The 12 Best Free & Paid Workforce Management Software of 2024
If you’re a manager or a team leader, you’ll know how crucial workforce management tools are in today’s business environment. Without workforce management software that addresses your company’s specific needs, you’ll struggle to stay on top of everything and fall behind the competition.
In this article, we will show you some of the key features to look for in workforce management tools, and after that, we’ll show you the 12 top workforce management solutions you should consider adding as part of your workflow. But before we do any of this, let’s first look at what workforce management tools are.
What Is a Workforce Management Tool?
A workforce management tool is a software application specifically developed to make it easier for managers to take charge of their workforce. As you might guess, workforce management tool is a fairly broad term, and because of that, it covers a variety of processes within a business.
These include time and absence tracking, task and project management, payroll and invoicing, budgeting and expenses tracking, and more. And rather than doing every aspect manually, as managers and team leaders did back in the day, thanks to these wfm systems, you can automate a large portion of the process.
Shifts by Everhour provides an intuitive shift scheduling software for managing employee schedules with ease. From flexible scheduling options to mobile accessibility, it’s the ideal solution for optimizing workforce management in any industry.
Key Features of a Workforce Management Tool
Regardless of what the specific needs of your business might be, some of the key features you should look for include:
📆 Employee scheduling
Long gone are the days of scheduling your employees on paper and letting them know when they should come to work days or weeks in advance. Software with this feature can massively help you keep your employee scheduling calendar clean and organized. This will not only prevent you from making simple employee scheduling mistakes, but your staff will also be able to see when they’re at work without having to ask you every time.
👩💼⌚ Time and attendance tracking
Keeping track of your staff’s time and attendance at work manually is a tough and never-ending task. Thankfully, there is great an attendance tracker out there, such as Everhour, which can help you track how your staff spends their time and when they’re at work automatically.
🏝️ Leave and absence management
Whether you’re responsible for a small or a large team, you’ll often deal with employees who are absent from work or are on leave. Keeping track of this manually can be a huge time-sink and prevent you from undertaking other important tasks within the business. That’s when a leave and absence management tool can help you automate this part of the business so that you can spend your time more effectively.
🤔 Shift planning and optimization
If you have a large team and staff that work their shifts at different times, you can benefit from software that can help you with shift planning and shift work. The great thing about such software is that they often come with data and analytical features, allowing you to later optimize shift planning within the company.
💻 Real-time monitoring
Having a bird’s eye view of your team when they’re working is always great. This is why you need to ensure that your workforce management software comes with real-time monitoring features to help you keep a tab on your employees at all times, even if they’re remote workers.
📃 Reporting and analytics
Data is essential for understanding how your team is performing at the workplace, even if they’re working remotely. Only then could you start making data-driven decisions and optimizations to improve the business and the employee’s productivity at work? That’s why choosing software that has reporting and analytical features is essential.
🔁 Integrations with payroll systems and other tools
Paying your staff what they are owed is essential. And as a manager or a team leader, keeping track of what everyone is doing at any given time can be tricky. That’s why you should always choose work management software that can be easily integrated with payroll systems and other such tools.
To give you an example, if you use Everhour to keep track of your staff’s time, the Everhour software not only has payroll features within, but you can also integrate the time tracker with a payroll system of your choice (as long as it’s integrative of course).
📲 Mobile accessibility
If you have employees who constantly travel to do their work, using work management software that is only suitable for desktop PCs isn’t a suitable solution. That’s why you should pay attention to the software’s accessibility features before implementing it within the company.
🤝 Communication and collaboration
Communication and collaboration is essential for good working relationships and keeping everyone on the same page. This is especially important when working on larger projects with a large team. So, you need to ensure that your workforce management software has communication features that make sending and receiving messages within the team easier.
📰 Task and project management
Task and project management software are essential in today’s business environment. They will not only help your staff know what they’re doing and what their colleagues are up to, but you will also know where each project is at without having to ask and chase people for answers.
⚡ Customization and scalability
Every business is different and often requires custom and scalable solutions. So, before picking any specific software, please make sure that it can be customized based on your company’s needs now or in the future.
