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Restaurants · head to head

MarginEdge vs When I Work

MarginEdge logo

MarginEdge

Restaurants

Restaurant back office for invoice processing, food cost and inventory tracking

From
$350/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
When I Work logo

When I Work

Restaurants

Scheduling and time tracking made simple

From
$2.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MarginEdge no free trial or freemium option available, requiring full commitment upfront at $350 per month minimum; When I Work aPI key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarginEdge and When I Work actually diverge.

Attributes where MarginEdge and When I Work differ
AttributeMarginEdgeWhen I Work
Starting price$350/monthly$2.5/user/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in MarginEdge

Nothing recorded that When I Work does not also cover.

Only in When I Work

  • Shift scheduling
  • Time clock
  • Team messaging
  • Availability management
  • Shift swapping
  • Mobile apps
  • QuickBooks
  • ADP

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

MarginEdge

  • Restaurant management and financial trackingnot When I Work
  • Food cost control and inventory management for restaurantsnot When I Work

When I Work

  • Scheduling hourly shift workers across locationsnot MarginEdge
  • Time clock and timesheet capture for payrollnot MarginEdge
  • Handling shift swaps, availability and time off requestsnot MarginEdge

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

MarginEdge

  • No free trial or freemium option available, requiring full commitment upfront at $350 per month minimum
  • High monthly per-location cost makes adoption expensive for multi-unit restaurant groups
  • Additional Toast API integration requires extra $50 per month per location, increasing total cost

When I Work

  • API key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month
  • Scheduling rules, role permissions and custom reporting require the Pro plan at $5 per user per month
  • There is no free plan; the trial lasts 14 days
  • Enterprise arrangements are priced by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

MarginEdge

$350/monthly
  • MarginEdge$350/monthly
    • Unlimited invoice processing
    • Unlimited bill payments for U.S. locations
    • Unlimited email support
  • MarginEdge + Freepour$500/monthly
    • All MarginEdge features
    • Smart scale technology for liquor inventory management
    • Freepour adds $150 per month to base subscription

When I Work

$2.5/user/month
  • Standard$2.5/user/month
    • Scheduling
    • Messaging
  • Advanced$6/user/month
    • Time clock
    • Labor forecasting

Which should you pick?

Choose MarginEdge if

Nothing in the data separates MarginEdge from When I Work on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

MarginEdge review

Choose When I Work if

  • You need shift scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time clock.
When I Work review

Questions people ask

Is MarginEdge or When I Work better?
Neither clearly leads. MarginEdge starts at $350/monthly and When I Work at $2.5/user/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarginEdge or When I Work?
MarginEdge starts at $350/monthly and When I Work at $2.5/user/month.
Does MarginEdge or When I Work run on more platforms?
MarginEdge runs on Web. When I Work runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is MarginEdge best used for?
MarginEdge is most often used for restaurant management and financial tracking, food cost control and inventory management for restaurants. Of those, restaurant management and financial tracking and food cost control and inventory management for restaurants are not what When I Work is typically brought in for.
What can MarginEdge do that When I Work cannot?
When I Work covers Shift scheduling, Time clock, Team messaging, Availability management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MarginEdge: What is the pricing structure and billing frequency for MarginEdge?

MarginEdge costs $350 per month per location with monthly or annual billing. Annual billing includes a 10 percent discount resulting in $420 annual savings. No long-term contracts are required and customers may cancel anytime.

Source
When I Work: What is the pricing structure?

Plans start at $2.50 per user per month, billed in user tiers of five, with pricing that scales flexibly with team size.

Source
MarginEdge: How much does the Freepour add-on cost and what does it include?

The Freepour bundle adds $150 per month to the base subscription, making the total $500 per month per location. It includes smart scale technology for automated liquor inventory management. Annual billing saves $600 per year when bundled with Freepour.

Source
When I Work: Are there long-term contracts required?

No long-term contracts, no hidden surprises, and no enterprise-only paywalls. The platform scales as your business grows without binding agreements.

Source
MarginEdge: Are there any additional fees beyond the monthly subscription?

Yes, if you use the Toast API or Toast Restaurant Management Suite, there is an additional $50 per month per location charge. Discounts are available for multi-unit restaurant groups and accounting firms through custom pricing.

Source
When I Work: Is there a free trial available?

Try When I Work free for 14 days with full access to all core features. No credit card is required for the trial period.

Source
When I Work: Can I adjust or cancel my plan anytime?

You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time and adjust your plan at any time or use hibernation options during seasonal downtime.

Source
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