When I Work Review: Shift Scheduling and Time Tracking for Small Businesses with Hourly Teams

Name: When I Work
Brand: When I Work
Price: 2.50 USD
Availability: InStock

When I Work is the scheduling and time tracking platform designed for small businesses with hourly workers. The platform focuses on two things and does them well: building shift schedules and tracking employee time. It serves businesses from roughly 5 to 200 employees, such as coffee shops, retail stores, restaurants, fitness studios and service businesses, with pricing that starts at $2.50 per user per month on the Essentials plan, or $4 per user per month with the time and attendance add-on.

In a market where competitors keep adding modules (HR, payroll, training, forms, communication hubs), When I Work has stayed narrowly focused on scheduling and time tracking, and that focus is what makes it worth a close look. This review covers where that focus creates a clean, affordable experience, where the lack of additional features becomes a limitation, and whether the per-user pricing model holds up as businesses scale.

Rajat·Editorial Lead, Software Evaluation·Updated October 8, 2026·Fact-checked by Chandrasmita

The verdict

When I Work is the best scheduling tool for small businesses that want something simple, affordable, and running within an hour.

The scheduling interface is clean and intuitive: managers can build a full week of shifts in minutes without training. The mobile app is one of the best in the category, with a fast, native experience that employees actually enjoy using. And the $2.50 per user Essentials plan makes it one of the cheapest scheduling tools for basic shift management.

But When I Work's strength is also its limitation. There is no payroll, no HR, no training, no forms, no break compliance management, and no labor cost forecasting beyond basic tracking. If you need any of those capabilities, you are buying additional tools and managing integrations.

For small businesses with 5 to 100 hourly workers that need clean scheduling and reliable time tracking at the lowest possible price, When I Work is the right choice. For businesses that need more operational depth, Deputy or Homebase offer better value despite higher per-user costs.

Where When I Work fits

Who it suits

When I Work is best for small business owners, shift managers, and operations leads at companies with 5 to 200 hourly workers who need simple, affordable shift scheduling and time tracking without the complexity of enterprise workforce management tools.

It fits businesses that value simplicity over feature depth: teams that want to build a schedule in minutes, not configure a platform over weeks.

Businesses that just want the cheapest reliable scheduling tool employees will actually use should land on When I Work. Businesses that need break compliance, labor cost forecasting, or an all-in-one platform will get more from Deputy, Homebase, or Connecteam.

What it does differently

When I Work stands out because it does less than competitors and does it better. The scheduling interface is faster to learn and faster to use than Deputy, Connecteam, or Homebase. The mobile app consistently receives the highest user ratings in the scheduling category on both iOS and Android app stores. And the $2.50 per user Essentials plan makes it accessible to businesses with margins that cannot absorb $6 or more per user per month.

The focus on simplicity extends to the onboarding experience. Most businesses go from account creation to published schedule in under an hour. There is no implementation consultant, no configuration wizard that takes days, and no training requirement for managers. The interface is self-explanatory, which matters in industries with high manager turnover where the person building the schedule changes every few months.

For businesses where the scheduling tool needs to be adopted by managers who are not technology enthusiasts (restaurant shift leads, retail supervisors, gym front desk coordinators), When I Work's simplicity is a real competitive advantage.

How it gets bought

Commercially, When I Work positions itself as the scheduling tool that small businesses can actually afford and actually use. That positioning is accurate and well-executed for the 5-to-100-employee segment.

Above 100 employees, the lack of advanced features such as break compliance, labor cost forecasting and multi-location analytics starts to create operational gaps that managers work around with spreadsheets. And the per-user pricing model, while cheap individually, scales linearly: a 200-person team pays $1,400 monthly on Pro with time tracking ($800 on Essentials with time tracking), which approaches the cost of more capable platforms.

The strongest commercial fit is a single-location or small multi-location business with 10 to 75 hourly workers that needs a scheduling tool running today, not next month.

