High 6 Planday options and rivals in 2023

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 employees communication.

However if you happen to’re already utilizing Planday or are trying into it for the primary time — and suspect it doesn’t fairly do all the things you want it to — it is smart you’re on the lookout for a Planday different. 

We’re right here to assist. We’ve researched six of the most effective Planday options available on the market utilizing unbiased assessment web sites like G2, Capterra, and Software program Recommendation and in contrast them primarily based on key options, pricing, and consumer rankings. 

We additionally defined:

• What Planday is and what it’s used for
• What you would possibly need 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 match instruments

We additionally cowl our personal all-in-one employees administration resolution, Homebase. After all, we could also be just a little biased, however we consider it’s the most effective small enterprise platform accessible, with all of the important instruments you want underneath 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 employees.” It’s designed primarily for companies that have to schedule hourly workforce members and says that its most important aim is to “uncomplicate workforce administration.” 

It goals to assist clients set employees hours, plan worker shifts round availability, be sure 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 best place on the proper time if you want them, you can pay them precisely and promptly, and that your labor prices keep underneath management.

Planday’s options and makes use of embody:

• Shift planning — Scheduling your workforce’s hours by abilities, value, and availability.
• Punch clock — Enabling workers to clock out and in of labor by GPS utilizing a digital system.
• Reporting — Monitoring income and prices to optimize your funds.
• Workers communication — Protecting employees knowledgeable throughout the identical digital area.
• Workers report protecting — Organizing and storing worker information, certifications, and paperwork.

Why would possibly you search for a Planday different?

Listed here are some causes you could be on the lookout for a Planday different on your small enterprise workforce administration wants:

Motive #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 possible that, as a small enterprise proprietor, you’ll additionally want entry to different important options, together with these for payroll, human assets, hiring, and worker engagement and happiness. 

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

For those who discover that you simply want extra options than Planday gives, you’ve two choices. You may 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 find out how to join them, and hope that they work. This might be costly and time-consuming. Or, you may select an all-in-one device like Homebase that has all these instruments throughout the identical platform, so that you solely must pay a single price and gained’t have to fret about instruments working collectively.

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

Generally within the enterprise world — particularly if you happen to’re a solo entrepreneur or a smaller firm — you simply need somebody to show to for recommendation, or to try your setup and supply constructive ideas. 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 device like Homebase, which has a workforce of HR consultants on name who may also help you to assessment insurance policies or sort out particular questions through a dwell name. So, you’ll by no means be caught with out solutions.

Motive #4: You don’t need to pay per consumer

Many workforce administration platforms cost per consumer. This could be effective if you happen to work solo, or solely have a few members of employees. Nonetheless, in case your small enterprise has a workforce of employees, this might get costly, shortly. As a substitute, you could be on the lookout 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

After all, the options you’ll search for particularly rely in your cause for wanting a Planday different within the first place. 

However if you happen to’re evaluating small enterprise administration platforms with the intention of discovering probably the most helpful, time-saving, and reasonably priced choice, we advocate on the lookout for: 

• Straightforward scheduling — Planday affords this, so it is smart that any real different would additionally embody it. The most effective suppliers will allow you to create schedules in minutes utilizing copy-and-paste templates, take availability and labor prices under consideration robotically, and allow employees to modify shifts simply.
• Correct time monitoring — Once more, a Planday characteristic. Nonetheless, test to be sure that any attainable different lets employees 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 chances are you’ll need to search for a platform that sends the brand new schedule to employees robotically, helps 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 device, so a platform that does will prevent main money and time on having to search out but one other exterior resolution. Verify it calculates wages precisely, takes day without work and ideas under consideration, and allows you to pay workers shortly and on time. 
• HR and compliance experience — The most effective workforce administration platforms is not going to solely aid you handle administrative human assets duties associated to paperwork, {qualifications}, and go away but additionally supply on-demand, skilled ideas which are tailor-made to your online business. 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 aid you handle present 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 employees aren’t completely satisfied, they gained’t keep lengthy. Preserve engagement and appreciation ranges excessive by looking for a device that features perks, like letting them money out wages early or sharing shoutouts to hard-working workforce members.
• Highly effective integrations — You can also make your digital platform go even additional with inbuilt integrations. For those who already know and use some key instruments, test that any different will work seamlessly with them (for instance, Shopify, QuickBooks, or Gusto.)  

