Your small enterprise lives and dies by its workers. That’s why it’s so essential to discover a workforce administration platform you possibly can depend on so it can save you time, stress, and cash on key duties like shift scheduling, time monitoring, and workers communication.

However for those who’re already utilizing Planday or are trying into it for the primary time — and suspect it doesn’t fairly do the whole lot you want it to — it is sensible you’re searching for a Planday different. 

We’re right here to assist. We’ve researched six of the very best Planday alternate options in the marketplace utilizing impartial evaluate web sites like G2, Capterra, and Software program Recommendation and in contrast them based mostly on key options, pricing, and person rankings. 

We additionally defined:

• What Planday is and what it’s used for
• What you may wish to search for in a Planday different, to assist information your search
• Key options to search for in a Planday different to make it simpler to check instruments

We additionally cowl our personal all-in-one workers administration resolution, Homebase. In fact, we could also be slightly biased, however we consider it’s the very best small enterprise platform out there, with all of the important instruments you want below one digital roof.

What’s Planday and what’s it used for?

Planday is workforce administration software program, which is what the business formally calls “managing your workers.” It’s designed primarily for companies that have to schedule hourly workforce members and says that its major purpose is to “uncomplicate workforce administration.” 

It goals to assist clients set workers hours, plan worker shifts round availability, make sure that folks at all times have entry to the newest schedule, and observe hours labored to allow them to streamline their enterprise operations, even remotely.

This ensures that workforce members are at all times in the proper place on the proper time once you want them, that you may pay them precisely and promptly, and that your labor prices keep below management.

Planday’s options and makes use of embody:

• Shift planning — Scheduling your workforce’s hours by abilities, price, and availability.
• Punch clock — Enabling workers to clock out and in of labor by GPS utilizing a digital machine.
• Reporting — Monitoring income and prices to optimize your price range.
• Workers communication — Preserving workers knowledgeable inside the identical digital house.
• Workers file maintaining — Organizing and storing worker information, certifications, and paperwork.

Why may you search for a Planday different?

Listed below are some causes you may be searching for a Planday different on your small enterprise workforce administration wants:

Cause #1: You want extra on a regular basis options

Planday has instruments for time monitoring, scheduling, reporting, and workforce communication, however purposefully limits itself to these areas for the sake of simplicity. If that’s what you need, then nice — however it’s probably that, as a small enterprise proprietor, you’ll additionally want entry to different important options, together with these for payroll, human sources, hiring, and worker engagement and happiness. 

Cause #2: You need an all-in-one resolution

In the event you discover that you just want extra options than Planday supplies, you might have two choices. You would pay for and piece collectively separate instruments for every want (for instance, one for payroll, one other for HR, and so forth), spend time determining methods to join them, and hope that they work. This might be costly and time-consuming. Or, you possibly can select an all-in-one instrument like Homebase that has all these instruments inside the identical platform, so that you solely must pay a single price and received’t have to fret about instruments working collectively.

Cause #3: You want in-person recommendation and assist

Typically within the enterprise world — particularly for those who’re a solo entrepreneur or a smaller firm — you simply need somebody to show to for recommendation, or to check out your setup and supply constructive suggestions. Planday has a number of options, however it doesn’t supply that service (past assist pages and a webchat field). That is in distinction to a instrument like Homebase, which has a workforce of HR specialists on name who might help you to evaluate insurance policies or deal with particular questions by way of a dwell name. So, you’ll by no means be caught with out solutions.

Cause #4: You don’t wish to pay per person

Many workforce administration platforms cost per person. This may be nice for those who work solo, or solely have a few members of workers. Nonetheless, in case your small enterprise has a workforce of workers, this might get costly, rapidly. As an alternative, you may be searching for a platform like Homebase, which costs per location and permits limitless workers for one flat price monthly (beginning at simply $24.95 per location.)

Key options to search for in a Planday different

In fact, the options you’ll search for particularly rely in your purpose for wanting a Planday different within the first place. 

