When I Work vs Sling

Connecteam

Wageloch

7shifts

An all-in-one employee app that's both powerful, affordable and easy to use, especially for the mobile workforce.

Wageloch is a cloud-based human resource and workforce management platform that automates rostering, staffing, time and attendance tasks, onboarding, and other processes.

7shifts is a comprehensive team management platform designed specifically for the restaurant industry. The solution offers a suite of features to streamline operations and enhance efficiency across various restaurant types, from independent establishments to enterprise-level groups and franchises. The platform's scheduling capabilities allow managers to create schedules that align with the team's availability and the restaurant's staffing needs.

Use When I Work to schedule, track time and attendance, and communicate with employees, all in one place. Create schedules quickly and easily, and send the schedule to staff with just a click. Save time. Improve accountability. 14-day free trial.

Access Controls/Permissions

Accounting Integration

Activity Dashboard

Activity/News Feed

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Appointment Scheduling

Approval Process Control

Attendance Management

Attendance Tracking

Automated Scheduling

Automatic Time Capture

Availability Management

Billable & Non-Billable Hours

Budgeting/Forecasting

Calendar Management

Calendar Sync

Class Scheduling

Client Database

Clock In/Out

Collaboration Tools

Committee Management

Communication Management

Compliance Management

Cost Management

Customizable Reports

Dashboard

Data Import/Export

Drag & Drop

Email Reminders

Employee Database

Employee Management

Employee Onboarding

Employee Portal

Employee Profiles

Employee Scheduling

Employee Time Tracking

Event Management

Event Scheduling

Facility Management

Facility Scheduling

Faculty/Staff Management

File Sharing

Forecasting

For Retail

For Salons and Spas

For Small Businesses

Geofencing

Group Scheduling

HR Management

iCalendar Support

Labor Cost Calculator

Labor Cost Reporting

Labor Forecasting

Labor Management

Leave Tracking

Messaging

Mobile Access

Mobile Alerts

Mobile App

Multi-Channel Communication

Multi-Location

Multiple Billing Rates

No-Show Tracking

Offline Access

Offline Time Tracking

On Call Scheduling

Online Booking

Online Time Clock

Online Time Tracking

Overtime Calculation

Payroll Management

Performance Metrics

Physician Management

Real-Time Analytics

Real-Time Chat

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Monitoring

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

Real-time Scheduling

Real-Time Updates

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Resource Allocation

Resource Management

Resource Scheduling

Schedule Distribution

Scheduling

Search/Filter

Secure Data Storage

Self Service Portal

Shift Management

Shift Scheduling

Shift Swapping

Sick Leave Tracking

Single Sign On

SMS Messaging

Reviews for When I Work come from a wide variety of industries, including food & beverages (9% of reviewers), retail (9%), and hospital & health care (6%). The most frequent use case for When I Work cited by reviewers is employee scheduling (65% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Some reviewers feel When I Work offers good value for small teams, and they appreciate the free trial and flexible pricing. However, some users say per-employee costs rise for larger teams, and they report confusing pricing and limited basic features.

Value for money

When I Work is a scheduling solution offering key features such as mobile access, employee scheduling, calendar management, employee management, schedule distribution, and timesheet management, among others.

When I Work

Web-based

iPhone

iPad

Android

Homebase

QuickBooks Time

Gusto

Sling

ADP Workforce Now

WhenToWork

Planday

MakeShift

Paylocity

Buddy Punch

Humanity Schedule

ZoomShift

Single Location or Schedules

Multi Location or Schedules

Unreliable and excessive alerts

COOK

I think the worst thing for me is that the notifications always seem to be off; they don't ever want to work for me or a few other people for that matter. And that can be very very dangerous in a job that you no call no show on.

68% of reviewers feel negative about notifications. Some users say notifications are inconsistent, with important alerts sometimes delayed or missing entirely, leading to missed shifts or confusion. Reviewers also complain about receiving too many irrelevant or repetitive alerts, which can be distracting and unproductive. They find that notification settings lack customization, making it difficult to control which messages are received. Users mention that chat and schedule updates do not always trigger timely notifications, impacting communication and coordination.

Overwhelming and rigid email system

Founder

Notifications can only be sent to the email address of the account holder, which means that I can't do something as simple as delegate time off requests to someone else.  

44% of reviewers feel negative about email notifications. Some users report being inundated with excessive emails, including reminders and tips, which can clutter inboxes and cause important messages to be overlooked. Reviewers indicate frustration with the inability to customize email recipients or delegate requests, making management less flexible. They also mention difficulties reaching support via email and slow response times. Users find the volume and rigidity of email notifications can hinder effective communication and add unnecessary administrative burden.

Limited and inflexible availability tools

Pharmacist

Syncing is buggy, sometimes the availability updated in the app is not reflected in the website

39% of reviewers feel negative about request and availability management. Some users report difficulty setting specific availability times, managing time-off requests, and updating preferences. Reviewers indicate that changes to requests often require deletion and re-entry, and the lack of management approval for availability is seen as a drawback. They mention syncing issues between app and web versions, and find the process for updating or correcting availability cumbersome. Users also experience frustration with login problems and limited access controls, which complicate managing staff schedules.

Frequent glitches and reliability problems

Chef

I personally think there were a lot of bugs with the app and the website which cause more than a few misunderstandings and payroll and it work situations.

This is after they had a large glitch that made it very difficult for our business and fixed it after 4 weeks.   

