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
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.
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.
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 $1,179 vs most expensive
Turnozo includes scheduling, time tracking, GPS, and timesheets at one flat rate. No per-location fees, no feature tiers.
Get started freeThe 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 user | Free / €2.47/user/mo | Free (≤10) / €37/mo | €124/mo ($131) | Free ≤10 employees |
| Sling | Per user | $2/user/mo (Premium) | $30/mo | $100/mo | Yes (30 users, no time tracking) |
| When I Work | Per user | $2.50/user/mo | $38/mo | $125/mo | No |
| Planday | Per user | $2.99/user/mo | $45/mo | $150/mo | Free ≤10 employees |
| Deputy | Per user | $4.50/user/mo | $68/mo | $225/mo | No |
| 7shifts | Per location | $34.99/location/mo | $35/mo (1 loc) | $35/mo (1 loc) | Yes (1 location, 30 users) |
| Homebase | Per location | $24/location/mo | $24/mo (1 loc) | $24/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 at $24/month is great for one cafe. But a second location doubles it to $48. A third? $72. Meanwhile, Turnozo charges the same €2.47/user 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 $68/month (Deputy). That's a 2x 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 (€2.47/user) - scheduling, time tracking, GPS, timesheets all included
- When I Work ($2.50/user) - scheduling and time tracking in one plan
- 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 - scheduling alone is $4.50/user. Time tracking is a separate $4.50/user plan. Both together: $6/user
- 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 | $24 | $288 |
| Sling | Premium | $30 | $360 |
| 7shifts | Entrée | $35 | $420 |
| Turnozo | All-inclusive | $39 (€37) | $468 (€444) |
| When I Work | Essentials | $38 | $450 |
| Planday | Starter | $45 | $540 |
| Connecteam | Basic (Operations) | $49 | $588 |
| Deputy | Premium | $90 | $1,080 |
The winner on pure price? Homebase, if you only have one location and don't need advanced scheduling. But the moment you add a second location, it jumps to $48/month and Sling or Turnozo become cheaper.
Best value overall? Turnozo. It's free for up to 10 employees with all features included. For a 15-person team, it's $39/month with GPS, shift swaps, and absence management. 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 | $24 | $288 |
| 7shifts Entrée | $35 | $420 |
| Sling Premium | $100 | $1,200 |
| Connecteam Advanced | $99 | $1,188 |
| Turnozo | $131 (€124) | $1,572 (€1,482) |
| When I Work | $125 | $1,500 |
| Planday | $150 | $1,800 |
| Deputy Premium | $300 | $3,600 |
With one location and 50 people, per-location pricing (Homebase, 7shifts) wins on raw cost. The trade-off: Homebase's $24 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 Entrée | $105 | $1,260 |
| Turnozo | $131 (€124) | $1,572 (€1,482) |
| When I Work | $125 | $1,500 |
| Planday | $150 | $1,800 |
| Homebase Essentials | $72 | $864 |
| Deputy Premium | $300 | $3,600 |
Per-user tools hold steady regardless of locations. Per-location tools multiply. But Homebase still comes out cheapest here because $24 × 3 = $72. 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 is free with all features included (scheduling, time tracking, GPS). Homebase and Sling also have free tiers but gate features like time tracking or GPS behind paid plans.
10-30 employees, 1-2 locations: Per-user pricing makes the most sense. You'll pay $30-$75/month for a solid tool. Turnozo (€2.47/user) and Sling Premium ($2/user) are the cheapest 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 March 2026. Where pricing wasn't publicly listed, we used data from Capterra, G2, and SoftwareAdvice reviews. All per-user prices are for monthly billing unless noted. 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
Frequently asked questions
Most scheduling software costs between $2 and $8 per employee per month. Budget options like Turnozo (€2.47/employee/month) and Sling ($2/user/month) sit at the low end. Mid-range tools like Deputy ($4.50/user/month) and When I Work ($2.50-$5/user/month) charge more for advanced features. Enterprise tools like Connecteam can run $29-$99/month for the first 30 users.
Yes. Turnozo is free for up to 10 employees with all features included (scheduling, time tracking, GPS). Sling offers free scheduling for up to 30 users (no time tracking). Homebase has a free plan for one location. Connecteam is free for up to 10 users. Turnozo is the only free plan with no feature gating.
Turnozo at €2.47/employee/month ($2.60 USD) includes scheduling, time tracking, GPS clock-in, and timesheets with no feature gating. Sling's Premium plan at $2/user/month also includes time tracking. Both are significantly cheaper than Deputy ($4.50+) or When I Work ($2.50+) for combined scheduling and time tracking.
Per-location pricing (like Homebase at $24-$96/location/month) 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 €2.47/employee/month, a 15-person team costs €37/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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