7shifts Review (2026): Pricing, Features & Honest Verdict

TLDR

7shifts is the go-to restaurant team scheduling platform with a solid free plan, built-in communication tools, and labor compliance features. Best for: restaurants of all sizes needing scheduling and labor management. Price: free plan available, paid from $34.99/mo. Rating: 8.3/10

What is 7shifts?

7shifts is a restaurant-specific team management platform that handles scheduling, time tracking, communication, hiring, and labor compliance. Unlike generic scheduling tools like When I Work or Deputy, 7shifts is built exclusively for the restaurant industry, which means the features and workflows match how restaurants actually operate.

The platform serves over 50,000 restaurants and has become the default scheduling tool for many independent operators and small chains. The free plan is genuinely useful, which is rare in this space.

Key Features

Drag-and-Drop Scheduling

Building schedules is fast and visual. You can see labor costs in real-time as you assign shifts, set availability rules, and use templates to speed up recurring schedules. The auto-scheduling AI feature (on the Gourmet plan) can generate optimized schedules based on demand forecasts.

Time Clocking

Employees clock in and out from a tablet or their phones. The system enforces schedule adherence, tracks breaks, and flags overtime. GPS verification ensures employees are actually at the restaurant when they punch in.

Team Communication

Built-in chat lets managers broadcast announcements, create group conversations, and communicate with individual team members. Shift trades and cover requests happen within the app, reducing the constant text message chaos that plagues most restaurants.

Labor Compliance

7shifts tracks labor laws by jurisdiction, alerting managers when scheduling decisions might violate break requirements, overtime rules, or predictive scheduling laws. This is a significant liability reducer for restaurant operators.

Hiring

The platform includes job posting and applicant tracking. You can post to job boards, review applications, and manage the hiring pipeline without a separate ATS. It is basic but functional for the high-turnover restaurant environment.

Pricing

7shifts offers four tiers, all priced per location per month:

• Comp (Free): Basic scheduling, time clock, availability, team chat, and hiring for up to 30 employees.
• Entree: $34.99/mo with schedule templates, labor budgeting, sales forecasting, and PTO tracking.
• The Works: $76.99/mo with labor compliance, manager logbook, advanced reporting, and payroll integration.
• Gourmet: $149.99/mo with AI auto-scheduling, task management, and dedicated support.

Annual billing saves 10%. The free plan supports up to 30 employees per location, which is enough for many independent restaurants. No contracts or setup fees on any plan.

Pros and Cons

What Works Well

• Genuinely useful free plan for up to 30 employees
• Built specifically for restaurants with industry-relevant features
• Labor compliance tracking prevents scheduling violations
• Excellent mobile app for both managers and employees
• No contracts or setup fees, easy to try and scale

What Falls Short

• AI auto-scheduling only available on the most expensive plan
• Payroll integration requires The Works plan at minimum
• Tip pooling add-on costs an extra $24.99/mo per location
• Reporting is basic on lower-tier plans
• Not designed for non-restaurant businesses

Alternatives

When I Work

When I Work is a more general-purpose scheduling tool that works across industries. Less restaurant-specific but more flexible if you also have non-restaurant locations or teams to manage.

Homebase

Homebase offers a free plan with scheduling and time tracking for small businesses. Less restaurant-focused than 7shifts but a viable budget option for very small teams.

Deputy

Deputy handles scheduling, time tracking, and compliance across industries. Better for businesses that need demand forecasting and have complex labor law requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Who Should Use 7shifts?

Any restaurant that is still managing schedules with spreadsheets, text messages, or a whiteboard should switch to 7shifts immediately. The free plan alone is worth it. Larger operations will benefit from the labor budgeting, compliance tracking, and payroll integration on paid plans. It is the best restaurant-specific scheduling tool available right now.

FAQ

How many employees can I have on the free plan?

The Comp (free) plan supports up to 30 employees per location, which is enough for most independent restaurants.

Does 7shifts integrate with my POS?

Yes. 7shifts integrates with major restaurant POS systems including Toast, Square, Lightspeed, and others for sales data and labor cost tracking.

Can employees swap shifts themselves?

Yes. Employees can request shift swaps and covers through the app. Managers can approve or auto-approve trades based on their preferences.

Verdict

7shifts is the best scheduling and team management platform for restaurants, period. The free plan is generous enough for small operations, the paid plans add real value with labor budgeting and compliance features, and the restaurant-specific focus means every feature feels relevant. If you run a restaurant and do not use 7shifts, you are making your life harder than it needs to be.