OtisIO
What it is
OtisIO is workforce management software for shift-based teams coordinating rotas, attendance, employment records, tasks, and team communication. Scheduling includes open shifts, swaps, automatic assignment, and live labour cost. Staff can clock in using GPS-stamped punches, kiosk mode, NFC tags, and other available methods. The platform also offers tasks and checklists, forms, audits, equipment sign-out, and security patrol features, with availability varying by plan. HR tools cover time off, employment documents, electronic acknowledgements, courses, and certifications. The Pro plan lists payroll and accounting connections to Xero, Staffology, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent. The REST API provides workspace-scoped access to people, shifts, timesheets, leave, tasks, and sites, as well as webhooks; API access requires an eligible plan. A Free plan supports up to 10 users at one site, with 1 GB of storage, rotas, a time clock, and tasks. Every trial begins on Pro for 14 days without a credit card, after which customers can choose a plan or move to Free with their data retained. OtisIO supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and API access.
For and against
For
- Scheduling includes open shifts and shift swaps.
- Clock-in options include GPS punches and NFC tags.
- Pro lists four payroll and accounting integrations.
- Trials begin on Pro without a credit card.
Against
- Features vary by plan.
- API access requires an eligible plan.
- Free supports up to 10 users and one site.
The verdict
OtisIO combines scheduling, attendance, operations, and HR features for shift-based teams. The Free plan has user, site, and storage limits, and access to features varies by plan.
Who it suits
OtisIO is presented for shift-based teams in security, hospitality, cleaning and facilities, healthcare, construction, and trades. It suits teams needing scheduling, attendance, and operational or HR tools.
Plans and prices
Free
up to 10 people · 1 site · 2 teams · 1 GB storage
Read 15 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
Starter
first 30 users included · £1.20/user annually or £1.50/user monthly thereafter · 1 site · GPS punches
Read 15 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
Growth
first 30 users included · £2.50/user annually or £3.00/user monthly thereafter · 3 sites · auto-assign
Read 15 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
Pro
first 30 users included · £5.00/user annually or £6.00/user monthly thereafter · unlimited sites with one-at-a-time switcher · payroll integrations
Read 15 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
Asset Management
Equipment register with photos and serial numbers · signed handover · per-site kit lists · plant and hire costs
Read 5 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
Enterprise
all Pro features · every module · mandatory two-step sign-in · CIS subcontractor calculations
Read 15 Oct 2026 · otisio.com
On the record
- AI data handling
- Receipt reading and the natural-language scheduling assistant send feature data to Anthropic, and OtisIO says that data is not used to train models.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Android app listing
- Google Play lists the OtisIO staff app as free, requiring Android 8.0 or later and an employer invitation to sign in.play.google.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Android kiosk availability
- OtisIO states that a shared Android tablet kiosk is not yet available; Android users can use NFC or the web app instead.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Android kiosk limitation
- Google Play says the kiosk app requires an OtisIO workspace and a tablet and cannot be used independently.play.google.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- OtisIO offers a workspace-scoped REST API for people, shifts, timesheets, time off, tasks and sites, plus webhooks.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API limitation
- API requests require a plan that includes API access, and tokens cannot access records across workspaces.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API security model
- API tokens use bearer authentication and separate opt-in abilities for reading pay or location data and writing people, shifts or time entries.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API specification
- The API is documented with an OpenAPI 3.1 document usable with code generators and API clients such as Postman, Insomnia and Bruno.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Apps
- The download page lists iPhone and iPad apps, Android phone and tablet support, a Mac desktop app, and says the Windows desktop app is coming soon.otisio.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Asset management
- Equipment can be issued and returned with signatures, condition photos, hand-over agreements and movement history.apps.apple.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Communication
- The platform includes team and direct chat, announcements with read receipts, surveys, recognition and event posts.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal identity
- OtisIO is the trading name of Siege One Limited, company number 17110871.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company registered office
- The registered office is 38 Angelica Avenue, Stotfold, Hitchin, England, SG5 4HH.find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company registration
- Companies House records Siege One Limited as an active private limited company incorporated on 23 March 2026.find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk · read 15 Oct 2026
- Data location
- The maker states that data is hosted in Europe and two-factor authentication is available on every plan.otisio.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Expenses
- Users can photograph receipts, submit claims for approval and export approved claims to finance systems.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- GPS and geofencing
- GPS stamps are stored on punches and geofencing flags punches made outside a configured site radius.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Hosting and isolation
- OtisIO states that data is hosted in Europe and each workspace has its own database.otisio.com · read 15 Oct 2026
The review
OtisIO is a workforce platform for employers coordinating shift work, attendance and operational tasks. It is a strong fit for teams that want those workflows together, but less compelling for organizations that only need leave tracking or a small, simple time clock.