When I Work pricing, plan comparison, and what the per-user cost covers

When I Work publishes its pricing on its website. Essentials costs $2.50 per user per month and covers scheduling, including auto scheduling, multi-week and multi-location schedules, team messaging and integrations. Pro costs $5 per user and adds advanced scheduling rules, custom reporting and role permissions. Premium costs $8 per user and adds API access, webhooks and SAML/SSO. Time and attendance is a separate add-on at $1.50 per user per month on Essentials or $2 on Pro and Premium, and Enterprise is quoted. There are no per-location charges.

At $2.50 per user per month, a 50-employee business pays $125 monthly for scheduling on Essentials. Adding time and attendance brings that to $200 a month ($4 per user), well below Deputy's Core plan at $6.50 per user billed annually ($325 a month). On Pro with time tracking ($7 per user), the same business pays $350 a month.

Plan	Published price	Annual
Essentials	$2.50/user/month	Not stated
Pro	$5/user/month	Not stated
Premium	$8/user/month	Not stated
Time & attendance add-on	+$1.50/user/month (Essentials); +$2/user/month (Pro, Premium)	Not stated
Enterprise	Custom quote	Not stated

Pricing last checked September 25, 2026. View source

What the Essentials plan at $2.50 per user per month actually delivers

The Essentials plan covers the core scheduling workflow: shift creation, auto scheduling, multi-location scheduling, employee assignment, schedule publishing, shift swapping, open shift posting, availability management, and team messaging. Managers build schedules using a visual weekly grid, publish them with a click, and employees receive push notifications on the mobile app. The plan does not include time tracking; clock-in and timesheets require the time and attendance add-on at $1.50 per user per month or a separate solution.

For businesses that already have a time tracking or payroll system that handles time capture (like a POS system with clock-in functionality), Essentials provides scheduling at a price point few competitors match. The $2.50 per user cost means even a 100-person team pays only $250 per month for a purpose-built scheduling tool.

When Pro, Premium or the time tracking add-on justifies the upgrade

The time and attendance add-on ($1.50 per user per month on Essentials, $2 on Pro and Premium) adds clock-in and out, timesheets and attendance tracking, which feed labor cost tracking and payroll exports to providers like ADP, Gusto, Paychex, and QuickBooks. Pro ($5 per user) adds advanced scheduling rules, custom reporting and role permissions, and Premium ($8 per user) adds API access, webhooks and SAML/SSO.

The time tracking add-on is worth it for businesses that do not have a separate time tracking solution and want scheduling and time capture in one platform. At $4 per user per month for Essentials with time tracking, or $7 on Pro, When I Work sits below or near Deputy's Core plan ($6.50 per user billed annually) but offers less depth in break compliance and labor cost analytics. The trade-off is a simpler interface and a lower-cost entry point for businesses that grow into time tracking needs later.

The full When I Work pricing breakdown

When I Work features: schedule builder, time tracking, availability, messaging, and payroll export

When I Work shift scheduling and schedule builder

The schedule builder is When I Work's flagship feature. The visual weekly grid displays shifts by employee or by position, with color coding for roles and visual indicators for conflicts, overtime risks, and availability issues. Managers create shifts by clicking on time slots, assign employees from a qualified-staff dropdown, and publish the entire schedule with one click.

Schedule templates let managers save and reuse common schedule patterns. Copy-from-last-week functionality clones the previous week's schedule for quick adjustments. Managers can also create recurring shifts that automatically populate on a weekly, bi-weekly, or custom cadence.

Open shift posting and employee self-selection. Managers can post unfilled shifts as open shifts visible to all qualified employees. Employees opt in through the mobile app, and managers approve the selection. This is useful for covering call-outs, adding extra coverage for busy periods, or offering additional hours to employees who want them. The feature reduces the phone-call scramble that managers typically deal with when a shift needs last-minute coverage.

Availability management and time-off requests. Employees submit availability preferences (days and times they can or cannot work) through the app. Time-off requests follow a similar workflow with manager approval. The scheduling interface displays availability alongside the schedule grid, so managers can see at a glance who is available for each shift. Approved time-off automatically blocks those employees from being scheduled during their absence.

