9.99/month for up to 10 employees and one location (centro), with every feature included. Pro is €2.99/employee/month from employee 11 or the second location (centro), billed across the whole workforce. Sling's Premium plan at $2/user/month also includes time tracking. Both are cheaper than Deputy Core ($6.50 annual or $7.25 monthly) or When I Work Essentials with time tracking ($4/user/month) for combined scheduling and time tracking.
Per-location pricing (like Homebase at $30-$120/location/month, or $24-$96 on annual billing) works well for single-location businesses with many employees - you pay one flat fee regardless of team size. But it gets expensive fast with multiple locations. Per-user pricing (like Turnozo or When I Work) scales more predictably and is usually cheaper for multi-location teams.
Common hidden costs include: requiring higher-tier plans for time tracking (Deputy, Sling), charging extra for SMS notifications (RotaCloud at £2/month add-on), per-location fees that multiply with each branch (Homebase), and locking payroll export behind premium tiers. Always check what's included in the base plan vs. what costs extra.
If you spend more than 2 hours per week on scheduling, yes. At €2.99/employee/month, a 15-person team costs €44.85/month. If the software saves you even 1 hour per week at a €25/hour manager rate, that's €100/month in time savings alone, before counting fewer no-shows, less overtime, and happier staff.
For teams under 6 with simple schedules, yes. But spreadsheets don't send shift reminders, can't handle swap requests, don't track time, and break when two people edit simultaneously. Once you're spending more than 20-30 minutes per week rebuilding schedules, software pays for itself.
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