Overview

SimpleStaff is workforce scheduling and timekeeping software for businesses that organize work in shifts. It is a good fit for small operators that want employees to handle routine availability and shift changes themselves. Its free tier makes it easy to start, while the paid plans add reporting and automation; mobile schedules require an internet connection.

Key features

Managers build and publish schedules on the web, with drag-and-drop editing, role assignments and reusable templates. Templates can save effort for teams with recurring patterns, though managers cannot do schedule-building work in the mobile app.

Employees can request time off, update availability, swap shifts and claim open shifts from the iPhone and Android app. That self-service gives staff a direct way to handle common schedule changes. Published shifts can also appear in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook through personal calendar feeds.

The time clock records clock-in and clock-out times, tracks breaks and supports GPS location verification. Managers approve timesheets before exporting them to ADP, UKG, Dayforce or generic CSV workflows. QuickBooks Online and Wagepoint are coming soon, so teams that depend on either should not count on those connections today.

Credential tracking and open-shift management broaden its usefulness for teams that need to coordinate role qualifications and fill uncovered shifts. The app fetches schedules live rather than storing them on the device, so employees cannot load their schedules without an internet connection.

SimpleStaff says its support team typically responds within 24 hours on business days and averages under four hours during business hours. The company is based in Canada, says the service is made there, and states that it complies with PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy legislation; its mobile page says schedule data is stored in Canada.

Pricing

The Free plan is free and covers up to 15 team members and one team. It includes scheduling, shift swaps, time-off requests and open-shift pickup, making it a useful starting point for a small operation, but it omits the paid tiers’ manager role and reporting or automation features.

Team costs 19.00 CAD per month, billed at $19/month. It supports unlimited team members, with $0.75 / user over 15 included, and adds a manager role, labor cost reports, CSV/PDF export and email support. This is the sensible step up for growing teams that need labor visibility and exported records.

Pro costs 29.00 CAD per month, billed at $29/month. It also supports unlimited team members, with $1 / user over 15 included, and adds auto-fill scheduling, audit logs and priority support. Teams that need those controls or scheduling assistance have a reason to pay more; others may find Team sufficient.

Enterprise has custom pricing, with scope, service levels and pricing agreed in each contract. It is aimed at large organizations and unionized workplaces. A 30-day trial is offered, and the pricing model is freemium.

An Integrations add-on is priced at $10 / month and connects POS, reservations and payroll systems. The staff app is included with every plan.

Platforms

SimpleStaff is available on the web, Android and iOS. Managers use the web app to create schedules; employees can use the mobile app for self-service and schedule access, subject to its live internet requirement.

Who it's for

SimpleStaff is aimed at small businesses with shift teams, including restaurants, retail shops, clinics, hotels, gyms and salons. Its combination of scheduling, employee self-service, time tracking and payroll exports is most compelling for teams that want those tasks in one workflow. It is less suitable for managers who need to build schedules on a phone or employees who regularly need offline schedule access.

Pros and cons

Pros

Useful employee self-service: Staff can manage availability, time-off requests, swaps and open shifts without routing every change through a manager.
Free entry tier: Teams of up to 15 across one team can schedule and manage basic shift changes without a subscription.
Practical timekeeping exports: Approved timesheets can be exported for ADP, UKG, Dayforce or CSV workflows.
Calendar feeds: Employees can keep published shifts visible alongside personal commitments in major calendar apps.

Cons

Mobile schedules are online-only: The app fetches schedules live and does not store them on the device.
Manager scheduling is web-only: Managers cannot build and publish schedules in the staff app.
Some integrations are not ready: QuickBooks Online and Wagepoint are coming soon rather than current export choices.
Per-user charges apply above 15: Team and Pro add their respective listed per-user fees for members beyond the included 15.

Alternatives

For healthcare scheduling, browse Healthcare Staff Scheduling Software. CronShift is another freemium option with a free plan and web, Android and iOS access. Synchro is a paid option with a free hospital beta that includes all users in a department and every feature. RosterLab has a free Digital Rostering plan with manual scheduling, simple rule checks, dynamic statistics, shift colour coding and a mobile app.

Infor Workforce Management is a paid alternative with web and mobile access; contact Infor for sales information. MedAligna is a paid alternative with a $99.00 USD per month Starter plan, billed per location, for up to 30 staff. Amion offers paid Pro and Enterprise plans with mobile and desktop access. Lightning Bolt is a paid clinical team scheduling option with per-seat licenses. NurseGrid Manager charges $5.00 USD per month per staff member and supports teams of 2 to 250.

Verdict

SimpleStaff is a strong choice for small shift-based businesses that want affordable scheduling, employee self-service and approved-timesheet exports in one service. Its free plan is a credible starting point, and Team adds useful reporting at a clear monthly price. Look elsewhere if offline mobile schedules or phone-based manager scheduling are essential, or if your payroll workflow depends on QuickBooks Online or Wagepoint today.

	SimpleStaff	Wardflow
Free plan	Yes
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	C$19/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, Web	Android, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Mobile apps	Yes	No
Self-scheduling	Yes
Credential tracking	Yes
Open-shift management	Yes
Availability management	Yes
Shift templates	Yes	Yes

SimpleStaff vs Wardflow

SimpleStaff

Wardflow