--- title: "HotSchedules Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is HotSchedules the right Workforce Management solution for you? Explore 466 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/52611/HotSchedules/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" --- HotSchedules 4.4 (466) [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 September 15th, 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 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 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. “After using many scheduling tools this one is the best, allows interaction for other apps and platforms as well“ 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 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 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 466 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 SG Sanford G. F&B Personnel, Rental & Repair Technician Recreational Facilities and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hot Schedules, Cool Features" August 18, 2023 5.0 Having used several digital time keeping applications I can say that HotSchedules is at the forefront of modern employer/employee workplace record keeping, communicating and problem solving. I have nothing to report aside from the intuitive and positive experience of using HotSchedules. Pros The PC design and Cellular App function perfectly together with real time updates and changes made to one instantly reflects on the other. Understanding and navigating HotSchedules easy on the eyes layout and page designs couldn't be better, though I'm sure they will continue to improve even the smallest details to a more perfect version. Reviewing current, real time updated scheduling information may be the core of this program, but the ability to send and receive messages detailing important changes, requests, responses between workplace colleagues is fantastic. Cons In my personal and professional experience with HotSchedules I have little to report as negative. Being employed in the mountains at a ski resort the only drawbacks were not directly related to the HotSchedules program itself. From time to time our frail internet connection could be compromised or overloaded by guest's access and use resulting in lat notification of implementation of system updates. Once again, in my experience, this was a result more so of an overworked or disconnected internet, not the HotSchedules program itself. Switched from [7shifts](https://www.capterra.com/p/123038/7shifts-Restaurant-Scheduling/) Previously used application at a different occupation. Review Source Alainna B. Student Organization Officer Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "HotSchedules eliminates any excuse for missing shifts!" March 26, 2019 3.0 HotSchedules is the only scheduling software I've seen that meets the needs of the many workplaces I've been a part of! Pros I have found that HotSchedules solves the ever-present problem in any workplace: "I didn't know I was scheduled!" Even when employees swap shifts or take another employee's shift, the software shows them that they maintain ownership of their originally assigned shifts until manager approval. Cons The fact that users have to pay to download the app on their smartphones is challenging. Although the workplace pays for the software, employees have to pay to get the software on their cellphones. This problem is compounded by the fact that the website doesn't have a very interactive design, much unlike the app, so employees often have to get the app to have a decent experience using HotSchedules. Review Source Response from Fourth April 3, 2019 Thank you for the review Alainna, really appreciate you taking the time. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Customer Care with any questions or issues you may have down the road. VR Verified Reviewer VP of Finance Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great tool for scheduling and communicating with teams!" December 19, 2025 4.0 Overall we've had a great experience with HS. It helps our management team control labor and communicate with all staff members. Pros Easy to use system that is widely used in the industry so most managers have experience with it. Onboarding is a quick process. Cons The integration with Point of Sales system is tricky and time consuming. The forecasting models are static. Review Source LW Leahya W. Assistant Manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "The Features Set HotSchedules Apart" January 9, 2026 4.0 Pros The best part about HotSchedules is the ability to block out certain dates from being requested off by employees. Most scheduling software does not have this feature. Cons The inventory feature of HotSchedules can be finicky on devices outside of a computer, meaning you have a hard time entering data unless you record it and take it back to a computer. Review Source TM Tory M. CTO Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not a Good Restaurant Scheduling Platform for SMBs" September 4, 2024 1.0 Awful. Not tech-foward. Support responds quickly, but rarely with helpful information. Immensely overpriced. Don't waste your money on this. Pros It's scheduling capabilities meet the industry standards of required features. Cons Terribly overpriced (especially for Canadian customers) if you are using it unintegrated; lack of new features being added; an employee app that costs money; a cancellation policy that makes it hard to stop using service unless you time it smartly. Alternatives considered [7shifts](https://www.capterra.com/p/123038/7shifts-Restaurant-Scheduling/) Reason for choosing HotSchedules HS had better features at the time of decision making. 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 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 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 JR Justin R. Operations Manager Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solid tools, room for improvement." March 19, 2025 4.0 Solid product, very useful and much better than basic spreadsheet style scheduling/projecting tools. Projecting and scheduling becomes very intuitive and visually apparent. Pros Ability to do % based adjustments and the visual representation of a weekly schedule. Ease of adding and removing shifts. Cons The community/communication aspects were never effectively "sold" to me and seemed unnecessary. Mobile function was lacking, and the cost of the app was prohibitive for general employee use. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Waitress Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Software That Changed Scheduling " June 22, 2021 4.0 HotSchedules is so much more than just a mere scheduling software for companies. It is a way to empower your employees by giving them the ability to switch their shifts around in the event that something happens abruptly in life and you can’t help but miss a shift. It has eliminated the anxious feeling you get wondering if the person you asked to cover your shift is going to follow through or not by opening the shift up to all employees to pick up for themselves if it fits their schedules. Pros This software was game changing from the very first moment I used it in the restaurant industry. In the past, I had found myself in situations at work where I had thought I had another teammate’s spoken word that they would switch shifts with me and that would be enough to clear my name in the event that something went wrong and they didn’t end up showing up. Little did I know that would not be the case and I am going to be held responsible instead of getting into a petty battle of he/said she/said with my coworker. Enter HotSchedules, a software aimed at eliminating that prospect from happening in your workplace again. Not only does this software put the power of controlling your schedule if you have a last minute emergency, it also carries that message of the switching of shifts to the highest form of management. It’s an intuitive and life changing software that I wish every company would implement for its employees. Cons I honestly am trying to rack my brain for anything I felt was negative throughout my experience using HotSchedules and I can truthfully say that not once did this software let me down. People picked up shifts because they actually wanted the extra work and it eliminates the need to single out a coworker and put the pressure on them and opens the shift up for the possibility of any team member to pick it up. Review Source JS John S. Host Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "My Review Of HotSchedules" December 13, 2022 5.0 It's been a very pleasant experience. Ease of use contributes to most of that. Pros Being able to see when you work, the ability to request time off, the ability to message coworkers/managers, switching shifts with someone else is awesome to me too. It's a very simplistic layout too, very easy to navigate the website/app. Cons I wish that the app didn't have a paywall behind it. That's the only complaint I have. Review Source Response from Fourth December 21, 2022 Thanks for the feedback, John! So glad you're enjoying the simplicity of HotSchedules and finding it a great way to manage your schedule. RM Rachel M. General Manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Ease of Hotschedules" June 15, 2021 5.0 Overall has been a wonderful scheduling format for a large staff. It is used every day, regularly, by all staff members from executive to employee. Would recommend to any business owner, as it saves time with many different features provided. Pros The mobile app is very user friendly, with it being easy to navigate for all individuals that are tech savvy AND those who are not. The quick access of information, ability to contact employees, and daily use in operations allow for high volume and fast paced environments to continue to be productive without the day being hindered in time and productivity. Cons The updates on occasion can result in removal of features that can sometimes be very helpful after being regularly used. Would like to see a communication piece from Hotschedules asking about latest updates and whether they are well liked by users. Review Source KC Katherine C. Regional manager Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hotschedules for restaurants" July 21, 2022 4.0 Great software. Not sure about the business model, we eventually paid more for a different software that has better customer service for issues. Pros Hotschedules was our go-to scheduling software for years in multiple restaurants, even as many more options came on the market. It was easy to use as a manager/scheduler & also for our staff Cons Hotschedules customer service was not quick to address issues but The price kept going up even as fixes weren’t betting put in place. Alternatives considered [7shifts](https://www.capterra.com/p/123038/7shifts-Restaurant-Scheduling/) Reason for choosing HotSchedules I didn’t Review Source RP Rick P. General Manager Restaurants Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Takes too long to sync new employees from Aloha." January 19, 2018 3.0 Making scheduling a less of an headache. Being able to focus on other aspects of managing my restaurant. Pros Makes scheduling easier. I've never had an issues when it comes to scheduling with HS. It's a great platform especially when you operate a high volume restaurant. Hotschedules has allowed me to focus on other aspects of managing my restaurant. Scheduling literally takes about 15 minutes every week. Employees past and present have also had positive things to say about hot-schedules. Employees like the fact that you can download the app and be able to see any updates made to the schedule. Go-Hire has also been a great tool for my company. Onboarding new employees is made so much easier now with eliminating paper appplications and documents. Go hire easily let's you conduct background checks on new hires with a click of a button. Cons As I stated above in the describe your experience section. The fact that getting a new employee synced in hotschedules after they have been entered into Aloha takes 24 hours is really a big inconvenience. For me personally, this has resulted in delaying the start date for new hires. I have documented about twelve different support requests to the support team to help get a new hire synced faster. I suggest maybe allowing admins to manually add employees to the staff list to help resolve this issues. Operating a restaurant with high turnover, it's crucial that new hire are able to start right away with no delay. This by far the biggest and only con that I can think of with this platform. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Director Of Operations Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Very convenient tool" March 6, 2019 5.0 Overall, our business couldn't function without HotSchedules. It makes scheduling easy for managers and provides vital flexibility for employees. It might be overkill for small teams, but if you frequently schedule several people for many shifts each week, it's well worth the cost. Pros HotSchedules allows employees to trade shifts, pick up shifts, and see their schedules very easily. It makes managing personnel and schedules so much easier for managers, and it's great for the team to have added flexibility. Without HotSchedules, trading shifts can be a nightmare for both employee and manager alike. Cons The only con we've seen is that HotSchedules has built-in rejections for some requests. In theory, this is a great tool - if you don't meet the criteria to make the request, then it's automatically rejected. However, there are some manual workarounds, which means employees still make requests to the manager rather than via HotSchedules since they know there can be adjustments made. This really isn't a complaint of HotSchedules since it works as it's supposed to, but just a head's up that there will still be manual adjustments. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Operations Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Makes a restaurant run" July 24, 2018 5.0 Internal communications and schedule notifications to a distributed workforce. Pros Hotschedules makes schedule creation and updates ridiculously easy. Not only can you input the schedules you need covered to receive optimization suggestions, but once you post the schedules, you don't have to track down your staff to inform them of their schedules. Cons When I utilizied Hotschedules my employees were not able to input one-off requests or identify preferred shifts, limiting the efficacy of the schedule optimization features. There was also not an option to send internal communication notes to management emails so there was no way to verify when management was reading the information. Review Source dD diandra D. server Restaurants Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great scheduling ap" May 16, 2019 5.0 One of the best scheduling websites I've ever seen or used. Pros As a user, I love how easy this product is. You can view your schedule, see who else is working, and swap and release shifts without an issue. It has an easy to use web browser, and mobile ap (although you do pay for it) so you can use hotschedules whichever way you prefer. It also has a great messaging system which allows you to message entire groups of people at once (management, kitchen, servers). It also tells you how many people are ahead of you on a wait list for a shift you picked up. The autopick up function is excellent as well for when you need to get a shift and non are available. Cons I am not a fan of the most recent update. Prior, you would be able to "see all schedule" and see the entire week, alphabetically, where everyone was working etc. Now however, you can't see the weekly schedule at once and you need to click day by day. This can be challenging when trying to swap shifts with other staff, or see others schedules. Review Source GL Greg L. Restaurant Service Manager Restaurants Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "This software is easy to use and a great way to communicate." August 8, 2017 4.0 The largest benefit was time management. I have a lot more time to do other things that improve our guest's experience, which is the bottom line of my job. Pros The communication side of it is great. I have less meetings now that I can send out mass messages. The scheduler itself is top notch. I can move shifts around quickly using the quick keys and copying schedules is a snap. Having the freedom to do my schedule anywhere and being able to approve or deny schedule changes from my phone makes those decisions more informed. We use it to document all incidents good and bad on employees, so when an evaluation comes around you have all that information at your fingertips. It makes a great reservation scheduler. The roster report is the first thing I print out in the mornings to make sure everyone is here and where they are supposed to be and if they are not I have all the phone numbers on that sheet. The fact that it gives you the number of hours for everyone helps with creating budgets for the week. Cons My biggest complaint is that part of the expense for the is put on the employee. I know it's very little but some employees don't have a bank account or credit card and have trouble making the purchase. It seems to me that the revenue generated by that could be built into the cost of the software on the employer side. Review Source JB Jessica B. Catering Manager Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hotschedules Is Perfect For The Hospitality Industry" August 9, 2019 5.0 This has helped manage overtime before it even happens. While scheduling employees, the software calculates the hours and gives you a warning for any person that is going into or approaching overtime. This has saved us money and helped better allocate time. Hotschedules is a game changer for the hospitality industry. Pros This software is extremely user friendly. I love that my staff is able to put all of their availability changes, requests for time off and switch shifts through the software. It makes it extremely easy to create the schedule each week. Tracking of overtime is a huge help as a manager as well. This is a must have tool for anyone in the hospitality industry. It will save your scheduling sanity! Cons The only downside to this software is the cost for the app. While it is minimal and you can still log in for free through any web browser, a free app would be ideal for the hourly employees. I honestly have no other bad things to say about this software. I highly recommend it! Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Banquet/Catering Manager Used the software for: 2+ years ### "This program was easy to learn and very user friendly." January 18, 2018 4.0 The benefits that I get from this software are being able to put out a schedule in real time and get it to my employees in an effective way. It also benefits my employees because they are able to use it and make changes to their schedule if needed. The alerts are great! Pros What I like most about this software is that you can send your employees messages and post schedules that will go directly to their e-mail and/or text. Cons What I like least about this software is that it sometimes will glitch when I'm in the middle of a schedule and then I will have to go back and redo the entire thing. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Salesforce Application Administrator Banking Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great for restaurants!" July 14, 2023 5.0 Overall it was a great way to keep track of schedules while working in a restaurant! Pros Love that you can log in, pick up or release a shift from your phone. You can keep track your schedule, request to work, request off with ease! Cons If you want the mobile app, it costs $2.99 to download. It's not the end of the world, but if my employer is already paying for the system, I don't like that I had to pay for the app. Review Source EF Eric F. Kitchen Manager Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Restaurant Must have " March 10, 2020 5.0 As a former manager at a Texas Roadhouse, I was familiar with this software, and eager to bring it to my new venture. It immediately eliminated the use of paper schedules, and the chaos of employees switching shifts without making management aware. This increased both labor costs, and morale. Pros It’s easy to use, built for high volume restaurants. I took a restaurant that was still relying on paper, emailed schedules, and converted them to Bot Schedules. This eliminated issues of shift coverage changes, where we expected one employee, but another showed up, and all the associated communication issues. Cons It was much more difficult to order and install that I previously remember. Customer service in the sales department was definitely lacking just a touch. Once we got the ball rolling it was fine, but the initial sale was a bit rocky to start. Reason for choosing HotSchedules Again, I used it heavily while working for the Texas Roadhouse franchise. I was familiar with the product, and knew it was necessary in the restaurant business. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) Familiarity, and organization. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer server Hospitality Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Easy if everyone uses it! ha!" October 24, 2019 4.0 Pros I like the ability to have everything in one place for all employees. I have used this as a server and as a manager and as a manager, being able to see what everyone needs and organize the schedules all in one place is the highlight here. And it allows you to separate different schedules, like server and manager schedules, etc. Cons There are some glitches sometimes, it's slow and doesn't always load on my phone. And other people have complained about this as well. I suppose some of the functions could be easier and a little more user-friendly. 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.