However for those who’re evaluating small enterprise administration platforms with the purpose of discovering probably the most helpful, time-saving, and reasonably priced possibility, we advocate searching for: 

• Straightforward scheduling — Planday affords this, so it is sensible that any real different would additionally embody it. One of the best suppliers will allow you to create schedules in minutes utilizing copy-and-paste templates, take availability and labor prices under consideration routinely, and allow workers to change shifts simply.
• Correct time monitoring — Once more, a Planday characteristic. Nonetheless, verify to guarantee that any attainable different lets workers use digital units to trace time, sends alerts to keep away from costly extra time, and makes use of instruments like PINs and GPS monitoring to keep away from time theft and buddy punching.
• Intuitive workforce communication — Planday additionally has this, however you could wish to search for a platform that sends the brand new schedule to workers routinely, enables you to set reminders to keep away from costly extra time, and lets your workforce chat to share concepts, notes, and shoutouts. 
• Correct payroll — Planday doesn’t supply this instrument, so a platform that does will prevent main money and time on having to seek out but one other exterior resolution. Examine it calculates wages precisely, takes day without work and suggestions under consideration, and allows you to pay workers rapidly and on time. 
• HR and compliance experience — One of the best workforce administration platforms won’t solely show you how to handle administrative human sources duties associated to paperwork, {qualifications}, and depart but in addition supply on-demand, skilled suggestions which can be tailor-made to your corporation. That means, you will be positive you keep legally compliant always and keep on with the federal, state, and metropolis labor legal guidelines that apply to you. 
• Hiring and onboarding assist — Workers administration options that supply these sorts of options are really complete, in that they show you how to handle current workforce members in addition to rent new ones. Search for instruments like templates, integrations with job boards, applicant monitoring, and automatic onboarding processes.
• Worker happiness instruments — In case your workers aren’t comfortable, they received’t keep lengthy. Preserve engagement and appreciation ranges excessive by in search of a instrument that features perks, like letting them money out wages early or sharing shoutouts to hard-working workforce members.
• Highly effective integrations — You may make your digital platform go even additional with inbuilt integrations. In the event you already know and use some key instruments, verify that any different will work seamlessly with them (for instance, Shopify, QuickBooks, or Gusto.)  

The breakdown: 6 high Planday alternate options

• Homebase: Greatest all-in-one resolution
• Deputy: Greatest for simplicity
• Once I Work: Greatest for simple setup
• Quinyx: Greatest for superior analytics
• TCP Humanity Scheduling: Greatest for medium-to-large companies
• Ceridian Dayforce: Greatest for scaling companies

1. Homebase: One of the best all-in-one resolution

Homebase is an all-in-one small enterprise administration platform designed particularly for firms that depend on hourly workers.

It not solely contains the options Planday affords, but in addition has sturdy and easy-to-use instruments for workforce communication, recruitment, onboarding, and full-service payroll, so you possibly can run your workforce inside a single, unified digital platform. 

This eliminates the necessity for a number of software program options or difficult integrations.

With Homebase, user-friendliness is a precedence. Furthermore, our pricing is accessible for small companies and our time monitoring and scheduling options are utterly free for groups of as much as 20 workers members at one enterprise location. 

We additionally present distinctive assist, onboarding help, and useful guides to make sure you get probably the most worth out of your Homebase funding.

Homebase measures up strongly in relation to options that Planday additionally contains, like:

Scheduling

Homebase’s scheduling instrument solves your scheduling challenges by enabling you to seamlessly plan shifts every week, utilizing templates and copy-and-paste options from week to week. Your workforce can simply change shifts, and you may set your schedule in line with your labor forecasts (so that you don’t overspend on labor or over-/below schedule for a shift). Homebase additionally allows you to share your schedule as you go, so your workforce at all times has the newest info, and is aware of precisely what they’re doing and when.

