Even the best employee schedules will fail if your staff call out, payroll data mismatches, or managers use different tools to publish rosters. Some restaurants use 7shifts to address these issues and follow economic trends.

Yet as time passes, others outgrow 7shifts and begin searching for alternatives with better HR management, payroll connections, and real-time insights.

In this guide, you’ll explore 7shifts alternatives that reduce last-minute absences, improve operations, and keep your restaurant staff on schedule.

Start building your team today with StaffedUp and post your first job for just $1!

Why Look for 7Shifts Alternatives

Image Source: 7shifts.com

7shifts helps restaurants manage scheduling, payroll, and staff communication, but it often falls short of providing the right workforce management solution for every team.

The system covers scheduling basics but keeps advanced tools, like compliance alerts and reporting, behind higher-priced tiers. That creates a gap for small businesses that need more than basic employee scheduling without paying premium rates.

Managers also find the app limited. Staff can check shifts and submit time off requests, but inconsistent updates frustrate workers and hurt employee engagement.

Besides that, you can’t get the real-time insights needed to connect labor planning with sales trends. Managers won’t have a clue about how staffing links with stock control since the platform lacks inventory management.

Some operators also encounter payroll integration challenges that slow down accounting.

Hire the Right People Using StaffedUp Before You Plan Shifts

Before you even think about filling out a schedule, you need the right people ready to work. Without enough staff, you spend your days covering shifts, employees burn out, and service suffers.

With high turnover all the time, hiring is the first step in solving scheduling problems. StaffedUp is hiring software that reduces turnover and improves time to hire.

It helps you attract candidates, screen them fast, and keep your staffing levels steady so your business can run without constant disruptions.

For medium-sized businesses, the pressure is even higher because hiring often gets delayed until it’s urgent. StaffedUp lets you dive deep into recruitment and employee onboarding without wasting time swapping between different systems.

Key Features

• Automated job posting – Post jobs directly to top sites like Indeed, Google Jobs, and Facebook.
• Custom hiring pages – Build branded pages that match your business culture.
• Applicant-tracking dashboard – Review and manage all candidates from one screen.
• Scan-to-apply tech – Use QR codes so applicants can apply instantly from anywhere.
• Pre-qualification tools – Filter out unqualified candidates before interviews.
• Group messaging and engagement – Keep applicants updated and reduce ghosting.
• Digital onboarding – Send offers and collect new-hire paperwork online.
• WOTC screening – Screen applicants for federal tax credit eligibility automatically.

Pricing

StaffedUp offers three plans. The Starter Plan is $1 for the first week, then $20 per month, with one job post and unlimited applicants.

Meanwhile, the Smarter Plan costs $49 per month and adds unlimited job posts, full-cycle hiring automation, and hiring analytics. The Pro Plan is $99 per month and includes digital onboarding, hiring document storage, team management, and multi-user access.

You can save 20% on both plans if you choose annual billing.

Post a job in minutes with StaffedUp for just $1 and connect with more candidates!

4 7Shifts Alternatives for Hospitality and Restaurant Operations in 2025

When 7shifts no longer fits, better options exist that cover time clock ins, communication, and payroll support, such as:

1. Sling

Image Source: getsling.com

Sling is employee scheduling software that supports shift management. Staff can submit time-off requests, swap shifts, and check updates from any device. You can also track employee hours and use built-in real-time communication tools to send reminders or last-minute changes.

Other than that, managers get task management features and alerts for overtime calculations, which help with compliance and budgeting.

For those who need specialized food service tools, such as tip pooling or advanced reporting, Sling is too general. You won’t get staffing predictions tied to sales or help with seasonal employees either, since it lacks demand forecasting.

Key Features

• Employee scheduling – Build rosters with drag-and-drop controls and publish them quickly.
• Shift management – Keep shifts covered and let staff swap shifts or pick up open slots.
• Time-off requests – Employees can submit requests through the app.
• Employee hours – Track worked hours and compare them with your budget.
• Real-time communication tools – Send chats, group updates, and announcements in one place.
• Task management – Assign checklists and confirm that work gets done each shift.
• Schedule templates – Create and reuse templates to save time when building schedules.
• Overtime calculations – Get alerts when staff approach overtime.

Pros

• Affordable pricing for small businesses with limited headcount.
• Effective communication with chat and feed updates.
• Added oversight from reports and overtime alerts.

Cons

• No demand forecasting for labor planning.
• Industry-neutral design that skips tip pooling.
• Mobile app limits that make the admin easier on a desktop.

Pricing

Sling gives you three options. The free plan covers up to 30 users with scheduling, time-off requests, and basic messaging.

Then the Premium plan costs $2 per user per month and adds alerts for overtime calculations, calendar sync, and better reporting. The Business plan runs $4 per user per month and adds kiosk clock-ins, PTO tracking, attendance reports, and no-show alerts.

2. Jolt

Image Source: jolt.com

Jolt combines scheduling with food safety, checklists, and training so you can manage every part of daily work in a single place. You can use it to assign tasks, check that staff complete them, and track progress.

The platform also supports employee performance management, so you can upload training materials, connect them to tasks, and measure results. Managers often like the reporting since it uses historical data to predict labor needs for wiser planning.

A built-in time clock adds photo checks and location tags to cut down on time theft. For communication, Jolt gives you tools to share updates, send reminders, and even quiz staff to confirm they read important notes.

In short, you have control over compliance, scheduling, and daily safety. It further builds team accountability by allowing managers to connect schedules with food safety and training.