When I Work time clock and attendance tracking

The time clock (time and attendance add-on) lets employees clock in and out through the mobile app or a web browser. GPS verification captures the employee's location at clock-in, and geofencing can restrict clock-in to approved locations. The time clock records shift start, end, break times, and total hours worked.

Timesheets aggregate clock-in data into weekly summaries that managers review and approve. Flagged entries, such as late arrivals, early departures, missed clock-outs, and overtime triggers, are noted for manager attention. Approved timesheets export to connected payroll systems.

GPS verification and location capture at clock-in. When employees clock in via the mobile app, When I Work captures their GPS coordinates and displays the location on a map in the manager dashboard. Geofencing can restrict clock-in to within a configurable radius of the workplace. This prevents off-site clock-ins and provides location verification for businesses with distributed teams or multiple locations.

Overtime alerts and threshold notifications. The system monitors hours worked against configured overtime thresholds, typically 40 hours per week for federal rules, with configurable daily thresholds for states like California. Managers receive alerts when employees approach overtime, giving them the opportunity to adjust upcoming shifts before overtime costs accrue.

When I Work team messaging and communication

Built-in messaging supports one-on-one conversations, group chats, and broadcast announcements. Managers can message individual employees about shift-specific topics, send group messages to teams or locations, and broadcast announcements to the entire workforce. All communication happens within the When I Work app, keeping scheduling-related conversations separate from personal messaging.

The messaging is intentionally lightweight: text messages and images, no threads, no file sharing, no video. The simplicity keeps the feature focused on operational communication: shift reminders, coverage requests, schedule change notifications, and team announcements.

Broadcast messaging for team-wide announcements. Broadcast messages reach all employees or filtered groups (by location, role, or team). Read receipts are not available, but delivery is confirmed through push notifications. Broadcasts are useful for weather closures, policy updates, holiday schedule changes, and other information that needs to reach the entire team quickly.

Shift-specific messaging and coverage requests. Managers can message all employees working a specific shift or request coverage for an uncovered shift through the messaging system. The contextual messaging, attached to a shift rather than sent as a general broadcast, ensures the message reaches the relevant employees and provides the necessary schedule context.

When I Work shift swapping and trade management

Shift swapping lets employees trade shifts with qualified coworkers directly through the app. The swap process can require manager approval or auto-approve when both employees meet eligibility requirements (right role, not exceeding overtime thresholds, no schedule conflicts). The feature puts schedule flexibility in employees' hands without requiring manager intervention for every change.

The swap workflow includes safeguards: only qualified employees can accept swaps, overtime rules are enforced automatically, and managers receive notifications when swaps are processed. This prevents unauthorized schedule changes while still giving employees control over their own availability.

Auto-approval rules for qualifying shift trades. Managers can configure auto-approval rules that allow shift swaps to proceed without manager intervention when both parties meet defined criteria, such as correct role, no schedule conflict, and no overtime trigger. This reduces the administrative burden on managers while maintaining schedule integrity. Auto-approval rules are configurable per location or team.

Shift drop and pickup workflow. Employees who cannot work a shift can drop it back to the open shift pool, where qualified coworkers can pick it up. The drop-and-pickup workflow functions like a marketplace for unwanted shifts, providing a structured alternative to the informal 'can someone cover my shift' text messages that managers typically mediate.

When I Work payroll integrations and timesheet export

With the time and attendance add-on, When I Work integrates with major payroll providers including ADP, Gusto, Paychex, QuickBooks, and Square Payroll. Approved timesheets export directly to the connected payroll system with hours, overtime, and pay rate data. The integration eliminates manual timesheet data entry that creates payroll errors in disconnected systems.

For payroll providers without a native integration, When I Work supports CSV export of timesheet data that can be imported into virtually any payroll system. The export includes configurable fields for hours, rates, job codes, and department codes.

