MakeShift
MakeShift is a cloud-based employee scheduling software that helps you create rotas faster, track time accurately, and communicate with your team through a simple mobile-first interface.
Shyft
Shyft is a mobile-first workforce management software that helps frontline employees and managers handle shift swapping, team communication, and schedule viewing to improve workplace flexibility and coordination.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | MakeShift | Shyft |
|---|---|---|
| Website | makeshift.ca | myshyft.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $2.75/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Calgary, Canada | Seattle, USA |
Overview
MakeShift
MakeShift is a people-first scheduling platform designed to eliminate the headaches of manual shift management. You can build complex schedules in minutes using a drag-and-drop interface that accounts for employee availability, qualifications, and labor costs. By moving your rotas to the cloud, you ensure your team always has the most up-to-date information right on their phones.
The platform bridges the gap between management and staff by allowing you to approve time-off requests, manage shift swaps, and track attendance in real-time. It specifically targets industries with fluctuating shifts like healthcare, retail, and hospitality. You can reduce HERO (unnecessary overtime) and ensure your business stays compliant with labor laws while keeping your employees engaged and informed.
Shyft
Shyft is a mobile-first platform designed to simplify the way you manage frontline teams and daily schedules. Instead of relying on messy group chats or paper schedules, you can centralize all shift-related activities in one app. You can post open shifts, approve swap requests instantly, and ensure your team stays informed with built-in messaging features. It solves the constant headache of last-minute call-outs and understaffing by putting scheduling power directly into your employees' hands.
The software is built specifically for industries with high-churn or shift-based work, such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare. You can reduce the administrative burden on managers while giving your staff the flexibility they crave. Whether you are managing a single boutique or a massive enterprise with thousands of locations, the platform scales to keep your operations running smoothly without the typical communication breakdowns.
Overview
MakeShift Features
- Drag-and-Drop Scheduling Create and adjust weekly schedules in seconds by dragging shifts across your screen to the right team members.
- Mobile App for Staff Give your team the power to view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts directly from their smartphones.
- Photo Radar Time Clock Prevent buddy punching by having your employees clock in via a tablet that captures a photo for verification.
- Availability Management Let your employees set their own preferred working hours so you only schedule people who are actually available.
- Shift Exchange Enable your staff to trade shifts with qualified colleagues, which you can then approve or deny with one click.
- Real-Time Notifications Send instant alerts to your team's phones whenever a schedule is published or a shift change occurs.
- Labor Cost Tracking Monitor your labor spend as you build schedules to ensure you stay within budget and avoid costly overtime.
- Automated Reminders Reduce no-shows by automatically sending your employees reminders before their scheduled shifts begin.
Shyft Features
- Shift Swapping. Give your team the power to trade shifts and find coverage instantly without manual manager intervention.
- Mobile Schedule Access. View your latest work schedule anytime from your smartphone so you never miss a shift again.
- Team Messaging. Send secure private messages or blast announcements to your entire team to keep everyone on the same page.
- Open Shift Posting. Fill empty slots quickly by broadcasting available shifts to qualified team members who want extra hours.
- Manager Approvals. Maintain full control by reviewing and approving shift changes with a single tap from your mobile device.
- Multi-Location Management. Manage multiple store locations or departments from one central dashboard to maintain oversight across your organization.
Pricing Comparison
MakeShift Pricing
- Drag-and-drop scheduling
- Employee mobile app
- Availability management
- Shift exchange & swaps
- Time off requests
- In-app messaging
- Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Photo Radar time clock
- GPS-enabled clock-in
- Payroll exports
- Advanced labor reporting
- Department-level permissions
Shyft Pricing
- Mobile shift swapping
- Team messaging
- Schedule uploads
- Basic user profiles
- Community support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Advanced manager controls
- WFM system integrations
- Custom reporting and analytics
- Dedicated account management
- Enterprise-grade security
Pros & Cons
MakeShift
Pros
- Extremely intuitive interface for both managers and employees
- Significantly reduces the time spent on weekly schedule creation
- Mobile app is highly reliable for remote shift management
- Excellent customer support team that responds quickly to issues
Cons
- Limited customization options for very complex labor rules
- Reporting tools could be more robust for enterprise needs
- Occasional sync delays between the web and mobile apps
Shyft
Pros
- Significantly reduces time spent on manual shift coordination
- High adoption rates due to intuitive mobile interface
- Improves employee morale through increased scheduling flexibility
- Centralizes team communication away from personal social apps
Cons
- Requires consistent internet access for real-time updates
- Advanced features require custom enterprise pricing
- Initial setup of large teams can take time