Key Features

• Digital checklists – Assign daily tasks with photos, notes, and time stamps.
• Food safety sensors – Monitor storage temperatures and get alerts when readings go off.
• Label printing – Print accurate date and expiration labels to reduce errors.
• Scheduling – Create shifts across locations and publish them quickly.
• Agile shift replacement – Cover shifts fast when staff drop out.
• Time clock – Track staff check-ins with photos and location tags.
• Communication tools – Share updates and confirm staff read them.
• Reporting with historical data – Use historical data to predict labor needs and cut waste.
• Compliance support – Keep labor and food safety rules in check with alerts and reports.

Pros

• Employee performance management that ties training to real tasks.
• Hardware options like sensors and label printers that add control.
• Cloud access that keeps managers connected from anywhere.

Cons

• Manual scheduling that depends on schedule templates.
• Limited integrations that create payroll integration challenges.
• Hardware, like sensors, sometimes fails.

Pricing

Jolt doesn’t disclose its pricing publicly.

3. Connecteam

Image Source: connecteam.com

Connecteam brings scheduling, communication, and HR tools together so you don’t need multiple systems to manage daily work.

Managers like the way it connects time tracking, task assignment, and team chats in one place. Your employees can even log in from any mobile device, check shifts, and clock in without hassle.

It further allows you to control labor costs by showing real-time hours, overtime alerts, and approvals. All hours and breaks flow into digital timesheets, which support accurate payroll processing when you export them or link with payroll software.

Key Features

• Time tracking – Staff clock in and out with GPS tags to confirm location.
• Scheduling – Create shifts, flag conflicts, and reuse schedule templates.
• Digital timesheets – Collect all hours and breaks for approval and accurate payroll processing.
• Task management – Assign tasks, track progress, and hold staff accountable.
• Mobile device access – Let staff check shifts, clock in, or read updates anywhere.
• Compliance management – Get alerts for overtime and break rules.

Pros

• Connects scheduling and payroll.
• Packs everything a deskless team needs without using multiple systems.
• Compliance management that supports breaks and overtime alerts.

Cons

• Some users report slowdowns when loading forms or reports.
• Limited third-party tools despite seamless integration claims.
• Analytics feel basic for advanced operators.

Pricing

Connecteam offers a free plan for up to ten users, which is perfect for startups. Beyond that, you pay by hub: Operations, Communication, and HR & Skills.

Each hub has Basic, Advanced, and Expert tiers. The Basic tier starts at $35 per month for the first 30 users, the Advanced at $59 per month, and the Expert at $119 per month. Pricing goes up with extra users.

The higher tiers include more advanced scheduling, training, and communication tools. Enterprise plans are available for larger groups.

4. Workforce

Image Source: workforce.com

Workforce is equipped with machine learning technology that goes beyond historical sales data. It brings in foot traffic, bookings, weather, and other patterns to create better schedules.

An implementation team customizes the setup for each business, so forecasting is more accurate. For payroll, the system connects with leading point-of-sale (POS) and payroll tools, complete with seamless timesheet export capabilities for accurate payroll processing.

Everything ties everything together, too. That saves time and gives you real-time insights into staffing levels, labor forecasting, and overall performance.

Key Features

• AI scheduling – Create shifts with machine learning technology that studies demand.
• Labor forecasting – Forecast with sales data, foot traffic, and bookings.
• Vacant shifts – Push open shifts to available staff.
• Time tracking – Use GPS and facial recognition to confirm hours.
• Seamless timesheet export – Send hours into payroll quickly.
• Payroll integration – Pay smoothly with accurate payroll processing.
• Shift feedback – Collect comments from staff after shifts.
• HR systems – Run hiring, onboarding, and training in the same hub.
• Leave management – Handle PTO and sick time from a single dashboard.

Pros

• Built-in compliance management with alerts.
• Seamless timesheet export that speeds payroll.
• Support for HR systems, like hiring and training.

Cons

• A steep setup that takes time to learn.
• An admin mobile app that feels clunky compared to a desktop.
• Support chat often starts with bots before real agents.

Pricing

Workforce doesn’t disclose its pricing publicly.

Attract the Best Restaurant Staff With StaffedUp

One week, your schedule looks fine, the next, you’re short on staff. That kind of turnover makes running shifts harder than they should be.

With StaffedUp, job postings go live on major boards in one click. Those who use it often see more applicants, which means fewer empty shifts. Managers even stay organized because applications, interviews, and onboarding sit in one dashboard.

Once you’re ready to connect, built-in text and scheduling tools keep the process moving and cut hiring time by more than half. New hires complete digital onboarding before day one, so they start faster.

Stronger hires lead to lower turnover, and with WOTC tax credit support, you save money on every eligible person you bring in.

Get qualified restaurant applicants now by posting your first job for just $1!

FAQs About 7shifts Alternatives

Who are 7shift’s competitors?

7shifts’ competitors include Sling, Jolt, Connecteam, and Workforce. Each offer features like tracking time and handling shift changes.

These platforms allow employees to manage requests while also helping businesses ensure compliance with labor laws, areas where other platforms sometimes differ.

Which app is best for shift scheduling?

The best app for shift scheduling depends on your needs, but many managers favor Sling for its simplicity, Jolt for operations depth, and Workforce for advanced forecasting.

What is the best restaurant scheduling software?

The best restaurant scheduling software is often 7shifts, but many restaurants turn to competitors that add stronger reporting, task tools, or broader compliance support.

What is the difference between 7shifts and HotSchedules?

The difference between 7shifts and HotSchedules is that 7shifts focuses on restaurant-specific scheduling with tip tracking and compliance, while HotSchedules offers a larger workforce suite with deeper integration into operations and HR.