Is Scheduling Software Worth Paying For?

When it comes to the Internet, there are a lot of things that you can get for free. From streamable music and movies to knockoff services and software tools, you can find a free version of almost anything by looking for it online. While these are great resources to have when you’re in a tight spot money-wise or are willing to sacrifice quality for price, at the same time (and we hate to say it) some things are worth paying for. 

If you’re a small business owner who’s looking to save where you can, you might be looking for free duplicates of popular business software, which, in some cases, is the smarter move. Scheduling software is a web and mobile tool that is steadily gaining traction in the business world and for good reason: it’s faster and more efficient than manual scheduling. So much so, in fact, that we’ve been asking ourselves a question that you may have been asking, too—is it worth paying for? 

Scheduling Software: A Quick Recap 

Before we start comparing the free brands of scheduling software with the ones that you have to pay for, we want to give a quick overview of what scheduling software is, just in case you haven’t heard of it or don’t quite get why it’s worth getting to begin with. 

Scheduling software is pretty much just what it sounds like—it’s a type of software that lets you create employee schedules online instead of having to do it by hand on paper. Because it uses cloud-based technology, scheduling software is extremely flexible and can be accessed from any mobile device. 

This means that you can build, publish, and edit weekly schedules online, and your employees view them online as well, making the whole scheduling process easier for everyone involved. You can even send out notifications every time that you publish or edit a schedule in order to ensure that your employees always have the most updated version of the schedule. 

Is Free Always Better?

As scheduling software increasingly becomes the norm for businesses of all sizes, it’s inevitable that free versions of it will, in turn, continue to multiply on the Internet. But is free always better? We investigated three of the most successful brands of free scheduling software to find out. 

Google Calendar 

Ah, good ol’ Google. Is there anything it can’t do? Google Calendar might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of scheduling software, but it certainly can work as one. And the best part is, it’s free! True, Google Calendar only really works for scheduling if you have a fairly small business. Otherwise, it can become a bit of a hassle. 

 Here are some of the ways that it works: 

• It’s a platform that most employees already have and know how to use.
• You can set reminders and notifications so that no one misses a shift.
• Employees can easily integrate their work events into their personal calendar.

And here are some of the ways that it doesn’t: 

• There’s not a lot of room for customization. 
• It requires a great deal of manual input. 
• It just doesn’t have the same versatility that actual scheduling software has. 

When I Work

Businesses with under 75 employees can use the “Free Forever” plan from When I Work. This brand also has paid plans, but we’re going to be focusing on the free one (obviously). Even if your business has multiple locations, you can still qualify for this plan. 

Here are some of the ways that it works: 

• You have an unlimited number of locations that you can incorporate into the software for no extra charge.
• It includes reports and integrations.
• It has a mobile app. 

And here are some of the ways that doesn’t: 

• Customization is not part of the free plan. 
• You can only create schedules on a daily or weekly basis. 
• You can’t look back at schedules beyond the past two weeks. 

Homebase 

Homebase has a free plan for businesses with only one location—though you do get to add an unlimited number of employees. It’s pretty easy to use, especially because it closely resembles Google Calendar. Basically, it’s designed to be user-friendly, regardless of tech-capability, which is perfect for business owners who aren’t too confident when it comes to technology. 

Here are some of the ways that it works:

• You can create schedule templates using previous weeks’ schedules. 
• It has a mobile app. 
• It’s a highly learnable software that won’t take long to master. 

And here are some of the ways that it doesn’t: 

• You’re limited to one location. 
• Customization is not part of the free plan. 
• The reporting features are pretty basic.  

The Verdict? You Get What You Pay For. 

As is the case with most products, it seems that with scheduling software, you get what you pay for. You can use a free version to get the job done, but you won’t have the same quality of tool that you’d get with a brand that costs money. Customization is one of the most compelling aspects of scheduling software, and you don’t usually have as much freedom to make the software work for you when you’re not paying for it. To sum things up, if you want to get the most out of scheduling software, you have to put some money down. That being said, if there’s no room in your budget, finding a free tool to use in its place is the next best thing.