Time monitoring

Homebase’s GPS-enabled time clocks show you how to keep away from time theft and buddy punching, as workers can solely clock in once they’re bodily on-site. This ensures your information are correct and honest. Homebase enables you to flip digital units into worker time clocks, and routinely converts clocked hours into exact on-line timesheets, so you possibly can seamlessly and precisely pay your workers. The time clock and timesheet instruments additionally allow you to implement authorized time clock rounding (for those who select), and make it straightforward to handle time card approval. 

Workforce communication

Make it straightforward to share essential particulars along with your workforce, and allow them to ship useful shift notes to coworkers, inside the identical workforce communication app (with out sharing non-public telephone numbers.) Homebase’s app makes it straightforward to ship messages to people, particular teams, or all the workers. This not solely enables you to share the newest schedule with workers but in addition empowers them to ship shift notes and useful concepts to different staff. It’s also possible to set alerts to remind workers to take breaks or clock out and in of labor on time.

Different notable options

• HR and compliance: Helps guarantee your insurance policies are compliant with federal, state, and native legal guidelines. 
• Forecasting instruments: Create schedules and workers your corporation utilizing clever gross sales and labor information.
• Payroll: Built-in software program that calculates worker paychecks, recordsdata and pays payroll taxes, and sends direct deposit funds to your workforce. 
• Hiring and onboarding instruments: Rent the very best folks rapidly through the use of job description templates, e-sign essential paperwork securely, and ship welcome packets, all inside the identical app.
• Cellular app: Out there for each managers and workers to make use of, providing practically all of the options out there on the desktop model.

Professionals and cons

Professionals

Cons

• One person stated they wished the iPad app was as detailed because the iPhone model.
• One other talked about that they want the app’s font to be slightly greater, and wished that there was a darkish mode.

Pricing

Homebase’s scheduling and timesheet instrument is totally free. Nonetheless, if you wish to maximize effectivity and get probably the most out of all the software program, we provide the next packages.

• Fundamental: Free for one location and as much as 20 workers. It contains fundamental scheduling and time monitoring, worker administration instruments like Messaging, point-of-sale integrations and entry to e-mail assist. 
• Necessities: $24.95 monthly per location. Every little thing in Fundamental, plus payroll integrations, workforce communication, efficiency monitoring,  superior time monitoring and scheduling and entry to dwell assist.
• Plus: $59.95 monthly per location. Every little thing in Necessities, plus hiring instruments, retention and efficiency monitoring, day without work controls, and departments and permissions.
• All-in-one: $99.95 monthly per location. Every little thing in Plus, with HR and compliance, new rent onboarding, labor price controls, and enterprise insights.

Customers may also save 20% on their general price once they join an annual plan.

Consumer rankings

Customers have rated Homebase on widespread evaluations apps together with: 

• G2: 4.2/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5
• Software program Recommendation: 4.5/5

2. Deputy: Greatest for simplicity

Deputy is a widely known platform that additionally affords instruments for scheduling, time monitoring, and labor compliance. It might work for small, medium, or enterprise-size companies. It goals to assist clients management labor prices, guarantee safety, and match staffing to demand.

Prime options

• Scheduling: Schedule your workforce by location and position, ship the newest hours to your workforce immediately, and allow workers to swap shifts.
• Time clock: Creates timesheets and tracks hours labored so you possibly can join with a separate payroll instrument to pay your workforce. Make any good machine a time clock.
• Labor compliance instruments: Automated protections towards extra time and dealing with out breaks, in addition to correct pay necessities and monitoring.
• Cellular app: Lets your workforce entry options like scheduling and time clocking when on the go.
• Integrations: Deputy affords integrations to different platforms that can assist you run payroll, handle HR, or run POS software program (however doesn’t have its personal instruments for these).
• Electronic mail assist: 24/7 assist by way of e-mail for those who run into a difficulty.

Professionals and cons

Professionals

Cons

• Some customers reported that it may be “complicated at first” and one other stated they’d difficulties modifying depart requests.
• One other shopper stated that the app can “trigger pressure on the eyes” for a “much less gratifying person expertise.” 