Native payroll provider integrations. Connections to ADP, Gusto, Paychex, QuickBooks, and Square Payroll support automatic timesheet sync on configurable schedules. The sync maps When I Work employees to payroll provider records, transfers approved hours with overtime and rate calculations, and confirms successful data transfer. Setup is self-service and typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.

CSV export for non-integrated payroll systems. When I Work generates downloadable CSV files from approved timesheets with configurable column mappings. The export can match the import format of most payroll systems, though manual upload and verification are required. This workaround is functional but adds administrative time compared to native integrations.

When I Work reporting and labor cost visibility

Reporting in When I Work covers scheduled hours, actual hours worked, labor costs, overtime tracking, and attendance patterns. With time tracking enabled, labor cost reports that compare budgeted versus actual costs by week, location, or team. Reports are viewable in the app and exportable for external analysis.

The reporting is adequate for basic operational visibility but does not reach the analytical depth that multi-location operations managers typically need. There are no custom dashboards, no POS revenue integration for labor-to-revenue analysis, and no trend visualization beyond basic period-over-period comparisons.

Labor cost reports and budget tracking. Labor cost reports show total scheduled cost, actual cost, and variance by week, department, or location. Managers can set budget targets and track performance against them over time. The cost calculations use configured pay rates and overtime rules. The reports are useful for basic cost monitoring but do not provide the forecasting or optimization capabilities that platforms like Deputy offer.

Attendance and punctuality tracking. Attendance reports track late arrivals, early departures, no-shows, and missed clock-outs by employee over configurable time periods. The data helps managers identify attendance patterns and address issues before they become chronic. The reports are employee-level; there is no aggregate attendance analysis by team, location, or day of week.

When I Work pros and cons: scheduling, time clock, messaging, and shift swapping

Strengths

When I Work scheduling interface is the fastest to learn in the category
The scheduling interface uses a clean weekly grid where managers create shifts by clicking on time slots, assign employees by selecting from a dropdown, and publish with a single button. There are no configuration menus to navigate, no workflow settings to configure, and no multi-step processes to learn.
Managers who have never used a scheduling tool can build and publish their first schedule within 15 minutes of creating an account. That is not an exaggeration; the interface really is that simple.
For businesses with high manager turnover where the person responsible for scheduling changes every few months, When I Work's zero-learning-curve interface means there is no retraining overhead when responsibilities shift.
When I Work mobile app receives consistently high ratings from employees
The When I Work mobile app (iOS and Android) is one of the highest-rated scheduling apps in both app stores. Employees use it to view their schedule, swap shifts, pick up open shifts, submit availability, message their team, and clock in (on the Advanced plan).
The app is fast, responsive, and well-designed: it feels like a consumer app rather than an enterprise tool shrunk down for mobile. Push notifications are reliable, which matters when employees need to see schedule changes in real time.
High employee adoption is critical for any scheduling tool's success, and When I Work's app quality drives adoption rates that competitors with weaker mobile experiences struggle to match.
When I Work Essentials plan at $2.50 per user is one of the most affordable scheduling options
At $2.50 per user per month, Essentials costs less than most comparable scheduling platforms. Deputy's cheapest plan, Lite, costs $5 per user billed annually. Homebase's paid plans start at $24 per location per month billed annually ($30 monthly). Connecteam's paid plans start at $29 per month for up to 30 users, billed annually.
For price-sensitive businesses (small restaurants, independent retail shops, fitness studios, cleaning companies), the cost difference is meaningful. A 30-person team pays $75 per month for When I Work Essentials versus $195 per month for Deputy Core ($6.50 per user billed annually).
The Essentials plan includes scheduling, messaging, and availability management, covering what a small business needs to replace manual scheduling. Time tracking is a paid add-on, but businesses with existing POS-based clock-in systems may not need it.
When I Work shift swapping lets employees manage their own schedule changes
The shift swapping feature lets employees trade shifts directly with qualified coworkers. Swap requests go through a configurable approval workflow: automatic approval if both employees meet eligibility requirements, or manager approval if the business prefers oversight.
The feature reduces the phone calls, text messages, and manager interventions that shift changes typically require. Managers spend less time managing schedule exceptions and employees feel more control over their work-life balance.
Multiple G2 reviewers in the restaurant and retail industries specifically cite shift swapping as the feature that drives the highest employee satisfaction with the platform.
When I Work team messaging keeps scheduling conversations in one place
Built-in team messaging allows managers to send announcements to the entire team, specific groups, or individual employees without leaving the scheduling app. Employees receive push notifications and can reply directly.
The messaging functionality eliminates the need for managers to maintain phone number lists, send group text messages, or manage a separate communication tool for scheduling-related conversations. Shift reminders, schedule change notifications, and team updates all happen inside the same app where employees check their schedule.
The messaging is intentionally basic (text and images, no threads, no file sharing), which keeps it focused on operational communication without trying to replace Slack or email.
When I Work onboarding experience gets businesses to a published schedule in under an hour
Account setup, employee import, and first schedule creation can all happen in a single sitting. The platform walks new users through account creation, team setup (manual or CSV import), schedule building, and publishing in a guided flow that takes most managers 30 to 60 minutes.
There is no implementation fee, no configuration consultant, and no multi-week setup process. The business creates an account, adds employees, builds a schedule, and publishes. Employees download the app and see their shifts immediately.
For businesses that need a scheduling solution running before the next shift starts, such as a restaurant that just lost its shift manager or a retail store opening next week, When I Work's instant deployment is a practical advantage over platforms that require days or weeks of configuration.

