Softwr

Software · head to head

Sling vs Backbar

Sling logo

Sling

Software

Free employee scheduling software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
B

Backbar

Software

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sling has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Sling the free plan is limited to 30 users; Backbar invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sling and Backbar actually diverge.

Attributes where Sling and Backbar differ
AttributeSlingBackbar
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Sling

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Team messaging
  • Task management
  • Shift swapping
  • Labor cost tracking
  • Toast
  • Square

Only in Backbar

Nothing recorded that Sling does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Sling

  • Building and publishing shift schedules for hourly staffnot Backbar
  • Tracking clock in and clock out and labour costnot Backbar
  • Messaging and announcements across a shift based teamnot Backbar

Backbar

No use cases recorded yet. See the Backbar review.

Where each one falls short

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

Sling

  • The free plan is limited to 30 users
  • Time tracking on mobile, labour cost tracking and overtime analysis require the Premium plan
  • Kiosk time clock, hours and wages reporting, no show tracking, sick leave and PTO tracking require the Business plan
  • The lowest advertised per user rates of $1.70 and $3.40 require annual billing

Backbar

  • Invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026
  • Pricing is charged per location, so multi-location bars pay the plan fee separately for each site, as of August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Sling

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Scheduling
    • Messaging
    • Basic features
  • Premium$2/user/month
    • Time tracking
    • Overtime alerts
  • Business$4/user/month
    • Labor costs
    • Reporting

Backbar

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Backbar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Sling if

  • You need employee scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
Sling review

Choose Backbar if

Nothing in the data separates Backbar from Sling on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Backbar review

Questions people ask

Is Sling or Backbar better?
Neither clearly leads. Sling starts at Free and Backbar at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sling or Backbar?
Sling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Sling and On request for Backbar.
Does Sling or Backbar run on more platforms?
Sling runs on Web, Ios, Android. Backbar runs on Web.
Can I use Sling for free?
Yes. Sling has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Backbar starts at On request.
What is Sling best used for?
Sling is most often used for building and publishing shift schedules for hourly staff, tracking clock in and clock out and labour cost, messaging and announcements across a shift based team. Of those, building and publishing shift schedules for hourly staff and tracking clock in and clock out and labour cost are not what Backbar is typically brought in for.
What can Sling do that Backbar cannot?
Sling covers Employee scheduling, Time tracking, Team messaging, Task management.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Sling

More on Backbar

Keep looking

Other head to heads