When it comes to workforce management software, rest assured that our reviews aren’t influenced by payments from specific tools. We’re here to provide straightforward recommendations you can trust. Feel confident exploring workforce management solutions, knowing our insights are unbiased and not influenced by external factors.
Comparison Table
Don’t have the time to read about each workforce management software we recommend? Check out this comparison table which will summarize everything for you.
| Software | Key features | Pricing |
| Shifts by Everhour | Shift scheduling, time tracking, mobile clock-in/out, attendance tracking, payroll and time off management | Free |
| ClickUp | Task and project management, time tracking, automation | Free, Unlimited ($5/user/month), Business ($12/user/month) |
| NICE | Forecasting, real-time adherence, performance management | Custom pricing |
| Skedulo | Automated scheduling, mobile collaboration, analytics | Custom pricing |
| Jibble | Time tracking, team collaboration, reporting | Free, Premium (€3.99/user/month), Ultimate (€7.99/user/month) |
| Zenefits | HR management, time tracking, compliance management | Essentials ($10/employee/month), Growth ($20/employee/month) |
| BambooHR | Payroll, HR management, reporting, and analytics | Custom pricing |
| Workday | HCM suite, financial management, integration, and analytics | Custom pricing |
| Namely | HRIS, payroll management, reporting, and analytics | Custom pricing |
| Paycom | Payroll and tax compliance, HR and talent management | Custom pricing |
| Deputy | Employee scheduling, time tracking, task management | Schedule ($3.50/user/month), Time & Attendance ($3.50/user/month), Premium ($4.90/user/month) |
| ADP Workforce Now | Payroll and tax compliance, reporting, and analytics | Custom pricing |
12 Best Workforce Management Software
If you are looking for workforce management software on the internet right now, you’ll be spoiled for choice. So, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to do the research and present you with the 12 best workforce management software you need to start using right now.
1. Shifts by Everhour
Shifts by Everhour is a stand-alone product designed for shift-based teams and non-desk employees. Think engineers, plumbers, electricians, and so on. The app is not only free, but it’s designed to help managers effortlessly create, assign, and edit shifts without them or their staff having to go through a steep learning curve.
⚡ Key features
The flagship feature of Shifts by Everhour is the fact that, as a manager, you can schedule your team quickly and easily. Once the shifts are set in place, using the dashboard, you can see who is working when allowing you a bird’s eye view of your staff’s schedules. Shifts’ scheduling allows managers to create several workplaces, add a limitless number of employees, group teams, use various notifications, and so much more.
Other features that this software comes with include:
- Mobile clock-in and clock-out which allows employees to track time or edit shifts on the go
- Attendance and payroll monitoring via detailed and centralized timesheets
- Time-off management that helps to check and set up vacations, sick days, and other types of PTO
- Real-time in-app communication without having to connect to any third-party tools or integrations
- Can be used on any device
💸 Pricing
Shifts by Everhour is completely free to use without any limits or an obligation to continue a paid plan at a later date.
2. ClickUp
ClickUp is one of the leading task and project management software. Its intuitive and straightforward design, ease of use, and customization capabilities make it a popular choice for hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide.
⚡ Key features
The main feature of ClickUp is its task and project management capabilities. ClickUp allows you to create projects and tasks, assign them to team members, set deadlines, add comments, attach files, and more. As a team leader and a manager, once the work is set and assigned, all you need to do is monitor and ensure all the work is completed on time. Other key features that ClickUp offers include:
- Time tracking
- Goal tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Automation
- Workflow customization
- Collaboration and communication
💸 Pricing
ClickUp offers its customers the ability to pick from five different pricing plans, including Free, Unlimited, Business (their most popular option), Business Plus, and Enterprise. The Free plan is free forever, the Unlimited plan is $5 per member per month, the Business plan is $12 per member per month, and the Business Plus plan is $19 per member per month.
If you require a lot of custom work, then the Enterprise plan may be for you, but that comes at a custom cost and is mostly suitable for exceptionally large companies.
