When I Work Alternatives (2026): 11 Scheduling Apps Compared
When I Work is the cheapest way to get auto-scheduling for an hourly team: $2.50 a user on Essentials, no base fee, no minimum, no per-location pricing. People leave it for what it does not do rather than for what it does badly. It has no break or overtime rules at the point of scheduling, no payroll, no forms or training, and in October 2026 its own pricing page cannot agree with itself about whether the time clock is included on every plan.
This guide sorts the alternatives by those gaps, gives October 2026 pricing with minimums and whether it is per user or per location, and marks where a vendor's page could not be read. Sling and ZoomShift cost less; Deputy adds compliance; Homebase, Rippling and QuickBooks Time add payroll; Connecteam adds forms and training; 7shifts is the restaurant answer; Jibble and Clockify replace the clock.
The short answer
If you want the same scheduling for less or free, Sling is free for 30 users and $1.70 after, and ZoomShift is free for 20. Both schedule and clock; neither auto-builds a schedule.
If you need compliance rules, deeper reporting or payroll, Deputy ($5 to $9, $30 minimum) enforces break and fatigue rules and sells a payroll add-on; Homebase ($30 to $120 per location) runs its own payroll; 7shifts schedules restaurants against sales.
If the team needs more than a schedule, Connecteam adds forms, training and chat free for ten users, and QuickBooks Time or Rippling tie the clock to payroll you already run.
Three starting points by the reason you are leaving, then more by use case.
Sling
Free scheduling and messaging for 30 users; time clock from $1.70 a user
See the detail
Deputy
Demand-based scheduling, break and overtime rules, payroll add-on, from $5
See the detail
Homebase
Free for one location; scheduling, clock, hiring and payroll per location
See the detailWhat When I Work costs and does in October 2026
When I Work
The incumbentWhat it is
When I Work schedules hourly teams with templates, availability, shift swaps, open shifts and shift confirmations, and includes auto-scheduling on every tier, which is rare at $2.50. The time clock records punches by app, web or shared device with GPS, and timesheets export to Gusto, ADP, QuickBooks, Paychex and others. Team messaging is included. Premium adds API keys, webhooks and SAML single sign-on. Each plan on the pricing page shows a time tracking and attendance toggle, while the FAQ says every plan includes it, so whether the clock is included or an add-on on Essentials needs a direct answer from the vendor before you buy.
Where it beats When I Work
- Auto-scheduling from $2.50 a user, the cheapest in this group
- No base fee, no minimum, no per-location pricing
- Payroll exports to the major providers and SSO on Premium
Where When I Work is still better
- Its own pricing page is inconsistent about the time clock and about what the tiers are
- No forms, training, onboarding or native payroll
- A tiny Trustpilot sample (4.1 of 5 across 7 reviews) with support complaints from 2024
Choose it if
Hourly teams of 10 to 200 that want scheduling automation at a low per-user price and will confirm the time clock question in writing. Our Deputy vs When I Work comparison goes deeper.
Prices were read from wheniwork.com/pricing on October 28, 2026. Because the page contradicts itself on the time clock and the tier structure, treat it as unstable and confirm by hand.
Why people leave When I Work
When I Work has almost no public negative review record (seven Trustpilot reviews, the critical ones from 2024), so the reasons below lean on the product and its pricing page rather than on a pattern of complaints. Each has a fix.
Uncertainty about what the clock costs
The pricing page shows a time tracking toggle per plan and the FAQ says every plan includes it; earlier versions sold attendance as an add-on. Buyers who assumed the clock was in Essentials have reported a different bill.
Fixed by: tools whose clock is unambiguous: Sling (clock on Premium, $1.70), Deputy (included), Homebase (included on every plan including free), Jibble (the clock is the product).
Support
The two critical Trustpilot reviews, both from 2024, describe a decline in customer service and repeated in-app prompts to rate or raise tickets.
Appalling customer service. They used to care about their customers, now they don't.Trustpilot, one star, August 5, 2024
Fixed by: vendors with phone support: QuickBooks Time, Deputy (on Core and above), Homebase (on paid plans).
No compliance rules
When I Work does not enforce meal break, overtime or fatigue rules at the point of scheduling, so a California or New York manager can publish a schedule that creates premium pay.
Fixed by: Deputy (break, overtime and fatigue rules, fair workweek), 7shifts (labor compliance for restaurants), Homebase (break and overtime alerts on Plus). Our break laws by state guide sets out the rules.
No payroll
Hours leave by export. A small business that wants scheduling, time and payroll on one bill cannot get it here.
