ShiftFlexShiftFlex vs 7shifts: a 7shifts alternative for multi-store groups
7shifts is a mature restaurant scheduling platform. ShiftFlex is narrower: it is built for franchisees with several stores who need open shifts covered by their own crew from sister stores, with surge pay for the hard ones. Here is how they compare and when each fits.
At a glance
| ShiftFlex | 7shifts | Deputy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it is priced | Free for one store; Growth $49/month for one store; Business $99 per store/month (20% off yearly) | Per location, in tiers that add features and raise the employee cap | Per user per month, in tiers; a minimum monthly spend applies |
| Free option | Free plan for one store and 20 people, plus a 14-day Business trial with no card | Free plan for one small location | Free trial; no free plan |
| Built for | Multi-store franchise groups | Restaurants | Hourly teams in many industries |
| Apps | Android (iOS coming) | iOS, Android and web | iOS, Android and web |
Competitor details from their public pricing pages and app listings, October 2026. Prices change; check 7shifts's pricing page for current figures.
What ShiftFlex is built around
Cover from your other stores
Open shifts reach qualified, free crew at every store in the group. Each store sets whether home-store and sister-store claims are instant or confirmed by a manager.
Surge pay in the open-shift flow
Add a flat bonus when posting, on one shift, or on every open shift at once. Crew see the full pay before they claim, and big bonuses can need an owner's approval. What surge pay is.
Checks before anyone is booked
Every claim and swap is checked for job role, current certificates, overlapping shifts and overtime. Overtime claims wait for a manager instead of surprising payroll.
7shifts is likely the better fit if
- You run one or two restaurants and want schedule building, labor forecasting and POS-linked sales data in one place.
- You need iOS today, or payroll and tip management from the same vendor.
- Your main job is planning the weekly schedule rather than filling gaps after it's published.
ShiftFlex is likely the better fit if
- You run several stores under one franchisee and want crew to cover each other's stores.
- Last-minute gaps are the problem: you want one alert to every qualified, free person and surge pay when it's needed.
- Shifts must only go to people with the right job role and current certificates.
- You want crew to handle swaps themselves with one-tap manager approval.
Other 7shifts competitors
- HotSchedules: Restaurant scheduling and labor management, often used by larger restaurant brands.
- Deputy: Scheduling, time clock and timesheets for hourly teams across many industries, priced per user. ShiftFlex vs Deputy.
- Homebase: Scheduling, time clock and team chat aimed at small businesses, with a free tier.
- Sling: Shift scheduling and team messaging, now part of Toast.
- Schedulefly: Simple restaurant scheduling and staff communication.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good 7shifts alternative for multi-location groups?
If your main problem is covering shifts across several stores, ShiftFlex is built for that: open shifts reach qualified crew at all of a franchisee's stores, surge pay is built in, and claims are checked for job role, certificates, overlaps and overtime. If you mainly need restaurant schedule planning and POS-linked forecasting, 7shifts or HotSchedules may suit better.
How much does 7shifts cost?
7shifts charges per location per month. It has a free plan for one small location and paid tiers that add features and raise the employee cap, with a discount for paying yearly. Prices change, so check 7shifts.com/pricing for current figures.
How is ShiftFlex priced compared with 7shifts?
Both have a free plan for one store. ShiftFlex Free covers one store and up to 20 people; Growth is $49 per month for one store with no limit on people; Business is $99 per store per month for several stores. Yearly saves 20%, and new businesses get Business free for 14 days with no card.
HotSchedules vs 7shifts: which is better?
Both are restaurant scheduling tools; the right one depends on your size, POS and payroll setup. If your gaps are best filled by crew from your other stores, look at ShiftFlex alongside them.
Can ShiftFlex replace 7shifts?
For multi-store groups that mainly need open-shift cover, swaps, check-in, breaks, timesheets and pay-period exports, yes. If you rely on POS-linked forecasting or 7shifts payroll, you may keep it for that and use ShiftFlex for cover.
Learn more
Try ShiftFlex alongside what you use today
14-day free trial. No credit card required. Available on Android.