Head to head

7shifts vs Sling

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

7shifts

Quote 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

Sling is SMB shift scheduling and team messaging with a Free plan for up to 30 users. Paid starts at $1.70/user/mo on annual Premium ($2/user/mo monthly). Business is $3.40/$4. Toast-owned since 2022.

Where Sling fits

Restaurants, retail, and hospitality teams under 30 people that want free scheduling
Managers who need labor-cost and overtime tracking on Premium at $1.70/user/mo annual
Shops already on Toast, Square, Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, or Paychex
Multi-location SMBs that will message and swap shifts in the same app

At a glance

Detail	7shifts	Sling
Starting price	Quote	$1.70/user/mo
Free tier	✓Yes	✓Yes
Free trial	14 day free trial	Not on record
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	–No	–No
Listed under	Time & attendance, Workforce management	Workforce management
Capterra	4.7 from 1,212 reviews	4.6 from 212 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

Sling

Stands out: Free includes shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts, news, and private messaging. Premium adds mobile time tracking, labor cost, and overtime. Business adds a kiosk clock, no-show tracking, and PTO.

Watch out: Free stops at 30 users. Kiosk time clock, payroll reports, and PTO management wait for Business at $4/user/mo ($3.40 annual). Toast customers can buy through Toast Shop instead of getsling.com.

Not the right fit for

Enterprises that need AI forecasting and FLSA rule engines (see UKG Dimensions)
Teams over the Free 30-user cap that also need advanced WFM analytics

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

Sling

Free plan for up to 30 users with real scheduling and messaging
Published Premium at $1.70/user/mo annual or $2 monthly
Integrations: Square, Gusto, QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex, Google Calendar

Free cap of 30 users. The 31st forces Premium or Business
Kiosk clock and PTO sit on Business, not Premium
Not built for enterprise forecasting or union rules

What each one costs

7shifts

Quote

Permanent free tier covers scheduling only. Time tracking is paid. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 12 Sep 2026

Sling

$1.70/user/mo

Free covers up to 30 users (shift scheduling, time-off, messaging). Premium is $2/user/mo monthly or $1.70/user/mo billed annually. Business is $4/user/mo monthly or $3.40/user/mo billed annually. Annual billing saves 15%. Toast customers can view plans in Toast Shop. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try 7shifts or Sling for free?

7shifts and Sling carry a free tier on our listing. 7shifts offers a 14 day free trial.

Not the pair you wanted?

All 7shifts alternatives All Sling alternatives Every Time & attendance tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 12 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?