Overview
Rotas, open shifts, swaps and auto-assignment cover the mechanics of staffing shifts, while live labour cost gives managers another factor to weigh when planning coverage. The breadth is useful for organizations that otherwise coordinate schedules, timekeeping and operations separately. The trade-off is plan complexity: features vary by tier, and the free entry point is limited to 10 users, one site and 1 GB of storage.
Attendance can be recorded with GPS-stamped punches, kiosk mode, NFC tags and other clock-in methods. That range can accommodate different work settings, although teams should choose around their actual clock-in needs rather than assume every method is included on every tier. Operational tools include tasks, checklists, forms, audits, equipment sign-out and security patrols. HR features cover time off, employment documents, e-sign acknowledgements, courses and certifications.
Key features
Scheduling and attendance
Open shifts and swaps let staff take part in filling coverage gaps, while auto-assignment can reduce manual allocation work. Approval workflows support manager review, and custom accrual rules give organizations flexibility in how leave is handled. GPS punches, kiosk mode and NFC offer alternatives to a single attendance method; the Starter plan specifically adds GPS clock-in and timesheet approval.
Operations, HR and integrations
Forms and audits can support recurring operational processes, while equipment sign-out and security patrol tools extend the product beyond scheduling. Growth adds audits, requests and equipment sign-out; the separate Asset Management option focuses on an equipment register with photos and serial numbers, signed handover, site kit lists, and plant and hire costs. These tier distinctions matter: teams should not budget on the assumption that the full operations toolkit comes with the entry-level plan.
HR covers leave and employment documentation as well as acknowledgements, courses and certifications. Pro adds payroll and accounting integrations with Xero, Staffology, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. Its REST API provides workspace-scoped access to people, shifts, timesheets, leave, tasks and sites, with webhooks, but API access requires a plan that includes it.
Security and support
Data is hosted in Europe, two-factor authentication is available on every plan, and the privacy policy describes encryption in transit, separate databases for customer workspaces, and encryption for specified sensitive fields and off-site backups. Customers can message the maker through workspace chat and report bugs or suggest features on any plan, including Free; Enterprise adds SLA support.
Pricing
OtisIO has a free plan and a 14-day trial. Each trial starts on Pro without a credit card; afterward, customers can choose a plan or move to Free with their data retained. The published annual-billing prices are in USD, while monthly prices and some per-user charges are shown in GBP, so compare billing terms and currencies carefully.
