ShiftCal

Overview

ShiftCal is workforce-management software for planning shifts, recording attendance, handling time off and exporting payroll data. It is best suited to gyms coordinating class schedules and instructors across sites. Its combination of roster tools and clock-ins is useful; the plan figures need close attention before committing.

Key features

The roster assistant and solver build drafts around coverage, staff availability, rest periods and fairness rules. Gym-specific support for class-shaped shifts and instructors working across gyms makes ShiftCal a more focused fit for fitness operations than a basic staff calendar. Shift swaps can help cover changes, while employees can check calendars, receive push notifications, request leave and clock in through the app.

To get a roster started, the assistant can extract roles, shifts, sites, rules and coverage needs from Excel, PDF or CSV files and schedule photos. It presents a confirmation card before changes are applied or published, keeping a review step between a draft and a live schedule. Timesheets export in CSV, Excel or PDF formats, which supports file-based payroll workflows but is not the same as a named payroll integration.

Employees can clock in by GPS or kiosk. For GPS clock-ins, precise location is collected only at the time of clock-in, not tracked in the background. The privacy policy describes HTTPS/TLS transmission, secure authentication and infrastructure access controls. AI assistant messages and files remain on servers linked to the account for up to 12 months after the conversation's last activity.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and covers 5 people at 1 site, with no card required and cancellation at any time. That makes it a low-commitment way for a small, single-site team to assess the workflow, but it is too constrained for a larger staff or multi-gym operation.

Crew costs €999 a month, billed monthly, and is capped at 10 employees and 1 location. It includes a Starter AI assistant and the iOS and Android app, but the employee and location caps make it a narrow fit for a small team.

Pro is priced at €299 a month, billed monthly, at launch pricing and per active employee. It includes unlimited employees, locations and organizations, an unlimited AI assistant and priority support. The price basis matters: costs scale with active employees, so a growing team should account for that before choosing it. Enterprise has custom pricing and adds SSO, API access, dedicated onboarding and 24/7 support with an SLA to Pro's features.

ShiftCal also offers a 14-day trial. The Free plan's 5-person cap and the separate 10-staff limit make it especially important to confirm which limits apply to the intended plan and use case.

Platforms

ShiftCal runs on Android, iOS and the web. Its employee app supports calendars, notifications, clock-ins, leave requests and shift swaps.

Who it's for

Gyms that schedule classes, share instructors across locations and need clock-ins alongside rosters are the clearest fit. Its tools also target shift-based businesses such as restaurants, hotels, retail, clinics and factories. A gym that needs a named payroll integration rather than export files, or a team whose staffing and sites exceed a chosen plan's limits, should look elsewhere or confirm fit before signing up.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Roster drafts account for coverage, availability, rest and fairness, and can start from common schedule files or photos.
• Pros: Class-shaped shifts, multi-gym instructors and swaps address practical coverage needs in gym operations.
• Pros: GPS clock-ins avoid background location tracking, and a confirmation card keeps roster changes reviewable.
• Cons: Payroll support is through CSV, Excel and PDF exports; no specific payroll integration is named.
• Cons: The plan limits vary sharply, and the separate 10-staff limit does not align neatly with Free's 5-person cap or Pro's unlimited employee allowance.
• Cons: AI assistant messages and files can remain associated with an account for up to 12 months after conversation activity ends.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of gym-focused tools, see Gym Staff Scheduling Software.

Consider Connecteam if you want another freemium workforce option with Android, iOS, web and API platforms; its free plan has limited feature access. TNC Track is another freemium choice, with five free seats and paid seats after that, while Team and Attendance remain free. Rosie may suit a small team that values a free roster plan for up to 15 people at one site, with rosters, templates and auto-fill. Shifton is worth considering for a free plan covering up to 10 team members with scheduling, a calendar, time clock and attendance.

Sling is another freemium alternative. Cicini is a web-based freemium option with a free plan for one team member and 30 bookings a month. Emplora offers a free plan for one location and up to 15 employees, with schedules, shifts and employee QR access. Exerp is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS and the web, with API support.

Verdict

ShiftCal is a strong candidate for gyms that need class-aware scheduling, cross-site instructor coverage and attendance tools in one system. Its file imports, reviewable roster changes and payroll exports give managers a practical set of connected workflows. Choose it when those needs outweigh the uncertainty around plan caps and per-active-employee Pro pricing; look elsewhere if named payroll integrations or clearer, consistent staffing limits are essential.