Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

When I Work vs Wisely

When I Work logo

When I Work

Restaurants

Scheduling and time tracking made simple

From
$2.5/user/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wisely logo

Wisely

Restaurants

Guest intelligence and CRM for restaurants

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: When I Work aPI key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month; Wisely wisely is now part of Olo, per the vendor: "Wisely is now part of Olo", and its pricing page redirects to Olo sales contact form rather than showing prices
  • They diverge on capability: When I Work covers Shift scheduling, Wisely covers Guest CRM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where When I Work and Wisely differ
AttributeWhen I WorkWisely
Starting price$2.5/user/month$200/month
Founded20102013

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 When I Work

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

Only in Wisely

  • Guest CRM
  • Waitlist
  • Reservations
  • Feedback
  • Marketing
  • Analytics
  • Toast
  • Olo

Both cover

  • Square
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

When I Work

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

Wisely

  • Restaurant customer intelligence and loyalty marketingnot When I Work

Where each one falls short

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

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

Wisely

  • Wisely is now part of Olo, per the vendor: "Wisely is now part of Olo", and its pricing page redirects to Olo sales contact form rather than showing prices

Pricing, plan by plan

When I Work

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

Wisely

$200/month
  • Standard$200/month
    • CRM
    • Waitlist
    • Basic features
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Full features

Which should you pick?

Choose When I Work if

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

Choose Wisely if

  • You need guest crm.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want waitlist.
Wisely review

Questions people ask

Is When I Work or Wisely better?
Neither clearly leads. When I Work starts at $2.5/user/month and Wisely at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, When I Work or Wisely?
When I Work starts at $2.5/user/month and Wisely at $200/month.
Does When I Work or Wisely run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is When I Work best used for?
When I Work is most often used for scheduling hourly shift workers across locations, time clock and timesheet capture for payroll, handling shift swaps, availability and time off requests. Of those, scheduling hourly shift workers across locations and time clock and timesheet capture for payroll are not what Wisely is typically brought in for.
What can When I Work do that Wisely cannot?
When I Work covers Shift scheduling, Time clock, Team messaging, Availability management. Wisely covers Guest CRM, Waitlist, Reservations, Feedback. Both handle Square, Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Wisely: Is Wisely compliant with data privacy regulations?

Yes. Wisely is GDPR and CCPA compliant as a Data Processor. Clients own their data, and the platform includes features to manage all Data Subject rights within Wisely.

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
Wisely: What security certifications does Wisely have?

Wisely is SOC 2 compliant and completes regular internal and external security audits. The infrastructure maintains a 99.9% uptime SLA with data classifications aligned to NIST and ISO standards.

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
Wisely: Which POS and ordering systems integrate with Wisely?

Wisely integrates with major systems including Toast, Micros, Olo, Oracle, Shopify, and hundreds of other point solutions to aggregate customer data across all channels.

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
Wisely: Do I need to be enrolled in a loyalty program to have my data tracked?

No. Wisely provides visibility into 100% of customers, not just loyalty members, enabling brands to understand behaviors and customer lifetime value across their entire guest base.

Source
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Related pages

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