SimpleStaff

SimpleStaff is employee scheduling software for businesses that operate shift teams. Managers use its web interface to build schedules with drag-and-drop editing, reuse templates, assign roles, and publish shifts. Employees can use the iPhone and Android app to request time off, change availability, swap shifts, and claim open shifts. The time clock records clock-in and clock-out times, tracks breaks, verifies location with GPS, and supports timesheet approval. Approved timesheets can be exported for ADP, UKG, Dayforce, or generic CSV; QuickBooks Online and Wagepoint are marked as coming soon. Published shifts can appear in personal Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook feeds. The staff app is included with every plan, though it needs an internet connection to load schedules live rather than from device storage. SimpleStaff lists restaurants, retail, clinics, hotels, gyms, and salons among the industries it serves. Plans include a free option for 15 team members and one team, plus paid plans from 19 CAD/mo. A 30-day trial is listed.

SimpleStaff combines web-based schedule management with mobile staff self-service and time tracking. Check the live internet requirement for mobile schedules and the availability of needed payroll exports before selecting a plan.

SimpleStaff suits small businesses with shift-based teams, including the listed restaurant, retail, clinic, hotel, gym, and salon industries. It can also suit teams that need staff self-service for availability, time off, and shift changes.

SimpleStaff is employee scheduling and time-tracking software for businesses with shift teams. It best suits smaller operators that want staff to manage routine availability and shift changes themselves. Its free plan makes it easy to start, while per-user charges and mobile connectivity needs matter as a team grows.

Overview

SimpleStaff combines manager-led scheduling with employee self-service: managers create and publish shifts on the web, while staff handle common requests from iPhone and Android apps. That division works well for businesses that want employees to take part in coordinating schedules, but it is less suitable for managers who need to build schedules from a phone.

The staff app is included on every plan, but schedules load live and require an internet connection rather than being stored on the device. That can be inconvenient when employees need to check a shift without reliable access. SimpleStaff is made in Canada, stores schedule data in Canada, and says it complies with PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

Key features

Managers can build schedules with drag-and-drop editing, assign roles, reuse templates and publish shifts. Templates and role assignments can make recurring work easier to coordinate, while the web-only management workflow limits on-the-go schedule building. Employees can request time off, update availability, swap shifts and claim open shifts from their phones, reducing the need to route every routine change through a manager.

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

Published shifts can appear in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook through personal calendar feeds. Credential tracking is also included, adding a relevant capability for teams that need to keep track of staff qualifications.

SimpleStaff says its support team typically responds within 24 hours on business days and gives an average response time under four hours during business hours. The difference between those timeframes is worth bearing in mind for teams that need help outside business hours.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and supports 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. Its one-team and 15-member caps can become restrictive as the business adds staff or needs to split scheduling across teams.

Team costs C$19 a month, billed $19/month, and includes unlimited team members, a manager role, labor cost reports, CSV/PDF export and email support. The plan includes 15 users before an additional $0.75 / user over 15 included, so “unlimited” does not mean a flat price for a larger workforce. It is the better fit for businesses that need reporting or exports beyond the Free plan.

Pro costs C$29 a month, billed $29/month, with unlimited team members, auto-fill scheduling, audit logs and priority support; users beyond the 15 included cost $1 / user over 15 included. It is aimed at teams that value those added tools and support, though its per-user charge is higher than Team’s. Enterprise uses custom pricing, with scope and service levels agreed in each contract, for large organizations and unionized workplaces.

A 30-day trial is available. The pricing page also lists an Integrations add-on at $10 / month for connecting POS, reservations and payroll systems; teams should account for that additional charge if they need those connections.

Platforms

SimpleStaff is available on web, iOS and Android. Employees use the mobile apps for self-service, while managers build and publish schedules on the web. The need for an internet connection to load mobile schedules is the main limitation for staff who expect offline access.

Who it's for

SimpleStaff is designed for small shift-based businesses, including restaurants, retail shops, clinics, hotels, gyms and salons. Its free tier is most compelling for a small team that can work within one team and 15 members; businesses needing labor cost reports, manager roles or exports should consider Team, while Pro targets those needing auto-fill scheduling, audit logs or priority support. Larger and unionized workplaces can discuss a custom Enterprise contract.

Pros and cons

• Useful employee self-service: Staff can request time off, change availability, swap shifts and pick up open shifts in the mobile app.
• Practical timekeeping and exports: Break tracking, GPS verification and timesheet approval support payroll preparation, with exports for ADP, UKG, Dayforce and CSV.
• A real free starting point: The Free plan includes scheduling and core shift-change functions, but is capped at 15 members and one team.
• Mobile access has a caveat: Schedules load live and are not stored on the device, so employees need an internet connection to check them.
• Added costs scale with headcount: Team and Pro charge per user above 15 included, and integrations cost an additional $10 / month.
• Some payroll exports are not ready: QuickBooks Online and Wagepoint are coming soon rather than current export options.

Alternatives

For a broader healthcare-focused shortlist, see Healthcare Staff Scheduling Software. CronShift is another freemium option with a free plan and Android, iOS and web access; its published Starter feature is status updates, while feature detail is unclear. RosterLab may suit teams looking for digital rostering with manual scheduling, rule checks, statistics, shift color coding and an employee app on its free plan, with an AI-optimized paid tier.

Synchro is worth considering for a hospital department during its beta, which offers all features to all users in the department without a cap; its stated free period lasts for the entire hospital beta. Infor Workforce Management is a paid workforce-management alternative with web, mobile and desktop platforms. Amion offers paid Pro and Enterprise plans, with Pro supporting up to 10 schedules and self-serve setup. Flexzo Rostering is a paid scheduling option with pricing available by contacting sales. HealthRota uses a usage-based fee model and can start with a single department or roll out trust-wide. ShiftWise Flex is another paid option for iOS and web.

Verdict

SimpleStaff is a strong fit for small shift-based businesses that want staff to manage availability and shift changes, with timekeeping and payroll exports alongside manager scheduling. Its free plan is a sensible entry point for teams within the 15-member, one-team limit, and paid tiers add reporting, exports or automation. Look elsewhere if managers need to build schedules on mobile, employees need offline schedule access, or your payroll workflow depends on QuickBooks Online or Wagepoint now.