Limitations

When I Work lacks break compliance tools that businesses in regulated states need
When I Work does not track or enforce meal and rest break requirements. There are no jurisdiction-specific break rules, no compliance alerts during scheduling, and no break logging during shifts. For businesses operating in California, Oregon, Washington, New York City, and other jurisdictions with complex break laws, this is a significant gap.
Deputy's break planning compliance tools, which flag violations before they happen and document break compliance for audit purposes, are specifically designed to address this risk. Businesses in regulated jurisdictions should factor in the compliance exposure when comparing When I Work's lower price against Deputy's included break management.
The lack of break compliance is not a concern for businesses in jurisdictions without specific break regulations, but it is a dealbreaker for multi-state operations that include regulated markets.
When I Work does not offer auto-scheduling or demand-based schedule generation
Schedule creation in When I Work is entirely manual. There is no auto-scheduling engine that generates optimized schedules based on demand forecasts, employee availability, or labor budget targets. Managers build every schedule by hand using the weekly grid.
For businesses with consistent schedules that change minimally week to week, this is a minor inconvenience, and schedule templates and copy-from-last-week functionality help. For businesses with variable demand, such as restaurants with seasonal traffic or retail stores with event-driven staffing needs, the lack of auto-scheduling means managers spend more time building schedules than they would on Deputy or Connecteam.
As team size grows, the manual scheduling effort scales linearly. A 20-person schedule takes a few minutes; a 100-person schedule across multiple roles and shifts can take an hour or more per week.
When I Work labor cost tracking is basic compared to competitors
With the time and attendance add-on, When I Work includes labor cost tracking that shows projected costs as you build the schedule and tracks actual versus budgeted labor costs after shifts are worked. But the analytics stop at the summary level: there is no labor-to-revenue ratio tracking, no POS integration for demand-based forecasting, and no overtime cost projection during scheduling.
Deputy offers real-time labor cost measured against revenue when POS data is connected, which gives restaurant and retail managers a direct profitability metric during schedule building. When I Work shows dollar costs but does not contextualize them against revenue.
For businesses where labor cost optimization is a primary operational metric, the reporting gap means supplementing When I Work with spreadsheet analysis or a separate analytics tool.
When I Work does not include payroll, HR, hiring, or training capabilities
When I Work is exclusively a scheduling and time tracking tool. There is no payroll processing, no employee database beyond scheduling profiles, no hiring or onboarding workflows, no training modules, and no forms or checklists.
For businesses that need these capabilities, When I Work becomes one tool in a multi-tool stack: When I Work for scheduling, Gusto or Paychex for payroll, Homebase or BambooHR for HR. The integration and administrative overhead of managing multiple tools reduces the simplicity advantage that makes When I Work attractive in the first place.
Homebase offers a free scheduling plan with hiring and HR features included. Connecteam bundles scheduling with training, forms, and communication. For businesses that need more than scheduling, these alternatives provide better all-in-one value.
When I Work per-user pricing scales linearly with no volume discounts
The per-user pricing model works well for small teams: $2.50 to $8 per user per month, plus $1.50 to $2 for time tracking, is affordable for 20 or 30 employees. But the cost scales linearly without volume breaks. A 200-person team on Pro with time tracking pays $1,400 per month, more than Deputy's Core plan ($1,300 a month at $6.50 per user billed annually, with more features) and far more than Homebase's per-location pricing (All-in-One at $96 per location per month billed annually).
Businesses that expect to grow significantly should model the cost curve over time. The pricing that made When I Work the obvious choice at 30 employees may no longer be competitive at 150 employees when per-location pricing models (like Homebase's) become more economical.
When I Work does not publish volume discounts, and Enterprise pricing is quote-based, which limits its competitiveness for scaling businesses.