The breakdown: 6 prime Planday options

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

1. Homebase: The most effective all-in-one resolution

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

It not solely consists of the options Planday affords, but additionally has strong 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 employees 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 on the subject of options that Planday additionally consists of, like:

Scheduling

Homebase’s scheduling device 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 swap shifts, and you’ll set your schedule based on your labor forecasts (so that you don’t overspend on labor or over-/underneath 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 aid you 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 truthful. Homebase helps you to flip digital units into worker time clocks, and robotically converts clocked hours into exact on-line timesheets, so you possibly can seamlessly and precisely pay your employees. The time clock and timesheet instruments additionally allow you to implement authorized time clock rounding (if you happen to select), and make it simple to handle time card approval. 

Staff communication

Make it simple to share vital particulars along with your workforce, and allow them to ship useful shift notes to coworkers, throughout the identical workforce communication app (with out sharing non-public telephone numbers.) Homebase’s app makes it simple to ship messages to people, particular teams, or your complete employees. This not solely helps you to share the newest schedule with workers but additionally empowers them to ship shift notes and useful concepts to different employees. You can too set alerts to remind employees 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 employees your online business utilizing clever gross sales and labor knowledge.
• 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 most effective folks shortly through the use of job description templates, e-sign vital paperwork securely, and ship welcome packets, all throughout the identical app.
• Cell app: Out there for each managers and employees to make use of, providing practically all of the options accessible on the desktop model.

Execs and cons

Execs

Cons

• One consumer mentioned 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 just a little larger, and wished that there was a darkish mode.

Pricing

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

• Primary: Free for one location and as much as 20 workers. It consists of fundamental scheduling and time monitoring, worker administration instruments like Messaging, point-of-sale integrations and entry to electronic mail assist. 
• Necessities: $24.95 monthly per location. All the pieces in Primary, plus payroll integrations, workforce communication, efficiency monitoring,  superior time monitoring and scheduling and entry to dwell assist.
• Plus: $59.95 monthly per location. All the pieces 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. All the pieces in Plus, with HR and compliance, new rent onboarding, labor value controls, and enterprise insights.

Customers may also save 20% on their total value once they join an annual plan.

Person rankings

Customers have rated Homebase on in style critiques 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 may work for small, medium, or enterprise-size companies. It goals to assist clients management labor prices, guarantee safety, and match staffing to demand.

High options

• Scheduling: Schedule your workforce by location and position, ship the newest hours to your workforce immediately, and allow employees to swap shifts.
• Time clock: Creates timesheets and tracks hours labored so you possibly can join with a separate payroll device to pay your workforce. Make any sensible system a time clock.
• Labor compliance instruments: Automated protections towards extra time and dealing with out breaks, in addition to correct pay necessities and monitoring.
• Cell 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).
• E-mail assist: 24/7 assist through electronic mail if you happen to run into a problem.

Execs and cons

Execs

Cons

• Some customers reported that it may be “complicated at first” and one other mentioned they’d difficulties enhancing go away requests.
• One other consumer mentioned that the app can “trigger pressure on the eyes” for a “much less pleasant consumer expertise.” 

Pricing

• Scheduling: $3.50 per consumer monthly. Scheduling, PTO administration, and POS integrations.
• Time & Attendance: $3.50 per consumer monthly. Timesheets, PTO administration, payroll and POS integrations.
• Premium: $4.90 per consumer monthly. Scheduling, Time & Attendance, and reporting. Additionally consists of payroll and POS integration, PTO administration, reporting, and electronic mail assist.
• Enterprise: Value on request. All the pieces in Premium, plus superior planning and analytics.

