Top 6 7shifts alternatives and competitors (in-depth comparison)

Running a small business team keeps any owner or manager on their toes, but managing a busy restaurant or store has added challenges that require industry-specific tools. Fluctuating sales and seasonal demand often make revenue hard to predict. And when you pair this with inconsistent staff availability, tasks like team scheduling and time tracking can get tricky. 
Business owners may opt for a restaurant-specific staff management platform like 7shifts to save themselves time, stay compliant with labor laws, and make scheduling decisions in line with their sales targets. But 7shifts isn’t your only option, especially if you’re looking for a solution that helps you automate more of your day-to-day processes and offers HR and compliance support. 
For this in-depth comparison, we researched the most popular employee management solutions on the market today and referenced dozens of real customer reviews on independent platforms like G2 and Capterra in May of 2023. In our breakdown, we get into key features, pros and cons, pricing, and user ratings so you don’t have to comb through endless testimonials before landing on the right option for your business.













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What is 7shifts and what is it used for?
7shifts is a team management solution designed for businesses in the restaurant and beverage industries. Employers and managers can use it to hire and onboard for restaurant-specific roles as well as schedule employees, track time, and communicate with their staff. Team members can use the 7shifts mobile app to access their schedules and punch in and out for work, which saves managers and staff members time every shift.  
Among its other functions, 7shifts’ tip handling features make it a good fit for restaurant and cafe workers. Tip pooling and distribution can get complicated, but 7shifts automates that for users and lets managers send tips through the tip payouts tool. That way, employees can access cash before payday. 
Why might you choose a 7shifts alternative?
7shifts may have been designed with restaurants in mind, but that doesn’t mean it’s the most logical option for your tip-based business. Here’s why:
7shifts can be pricey
While 7shifts offers a free plan for a single location, their paid plans aren’t cheap compared to other staff management software. What’s more, the additional tools that come with more expensive advanced plans are geared specifically toward restaurants. With that in mind, the hospitality-specific functionality may not be worthwhile for other kinds of small businesses. 
7shifts doesn’t offer specialized HR and compliance support
With complex restaurant labor laws and regulations to follow, restaurant owners and managers need HR help as much as any other business owner. It’s true that 7shifts offers built-in, configurable tools to avoid unnecessary overtime and missed breaks. But it doesn’t give you access to on-call HR experts who can review your policies and procedures and answer all of your questions. 
7shifts is restaurant-specific
7shifts tools like time tracking, scheduling, and tip management make a lot of sense for restaurants, cafes, and other tip-based industries. But small business owners who don’t manage a bar or restaurant or employ tip-earning staff members may find this redundant. Instead, they may wish they had in-depth HR and compliance tools, which offer more administrative support and allow you to manage your team in accordance with federal regulations.
And, while 7shifts offers tip payouts, it doesn’t offer early pay access for employees. This makes it less convenient for wage-earning team members who run into financial emergencies or cash flow issues.
Key features to look for in a 7shifts alternative
Transitioning to new software can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s important to know what features you should prioritize to reduce the learning curve and make the switch worth your time and money.

All-in-one small business solution — Software that offers one or two industry-specific features may be useful for a while. But as your business and team management needs change and grow, you’ll need to add more solutions to your toolkit   — which can get expensive. Instead, opt for a comprehensive, all-in-one option that’s built to meet a wide range of staff management demands and scale with you as you expand.


User-friendliness — It’s helpful when the platform of your choice has a similar design and layout to your previous option so team members can adjust quickly, but usability is more important if you want to avoid switching solutions again in the future. Ideally, it shouldn’t take longer than a week for your entire team to get comfortable with a new team management system. 


Customer support — The right solution should come with a customer service team that responds within 24 hours and is available via phone, email, or chat, especially during the first weeks of adopting a new system.


Integrations — Your point-of-sale (POS), accounting, and e-commerce software are central to your business,  helping you drive steady revenue. Make sure your new platform integrates smoothly and shares data with these tools to save you time and keep your records accurate.


Affordable plans — Per-user plans are ideal for small teams, but we don’t recommend them to small business owners who plan to expand. It’s best to stick with a per-location pricing model, which means your costs only increase when you add new stores or shop fronts, not new employees.

The breakdown: 6 top 7shifts alternatives
To help you zero in on the solution that’s right for you, we arranged our list based on the best use case for each software:

Homebase: Best all-in-one solution
HotSchedules (powered by Fourth): Best for employee feedback 
Sling: Best for time zone differences 
When I Work: Best for multiple admins
Workforce.com: Best for facial recognition
Push: Best for AI automated workflows 

1. Homebase : Best all-in-one solution
Homebase’s GPS-time clock is easy-to-use and effective for preventing time theft. Source
Homebase is the perfect team management solution for small business owners who want to spend less time filling out paperwork or studying compliance. Our platform simplifies everyday tasks like time tracking, scheduling, communication, hiring and onboarding, and payroll. This wide range of features frees business owners and managers to focus on what they do best, growing their brands and business. 
What makes it truly all-in-one, though, are its advanced HR features. With a Homebase account, you can get in touch with a live HR expert who will answer all your burning questions about regulations and compliance. For example, Homebase will help you stay on top of ever-changing local and federal regulations, such as laws on tip-splitting or employment terminations. We’ll even create an employee handbook for you — just book a 30-minute chat with us and we’ll send you a state-specific, customized handbook within three to five business days.
Top features

Time tracking with built-in GPS and geofencing tools to prevent time theft
A time clock that automatically converts hours into timesheets with wage and overtime data
An easy employee scheduling tool that auto-populates timetables every week with shifts to save you time
Simple shift-swapping features that limit extra work for managers
Full-service payroll software that files and pays your payroll taxes
Team communication feature you can use to send messages to individuals, groups, or the entire team 
Hiring and onboarding tools with job description templates and document storage tools
HR and compliance functions that make it quick and easy to create policies and procedures and centralize staff information in one place
Sales forecasting tools that help you build schedules that won’t exceed your labor targets
Early wage access lets employees withdraw up to $400 of earnings ahead of payday
A mobile app that empowers employees with access to their latest schedule, hours, and pay stubs

Pros and cons
Pros