When I Work lists three plans: Essentials at $2.50 per user per month for scheduling and messaging, Pro at $5 and Premium at $8, with time tracking sold as an add-on at $1.50 or $2 per user. There is a 14-day trial with no card. Auto scheduling is included from Essentials up.

When I Work trial checklist and plan-picking guide for buying motion

Evaluating When I Work is simple thanks to transparent pricing and a 14-day free trial. Here is what to focus on to pick the right plan.

Ask to include the time and attendance add-on in your 14-day free trial, even if you think you only need scheduling. The trial lets you evaluate both time tracking and scheduling in one test run. If you determine that your existing time tracking solution is sufficient, you can skip the add-on at purchase. But if you have not tried When I Work's time clock, you cannot make an informed plan decision. Test with real employees for at least one full scheduling cycle.
Compare the total cost of When I Work plus your payroll provider against all-in-one alternatives. If you are currently paying for separate scheduling, time tracking, and payroll tools, calculate the combined monthly cost and compare it against Homebase (scheduling, time tracking and hiring from $24 per location per month billed annually, with payroll as an add-on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee) or Deputy (from $5 per user on Lite or $6.50 on Core, billed annually, with deeper scheduling features). The cheapest scheduling tool is not always the cheapest total solution.
Test the shift swapping feature with employees during the trial. Shift swapping is one of When I Work's most valued features. Have employees trade at least two shifts during the trial to verify that the workflow matches your approval preferences and that employees find it intuitive. Configure auto-approval rules if you want to minimize manager involvement.
If you operate in a state with break compliance requirements, such as California, Oregon, or Washington, verify whether When I Work's lack of break tracking is acceptable for your compliance posture. When I Work does not track breaks. If your compliance team requires documented break records, you will need a supplemental tool or a different platform like Deputy that includes break compliance management.

How we evaluated When I Work

Rajat worked through When I Work directly. Every figure below was checked against When I Work's published pricing on September 25, 2026. Follow the link and check it yourself — if the vendor has moved since, that date tells you how stale this page is.

Plans as published

Plan	List price
Essentials	$2.50/user/month
Pro	$5/user/month
Premium	$8/user/month
Time & attendance add-on	+$1.50/user/month (Essentials); +$2/user/month (Pro, Premium)

Trial: 14-day free trial, no credit card required

What the list price doesn't cover

Linear per-user scaling with no volume discounts makes When I Work expensive at 150+ employees

The per-user pricing is simple but unforgiving at scale, and the time tracking add-on is easy to miss. A 200-person team on Pro with time tracking pays $1,400 per month with no volume breaks. At that level, Deputy Core ($1,300 per month for 200 users billed annually, time clock included) and Homebase (per-location pricing with unlimited employees) become competitive or cheaper while offering more capability. Model your cost at 12 and 24 months, since pricing that works at 30 employees may not work at 150.