| Plan | Price and limits | What it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Free | free; up to 10 users, 1 site and 1 GB storage. Includes rotas, time clock and tasks. | A small team can start with core scheduling and attendance, but the user, site and storage caps constrain growth. |
| Starter | $39 a month billed annually; £49 /mo monthly. First 30 users included, then £1.20 /user annually or £1.50 /user monthly. One site and 2 GB storage. Includes GPS clock-in, timesheet approval, payroll export and forms. | Fits a single-site operation that needs approval and payroll export. The one-site ceiling and added per-user charges matter as headcount grows. |
| Asset Management | $65 a month as a separate monthly line item; included with Enterprise. Equipment register with photos and serial numbers, signed handover, per-site kit lists, and plant and hire costs. | For organizations that need equipment records and handover controls beyond the core workforce toolkit; it is an add-on rather than a standalone workforce tier. |
| Growth | $79 a month billed annually; £99 /mo monthly. First 30 users included, then £2.50 /user annually or £3.00 /user monthly. Three sites and 5 GB storage. Includes advanced scheduling, audits, requests and equipment sign-out. | A better fit for expanding multi-site teams that need richer scheduling and operational controls, at a higher base and per-user cost than Starter. |
| Pro | $179 a month billed annually; £199 /mo monthly. First 30 users included, then £5.00 /user annually or £6.00 /user monthly. Unlimited sites and 10 GB storage. Includes geofencing, payroll integrations, automation and expenses. | Suited to larger or more distributed teams that need unlimited sites, geofencing and integrations. Its higher price and per-user rate make it a substantial step up. |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing. Tailored seats and SLA support, SSO, directory provisioning, facial-recognition kiosk and Site Register. | For organizations requiring tailored seat arrangements, centralized identity features or service-level support. |
The Free plan gives teams a low-risk starting point, but it is not a broad free tier for larger employers. Starter and Growth impose site limits, while Pro lifts that constraint at a much steeper price. The $65 monthly Asset Management charge is separate unless the customer has Enterprise.
Platforms
OtisIO supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and API access. Its apps cover iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, and Mac desktop; a Windows desktop app is coming soon. Two-factor authentication across plans is a useful baseline for teams managing employee records.
Who it's for
OtisIO is aimed at shift-based teams in security, hospitality, cleaning and facilities, healthcare, construction and trades. It is most persuasive when managers need schedules, attendance and operational workflows in one system, especially across multiple sites. A small single-site team may find Free or Starter sufficient; businesses whose core need is only leave administration may prefer a narrower tool.
Pros and cons
- Broad shift-work toolkit: Scheduling, attendance, tasks and HR features can consolidate workflows that otherwise sit in separate products.
- Flexible clock-in options: GPS-stamped punches, kiosk mode and NFC tags accommodate different attendance setups.
- Useful scaling tiers: Growth adds three-site support and operational controls, while Pro offers unlimited sites and named payroll integrations.
- Constrained Free plan: Ten users, one site and 1 GB storage make it a starter option, not a durable fit for many growing teams.
- Costs climb with scope: Paid tiers charge more for monthly billing and additional users, and Asset Management adds a separate $65 monthly line item outside Enterprise.
- Feature access varies: Teams need to check tier coverage for required HR and operations tools rather than assume the broad feature set is universal.
Alternatives
For a focused leave-management shortlist, see Leave Management Software. Choose Passman if a free, open-source option with no stated usage limits better matches the need than an all-in-one shift-work platform. TNC Track is another freemium choice, with five free seats and $5/seat after that; its Team & Attendance module is free forever.
Toggl Track offers a free tier for a limited number of users, so it may suit teams seeking its timer-based tracking approach rather than OtisIO's broader operations suite. Zoho People has a free plan for five users and paid tiers with a five-user minimum, making it worth considering for a smaller HR-focused setup. Absenca offers a free Starter plan for 15 employees with six leave types, approvals, a calendar and email notifications; that is a more direct option for teams centered on leave administration.
actiPLANS has a free plan for 1–3 users with limited functionality and a paid yearly option priced at $1.20 a month per user for 41–200 users. BookYourPTO is another alternative to consider. Day Off provides a free plan for up to 10 users with calendar view, customizable leave types and one-step approval, which may suit teams seeking a basic leave workflow.
Verdict
OtisIO is a sensible choice for shift-based employers that want scheduling, attendance and operational tools under one roof, with tiers that expand from a small single site to unlimited sites and integrations. Its breadth is the main reason to choose it; the plan-dependent feature access, Free caps and rising per-user costs are the reasons to look elsewhere if the need is narrower or the budget is tight.
