--- title: "Tugboat Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Tugboat Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Workforce Management products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/193600/Workforce-Services/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Tugboat Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on August 26, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Tugboat Software ## What is Tugboat Software? Tugboat Software offers comprehensive solutions that focus on assigning the workforce to an optimized schedule while managing PTO. The schedule for the entire workforce is generated fast for a staff of hundreds or thousands of employees while improving employee satisfaction, reducing workload and driving down operating costs. Tugboat Software pairs with existing HR and ERP systems. ## What is Tugboat Software used for? [Employee Scheduling](https://www.capterra.com/employee-scheduling-software/)[Attendance Tracking](https://www.capterra.com/attendance-tracking-software/)[Workforce Management](https://www.capterra.com/workforce-management-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 7 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive \- Neutral \- Negative \- ### Starting price Free trial not available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Tugboat Software?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/tugboat-software/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Tugboat Software Overview Updated August 2026 AI summary Tugboat Software offers workforce management solutions for organizations of all sizes, supporting functions such as attendance tracking, employee scheduling, time tracking, and payroll management. With features including labor forecasting, shift swapping, real-time reporting, and customizable workflows, it enables businesses to manage employee data efficiently. Tugboat Software is accessible via cloud, web, and mobile platforms. ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Tugboat Software 4.9 (7) VS. [4.6 (5,315)](https://www.capterra.com/p/153140/Connecteam/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price $29 Flat Rate, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.9 (7) Ease Of Use 4.7 (5,315) Value For Money 4.8 (5) Value For Money 4.5 (5,072) Customer Service 5.0 (6) Customer Service 4.6 (5,086) ## Tugboat Software alternatives [4.3 (1,933)](https://www.capterra.com/p/86714/WebPay/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 87% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [4.9 (4,881)](https://www.capterra.com/p/172127/Rippling/reviews/) Starting price $8.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (1,774)](https://www.capterra.com/p/66908/Workday-HCM/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 90% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (3,558)](https://www.capterra.com/p/110968/BambooHR/reviews/) Starting price $10.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/193600/Workforce-Services/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Tugboat Software Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Tugboat Software built for? Tugboat Software is designed for businesses in the food and beverages, manufacturing, packaging, and related industries. The vendor description does not specify a company size, so the product appears aimed at organizations operating in these sectors rather than a particular small, mid-market, or enterprise segment. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Tugboat Software? Tugboat Software offers employee scheduling, shift management, attendance tracking, and time tracking for workforce operations. It also includes automated scheduling, availability management, time off requests, and shift swapping, plus reporting and analytics, labor forecasting, labor cost calculator, mobile access, and third-party integrations. Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Tugboat Software offer? Tugboat Software provides in person training, live online sessions, and documentation. In person training supports direct, hands-on instruction, live online sessions allow guided remote learning, and documentation offers written reference material for self-paced review and ongoing support. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Tugboat Software offer? Tugboat Software offers Email/Help Desk, Knowledge Base, Phone Support, and Chat. With no reviewer feedback on support topics, user experience with response speed, helpfulness, or common frustrations cannot be assessed from the available data. ## Features AI summary Based on 4,466 Workforce Management reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of Workforce Management software rank the following features as their top priorities: - **Employee Scheduling** (**58%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Clock In/Out** (**60%**) - **Timesheet Management** (**53%**) Tugboat Software supports **Employee Scheduling**, which helps teams plan shifts and assign coverage more efficiently. However, it does not include **Clock In/Out** or **Timesheet Management**. Instead, it offers other important capabilities that reviewers also value, including **Payroll Management** (**57%**), **Mobile Access** (**53%**), and **Time & Attendance** (**50%**). These features help businesses manage pay processes, give staff access on the go, and track attendance, allowing teams to stay organized and maintain better workforce oversight. Mobile Access 5.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Access software remotely via mobile devices Time & Attendance 4.0 (1) 100.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track and manage employee's work hours to improve payroll accuracy Employee Management 4.8 (5) 80.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks Employee Database 4.8 (4) 100.