No break compliance creates risk for businesses in regulated states

When I Work does not track or enforce meal and rest break requirements the way dedicated compliance tools do. For businesses in California, Oregon, Washington and other jurisdictions with complex break laws, this gap creates compliance exposure. The savings from a lower per-user price can be wiped out by a single break compliance violation. Deputy includes labor law compliance tools on its $5 Lite plan and advanced compliance on the $6.50 Core plan (annual rates). Factor compliance risk into your total cost comparison.

Adding separate tools for payroll, HR, and hiring increases total stack cost

When I Work is exclusively scheduling and time tracking. If you need payroll, HR, hiring, or training capabilities, you are buying additional tools — Gusto for payroll, BambooHR for HR, etc. The combined monthly cost of When I Work plus separate tools may exceed what Homebase or Connecteam charge for an all-in-one platform. Calculate your total tool stack cost, not just the scheduling tool cost.

What we'd confirm on a demo

Start the 14-day trial with time tracking on to test scheduling and the time clock together

The trial includes full access. Switch on the time tracking add-on so you can evaluate the whole platform. If you decide the time clock is unnecessary, leave the add-on off when you buy. You cannot evaluate what you have not tried.

Compare total solution cost, not just scheduling tool cost

If you need When I Work plus Gusto for payroll plus BambooHR for HR, add up all subscriptions. Compare the total against Homebase, which includes scheduling, time tracking, hiring, HR basics, and optional payroll in one platform.

Test shift swapping with real employees during the trial

Have at least two employees swap a shift during the trial to verify the workflow matches your approval preferences. Shift swapping is one of When I Work's most valued features — validate it works for your team.

Frequently asked questions about When I Work pricing, features, and scheduling

What would a 50-person team pay for When I Work?

On Essentials at $2.50 per user per month, a 50-person team pays $125 per month for scheduling, messaging, and availability management. Adding time and attendance ($1.50 per user) brings that to $200 per month. On Pro ($5 per user) with time tracking ($2 per user), the same team pays $350 per month. Premium costs $8 per user. These prices are published on When I Work's pricing page, with no per-location charges. A 14-day free trial is available.

Does When I Work include time tracking or is it an add-on?

Time tracking is a paid add-on on every plan: $1.50 per user per month on Essentials and $2 on Pro and Premium. Without it, plans include scheduling, team messaging, and availability management but no time clock or timesheet management. If you already have a separate time tracking solution (through your POS system or another tool), Essentials at $2.50 per user per month without the add-on may be sufficient for scheduling needs.

How does When I Work compare to Homebase for small business scheduling?

Both scheduling tools rank among the most popular choices for small businesses, but When I Work and Homebase take different approaches. When I Work charges per user ($2.50 to $8 per user, plus a time tracking add-on) and focuses exclusively on scheduling and time tracking. Homebase charges per location ($0 to $120 per location per month, or $96 billed annually) and bundles scheduling with hiring, onboarding, HR, and optional payroll. For teams under 20 employees, Homebase's free plan is often cheaper. For teams of 20 to 50 employees, the per-user versus per-location pricing depends on team size and location count. When I Work wins on scheduling simplicity and mobile app quality. Homebase wins on feature breadth and all-in-one value.

Can When I Work handle scheduling for multiple locations?

Yes, When I Work supports scheduling for multiple locations within a single account. Managers can view and build schedules per location, and employees can be assigned to multiple locations if they work across sites. There is no per-location fee; the per-user pricing covers all locations. Multi-location reporting shows labor costs and attendance by site. The multi-location support works well for businesses with 2 to 10 locations. For larger multi-location operations with 20-plus sites, the manual scheduling approach (no auto-scheduling) can become time-consuming compared to platforms with automated multi-site schedule generation.

Does When I Work integrate with my payroll provider?

