Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Sling vs When I Work

Sling logo

Sling

Restaurants

Free employee scheduling software

From
Free
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

  • 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; When I Work aPI key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: Sling covers Employee scheduling, When I Work covers Shift scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Sling and When I Work differ
AttributeSlingWhen I Work
Starting priceFree$2.5/user/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20152010

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Sling

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Task management
  • Labor cost tracking
  • Toast

Only in When I Work

  • Shift scheduling
  • Time clock
  • Availability management
  • Mobile apps
  • QuickBooks
  • ADP

Both cover

  • Team messaging
  • Shift swapping
  • Square
  • Gusto
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

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 When I Work
  • Tracking clock in and clock out and labour costnot When I Work
  • Messaging and announcements across a shift based teamnot When I Work

When I Work

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

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

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

Sling

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 30 users
    • Shift scheduling
    • Time-off requests
  • Premium$2/month
    • Mobile time tracking
    • Labor cost management
    • Overtime tracking
  • Business$4/month
    • Kiosk time tracking
    • Comprehensive reports
    • No-show tracking

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 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 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 Sling or When I Work better?
Neither clearly leads. Sling starts at Free 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, Sling or When I Work?
Sling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Sling and $2.5/user/month for When I Work.
Does Sling or When I Work run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Sling for free?
Yes. Sling has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. When I Work starts at $2.5/user/month.
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 When I Work is typically brought in for.
What can Sling do that When I Work cannot?
Sling covers Employee scheduling, Time tracking, Task management, Labor cost tracking. When I Work covers Shift scheduling, Time clock, Availability management, Mobile apps. Both handle Team messaging, Shift swapping, Square, Gusto.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sling: How much does Sling cost?

Sling offers a free tier supporting up to 30 users. Premium plans start at $2.00 per user per month (or $1.70 with annual billing), and Business plans cost $4.00 per user per month (or $3.40 with annual billing). Both paid tiers offer a 15% discount for annual billing.

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
Sling: Does Sling offer a free trial?

Yes, Sling offers a free plan supporting unlimited scheduling features for up to 30 users. Additionally, Premium and Business plans include 15-day free trials with no credit card required to start.

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
Sling: What does Sling's Business plan include?

Sling's Business plan, marked as recommended, costs $4.00 per user per month (or $3.40 with annual billing). It includes kiosk time tracking, comprehensive reports, no-show tracking, sick call-out management, and PTO management. Users only pay for active team members with prorated charges when employees are deactivated.

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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