Compare/Head to head

7shifts vs Planday

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

7shifts

$39.99/location/mo Free tier 14 day free trial

Restaurant shift scheduling with a free Comp plan. Paid Essentials starts at $39.99/location/mo.

Where 7shifts fits

  • Restaurants and bars running FOH and BOH shifts
  • Multi-location groups on Toast or similar POS
  • Operators who want labor cost against sales
  • Teams that will start on the free Comp plan

Planday

$2.99/user/mo 30 day free trial

Planday is shift workforce management for hourly teams in Europe and the UK. It has been owned by Xero since 2021. Starter is $2.99 per user per month (5-user minimum), Plus is $4.49 per user per month plus a $15 monthly fee, and Pro is custom. A 30-day trial needs no credit card.

Where Planday fits

  • UK and EU hospitality, retail, and healthcare teams already in Xero
  • Managers who need rotas, punch clock, and payroll export in one app
  • Multi-department shops that will grow from Starter into Plus or Pro
  • Operators who want a 30-day no-card trial before a demo

At a glance

Detail7shiftsPlanday
Starting price$39.99/location/mo$2.99/user/mo
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trial14 day free trial30 day free trial
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underTime & attendance, Workforce managementWorkforce management
Capterra4.7 from 1,212 reviews4.3 from 58 reviews

Where they pull apart

7shifts

Stands out: A kitchen-and-FOH scheduler with POS hooks and a genuine free Comp tier, then location-priced paid plans rather than per-user WFM seats.

Watch out: Time tracking, payroll ($39.99/location/mo plus $6/employee paid), tip management, tasks, and onboarding are add-ons or higher plans. AI course-building is on Pro and Premium only.

Not the right fit for

  • Non-restaurant hourly work (use Deputy or When I Work)
  • Enterprises that need a full HRIS
  • Buyers who thought the free plan included time clocks and payroll

Planday

Stands out: Approved hours export into Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage 50, Paychex, and TriNet. Auto-schedule and planning metrics sit on higher plans.

Watch out: Xero retired Planday in Australia in 2024 and pointed those customers to Deputy. US buyers should treat this as a Europe and UK product first. Starter needs at least 5 users and Plus at least 10.

Not the right fit for

  • Australian employers (product retired there in 2024)
  • US enterprises that need UKG-class forecasting and union rules

Pros and cons

7shifts

  • Real free Comp plan
  • Restaurant-specific labor versus sales
  • Public location pricing from $39.99/month
  • Time clocks and payroll are not in Comp
  • Per-location pricing gets expensive across many sites
  • Wrong product outside food service

Planday

  • 30-day trial with no credit card
  • Named payroll exports: Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage, Paychex, TriNet
  • Owned by Xero since 2021, with a native hours-to-payroll path
  • User minimums apply: 5 on Starter, 10 on Plus. Pro is custom
  • Retired in Australia in 2024
  • Europe/UK core. Weaker default for US enterprise WFM

What each one costs

7shifts

$39.99/location/mo

The Comp plan is free for a single location with up to 15 employees and covers basic scheduling. Paid plans are per location per month: Essentials $39.99 billed annually or $44.99 monthly (up to 30 employees), Pro $79.99 annually or $89.99 monthly (up to 60 employees, adds time clocking and labor compliance), and Premium $134.99 annually or $149.99 monthly (unlimited employees, includes payroll, tip and task management). 7shifts Payroll adds $6 per employee paid per month. Every new account gets a 14-day free trial of Pro. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Planday

$2.99/user/mo

Starter is $2.99 per user per month with a minimum of 5 users, upgrade or cancel anytime. Plus is $4.49 per user per month plus a $15.00 monthly subscription fee, with a minimum of 10 users. Pro is custom (book a demo). A 30-day trial is available with no credit card, cancel any time. Payroll connections include Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage, Paychex, and TriNet. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is 7shifts cheaper than Planday?
Planday starts lower, at $2.99/user/mo against $39.99/location/mo for 7shifts. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try 7shifts or Planday for free?
7shifts carries a free tier on our listing. 7shifts offers a 14 day free trial. Planday offers a 30 day free trial.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?