Pricing

• Scheduling: $3.50 per person monthly. Scheduling, PTO administration, and POS integrations.
• Time & Attendance: $3.50 per person monthly. Timesheets, PTO administration, payroll and POS integrations.
• Premium: $4.90 per person monthly. Scheduling, Time & Attendance, and reporting. Additionally contains payroll and POS integration, PTO administration, reporting, and e-mail assist.
• Enterprise: Worth on request. Every little thing in Premium, plus superior planning and analytics.

It additionally affords a 31-day free trial.

Consumer rankings

• G2: 4.5/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5:
• Software program Recommendation: 4.63/5

3. Once I Work: Greatest for simple setup

Once I Work makes a speciality of serving to enterprise house owners and managers schedule, observe time, and talk quicker and extra simply. It’s one other platform that provides scheduling and time clocking. It prides itself on maintaining issues easy and being quick and straightforward to arrange. It’s additionally designed for hourly companies, particularly these in retail.

Prime options

• Worker scheduling: Straightforward-to-build scheduler that takes worker availability under consideration and allows you to share the newest timetables along with your workforce quick.
• Time clock: Helps you to flip any good machine right into a time clock that manages breaks and day without work and takes labor prices under consideration.
• Workforce messaging: Lets you ship group messages or 1-to-1s with out requiring your workforce to share numbers.

Professionals and cons

Professionals

• Shoppers report that it’s “fast and straightforward” to make use of.
• One other praised the straightforward set-up.

Cons

• One person stated that the app model doesn’t work in addition to the desktop.
• One other stated that it didn’t supply the integrations their firm wanted to develop.

Pricing

• Customary: $4 monthly per person. Customary scheduling, time and attendance, and on-demand pay.
• Superior — $8 monthly per person. Superior scheduling, time & attendance, and on-demand pay.

Deputy additionally affords a 14-day free trial. 

Consumer rankings

• G2: 4.4/5
• Capterra: 4.5/5
• Software program Recommendation: 4.48/5

4. Quinyx: Greatest for superior analytics

Quinyx distinguishes itself with its synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities, which means it regularly updates and adapts to workers necessities in actual time. Its standout options embody correct workforce forecasting, schedule optimization, and letting customers carefully monitor their enterprise operations and compliance.

Prime options

• Labor scheduling forecasting — Get real-time updates in 15-minute intervals
• Labor demand and scheduling: Makes use of good occasion monitoring to enhance future planning
• Schedule optimization: Aligns scheduling with enterprise goals for extra effectivity
• Time and attendance reporting: Helps you to handle time monitoring and depart requests
• Automated scheduling and shift administration: Streamlines handbook processes to save lots of time
• Proactive compliance monitoring: Sends automated alerts forward of potential violations
• Cellular app: Simplifies workforce communication and lets workers swap shifts effortlessly

Professionals and cons

Professionals

• One person notably favored the “glorious” integration with different providers
• One other stated that the automations saved them loads of time.

Cons

• One shopper stated that the “huge system” might be “an excessive amount of” for brand new customers.
• One other felt that it took “too many clicks” to get to “the place you wish to go.”

Pricing

Quinyx doesn’t record its pricing publicly, however affords 4 ranges of plan:

• Launch: Scheduling, absence administration, workforce engagement, and reporting instruments
• Develop: Every little thing in Launch, plus time and attendance instruments, timesheets, and geo-punching
• Speed up: Every little thing in Develop, plus demand forecasting and labor optimization
• Enhance: Every little thing in Speed up, plus strategic planning and labor budgeting

Consumer rankings

• G2: 4.2/5
• Capterra: 4.3/5 
• Software program Recommendation: 4.27/5

5. TCP Humanity Scheduling: Greatest for medium-to-large companies

TCP Humanity (also referred to as Humanity) is a cloud-based platform that’s primarily designed for scheduling for small, medium, and enterprise-sized companies with hourly groups. It affords some highly effective options on its higher-priced plans, together with geolocation clock-in and clock-out, in addition to demand-based scheduling, and extra superior analytics. 

