Head-to-head · Availability Management
Planday vs Sling
Planday leads on 0 checks, Sling on 1, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scorePlanday · 8.2/10
- Free planonly Sling
- Free trialboth
Planday scores higher on our rubric for availability management: 8.2 against 8.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #5.
Sling offers free plan; Planday doesn't.
Planday is the better fit for teams needing rota and shift management. Sling is the better fit for small teams seeking free shift scheduling.
- Planday fits best
Teams needing rota and shift management
- Sling fits best
Small teams seeking free shift scheduling
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Side by side
| Feature | Planday 8.2/10 Visit ↗ | Sling 8.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Ranking | #4 in Availability Management | #5 in Availability Management |
| Best for | Teams needing rota and shift management | Small teams seeking free shift scheduling |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | £2.99/user/mo | $2/user/mo |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | 30 days | 15 days |
| Free trial length | 30 days · no card needed | 15 days |
| Deployment | Mobile | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Live chat, Phone, Docs | Email, Live chat, Docs |
| Integrations | 8 integrations | 5 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Planday 0/2 · Sling 0/2 | ||
| Booking page | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Availability rules | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Resource types | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Calendar sync | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Locations | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Native integrations | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
| Our verdict | For businesses with hourly and shift-based employees, Planday brings rota creation, time tracking, leave management and staff communication into one workforce-management product. Managers can build schedules from reusable templates, while… Read the review → |
Sling is cloud-based employee scheduling software for businesses managing hourly and shift-based teams. Managers can build schedules, set recurring shifts, track availability, approve time-off requests, and publish open shifts for… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Planday — where it wins
- Employees can share availability, request open shifts and swap shifts.
- Reusable schedule templates, time tracking and leave management cover core rota work.
- Starter starts at £2.99 per user monthly; a 30-day trial is available.
Where it doesn't
- There is no free plan.
- Plus pricing is not shown, and Pro is custom-priced.
- Auto-scheduling is limited to the Pro plan.
Sling — where it wins
- Free plan includes scheduling, time off, available shifts and messaging
- Supports availability, shift offers, swaps and automatic assignment
- Connects with Toast, Square and other listed restaurant platforms
Where it doesn't
- The free plan is limited to 30 users
- Time tracking and labor-cost management start on a paid plan
- Business-tier features such as reports and PTO management cost more
- Planday8.2/10 · 30-day trial
A rota and workforce tool with availability, shift swaps and time tracking from £2.99 per user monthly.
Visit PlandayFull verdict → - Sling8.1/10 · Free plan · 15-day trial
A free scheduling core with paid time-tracking and labor-cost tools.
Visit SlingFull verdict →
More comparisons
- QGenda vs Planday
- QGenda vs Sling
- Amion vs Planday
- Amion vs Sling
- Deputy vs Planday
- Deputy vs Sling
- Planday vs Booked Scheduler
- Planday vs Envoy Rooms
All availability management comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update