Shifton

Overview

Shifton combines staff scheduling, timekeeping, leave management and demand forecasting for organizations running shift-based operations. It is most compelling for managers coordinating changing coverage across teams or locations; the free tier is useful for a small crew, but its 10-person cap makes it a limited long-term home for a growing workforce.

Its value is in connecting roster planning with attendance and approved leave, rather than treating each as a separate task. Businesses that need those workflows in one platform should consider it; teams that only need a simple rota may find the breadth unnecessary.

Key features

Automated shift planning can apply labor rules and staff availability, while templates and real-time updates help managers adapt schedules as coverage needs change. Availability management, shift swaps, multi-location scheduling and trainer scheduling extend that flexibility. These tools are useful for complex or variable rosters, though they may be more than a small team with a stable schedule needs.

Employees can clock in and out, and managers can use location-based attendance, GPS monitoring, geo-fenced zones and location history. This is relevant for organizations overseeing attendance at multiple worksites, but location monitoring is a meaningful operational choice that may not fit every workplace policy.

Staff can submit time-off requests through the app, with approved leave reflected in schedules. Forecasting uses uploaded or manually entered staffing demand to generate shift patterns, linking demand planning to roster creation. It is a practical pairing for teams whose staffing levels vary with demand, but the input still needs to come from the business.

Named integrations include QuickBooks, Xero, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Slack, Microsoft Teams, BambooHR, Workday, Zapier, Intercom and Usedesk. REST API access and webhook subscriptions provide another route for connecting systems, which is useful for organizations with specific workflow needs.

Shifton says its services and data are hosted in the EU, data is encrypted in transit, endpoints use HTTPS, and passwords are hashed with bcrypt. It also supports role-based access controls and OpenID-based single sign-on for Microsoft Entra ID and Google Workspace. The company says support is available 24/7.

Pricing

The Basic functions plan is $0.00/mo, free forever, for up to 10 team members. It includes shift scheduling and a calendar, time clock and attendance, iOS and Android apps, unlimited schedules and locations, and reports and analytics. That is a useful no-cost starting point for a small operation, and the unlimited schedules and locations avoid a common kind of restriction; the hard team-size ceiling is the trade-off.

Paid plans start at $1/mo. Shifton says activating a module provides up to 60 days of free access, while work location control has a 10-day free trial. Businesses with 50 or more employees are directed to contact sales for custom pricing. For a growing team, the published starting figure is not enough to establish the full cost: confirm the needed modules and pricing with sales before committing.

Platforms

Shifton is available on Android, iOS and the web, with API access for integrations. Mobile apps support employee access to scheduling and attendance workflows, while the web version gives managers another way to coordinate operations.

Who it's for

Shifton is aimed at shift-based businesses, including retail, healthcare, hospitality and logistics. It is a stronger fit for managers who need scheduling, attendance and leave to work together, particularly when coverage spans multiple locations. A team of 10 or fewer can start on the free plan; larger businesses should weigh the custom-pricing route against their needs, especially once they reach 50 employees.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Scheduling, attendance and approved leave connect in one workflow, reducing the need to manage those tasks as separate systems.
• Pros: The free plan includes a time clock, reports, mobile apps and unlimited schedules and locations, making it capable for teams within its 10-member cap.
• Pros: Demand forecasting, location controls and a broad set of named integrations can suit businesses with variable staffing and connected workflows.
• Cons: The free plan stops at 10 team members, so it will not accommodate even a modestly larger workforce.
• Cons: Paid pricing starts at $1/mo, but businesses with 50 or more employees must seek custom pricing, making it harder to assess larger-team costs upfront.
• Cons: GPS and location-history features may be unsuitable for workplaces that do not want location monitoring.

Alternatives

Connecteam is another freemium option with a free plan and free trial; consider it if you want to compare a different workforce platform, while Shifton's free tier explicitly includes scheduling, time clock and attendance for up to 10 members.

TNC Track has a free pay-as-you-grow plan with five free seats and charges $5 per seat after that; it may suit a team that prefers a defined per-seat model, while Shifton offers a free tier capped at 10 members.

Rosie provides a free plan for up to 15 people at one site, including rosters, shift templates and auto-fill. It may fit a single-site team that values those roster tools and needs more free seats than Shifton's 10.

ShiftCal offers a free plan for five people at one site, with no card required and cancellation at any time. It may suit a very small single-site team; Shifton's free plan covers more people and unlimited locations.

Sling has a free plan for up to 30 users with shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts, news sharing, long-term scheduling and private messaging. Consider it if that larger free user allowance and those listed team features matter more than Shifton's scheduling, attendance and location tools.

Cicini is a freemium option available on the web.

Emplora has a free plan for up to 15 employees at one location, with three teams, schedules and shifts, employee QR access and team management. It may suit a single-location operation seeking a higher free employee cap than Shifton's.

Exerp is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS and the web, with API access.

For gym-specific scheduling options, see Gym Staff Scheduling Software.

Verdict

Shifton is a strong choice for shift-based businesses that want to connect scheduling, attendance, leave and demand forecasting, with a capable free starting point for teams of up to 10. Its broader controls and integrations suit operations with changing coverage or multiple sites. Look elsewhere if your team exceeds the free cap and needs predictable published pricing, or if location monitoring is not appropriate for your workforce.