3. NICE
The NICE Workforce Management tool is a comprehensive cloud-based workforce management solution that can help team leaders and managers adequately schedule in their staff for work based on previous data.
⚡ Key features
The core feature of the NICE Workforce Management software is its ability to accurately forecast contact volumes based on data and create optimized staffing schedules. That way, contact centers will always have just enough staff to handle all customer inquiries but not more so that they waste resources. Some of the software’s other flagship features include:
- Real-time adherence
- Intra-day management
- Performance management
- Employee self-service
💸 Pricing
The people behind the NICE Workforce Management have not made the pricing of their software publicly available, meaning what you pay will be based on your exact needs. To get a quote, please contact their sales team directly.
4. Skedulo
Skedulo is a leading cloud-based WMS (Workforce Management Solution) that gives team leaders and managers the ability to seamlessly manage employee schedules, plan out projects in advance, and optimize workflows. What makes this software unique is that it focuses on businesses that have staff that work on the road (plumbers, electricians, and so on).
⚡ Key features
The core feature of Skedulo is the ability to automatically schedule house visits with an available employee. To do that, the software uses intelligent algorithms to assign the most suitable field service worker to the job based on skill, location, availability, and customer preference. Some other key features that this software offers its users include:
- Real-time visibility
- Mobile workforce collaboration
- Analytics and reporting
💸 Pricing
No official pricing is available on the Skedulo website, which means that you’ll need to get in touch with their sales team to get a quote based on your specific needs. The quote you’ll receive will be based on factors such as the number of users you need, the scale of your company, and any additional custom features you may need to properly use the software.
5. Jibble
Jibble is a cloud-based time and attendance tracking software designed to help businesses streamline employee attendance management and improve workforce productivity.
⚡ Key features
The core feature of Jibble is time tracking. Using Jibble, users can track how many hours they have worked through their mobile phone, web browser, or dedicated time clocks. Jibble also offers clock-in and clock-out functionality, breaks tracking, and supports geolocation for accurate time and attendance data. Other key features that the Jibble software brings to the table include:
- Team collaboration
- Leave management
- Reporting and analytics
💸 Pricing
Jibble offers its users three different plans to pick from, including Free, Premium, and Ultimate. The Free plan is free forever regardless of how many users you need, the Premium plan is €3.99 per user per month while the Ultimate plan is €7.99 per user per month. Please note that if you subscribe to Jibble on an annual basis, the prices of the paid plans will drop to €2.49 and €4.99, respectively.
6. Zenefits
Zenefits is one of the world’s leading HR wfm softwares. Using this tool, you can make the management of your people easy. From streamlining onboarding and easy PTO to performance reviews, and much more.
⚡ Key features
The main feature of Zenefits is HR management. The tool offers a centralized HR database that allows you to easily access employee records, time-off requests, compliance tracking, performance management, and more. Other key features of the tool include:
- Time and attendance tracking
- Employee self-service
- Compliance management
- Benefits administration
- Employee onboarding
💸 Pricing
Zenefits offers its customers three different plans to pick from, including Essentials, Growth (their most popular), and Zen. If you choose to pay monthly, their Essentials plan is $10 per employee per month, the Growth plan is $20 per employee per month, and the Zen plan is $27 per employee per month. Should you want to pay annually, the cost of the plans falls to $8, $16, and $21 respectively.
7. BambooHR
Designed specifically for companies in the United States, BambooHR is another great HR management system that comes with all the features you and your team will need.
⚡ Key Features
The most important BambooHR feature is its payroll functionalities. This app is designed to make it easier to manage and distribute payments to employees in the United States as it accounts for all the factors you need to consider when paying employees in the US. It also helps you manage the entire HR process, from onboarding and screening employees, all the way to managing your existing team and employees. Other relevant features that come with this wfm solution include:
- Employee self-service
- Time and attendance tracking
- Applicant tracking system (ATS)
- Performance management
- Reporting and analytics
- Compliance management
💸 Pricing
The problem that many people have with BambooHR is that it’s hard to find pricing information. It’s always nice to display prices publicly, especially for workplace management software, as it allows you to compare the prices of different options. Currently, there’s no information about the BambooHR prices on the website, which means you will have to contact their sales team for a custom quotation.
8. Workday
Workday is a leading provider of cloud-based enterprise software for human resources, finance, and planning. Though it’s primarily used in the US, plenty of international businesses from all over the world make use of Workday each and every day.
⚡ Key Features
Workday’s flagship feature is the HCM (Human Resource Management) suite, which offers a comprehensive set of HR solutions. Some of the features include HR administration, employee self-service, talent acquisition, performance management, and more. Other relevant features you should know about include:
- Financial management
- Adaptive planning
- Integration and analytics
- Mobile accessibility
- Scalable & secure
💸 Pricing
If you head over to the Workday website, you’ll see that the prices of this workforce management app are not publicly available. So, if you’d like to try it out and use it, you’ll need to speak with their sales team to get a quote.
9. Namely
Namely is a leading HRIS platform that allows users access to various HR features and functionalities to efficiently manage their workforce.
⚡ Key features
The core feature of Namely is its HRIS (Human Resource Information System). This workforce management application provides a comprehensive HRIS solution that includes employee records management, onboarding, benefits administration, performance management, and time off tracking. Some of the software’s other key features include:
- Payroll management
- Time and attendance tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Performance management
💸 Pricing
Namely doesn’t have an official pricing structure. They typically customize their pricing based on the client’s unique requirements. So, to get a quote, you’ll need to speak with Namely’s sales team.
10. Paycom
Paycom is a powerful workforce management solution used by tens of thousands of businesses in the United States. It’s easy to use and is very highly integrative, which are a few reasons why today’s businesses prefer this tool.
⚡ Key features
Paycom’s key feature is its robust payroll and tax compliance capabilities. When using Paycom, payroll and ensuring compliance with local employment laws and regulations will be much easier. Some of this wfm tool’s other features include:
- HR and talent management
- Employee self-service
- Time and attendance
- Reporting and analytics
💸 Pricing
Like Namely, Paycom also doesn’t have an official pricing structure. Instead, their pricing is calculated on factors such as your company size, modules selected, and any additional services which you may require. For an accurate quote, it’s best to contact Paycom’s sales department.
11. Deputy
Deputy is a versatile workforce management tool that focuses mostly on employee scheduling, time tracking, and task management to optimize workforce productivity.
⚡ Key features
The core feature of Deputy is its robust scheduling capabilities, which allow managers to create and manage their employees’ schedules quickly, easily, and effectively. Some of the software’s other features include:
- Time and attendance tracking
- Task management
- Communication and collaboration
- Reporting and analytics
💸 Pricing
Deputy users can pick from four different pricing plans, including Schedule, Time & Attendance, Premium, and Enterprise. Each plan costs $3.50, $3.50, and $4.90, respectively. For the Enterprise price, you’ll need to request a custom quote from the tool’s sales team.
12. ADP Workforce Now
ADP Workforce Now is a comprehensive HR and payroll solution that provides businesses with a centralized platform to manage their workforce and ensure smooth payroll operations.
⚡ Key features
Consequently, ADP Workforce Now’s core feature is its payroll and tax compliance capabilities. Some of the software’s other flagship features include reporting and analytics, employee self-service, HR management, and compliance and HR regulations.
💸 Pricing
ADP Workforce Now hasn’t made its pricing structure available to the public, leading us to believe that the price you’ll pay will depend on your company’s specific needs. So, to get a more accurate quote for using ADP Workforce Now, we recommend contacting their sales team.
Workforce Management Software: Conclusion
As illustrated, integrating workforce management systems has become imperative. To stay competitive, enhance productivity, and streamline operations, automating routine tasks is essential. Opting for Shifts by Everhour ensures tailored assistance in crucial areas like shift scheduling, budgeting, attendance monitoring, and more, providing unparalleled benefits for your team’s efficiency and success.
