Shiftbase

Overview

Shiftbase combines shift scheduling, time tracking, and workforce administration for businesses that organize work in shifts. It is a particularly good fit for managers who need staff to handle shift claims and swaps while keeping approval of coverage in their hands. Its scheduling and clock-in options are broad, but its tiered employee allowances make the monthly cost worth checking against team size.

Key features

Scheduling and shift changes

Shift templates and copied weeks take some repetition out of building schedules, while skill-based assignments help managers place employees where their capabilities fit. Conflict flags for time off or overlapping shifts can catch coverage problems before a schedule is published. Employees can claim open shifts and propose swaps, but managers must approve swaps; that balance suits workplaces seeking staff flexibility without giving up oversight.

Time tracking and labour planning

Staff can clock in and out from a mobile app, desktop, or shared tablet. Hours can then be approved and exported to payroll, making Shiftbase useful beyond schedule-making alone. Premium adds labour cost targets and budget management, which are most relevant to teams that need scheduling decisions tied to labour budgets. Its auto-scheduling is early access, so it is not a sound reason by itself to upgrade.

Integrations, security, and support

The marketplace lists 51 integrations, including AFAS, Lightspeed, Nmbrs, and Connexie, although some require the App Center+ add-on. Shiftbase says it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, stores data on EU servers, and supports encryption, MFA, and permission groups. Its security policy says stored data is encrypted, transmission uses HTTPS, and customer data is deleted 30 days after cancellation. Weekday email, phone, and chat support runs from 09:00 to 17:00 CET; chat usually replies within a few minutes.

Pricing

Shiftbase has a free plan and a 14-day trial. Paid plans are billed monthly, and the stated rates should be read alongside their included employee counts and additional-user charges.

• Free: free, free forever. It supports up to 15 employees, one department, and five teams. This is the most generous employee allowance, but the single-department ceiling makes it a better fit for a small, centralized operation than a business with separate departments.
• Basic: €30 a month, including six employees; each additional user is €4/month. It allows five departments and unlimited teams. It may suit a small team that needs more departmental structure, but the included employee count is lower than Free's cap.
• Premium: €72 a month, including 12 employees; each additional user is €5/month. Departments and teams are unlimited. This is the tier for businesses that need more room to organize staff and want labour targets and budget management.
• Enterprise: €336 a month, including 48 employees; each additional user is €6/month. Departments and teams are unlimited, and the plan directs buyers to contact sales. It is the option for larger workforces, though the higher starting price and per-user charge call for careful headcount planning.

The free tier's 15-employee allowance exceeds Basic's six included employees, but Free permits only one department and five teams. Compare those structural limits as well as price when choosing between them.

Platforms

Shiftbase supports Android, iOS, web, and API access. Its mobile app is included in every plan at no extra cost, and the shared-tablet clock-in option can serve a workplace that prefers a common device to individual phones.

Who it's for

Shiftbase identifies restaurants, retail, hotels, recreation, production, transport, healthcare, cleaning, and security as industries it serves. Its scheduling and clock-in tools are most relevant where staffing changes by shift and managers need hours ready for approval or payroll export. Teams needing multiple departments should check the free plan's one-department cap before settling on it.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Employees can claim open shifts and propose swaps, giving staff a role in coverage changes while manager approval retains oversight.
• Pro: Clock-ins across mobile, desktop, and shared tablet feed hours into approval and payroll export.
• Pro: The free plan supports up to 15 employees, useful for a small team that can work within one department and five teams.
• Con: Basic includes only six employees despite its 30.00 EUR monthly price; additional users cost €4/month.
• Con: Premium's auto-scheduling is early access, so buyers should not treat it as a settled planning capability.
• Con: Some marketplace integrations require the App Center+ add-on, which may add friction for businesses relying on those connections.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Time and Attendance Software, Employee Scheduling Software, or Leave Management Software.

• Jibble is worth considering when a free plan with unlimited users or broader platform coverage, including Linux, Windows, and self-hosted options, matters more than Shiftbase's scheduling and workforce-administration focus.
• Connecteam is another freemium option for teams comparing workforce tools; its platform coverage overlaps Shiftbase's, while its Basic plan is priced at $35 a month.
• Puntual is an alternative freemium app for readers considering an Android or web option.
• Odoo Attendances may suit teams seeking attendance within an app that offers a free plan for unlimited users; it is web-based.
• Infor Workforce Management is a paid alternative with Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows support; pricing is custom.
• Aladtec is a paid option for readers willing to request a demo for pricing.
• Homebase is another freemium alternative with Android, iOS, and web support.
• TimeClock 365 is a freemium alternative with Android, iOS, web, API, and browser-extension support.

Verdict

Shiftbase is a strong choice for shift-based businesses that want scheduling, staff-led shift requests, and time records connected to payroll preparation. Its conflict checks, several clock-in methods, and open-shift workflow give managers practical coverage tools. Look elsewhere if the free plan's one-department limit is too restrictive, if a larger included headcount is essential at the entry paid tier, or if you need mature auto-scheduling rather than an early-access feature.