With the time and attendance add-on, When I Work integrates natively with ADP, Gusto, Paychex, QuickBooks, and Square Payroll. Approved timesheets sync directly to the payroll provider with hours, overtime, and rate data. For payroll providers without native integration, When I Work supports CSV export of timesheet data that can be imported manually. Without the add-on there are no timesheets to sync, so if payroll integration is a requirement, budget for the add-on at $1.50 per user per month on Essentials or $2 on Pro and Premium.

Is When I Work good enough for a team of 200 employees?

When I Work can technically support a 200-person team, but the experience starts to strain at that scale. Scheduling 200 employees across multiple roles and locations consumes significant manager time. The lack of break compliance, labor cost forecasting, and advanced reporting becomes a more meaningful gap at scale. And the monthly cost, $1,400 on Pro with time tracking, approaches the price of more capable platforms. When I Work is optimized for teams of 5 to 100 employees. Businesses approaching 200 employees should evaluate Deputy, Homebase, or Connecteam as potentially better-fit alternatives.

Does When I Work offer a free plan?

When I Work does not currently offer a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.50 per user per month (Essentials), with Pro at $5 and Premium at $8. A 14-day free trial is available. For businesses that need free scheduling, Homebase offers a free Basic plan that includes scheduling and time tracking at no cost (with limitations), and Connecteam offers a free plan for up to 10 users. When I Work's $2.50 Essentials plan is among the cheapest paid scheduling options, but it is not free.

Alternatives worth comparing

When I Work is the simplest and most affordable scheduling tool for small teams, but its narrow focus will not suit every buyer. Here are three alternatives that cover its gaps.

Product	Pricing model	Free trial	Why buyers shortlist it
Infor WFM	Custom quote	Not stated	Infor WFM handles time and attendance, demand-based scheduling and absence for large manufacturing, healthcare and retail employers.
EmpMonitor	Per user per month	Yes	EmpMonitor is commercial employee monitoring software that records screenshots, keystrokes, URLs, app use and idle time on Windows, macOS and Ubuntu computers.
Open Time Clock	Freemium, flat rate per company	Not stated	Open Time Clock is a proprietary hosted time clock, in business since 1997, with PIN kiosk, face, QR, RFID and GPS-geofenced clock-ins, WiFi-restricted punching, PTO accruals and 80+ reports.
Dayforce	Custom quote	Not stated	Dayforce is a single-database HCM suite covering payroll, HR, workforce management and talent for mid-market and enterprise employers.
Connecteam	Tiered pricing	Yes	Connecteam is the all-in-one employee management platform built specifically for deskless and frontline workers, the teams that spend their shifts away from desks, computers, and office environments.

All When I Work alternatives

Head-to-head comparisons

7shifts vs When I Work
7shifts and When I Work are two of the leading workforce management platforms for hourly workers. Both focus on restaurant and retail scheduling, but 7shifts is more restaurant-specific with stronger labor cost analytics, while When I Work has a broader horizontal footprint across industries and simpler pricing. This comparison helps operations leaders choose the right scheduling platform.
Sling vs When I Work
Sling wins on price, with a free plan for up to 30 users that covers basic scheduling and team messaging. When I Work wins on scheduling workflow efficiency, with more polished auto-scheduling, shift-swap approvals, and payroll integrations. This comparison covers pricing, scheduling UX, and which team profile should default to which tool.
Homebase vs When I Work
Homebase and When I Work both show up when buyers search this category, but they're built for different needs. This page breaks down pricing, features, and what should actually decide this — in plain English, for buyers, not vendors. Not sure which fits? Take the quick quiz below to find out in 30 seconds.
Deputy vs When I Work
When I Work undercuts Deputy at the entry level: $2.50 per user on its Essentials plan versus $5 per user for Deputy Lite billed annually. Adding When I Work's time-tracking add-on ($1.50 per user on Essentials) brings it to $4, and the gap narrows further up the range, with When I Work Premium at $8 per user and Deputy Pro at $9 billed annually. At the entry level, price decides it; higher up, the decision comes down to which platform's compliance depth and multi-location tooling your team actually needs.