73% of reviewers feel negative about bugs and issues. Some users report recurring glitches, app freezes, and slow loading times that disrupt scheduling and payroll processes. Reviewers indicate that updates often introduce new problems, and technical support is slow to resolve them. They mention that system crashes, login issues, and unreliable time tracking can lead to confusion and errors. Users find these technical difficulties especially frustrating when they impact critical tasks, such as payroll or shift management, and note that problems sometimes persist for weeks.

High and confusing cost structure

Owner

The main reason i'm dissapointed with the software is that if you pay for the next month on the 3rd of the month and cancel on the 4th, you lose access immediately AND they provide no refunds.

44% of reviewers feel negative about pricing. Some users feel the per-user pricing model becomes expensive as teams grow, and advanced features are locked behind higher-priced plans. Reviewers mention frustration with unexpected charges, lack of refunds, and difficulty understanding the billing structure. They say customer service is unhelpful regarding billing disputes, and some features require additional payments. Users also note that the free version is limited, and organizations may struggle to justify the cost compared to alternatives, especially when only a few features are needed.

Visual schedule organization

Marketing Manager

The colour-coding lets everyone see their own shifts at a glance, and managers can easily spot any gaps in the coverage.

87% of reviewers feel positive about color-coded scheduling. Users appreciate being able to assign colors to shifts, roles, or locations, making it easy to distinguish between different responsibilities at a glance. Some reviewers find that color coding improves schedule readability, helps quickly identify coverage gaps, and enhances overall organization. They say this feature is especially useful for managing complex schedules with multiple roles or venues, and that the visual cues make planning and adjustments more efficient for both managers and staff.

Mobile scheduling convenience

91% of reviewers feel positive about phone access to schedules. Users think the mobile app is essential for accessing schedules anytime and anywhere, allowing both managers and employees to stay updated in real time. Some reviewers find it valuable that shift changes, time-off requests, and notifications are instantly available on smartphones, reducing the need for calls or paper schedules. They say this accessibility improves communication, enables on-the-go management, and helps employees coordinate coverage or swaps efficiently, especially in dynamic or remote work environments.

Enhanced team coordination

Operations Coordinator

The ease within communicating with the team and keeping the team on track.

Senior Human Resources Rep

Our team of sales managers has found When I Work to be a great resource in keeping track of our sales reps' time as they cover most southeastern states.

88% of reviewers feel positive about team management capabilities. Reviewers indicate the platform helps organize teams, assign roles, and monitor task completion efficiently. Some users say it simplifies onboarding, supports communication across departments, and allows for real-time updates on availability and schedules. They appreciate features that keep teams accountable and informed, fostering a more cohesive work environment. Users also mention that managing large or distributed teams becomes easier, with less time spent on administrative tasks and more on collaboration.

Intuitive and accessible design

94% of reviewers feel positive about the ease of use. Reviewers indicate the software features a modern, intuitive interface that is simple to navigate and quick to learn. They appreciate the drag-and-drop functionality, clear layout, and step-by-step instructions, making onboarding straightforward for new users. Some users say the platform’s customization options and real-time mobile access further enhance usability. They find it convenient to have all work-related information centralized, and many highlight that both tech-savvy and less experienced employees can adapt quickly, reducing training time and confusion.

Owner CEO

It helps to track attendance and can be linked/synced to the business payroll (I used When I work and send the attendance ( work hours info) straight to QuickBooks for payroll—readily available customer support.

Pilates transformation expert

Biggest pro is that the app is usable via mobile devices so that employees can swap shifts at any time of day.

Patient Care Coordinator

I can only see my accumulated hours after I’ve fully clocked out, which makes it difficult to monitor my time throughout the week and avoid going into overtime.

Education Program Coordinator

Staff can quickly see schedules, which allows me to plan ahead knowing which staff are working which days.

Marketing Specialist

I had a good experience using When I Work due to the fact that it made scheduling easy and also employees ability to request time off and how easy it made it to create schedules for many different employees at one time.

Manager

What I liked most about using When I Work was the ability to communicate with all other team members about schedule related issues i.e: the ability to release and exchange shifts.

Manager of Benefit Education Accounts

Being able to pull reports in the way that we need them and adding enough information into the scheduling request / dashboard.

Accountant

Great in terms of getting update on my schedule and also have access to add or reduce my clock in and clock out time.

Director of Operations

Staff members are able to ask for time off as well as switch shifts for clear documented communication to their managers.

Clinical Operations Manager

Being able to add comments, lunches, and other notes directly onto shifts is another great feature too.

Administrative Assistant

In my role as Executive Assistant, it has saved me a lot of time to focus more on other tasks because the repetitive tasks are already taken care of by When I Work.

Compliance

In practice, instead of managing shifts through Excel or emails, everything is centralized: schedules, availability, and communication.

Assistant Director

It’s been nice seeing our team collaborate and swap shifts without needing us in the middle and it’s assisted with ensuring proper hours for payroll

Night Nanny Provider

Sometimes, it isn't the best about sending notifications for changes in a shift or a switch in times needed.

Intake Coordinator

Some more advanced options may be missing as needed. And sometimes schedule adjustments can take a little time if everyone doesn't update properly.

HR manager

What stands out most about When I Work is how simple it makes something that’s usually messy: managing schedules and communication for hourly teams.

Easy scheduling options and time off requests and ability to make a work day as a specific task.

I like that employees can drop or split shifts, and the chat feature is very helpful for communication.

General Manager

I like the ease of scheduling (including copying schedules from one week to the next), as well as being able to view employee's time submitted and notices when there is overtime.

When I Work vs Sling Comparison (2026)

When I Work

Sling

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives