# HotSchedules Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is HotSchedules the right Workforce Management solution for you? Explore 461 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/52611/HotSchedules/reviews --- HotSchedules 4.4 (461) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/52611/HotSchedules/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of HotSchedules Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews LW Leahya W Assistant ManagerFood & Beverages, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The best part about HotSchedules is the ability to block out certain dates from being requested off by employees.“ January 9, 2026 AH Andrea H Front office managerMedical Practice, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “employees have to pay for the app - there is no way around it, wish i could color coordinate that would help“ July 1, 2025 Mallory T Executive chefFood & Beverages, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I miss working with it and I usually don’t say that about software but it really made scheduling so much easier.“ March 12, 2026 NW Nathaniel W ChefFood & Beverages, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The immediate deconstruction of your account is kind of scary.“ January 2, 2026 DP Daniel P Human ResourcesHospitality, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “This is the best for employment scheduling I’ve used, simple design makes it easy to see exactly what shifts, date and times“ November 26, 2024 KC Kaitlyn C DirectorFood & Beverages, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I wish there was a way to set reminders for upcoming shifts but thats really my only complaint“ May 2, 2025 DP Daniel P Human ResourcesHospitality, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “After using many scheduling tools this one is the best, allows interaction for other apps and platforms as well“ November 26, 2024 Derick C VP of FinanceHospitality, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The forecasting models are static.“ December 19, 2025 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 461 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Eldridge G. Operations Director Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Your Schedule On The Go!" October 6, 2020 5.0 Wonderful! I can easily access using the app from my phone a comprehensive view of todays roster and more! Helping me as a director plan a shift before I even get to work. Especially important to plan in my business because surprises arise frequently and daily. I can also easily request time off needed through the app, call, text, or even email my staff if needed to. Hot Schedules saves me and my company time, money, and helps our business to stay productive! Pros I really enjoy the convenience of being able to view your work schedule remotely and anywhere for that matter! Set up an email or a Gmail account and it's delivered right to your inbox! Gone are the days of having to call your employer or having to drive to your place of employment to view it on paper. "Your" time is valuable and let's be honest, none of us want to go to work on our days off for any reason! Cons I really and truthfully speaking have nothing negative to include with Hot Schedules. It's been a great software addition to our store and team! If someone did tell me that I had to pick out one feature that I don't care for, I guess it'd be the "How was your shift?" feature that pops up when logging on. That said, it's such a minor dislike and isn't really worth mentioning. Reason for choosing HotSchedules A former operator of mine had implemented this software into his store about a year before we did ours. He gave me insights into how much his store had improved in production and in other time and money saving ways. After learning about it through him, I approached my superior and we then ended up making the much needed switch. Review Source AH Andrea H. Front office manager Medical Practice Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Great product " July 1, 2025 5.0 pretty good. like i mentioned before very user friendly and easy for managers to release and fill the open slots. Pros very user friendly for staff . as a manager easy to navigate to each employee. easy to release shifts and fill shifts. Cons employees have to pay for the app - there is no way around it, wish i could color coordinate that would help Alternatives considered [Sling](https://www.capterra.com/p/142542/Sling/) Reason for choosing HotSchedules im still deciding what product to choose. Review Source JT Jack T. HR & Operations Manager Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful" November 3, 2022 3.0 I miss using it in many respects, it feels very HR orientated which I enjoyed - I don't miss the slow and clunky loading and saving of data though. Pros A lot of really useful templates in terms of recording personnel records, plus a lot of really powerful automation ie. sick pay and holiday calculation - employee checklists etc - The payroll integration was excellent also. Cons unfortunately we found it to be very slow and glitchy, often having to refresh the webpage, or being unable to load properly. Switched from [Opsyte](https://www.capterra.com/p/231521/Opsyte/)[Bright](https://www.capterra.com/p/126242/BrightPay/) Other team members found Fourth difficult to use and not very user friendly - we went for a more modern product that was able to customise the user experience for us and our team. Review Source paulina S. Costumer service Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Much better then paper schedule " May 25, 2020 5.0 Very positive experience. Made my schedule less chaotic and gives me options to control my work days and days off much better without having to deal with manger directly lol Pros Having a restaurant job means cheotic schedule. It's never the same. Impossible to keep up with and memorize. My last job had hot schedules but my new job doesn't:/ it's a nightmare without it. I miss it so much. It is so convenient to pick up and realise shifts whenever I please. No need to call or txt my co workers. Everything is done thru the app. App is not free but cheap and worth every single penny. I love that I can request days off and my ability. Super convenient. You have to wait for manager to approve or not of your request. I can see who my co workers will be for the shift. I can see all phone numbers and emails of my co workers. Every restaurant should have this app. It's very easy as well so even my 70 year old co worker knows how to use it. Very well done . Cons Sometimes I get loged out and have trouble logging back in. It froze few times. Could use more color and some fun options like emoji me lol make work schedule more fun Review Source Heidi V. Event coordinator Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hotschedules is so easy to use" November 4, 2021 5.0 Pros Hotschedules changed the restaurant industry when it came out. I have worked in the industry for over 10 years, so when this software came out. It really changed the industry. Before we would have to wait for a photo of our schedules and sometimes we would miss our shifts or getting our shifts covered was so difficult. When hotschedules came out , you never wondered when your shift was. You are reminded when you have a shift and if you need a shift covered you simply post it up. It is a secure way to have everyone feel accountable and be accountable for work. Cons The only thing I had a trouble with when I first started using hotschedules was understanding how to update my availability for work but once someone showed me its a no brainer. Review Source DO David O. President Retail Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Disappointed with HotSchedules" December 2, 2019 1.0 We are not using HotSchedules and the overall experience has been horrible. Basically as soon as I signed the contract they have my money and didn't care if we were not happy with the product. The UI is outdated and cumbersome, with options tucked away in various places in the program that were not readily apparent. Team members have to pay for the mobile app on top of the monthly subscription fee, which is not standard in other scheduling programs. Pros Management "Red Book" log Logging of Employee and Store incidents/issues. Cons Cumbersome and non-intuitive UI Poor employee sharing between locations Weather Widget did not function in Canada as promised Training/Learning Center feature was not included in cost of Hotschedules as promised. When I had issue to be addressed, I was ignored by their staff for months until I stopped paying. We were not allowed to cancel the contract as promised by our sales person. The program is centered on the desk top program with the mobile app being an after thought. Alternatives considered [Deputy](https://www.capterra.com/p/167811/Deputy/)[Homebase](https://www.capterra.com/p/153076/Homebase/) Reason for choosing HotSchedules In the end I have gone with WhenIWork as they are affordable, are always introducing new features which are included and are intuitive and easy to use for my crew. Review Source Sean D. SEO Digital Marketing Analyst (Remote) Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for scheduling staff in the restaurant industry" January 14, 2019 5.0 I used this app to schedule a full restaurant staff including FOH BOH and Managers. This tool is incredible useful and negates the need to figure out scheduling most weeks. All employees can submit their availability and I can schedule them badsed off of this availability without thinking to check because it bars me from scheudling people outside of their approved availability. No more scheduling issues! Pros Intuitive User interface Easy to add new users Great scheduling utility incredible for contacting staff on a large scale Has a mobile app that users can use Cons The mobile app costs money so most of my staff refuses to download this app which sends them push notifications in the event I need to contact them all. I believe that since we are already paying to use the software this app should be free to download. Without a login the application is useless so the fact you need to pay to download the app is very ridiculous. Review Source Tiara H. Server Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "All in one scheduler and social exchange" November 13, 2019 5.0 Pros Users can be grouped into categories based on department, allowing for effective communication without clutter. Also users' title and contact information is kept in a master directory readily available to other users. Another great feature is push notifications regarding company announcements, published schedules, and schedule changes. No need to constantly check the app for changes. Cons There is no free version of the app, which could be problematic for some employees. Although not expensive, some users don't like to pay for an app to view their schedule. Review Source Brittany H. Server Food & Beverages Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "HotSchedules made life easier" November 6, 2022 5.0 Pros I used this software when I worked at Cheddars Scratch Kitchen as a server, made it much easier to keep up with my schedule and trade,drop,or pick up shifts. And really easy to use and understand! Cons Sometimes there was a bit of a time delay on the app that made me to late to drop or pick up shifts but only sometimes. Review Source Rebecca P. Bartender Food & Beverages Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "The best way to post work schedules " August 28, 2018 5.0 I have thoroughly enjoyed using the app, and it has allowed me to take opportunities that have made me additional money I otherwise would not have known about. I recommend the app to my other coworkers, as it is only a dollar or two one time and you never have to worry about losing your schedule or wondering when all your shifts are. Pros I can access my work schedule whenever I want because it is both a website and an app. It not only tells you what your schedule is, but allows you to see who else you are working with. This is beneficial if you are trying to adjust your schedule for time off so you know exactly who is available and who is not, which saves a lot of time. Cons If you have marked yourself as unavailable it should flag someone from being able to add you to the schedule in that slot so that the person creating the schedule realizes they have made an error. Review Source ER Eric R. General Manager Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "New comers " August 23, 2024 5.0 Been with them for 16 yrs in two companies and has progressed with updates every yr Pros Very easy to use as well as navigating through reports Cons Not much to say here besides better alerts Review Source KD Katelyn D. Phone Counselor Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hot schedule for the win" October 13, 2023 5.0 HotSchedule has changed my life, from picking up shifts, switching around schedules, automatically picking up more hours during the weeks I needed it... It has made getting in contact with co-workers, management etc so easy as well. I really am grateful for a product such as this. Pros I loved being able to easily pull up my schedule from anywhere possible via mobile access. Having my work schedule accessible from anywhere while I am on the go makes my life very convenient not only that but being able to easily reschedule or move my schedule around with others makes this product top tier. Cons There wasn't anything I disliked about HotSchedule, there is just one feature I didn't really use was time clock. Only reason being was my company used an alternative method of clocking in. Review Source HP Hunter P. Owner Restaurants Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "HotSchedules Review" August 25, 2023 4.0 Management side is great, user experience is fine, just maybe pass on the cost of the app to the employers. Pros As far as the management side, HotSchedules is pretty slick. Easy to use and navigate. Cons The main issue I have with HotSchedules is requiring staff to pay to purchase the app on their individual phones. It makes it seem like the company is penny pinching. Review Source AZ Anastasia Z. Server Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best restaurant scheduling software HANDS DOWN" July 1, 2022 5.0 Pros I loved this ease of hot schedules compared to other software. Much better ease-of-use and staff LOVES IT. Swapping shifts, requesting off, and keeping track of shifts is streamlined! Cons I LOVE hotschedules. It is the preferred software for restaurant scheduling! No drawbacks! Review Source DC Darla C. Owner, Operating Manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "hotschedules review" January 31, 2017 3.0 It's got so many options - none exactly what I need - that it is almost too cumbersome. I would like more flexibility to create template shifts and place them on days as needed, with it being ok that some days there are blank shifts left over. Rather than now, when if I make a template and want a day to be scheduled lightly, it tells the staff there's a house shift open. The template feature is practically more work than just starting from scratch each week. I hate entering the times of a shift and having it immediately autocorrect to the last half hour. For example if I want a shift to start at 1:30PM and end at 10:30PM, I have to type 1:30, click off and it will change it to 1:00, click back on to get to 1:30, and repeat to get the end time to read 10:30 instead of 10, then repeat to get PM instead of AM. I'd also like to not have to redo the schedule report generator so that it's easier to read every week, for the printed schedule we keep in the shop. All those outlines, yikes! What I do like is the messaging/staff communication parts. Requests off are clear and easy, same with shift swapping. I like being able to create blackout days for no requests off, and I like that I can easily see who wants off when and when the RO was made. Pros Requests off, availability, blackout dates, staff communication sections. The app works great for everyone. Cons No ease of use when making the schedule - autocorrecting number entries constantly, schedule templates aren't what I need, schedule report is difficult to read. Review Source Response from Fourth February 6, 2017 Hi Darla! Thank you for reaching out and providing feedback for us. We're sorry you're having a hard time navigating the scheduling templates. These articles may be of use to you in better explaining the process of scheduling using custom and blank templates and auto-scheduling! https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/articles/215565977-HS-How-to-Use-the-Autoscheduler https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/articles/218955327-HS-New-Scheduler-Generating-Templates- https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/articles/222579107-HS-Templates-and-the-New-Scheduler If you are still having issues, please contact customer care for assistance! https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/articles/222476127-Contact-Us-Customer-Care-Support- VR Verified Reviewer Operations Managers Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Excellent Software, highly recommend it" May 25, 2023 5.0 Pros It is very easy to navigate for both users and administrators, Not only you can access schedules but also you can swap, request time off and also sent personal messages between users. Cons none. Completely love app and nave nothing negative to say Review Source JS Jordin S. Server Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Easy scheduling " July 5, 2022 5.0 Pros HotSchedules is user friendly and the easiest way to keep your schedule in the palm of your hand. Being busy with two jobs is hard and this software helps me keep my availability up to date and to make necessary changes when needed. Being able to pick up shifts without any phone calls is great. I would highly recommend for any type of company that requires scheduling many employees. Cons I think that there are some visual issues such as way things look on the mobile app that could be updated. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Bookkeeper Entertainment Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Very convenient " October 28, 2018 4.0 I really like HotSchedules because it’s so convenient. The program is fairly easy to use but could use improvements like more schedule layout options. Pros HotSchedules is very convenient to use for the business and employees. I love that I can message everyone as a group, a specific job title, or individuals. I love that the employees can view their schedule in real time from anywhere. Cons HotSchedules is time consuming to use. The functionality of the scheduling area could be improved to save time. When it comes to syncing employees with our Micros system it takes too much time and has gotten “hung up” multiple times. Customer service gives great direction but takes too long to get an answer. The layout of the roster is hard to read and offering different layout options would be a huge improvement. Review Source ZH ZoeMae H. Level 2 Customer Care Assoicate Furniture Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "HotSchedules Review" January 10, 2023 5.0 overall hot schedules has been extremely effective in my experience with it and i highly recommend it Pros hot schedules is used by all restaurant jobs i have had and is extremely easy to use and navigate. switching shifts or putting in for time off is very easy, and messages can be sent to management directly from the app which is extremely helpful! Cons while the messaging is extremely helpful it sometimes will not send notifications when one is received, however you can find alternate contact info within the app so they can still be contacted outside of the app if necessary! Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Substitute Teacher Primary/Secondary Education Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "HotSchedules Review" March 21, 2019 4.0 It was good experience. I was able to see when I was working and who was going to work with me. I was able to see the messages that the manager put out. I was able to respond the messages, if need be. Pros I had to have this software when I worked at a restaurant. It was pretty simple and easy to use. Once the manager had posted the schedule, you could see who was working and what shift it was. If there was an open shift, you could grab it and see if it would get approved. You could also switch shifts with someone, if the managers approved it. Message came in and were easy to read. Cons I did not really have any issues with this software. I had to have it and it worked fine with my phone. I was a bit mad that I had to pay for it, but I understood why. Review Source RD Rebekah D. Administrative Directors Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Features" September 22, 2020 5.0 It's been very useful and helpful in managing scheduling. The pros definitely outweigh the cons! Pros We use HotSchedules mainly for scheduling and messaging the team (direct messages, broadcasts). The scheduling features are great - we especially love that team members can swap and pick up shifts on their own, that saves us a lot of time. And the broadcast messages are great for getting important information out - everyone looks at their schedule, so everyone sees the broadcasts. Cons The website and app are very slow to use. Creating the schedule can be a pain as the interface is very slow, and the app will load for several seconds between each page while navigating. This can lead to some frustration. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Restaurant Owner Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Valuable Product" April 23, 2019 5.0 I have worked with HotSchedules in 3 different restaurants. Each experience a little different. As a team member it was amazing, being able to see my schedule, trade shifts and message other team members.. all from my phone without any communication to my manager! As a manager of a multi-unit restaurant, scheduling was a breeze, again no need to speak to team members about shifts. They were easily approved via my own phone WHEREEVER! As a Beverage Manager at a casino with 24 hours-- the logbook and adjusting the system to work within union guidelines was AMAZING! I love hotschedules, once my restaurant expands I plan to use it again! Pros Ease of use, accessibility -- the facebook of scheduling! Cons Honestly, would love to see them work on the ease of the scheduler. I feel like that whole page could be done differently. It just seems that something could be done to streamline it. The shortcuts are nice but not easily remembered. Additionally, I would love if there was a cost effective version for small independently owned restaurants. Review Source BN Briauna N. Supervisor Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Work smarter Not harder" February 5, 2022 5.0 It has been great than having to do everything by hand or from scratch. Pros This software takes the guess work out. It is easy to understand, conducts the task needed for calendar, scheduling, and attendence. Cons Things sometimes have to be done manually but that's honestly not a huge issue. I would rather do the action of removing an employee manually than to have an error occur and still have to go in an manually fix it. Review Source Leigh L. Project Manager / Entrepreneur Building Materials Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Whatever happened to Schedulefly?" October 26, 2018 4.0 Online scheduling and shift trading is ideal when your staff is young. If you run a business where you employ teens, I strongly advise getting it. Pros I like that your staff can add shifts, swap shifts, put a shift up for grabs, request days off, etc. I like that you can tweak it to require management approval for these things. I like the entire idea of scheduling this way, particularly in a restaurant setting. Cons The cost. Ridiculous. I should not be required to tell my employees they have to pay for an app to have these features. I would've much preferred ScheduleFly. Such a better deal for the employees. Review Source KT Kristian T. Restaurant Manager Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One of our most-utilized softwares by far!" April 6, 2021 4.0 Monitoring overtime, communication with staff, easily viewing requests, pay rates, daily line ups and staff logs are just a few day to day features that we utilize. HotSchedules is a must! Pros Online scheduling is a must for an operation of our size. The HotSchedules messaging makes communicating clearly to large groups of employees consistent. The reporting and data is a must. We use HotSchedules multiple times a day. Cons Some of the updates/when the software times out can get frustrating but I understand that they are necessary to make improvements. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.