Fixed by: Homebase ($49 plus $6 per employee), Rippling, QuickBooks Time with QuickBooks Payroll, Deputy payroll add-on.
Nothing beyond the schedule
No forms, checklists, training or document storage. Teams that need an onboarding flow or a daily checklist add a second app.
Fixed by: Connecteam (forms, training, chat; free for 10), 7shifts (manager logbook, task lists), Homebase (hiring and onboarding).
Per-user pricing at scale
At $5 a user, 150 staff on Pro is $750 a month; per-location products cost less for a busy single site and flat-base products cost less at 30 users.
Fixed by: Homebase (per location), Connecteam (flat base for 30 users), Sling ($1.70).
Comparison at a glance
| Tool | Pricing, October 2026 | Auto-scheduling | Time clock | Payroll | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| When I Work | $2.50, $5, $8 per user, monthly shown | Yes, every tier | Included or add-on: page inconsistent | Exports | None (trial) |
| Sling | Free for 30; $1.70, $3.40 per user annual | No | Premium and up, with geofencing | Exports | 30 users |
| Deputy | $5, $6.50, $9 per user; $30 monthly minimum | Core and up | Included; kiosk with face recognition | Add-on $8 plus $49; exports | None |
| Homebase | Free; $30, $70, $120 per location | AI scheduling on Plus | Included on every plan | Own payroll $49 plus $6 | 1 location |
 7shifts | Free tier; about $29.99 to $69.99 per location | Yes, against sales forecasts | Included | Own payroll add-on | 1 location |
 Connecteam | Free for 10; per hub $29 to $99 a month for 30 users | Auto-assign on Operations Advanced | Included with GPS and kiosk | Exports | 10 users |
 ZoomShift | Free for 20; paid per user (unclear October 28) | No | Included | Exports | 20 users |
 Jibble | Free, unlimited; paid quoted | Basic | The product; GPS, kiosk, face | Exports | Unlimited |
 QuickBooks Time | $20 base plus $10; $40 plus $12; monthly | No | Included; geofences on Elite | QuickBooks Payroll | None |
 Clockify | Free for 5; $3.99 to $11.99 annual | No | Included; scheduling on Pro | Exports | 5 users |
 Rippling | From $8 plus base; time on request | Yes, module | Module | Native | None |
 Zoho Shifts | Free for 25; paid with 10-user minimum | No | Top tier with GPS | Zoho Payroll | 25 users |
Which alternative fits
Tools built for a different sector drop out of the top three.
The alternatives in detail
Sling
Free for 30, then $1.70What it is
Sling schedules with availability, swaps and open shifts, includes messaging and a newsfeed on the free plan, adds a time clock with geofencing on Premium and labor cost and PTO tracking on Business. No auto-scheduling.
Where it beats When I Work
- Free for 30 users against When I Work's none
- Clock for $1.70, below Essentials
- Active-user billing
Where When I Work is still better
- No auto-scheduling
- Lighter reporting
- Owned by Toast; the roadmap is restaurants
Choose it if
You want to pay less and build schedules by hand.
Switching
CSV import of employees; rebuild positions and templates.
Deputy
Compliance-grade schedulingWhat it is
Deputy schedules by demand with auto-scheduling on Core, enforces meal break, overtime, fatigue and fair workweek rules, clocks in with GPS or a facial-recognition kiosk, and exports to ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks and Xero. Our Deputy vs When I Work comparison covers the head-to-head.
Where it beats When I Work
- Break and overtime rules enforced at scheduling
- Kiosk with facial recognition
- Payroll add-on and established exports
Where When I Work is still better
- Twice the price at the entry tier and a $30 minimum
- Auto-scheduling only on Core
- Pro is contact-sales
Choose it if
You schedule in California, New York, Oregon or a fair workweek city and premium pay is costing you.
Switching
Import employees from CSV or payroll; rebuild templates and rules; overlap one roster.
Homebase
Scheduling, clock and payroll per locationWhat it is
Homebase schedules with an AI assistant on Plus, clocks in by phone or tablet, messages, posts jobs and onboards, and runs payroll with tax filing in all 50 states, priced per location rather than per user.
Where it beats When I Work
- Payroll with tax filing in the same product
- Free for one location with no user cap
- Cheaper than When I Work for a busy single site above 12 staff
Where When I Work is still better
- Per-location pricing punishes many small sites
- Trustpilot 3.8 of 5 across 376 reviews, with price for basics and support the themes
- Tips and tasks are add-ons
Choose it if
You run one to three sites and want payroll in the same bill.