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository Self Service Portal 5.0 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information Vacation/Leave Tracking 4.0 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Request, track, and manage time off requests and vacation time Tugboat Software 39 features ### All Features - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Attendance Management: Manage attendance for classes, shifts, meetings, or events - Attendance Tracking: Track the attendance of specific individuals or groups - Automated Scheduling: Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications - Availability Management: Monitor and analyze the availability of resources to help plan and streamline the service delivery to clients - Calendar Management: Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar - Communication Management: Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat - Customizable Reports: Alter the layout and content of reports - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Employee Database: Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository - Employee Management: Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks - Employee Scheduling: Assign working shifts or tasks to employees based on their availability - Forecasting: Form predictions based on past and present data/trends - Labor Cost Calculator: Calculate labor costs associated with employing a workforce, including wages, salaries, benefits - Labor Forecasting: Predict labor requirements based on past and present data/trends - Labor Management: Manage the attendance, schedule, and payroll of the labor workforce - Mobile Access: Access software remotely via mobile devices - Mobile Alerts: Notifications via mobile devices - Multi-Location: Manage and support multiple locations - Online Time Clock: Track/log the amount of time employees worked per job using a timer - Overtime Calculation: Manage and record overtime hours for hourly employees - Real-Time Data: Receive data and information in real time - Real-Time Reporting: Active reporting of data and metrics - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Resource Allocation: Assign available resources to various projects and tasks - Schedule Distribution: Assign and distribute work schedules to individual employees or teams within an organization - Self Service Portal: Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information - Shift Management: Facilitate the scheduling and coordination of employee shifts - Shift Scheduling: Schedule shifts via online calendars and available employees - Shift Swapping: Managing and trading shift details between employees - Sick Leave Tracking: Track and manage sick leave time - Task Management: Create, manage and track all task activities and progression - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - Time & Attendance: Track and manage employee's work hours to improve payroll accuracy - Time Off Management: Track and manage employee time-off, vacation, and sick leave requests - Time Off Requests: Tools that allow employees to request/schedule time off - Time Tracking: Measure and track time including hours worked and paid time off (PTO) - Vacation/Leave Tracking: Request, track, and manage time off requests and vacation time - Workflow Management: Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.7 (7) 4.7 Based on 7 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.8 (5) ### Starting price Free trial not available Value for money 4.8 (5) 4.8 Based on 5 reviews Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 5.0 (6) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 5.0 (6) 5.0 Based on 6 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.9 Based on 7 reviews Filter by rating 5(6) 4(1) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Tiffany S. Database administrator Logistics and Supply Chain ### "Yes,my tool!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 January 27, 2025 Pros My the very best admiration feature of Tugboat is its ability to track shift changes in real time Cons I bet you will find it difficult to integrate to other tools like CRM tools. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Response from Vendor January 28, 2025 Tugboat’s applications integrate seamlessly with CRM, ERP, and HRM packages. CG Cathy G. Scheduler Food & Beverages ### "Great customer service" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 September 26, 2023 Great experience. We have been using it for 19 years. Pros Employees have the ability to make and maintain requests. Cons Took some time to set up because our rules are very complex. Review source Vendor Referred: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review. CS Christopher S. IT Operations Lead Packaging and Containers ### "Tugboat Vacation Software" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2023 Very happy with the service and use of product Pros Employee ease of use, user friendly. Human Resources and shop floor management have been extremly happy with the software and tracking employee vacation requests. Cons Upgrades and new versions seem to be an issue from time to time to implement Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. JL Joseph L. Sr Operations Supervisor Consumer Goods ### "Tugboat Software Review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2023 We are very pleased with software and service provided by their support team. Othe r systems such as KRONOS and ADP have not been able to provide a module capable of doing the task that Tugboat does. Pros One of the most useful features is how the software grants vacation request based on plant seniority and quotas. Cons Integration was easy and the system offers more features than we are currently utilizing. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. RG Richard G. Plant Manager Food Production ### "Employee scheduling program" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2023 The rules engine was custom built based on our scheduling rules. We have an intricate set of rules for scheduling based on skills, seniority and dedication. The software team was able curtail the program to mimic our rules with extreme accuracy. Pros The most impactful tool that we use for employee scheduling. Reduced time daily by 75%. Cons There wasn’t anything that I disliked about the software, or the folks that worked with me on developing the program. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. RU Rosemary U. Receptionist/Administrative Coordinator Warehousing ### "Tugboat Software at the Distribution Center" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 9, 2023 Pros Tugboat is user friendly for our associates. Cons Data download from one system to another. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. WT Warren T. Senior Operations Supervisor Packaging and Containers ### "Customer service and support is fantastic." 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 22, 2023 It has been very easy to use, have only had a few days I was unable to use it in over six years. Pros Very easy for me to run a report of who has been assigned vacation. My report can be modified by a very simple to follow set of report criteria choices. Also nice that a quota of how many PTO request can be granted by pre-determined groups, is automatic but can be manually overridden. Cons We only us a fraction of what's available in the system so I really can't offer any negatives. My interface it not web based so I can only use it on my work PC. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/193600/Workforce-Services/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.