Prime options

• Time & attendance: A set of options known as TimeClock Plus permits customers to automate time monitoring and management prices.
• Auto-scheduling — Schedule routinely, and be sure to have folks with the proper abilities scheduled to work on the proper time.
• Time clock: Helps you to automate timekeeping with the choice for touchless readers and biometric scanners to enhance security and keep away from time theft.
• Demand-driven scheduling: Schedule the proper workers on the proper time and scale back useless labor overspending.

• Cellular app — Let workers handle their schedule, shifts, availability, and depart by way of their smartphone and even their Apple Watch.

Professionals and cons

Professionals

Cons

• One person stated that they don’t just like the “restricted entry” that workers must schedules, and their incapability to swap shifts.
• One other shopper stated that Humanity is “fairly clunky” and is time-consuming to make use of and cargo.

Pricing

Humanity doesn’t publish its pricing publicly, however it does have three ranges of plan:

• Starter — Consists of worker scheduling, cellular entry, analytics, and 24/7 assist
• Basic — Every little thing in Starter, plus auto-scheduling, labor costing, compliance, payroll export, and messaging
• Enterprise — Every little thing in Basic, plus demand-based scheduling, integrations, and open API entry 

Consumer rankings

• G2: 4.5/5
• Capterra: 4.3/5
• Software program Recommendation: 4.31/5

6. Ceridian Dayforce: Greatest for scaling companies

Dayforce, from Ceridian, is a complete, cloud-based platform. It goals to make it simpler to handle workers, management prices, and make data-driven selections as your corporation grows. It seeks to assist managers automate on a regular basis duties and promote work-life steadiness for employees, too. It’s additionally one of many few work administration platforms that additionally has HR and payroll instruments.

Prime options

• HR: Helps you to handle compensation, advantages, and labor prices and provides workers easy accessibility to their pay, scheduling, and duties.
• Payroll: Offers customers a real-time view of payroll prices and lets them observe hours and calculate wages routinely.
• Workforce administration: Schedule workers simply and forestall burnout by making certain balanced workloads and enabling on-demand pay.
• Expertise intelligence: Use information to rent glorious candidates, recruit quicker, take away bias, and personalize and streamline onboarding.

Professionals and cons

Professionals

• Shoppers report that Dayforce is “very user-friendly” and “clean.”
• One person favored how straightforward it’s to “rapidly discover what I would like.”

Cons

• One person stated that some options will be “fairly finicky to make use of.”
• A number of reported “fixed issues with the software program loading correctly.”

Pricing

Ceridian doesn’t publish any pricing info on-line about Dayforce however as an alternative invitations potential customers to fill in a request type or name the gross sales workforce.

Consumer rankings

• G2: 4/5
• Capterra: 4.3/5 
• Software program Recommendation: 4.3/5

So, which is the very best Planday different for you?

Planday is a well-liked workforce administration platform, however for those who’re searching for an alternate, there are some glorious choices value your time.

Deputy affords the identical fundamental options as Planday, however it’s easier and simpler to make use of. In the event you’re primarily searching for superior analytics, Quinyx might be a terrific selection. And if your corporation is scaling quick, then Ceridian Dayforce might be your greatest guess.

Alternatively, Homebase is an all-in-one resolution that features time-saving automations and important instruments on your small enterprise. Mainly, we provide the necessities you want at an reasonably priced worth. 

With Homebase, you possibly can spend much less time on repetitive duties, lower your expenses, scale back stress, enhance communication, and plan your small enterprise operations successfully. This lets you deal with rising your corporation and effectively handle your workforce.

Homebase is way over a Planday different. It’s a complete resolution that goes past it, with all of the instruments you might want to handle your hourly enterprise below one digital roof.

All comparisons and evaluations are impartial evaluations from evaluate web sites like G2, Capterra, and Software program Recommendation, as of June 2023.