7shifts review
Restaurant scheduling, time clocking and labor forecasting with a free plan; training, tips and payroll come on Premium.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
7shifts is a restaurant HR platform used by more than 55,000 restaurants and 1.5 million workers, mostly in North America, from single independents to multi-unit and franchise groups. Its core is labor: managers build schedules on a drag-and-drop calendar or let auto-scheduling fill shifts from availability and labor targets, employees submit availability and time off from the free mobile app, and the Shift Pool handles open shifts, swaps and trades with manager approval. Time clocking runs through a connected POS or the built-in 7punches mobile time clock, with custom break rules, overtime alerts and clock-ins blocked outside the restaurant, and approved hours flow straight on to payroll.
Labor planning is the main reason operators pick it over a basic rota. With a POS connected, 7shifts pulls in sales to forecast demand — the company cites 95% forecast accuracy — sets labor targets on projected sales, budgets by department and recommends hourly staffing, while compliance tools track breaks, overtime and state-based labor rules. It connects to more than 60 tools, including Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, TouchBistro and Revel on the POS side and ADP, Gusto and Paychex for payroll. Around the schedule sit team messaging with read receipts, a Manager Log Book, task lists, shift feedback and performance tracking, plus hiring, document storage, 7shifts Training for courses built from your own SOPs, Tip Management and 7shifts Payroll (US only).
Pricing is per location and depends on team size. The free Comp plan covers basic scheduling for one location with up to 15 employees. For up to 30 employees, Essentials costs $49.99 a month ($44.99 billed annually) and Premium $149.99 ($134.99); for 31 or more, Pro costs $99.99 ($89.99) for up to 60 employees and Premium $199.99 ($179.99). Premium adds unlimited employees, Employee Training, Tip Management, Task Management and 7shifts Payroll, which otherwise costs $39.99 per location plus $6 per employee paid. The 14-day trial needs no card, monthly plans carry no contract, and annual billing saves 10%. Choose 7shifts when scheduling, labor cost control and payroll need to live together; a single café that only needs a simple rota may never outgrow the free plan.
7shifts pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Auto-scheduling fills shifts from availability, labor targets and POS sales forecasts
- Labor compliance tools track breaks, overtime and state-based rules as schedules are built
- One platform covers hiring, training, scheduling, time clocking, tips and payroll
- Where it doesn't
- Training, tip management and payroll sit in Premium, from $134.99 per location a month billed annually
- 7shifts Payroll and Employee Onboarding are available in the US only
- Pricing is per location, so costs grow with every store (franchise quotes on request)
7shifts fact sheet, pricing and score →
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