7shifts Review: Restaurant Scheduling Software

Updated January 2026 • Verified Q1 2026

7shifts is a restaurant scheduling and team management platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry. The software handles employee scheduling, time tracking, team communication, and tip management — with optional payroll add-on.

This review covers 7shifts pricing, features, pros and cons based on our evaluation and analysis of user reviews across G2, Capterra, and other platforms.

Pros vs. Cons

7shifts Pricing

7shifts offers four pricing tiers, all priced per location per month. Pricing verified from 7shifts.com and third-party sources:

What’s included in each plan:

• Comp (Free): Basic scheduling, time clock, timesheets, availability tracking, team chat, hiring tools
• Entrée: Everything in Comp + schedule templates, labor budgeting, sales forecasting, reporting, PTO tracking
• The Works: Everything in Entrée + labor compliance tools, manager logbook, advanced reporting, payroll integration, unlimited employees
• Gourmet: Everything in The Works + auto-scheduling (AI), task management, operational planning, dedicated support

Optional add-ons:

The free Comp plan is generous for single-location restaurants. The jump from Entrée ($34.99) to The Works ($76.99) is steep, but necessary if you need labor compliance tools or unlimited employees.

Key Features

Scheduling

The drag-and-drop schedule builder is the core of 7shifts. You can create schedules quickly, set up templates for recurring shifts, and the system flags conflicts like overtime or double-booking automatically.

Employees can view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts through the mobile app. Managers get notifications when requests come in and can approve or deny from their phone.

Time Clocking

7shifts offers time tracking through their separate app called 7punches, or through POS integration. Features include:

• Mobile clock-in/out with GPS geofencing
• Photo verification to prevent buddy punching
• Break tracking and enforcement
• Overtime alerts
• Timesheet exports to payroll

Team Communication

Built-in chat and announcements let you communicate with your team without using personal phone numbers. You can message individuals, groups, or the entire team. Read receipts show who’s seen important announcements.

Tip Management

The tip pooling add-on ($24.99/location/mo) calculates tip distributions based on hours worked, role, or custom rules. Tips can be paid out through the payroll integration or exported.

Labor Compliance

Available on The Works plan and above. The system tracks break requirements, overtime rules, and predictive scheduling laws based on your state. Useful for restaurants in California, New York, and other states with strict labor laws.

Integrations

7shifts integrates with most major restaurant POS systems and payroll providers:

POS Integrations:

• Toast
• Square
• Clover
• Lightspeed
• TouchBistro
• Revel, Upserve, and others

Payroll/HR:

• ADP
• Gusto
• Paychex
• QuickBooks

Hiring:

• ZipRecruiter
• Indeed

POS integration pulls sales data into 7shifts for labor cost forecasting. This helps you schedule the right number of staff based on projected sales.

Mobile App

7shifts has separate apps for iOS and Android with strong ratings:

• iOS: 4.8 stars on App Store
• Android: 4.5 stars on Google Play

Both managers and employees use the same app. Employees can view schedules, clock in/out, request time off, swap shifts, and chat with the team. Managers can approve requests, adjust schedules, and view labor costs on the go.

What Users Say

Based on analysis of reviews across G2, Capterra, and other platforms:

What users like:

Common complaints:

Overall, 7shifts has a 4.7/5 rating across major review platforms. Most complaints center on pricing tiers and occasional app glitches — not core functionality.

7shifts Alternatives

If 7shifts doesn’t fit your needs, consider these alternatives:

7shifts is specifically built for restaurants, while alternatives like When I Work and Homebase serve multiple industries. If you need restaurant-specific features like tip pooling and POS integration, 7shifts is the stronger choice.

Our Verdict

7shifts is a solid restaurant scheduling platform, especially for single-location restaurants that can use the free Comp plan. The drag-and-drop scheduling, mobile app, and POS integrations work well.

The main drawback is pricing. The jump from Entrée ($34.99) to The Works ($76.99) is significant, and features like task management and tip pooling are add-ons that increase the total cost. Multi-location restaurants can quickly see costs add up.

Best for:

• Single-location restaurants (free plan)
• Growing restaurants that need labor compliance tools
• Teams already using Toast, Square, or Clover POS

Not ideal for:

• Non-restaurant businesses
• Budget-conscious multi-location operators
• Teams that need offline functionality

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author

Jason Feemster
POS systems expert and founder of POSUSA.com, a trusted industry resource since 2011. With over a decade of hands-on experience testing and reviewing point-of-sale systems, he helps business owners choose solutions that actually fit their needs.