It additionally affords a 31-day free trial.

Person rankings

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

3. Once I Work: Greatest for straightforward setup

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

High 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: Permits you to flip any sensible system right into a time clock that manages breaks and day without work and takes labor prices under consideration.
• Staff messaging: Allows you to ship group messages or 1-to-1s with out requiring your workforce to share numbers.

Execs and cons

Execs

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

Cons

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

Pricing

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

Deputy additionally affords a 14-day free trial. 

Person 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, that means it regularly updates and adapts to employees necessities in actual time. Its standout options embody correct workforce forecasting, schedule optimization, and letting customers intently monitor their enterprise operations and compliance.

High options

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

Execs and cons

Execs

• One consumer notably appreciated the “glorious” integration with different providers
• One other mentioned that the automations saved them lots of time.

Cons

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

Pricing

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

• Launch: Scheduling, absence administration, workforce engagement, and reporting instruments
• Develop: All the pieces in Launch, plus time and attendance instruments, timesheets, and geo-punching
• Speed up: All the pieces in Develop, plus demand forecasting and labor optimization
• Increase: All the pieces in Speed up, plus strategic planning and labor budgeting

Person 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. 

High options

• Time & attendance: A collection of options referred to as TimeClock Plus permits customers to automate time monitoring and management prices.
• Auto-scheduling — Schedule robotically, and ensure you have folks with the best abilities scheduled to work on the proper time.
• Time clock: Permits 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 best workers on the proper time and cut back unnecessary labor overspending.

• Cell app — Let workers handle their schedule, shifts, availability, and go away through their smartphone and even their Apple Watch.

Execs and cons

Execs

Cons

• One consumer mentioned that they don’t just like the “restricted entry” that employees must schedules, and their lack of ability to swap shifts.
• One other consumer mentioned 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 — All the pieces in Starter, plus auto-scheduling, labor costing, compliance, payroll export, and messaging
• Enterprise — All the pieces in Basic, plus demand-based scheduling, integrations, and open API entry 

Person 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 choices as your online business grows. It seeks to assist managers automate on a regular basis duties and promote work-life stability for workers, too. It’s additionally one of many few work administration platforms that additionally has HR and payroll instruments.

High options

• HR: Permits you to handle compensation, advantages, and labor prices and provides employees quick access to their pay, scheduling, and duties.
• Payroll: Provides customers a real-time view of payroll prices and lets them observe hours and calculate wages robotically.
• Workforce administration: Schedule workers simply and stop burnout by making certain balanced workloads and enabling on-demand pay.
• Expertise intelligence: Use knowledge to rent glorious candidates, recruit sooner, take away bias, and personalize and streamline onboarding.

Execs and cons

Execs

• Purchasers report that Dayforce is “very user-friendly” and “easy.”
• One consumer appreciated how simple it’s to “shortly discover what I would like.”

Cons

• One consumer mentioned 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.

Person rankings

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

So, which is the most effective Planday different for you?

Planday is a well-liked workforce administration platform, however if you happen to’re on the lookout for an alternate, there are some glorious choices price your time.

Deputy affords the identical fundamental options as Planday, however it’s less complicated and simpler to make use of. For those who’re primarily on the lookout for superior analytics, Quinyx might be an ideal selection. And if your online business is scaling quick, then Ceridian Dayforce might be your finest guess.

However, 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 value. 

With Homebase, you possibly can spend much less time on repetitive duties, get monetary savings, cut back stress, enhance communication, and plan your small enterprise operations successfully. This lets you concentrate on rising your online business 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 underneath one digital roof.

All comparisons and critiques are unbiased critiques from assessment web sites like G2, Capterra, and Software program Recommendation, as of June 2023.