Compare/Head to head

7shifts vs When I Work

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

When I Work

$2.50/user/mo Free trial

Shift scheduling and time clocks for hourly teams. Essentials starts at $2.50/user/mo.

Where When I Work fits

  • Single-location hourly employers
  • Small retail, food, and healthcare teams
  • Managers who want clocks next to the roster
  • Teams feeding timesheets to Gusto, ADP, or QuickBooks

At a glance

Detail7shiftsWhen I Work
Starting price$39.99/location/mo$2.50/user/mo
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trial14 day free trialYes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underTime & attendance, Workforce managementTime & attendance, Workforce management
Capterra4.7 from 1,212 reviews4.5 from 1,300 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

When I Work

Stands out: A public $2.50/user/month seat for single-location scheduling, with payroll and POS connectors on paid plans.

Watch out: Multi-location work jumps to Pro at $5/user/month. Premium at $8 is the scaled tier. This is not an ATS.

Not the right fit for

  • Multi-brand restaurant groups that need 7shifts-style labor vs sales
  • Enterprise Fair Workweek programs
  • Buyers who need recruiting in the same app

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

When I Work

  • Public start at $2.50/user/mo
  • Scheduling and clocks in one seat
  • Payroll connectors including ADP, Gusto, and QuickBooks
  • Paid seats begin at $2.50/user/mo rather than a free forever plan
  • Multi-location is a higher tier
  • No recruiting or ATS

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

When I Work

$2.50/user/mo

Essentials from $2.50/user/mo, with a free trial. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is 7shifts cheaper than When I Work?
When I Work starts lower, at $2.50/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 When I Work for free?
7shifts carries a free tier on our listing. 7shifts offers a 14 day free trial. When I Work offers a free trial.

Not the pair you wanted?

All 7shifts alternatives All When I Work alternatives Every Time & attendance tool

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