Switching
Import staff from CSV or your payroll provider; see our Homebase alternatives guide before committing.
7shifts
Scheduling against restaurant salesWhat it is
7shifts forecasts labor from POS sales, schedules to it, manages tips and tip pooling, runs manager logbooks and task lists, and integrates with Toast, Square and most restaurant POS systems.
Where it beats When I Work
- Sales-based scheduling
- Tip management and logbooks
- POS integrations
Where When I Work is still better
- Restaurants only
- Per-location pricing
- Prices need checking on the live page
Choose it if
You run restaurants.
Switching
Connect the POS, import staff from it, rebuild schedules.
Connecteam
Everything a deskless team needs, free for tenWhat it is
Connecteam adds forms, checklists, training, documents, recognition and chat to scheduling and a GPS time clock with kiosk. Auto-assignment arrives on Operations Advanced.
Where it beats When I Work
- Forms, training and chat When I Work lacks
- Free for ten users
- Flat base for 30 users
Where When I Work is still better
- Three hubs priced separately above the free plan
- Auto-scheduling only on a paid Operations tier
- Payroll by export
Choose it if
Your team needs checklists and training as much as a schedule. Our Connecteam alternatives guide covers its own trade-offs.
Switching
CSV import of the directory; rebuild schedules.
ZoomShift
Free scheduling for 20What it is
ZoomShift schedules from templates with availability, runs a GPS time clock, tracks PTO and exports timesheets. A smaller product with a generous free tier.
Where it beats When I Work
- Free for 20
- Simple
- No contract
Where When I Work is still better
- Paid prices need checking
- No auto-scheduling or messaging depth
- Smaller vendor
Choose it if
You have under 20 people and schedule by hand.
Switching
CSV import of staff.
Jibble
A free clock with GPS, kiosk and face recognitionWhat it is
Jibble is the time clock: phone, web or kiosk punches with GPS stamps, geofences and facial recognition, overtime and break rules, basic schedules and approvals, exports to QuickBooks and Xero.
Where it beats When I Work
- Free for unlimited users
- Face recognition kiosk and geofencing
- Overtime rules
Where When I Work is still better
- Scheduling is basic
- No messaging
- Paid pricing not published
Choose it if
You used When I Work for the clock and the schedule is simple.
Switching
CSV import; start at a pay-period boundary.
QuickBooks Time
If payroll is QuickBooksWhat it is
QuickBooks Time schedules, clocks in with GPS and kiosk, approves timesheets and feeds QuickBooks Payroll directly; Elite adds geofencing, mileage and project tracking.
Where it beats When I Work
- Hours flow into QuickBooks Payroll
- Phone support
- Geofences and mileage on Elite
Where When I Work is still better
- Base fee plus per user: $120 a month for ten on Premium
- Tied to QuickBooks
- No auto-scheduling
Choose it if
You run QuickBooks Payroll.
Switching
Import employees from QuickBooks.
Clockify
Timesheets and a kiosk at the lowest paid priceWhat it is
Clockify clocks in by app, web or kiosk, tracks time off, approves timesheets and invoices; scheduling and GPS arrive on Pro. A timesheet tool first.
Where it beats When I Work
- Cheaper kiosk-only seats
- Approvals and invoicing
- Monthly billing
Where When I Work is still better
- Scheduling only on Pro
- No messaging
- Not built for shift swaps
Choose it if
Your team is mixed office and hourly.
Switching
CSV import of members.
Rippling
Payroll, HR and time in one systemWhat it is
Rippling runs payroll, benefits and HR with scheduling and time as modules. It replaces When I Work when you are replacing the payroll system too.
Where it beats When I Work
- Native payroll and HR
- Scales
- Device management for office staff
Where When I Work is still better
- Quote-based time pricing
- Heavy for a crew of 30
- No frontline communication
Choose it if
You are consolidating systems for a growing company.
Switching
A systems migration.
Zoho Shifts
Free for 25 in the Zoho suiteWhat it is
Zoho Shifts schedules with availability and swaps, clocks in with GPS and geofencing on the top tier, and connects to Zoho Payroll and People.
Where it beats When I Work
- Free for 25
- Zoho Payroll in the suite
- No contract
Where When I Work is still better
- Ten-user minimum on paid plans
- GPS only on the top tier
- Prices need checking
Choose it if
You already run Zoho.
Switching
Import from Zoho People; otherwise CSV.
How to leave When I Work cleanly
- Export timesheets and schedules for the retention period; When I Work exports to CSV and to your payroll format.
- Download the employee list with positions, locations and wage rates.
- Switch at a pay-period boundary and publish the first new-tool schedule a full cycle ahead so staff see it in both apps once.
- Move the clock last. Keep punches in When I Work until the new kiosk or app is enrolled on every site; a crew that cannot clock in is the failure everyone notices.
- Issue the notice if the new tool uses GPS or a face-recognition kiosk: Connecticut, Delaware and New York require written notice and Illinois a biometric release. Our biometric privacy laws guide covers the kiosk question.
How these tools were chosen
Each tool was checked on October 28, 2026 against the same list: published pricing with minimums and structure, free plan limits, auto-scheduling, time clock and kiosk, payroll, compliance rules and sector fit. Where a vendor's page did not render to automated requests that is stated. When I Work's own page contradicts itself on the time clock and the tiers, and we have said so rather than resolving it for the vendor. Quotes are from Trustpilot reviews read the same day. No vendor paid for inclusion and there are no affiliate links.
Key takeaways
- When I Work in October 2026: Essentials $2.50, Pro $5, Premium $8 per user per month, with auto-scheduling on every tier, no minimum and no free plan; the pricing page is inconsistent about whether the time clock is included, so confirm before buying.
- Cheaper: Sling (free for 30, then $1.70), ZoomShift (free for 20), Jibble (free clock for unlimited users), Zoho Shifts (free for 25).
- Compliance rules at scheduling: Deputy ($5 to $9, $30 monthly minimum), 7shifts for restaurants, Homebase alerts on Plus.
- Native payroll: Homebase ($49 plus $6 per employee), Rippling, QuickBooks Time with QuickBooks Payroll.
- Forms, training and chat: Connecteam, free for ten users, then per hub.
- When I Work's public review record is tiny (seven Trustpilot reviews); the reasons to leave are product gaps, not a pattern of complaints.
- Switch at a pay-period boundary, move the clock last, and issue notices where GPS or facial recognition is involved.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to When I Work?
Sling if the goal is to pay less: free for 30 users and $1.70 a user for the clock, without auto-scheduling. Deputy if you need break, overtime and fatigue rules enforced at scheduling. Homebase if you run one to three sites and want payroll in the same product. 7shifts for restaurants.
Is there a free alternative to When I Work?
Sling is free for 30 users, Zoho Shifts for 25, ZoomShift for 20 at one location, Homebase for one location with no user cap, Connecteam for 10 users with every feature, Jibble for unlimited users as a time clock, and Clockify for 5. When I Work has no free plan.
How much does When I Work cost?
Essentials $2.50, Pro $5 and Premium $8 per user per month, shown as monthly prices on October 28, 2026, with a 14-day trial and no minimum. Annual prices are not displayed. The page's FAQ separately describes $2.50 for single-location and $5 for multi-location teams, and the time clock is shown as a per-plan toggle while the FAQ says every plan includes it; confirm with the vendor.
Does When I Work include a time clock?
The pricing page's FAQ says every plan includes time and attendance, but each plan card shows a time tracking toggle, and the clock was historically sold as an add-on. We could not resolve the contradiction from the page. Ask When I Work in writing whether Essentials includes the clock at $2.50.
Which When I Work alternatives have auto-scheduling?
Deputy (on Core and above), 7shifts (against sales forecasts), Homebase (AI scheduling assistant on Plus), Connecteam (auto-assignment on Operations Advanced) and Rippling. Sling, ZoomShift, Jibble, Clockify and Zoho Shifts schedule manually from templates.
Is Deputy better than When I Work?
Deputy enforces break, overtime and fatigue rules at scheduling, offers a facial-recognition kiosk and a payroll add-on, and costs $5 to $9 per user with a $30 monthly minimum. When I Work costs $2.50 to $8 with auto-scheduling on every tier and no minimum. Deputy is better where compliance costs money; When I Work is better for a small team on a budget. Our Deputy vs When I Work comparison goes through it.
Which alternative includes payroll?
Homebase runs payroll at $49 a month plus $6 per employee with tax filing in all 50 states; Rippling is a payroll platform; QuickBooks Time feeds QuickBooks Payroll; Deputy and 7shifts sell payroll add-ons. When I Work exports to Gusto, ADP, QuickBooks and Paychex.
Can I export my data from When I Work?
Yes. Timesheets export to CSV and to payroll formats, schedules export to CSV, and the employee list exports with positions and locations. Export the timesheets for your retention period before closing the account; the alternatives import employees from CSV but not historical schedules.