Employee scheduling is a critical aspect of workforce management, ensuring the efficient allocation of resources while maintaining employee satisfaction. With the advent of technology, businesses have embraced employee scheduling software to optimize their operations.

Among the various options available, Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software stands out for its affordability and flexibility. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software, exploring its functionalities, benefits, and impact on businesses and employees alike.

What is Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software?

Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software is a digital solution designed to help businesses manage their workforce efficiently and effortlessly. Unlike traditional scheduling methods, which are often time-consuming and prone to errors, this software automates the process, allowing managers to create, edit, and distribute schedules seamlessly.

Advantages of Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software

1. Cost-Effective Solution: With no licensing fees or subscriptions, free and open source software provides a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
2. Flexibility and Customization: Open source scheduling software allows businesses to customize the system according to their unique requirements, ensuring a perfect fit for their specific needs.
3. Transparency and Community Support: Being open source, the software enjoys transparency, with an active community providing continuous support and updates.
4. Improved Employee Satisfaction: By enabling employees to access their schedules online and request changes, the software empowers them with more control over their work-life balance.
5. Time and Resource Savings: Automating the scheduling process reduces the time and resources spent on manual scheduling, enabling managers to focus on more strategic tasks.
6. Real-Time Updates: Employees can receive real-time updates about their schedules, reducing confusion and improving overall communication.

Check out: Open Source Erp Packages

Top Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software

1. Connecteam

Best for: Mobile workforce management and all-in-one scheduling for deskless teams.
Connecteam is an all-in-one employee management app well-suited for businesses with field or remote workers. It’s highly regarded for its mobile-first approach to scheduling, time tracking, and team communication. Small businesses love Connecteam’s free plan (up to 50 employees) which provides core scheduling and communication features without any cost​

timedoctor.com. Connecteam is not open-source, but it offers a free forever plan (with limited features for up to 50 users) and paid plans for larger teams or advanced functionality​

timedoctor.com.

Key Features:

• Shift Scheduling & Templates: Create shifts and even let employees claim open shifts themselves​timedoctor.com. Save schedules as templates to automate repetitive plans.
• Shift Details & Compliance: Add shift information like location or notes, and schedule according to break/overtime rules to comply with labor laws​timedoctor.com.
• Time Off & Attendance: Track time-off requests, breaks, and hours automatically within the app​timedoctor.com.
• Team Communication: Built-in chat and announcement tools keep everyone informed when schedules change (available in the broader Connecteam app).
• Multi-Language Support: The app supports 11 languages, making it useful for diverse teams​timedoctor.com.

Pricing: Connecteam’s Community plan is free for up to 50 users (with feature limitations)​

timedoctor.com. Paid plans with more features start around $47/month (flat) or per-user pricing depending on package​

timedoctor.com. The free plan includes scheduling, task management, and communications – ideal for small teams.

2. Homebase

Best for: Small businesses (retail, restaurants, etc.) needing easy scheduling & basic HR tools.
Homebase is a popular cloud-based scheduling tool that’s particularly friendly for small businesses. In addition to drag-and-drop shift scheduling, it offers extras like time tracking, payroll integration, and even hiring tools. Homebase is freemium: it offers a robust free plan for unlimited employees at a single location​

timedoctor.com, making it perfect for independent restaurants, coffee shops, or stores. Paid plans add more locations and advanced HR features.

Key Features:

• Intuitive Shift Scheduling: Easily create and edit schedules with a drag-and-drop interface. Homebase can even auto-populate schedules based on your labor targets​timedoctor.com.
• Overtime & Late Alerts: The system sends notifications when employees approach overtime or if someone is late to clock in​timedoctor.com, helping you stay compliant and on budget.
• Shift Notes & Instructions: Managers can add notes to shifts (e.g., daily tasks or reminders) so employees see all relevant info with their schedule​timedoctor.com.
• Time Tracking & Payroll Prep: Homebase includes a time clock and timesheets. It can alert you to missed clock-ins and integrates with point-of-sale (POS) and payroll systems for seamless wage calculations​timedoctor.com​timedoctor.com.
• Hiring & HR: The free plan also provides job posting and applicant tracking, and all plans include basic team messaging to communicate changes or updates.

Pricing: Free for one business location with unlimited employees​

timedoctor.com. Upgrading (starting ~$20/month per location) unlocks multiple locations, advanced scheduling forecasts, labor cost controls, and other HR features. The free tier covers scheduling, time clock, and basic reporting – plenty for many small operations.

3. Sling

Best for: Businesses of any size looking for a free solution with unlimited employees.
Sling is a flexible shift scheduling and communication app used by a wide range of industries. It helps managers eliminate scheduling conflicts and handle shift swaps, all while keeping team communication in one place. Sling’s standout offering is its completely free plan with unlimited employees and schedules​

timedoctor.com – you can use the core scheduling and messaging features at no cost. (Premium upgrades add things like timesheets and reporting.)

Key Features:

• Shift Planning & Templates: Create and publish shifts easily. Sling allows saving shift templates to quickly reuse common schedules, reducing repetitive work​timedoctor.com.
• Availability & Shift Trade: Employees can set their availability and pick up open shifts or swap shifts with coworkers through the app (with manager approval), making scheduling more flexible​timedoctor.com.
• Conflict Detection: Sling automatically flags overlapping shifts or double-bookings, helping prevent scheduling errors​timedoctor.com.
• Team Communication: Includes built-in chat and messaging. Managers can send announcements or reminders about upcoming shifts, and team members can communicate about coverage.
• Time Clock & Reports (Premium): While the free version focuses on scheduling and messaging, Sling’s paid plans add a time clock, labor cost reporting, and other workforce management tools​timedoctor.com.

Pricing: Free basic plan supporting unlimited employees and managers​

timedoctor.com – this covers scheduling, shift notifications, and messages. Paid plans (starting at $2/user/month) add features like timesheets, budget tracking, and task management​

timedoctor.com. Many small businesses find the free version sufficient for scheduling and internal communications.

4. 7shifts

Best for: Restaurants and hospitality businesses managing shift work.
7shifts is a scheduling platform built with restaurants in mind, though it can be used in any shift-based business. It includes industry-specific features like tip pooling and sales integration to help optimize labor costs in restaurants. 7shifts operates on a freemium model: it offers a free plan for one location (up to 30 employees) with scheduling and time clock functionality, which is great for small restaurants or cafes​

timedoctor.com. Larger restaurants can opt for paid tiers with more features.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Schedule Builder: 7shifts makes it easy to build schedules visually and quickly adjust them. Its interface is intuitive, which reduces the time managers spend creating weekly rosters​timedoctor.com.
• Restaurant-Specific Tools: Beyond scheduling, 7shifts offers time tracking on POS terminals or tablets, tip reporting, and compliance with labor regulations (e.g., mandatory breaks) — all tailored to food service environments​timedoctor.com​timedoctor.com.
• Shift Swaps & Availability: Employees can submit availability changes, trade shifts, or request time off through the app. Managers get notifications to approve changes, keeping everyone accountable​timedoctor.com.
• Labor Cost Management: The platform can integrate with sales data (from systems like Toast or Square) to help forecast staffing needs and monitor labor costs vs. sales in real time. Built-in labor budgeting tools warn if you’re scheduling too many hours for your budget​timedoctor.com.
• Mobile App: 7shifts provides a robust mobile app so managers and staff can manage schedules, clock in/out, and communicate on the go – a must for busy restaurant teams.

Pricing: Free for 1 location (up to 30 employees) with basic scheduling, time clock, and announcements. This free “Comp” plan is fairly feature-rich for single-location eateries​

timedoctor.com. Paid plans start at about $29.99/month per location, adding features like sales integrations, multiple departments, and advanced reports.

5. Deputy

Best for: Growing businesses and enterprises that need advanced scheduling with a free starter option.
Deputy is a comprehensive employee scheduling and workforce management tool used by many mid-sized and large organizations. It stands out for its powerful features (like auto-scheduling and labor law compliance tools) and a flexible pricing strategy. Deputy offers a free Starter plan (“Scheduling” tier) that includes core scheduling, shift management, and time clock features for an unlimited number of employees​

b2breviews.com. This free tier allows smaller teams to use Deputy at no cost, while larger companies can upgrade to unlock more advanced capabilities.

Key Features:

• Shift Scheduling & Publishing: Create and publish shifts to employees via the Deputy web or mobile app. Even the free plan includes unlimited shift scheduling and sharing with your team​b2breviews.com​b2breviews.com.
• Time & Attendance: Built-in time sheets and a time clock (with options for biometric or mobile clock-ins) ensure accurate time tracking. Deputy can generate timesheets for payroll and track breaks and overtime.
• Leave Management: Handle PTO and leave requests in one place​b2breviews.com. Employees can request time off through the app, and managers can approve and have it reflected in the schedule.
• Team Communication: Deputy facilitates team messaging and announcements to notify staff of new schedules or any changes​b2breviews.com. Everyone can use the Deputy mobile app to stay in the loop and swap shifts if needed (with manager approval).
• Advanced Scheduling (Premium): The paid Premium plan adds AI-powered auto-scheduling (to create optimal schedules based on demand forecasts), labor cost reporting, payroll integrations (POS, etc.), and custom scheduling rules for complex needs​b2breviews.com. These features can greatly streamline workforce management in larger operations.

Pricing: Free Starter Plan – Deputy’s “Starter” tier is free and includes essential scheduling, shift notifications, time clock, and basic leave management for any number of employees​

b2breviews.com. Upgrading to the Premium plan (around $4-$5 per user/month) adds advanced features like auto-scheduling, reporting, and integrations​

b2breviews.com. Deputy also offers a 31-day free trial of premium features for new users. The free version is a great way for businesses to try Deputy or continue using basic functionality indefinitely.

6. SocialSchedules (formerly OpenSimSim)

Best for: Hourly workforce scheduling for retail, hospitality, and other shift-based industries.
SocialSchedules, known to many by its old name OpenSimSim, is a modern employee scheduling app focused on hourly workers. It’s designed to be easy for managers to build schedules and for employees to access them via mobile. SocialSchedules operates on a freemium model; it provides a free plan for teams of up to 10 employees which covers core scheduling and time clock needs​

timedoctor.com. This makes it ideal for small teams or those just getting started with online scheduling.

Key Features:

• Quick Schedule Creation: Managers can create weekly or daily schedules in minutes. The interface offers a clear week-by-week view of shifts and total hours​timedoctor.com.
• Shift Reminders: The app sends automated shift reminders to employees, reducing no-shows. SocialSchedules emphasizes keeping everyone informed in real time about their upcoming shifts.
• GPS Clock-ins: For businesses concerned about attendance, it has a GPS-based time clock – employees can only clock in at the approved location, ensuring they are on-site​timedoctor.com.
• Team Communication: SocialSchedules includes in-app messaging and group chat. Managers can share the schedule with one click to individuals or groups, and employees can message about swaps or find cover within the app​timedoctor.com.
• Payroll Tracking: It can track hours and export timesheets or integrate with payroll systems. This helps businesses monitor labor costs and ensure scheduling stays within budget​timedoctor.com.

Pricing: Free for up to 10 employees per location​

timedoctor.com, which covers scheduling, messaging, and basic time tracking. If you have a larger team, paid plans start around $16/month per location and allow unlimited employees​

timedoctor.com. The paid tiers also add features like multiple locations, advanced reporting, and integrations (but many small teams get by with the free version alone).

7. Findmyshift

Best for: Flexible scheduling with a simple interface (great for businesses of all sizes).
Findmyshift is a longstanding online employee scheduling tool known for its clean, spreadsheet-like interface and flexibility. It’s used by organizations ranging from small nonprofits to large companies because it scales well. Findmyshift offers a free plan for very small teams: you can use it free for up to 5 employees and 1 manager with essential features​

everhour.com. This is perfect for tiny businesses, volunteer groups, or as a trial for bigger ones. Paid plans unlock more employees and features.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Scheduler: The interface allows you to drag and drop shifts or copy/paste shifts much like a spreadsheet, making it easy to create schedules visually​everhour.com. It’s very intuitive for those used to Excel or Google Sheets.
• Recurring Shift Patterns: You can set up recurring shift templates or rotations (e.g., for rotating rosters or repeating weekly schedules) to save time on schedule creation​everhour.com.
• Availability & Time-Off Management: Employees can input their availability and submit time-off requests through the system. Managers can approve or deny requests with a click, and the schedule view will reflect these preferences​everhour.com.
• Notifications: Automated email or SMS notifications keep everyone updated. For instance, employees get notified of their shifts or any changes, and managers can receive alerts for shift swap requests or when someone hasn’t confirmed a shift​everhour.com.
• Reporting & Integrations: Findmyshift offers reporting on labor hours and costs. It also integrates with other systems like payroll (e.g., Xero, QuickBooks) and even has an API, allowing you to extend its functionality.

Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 staff members + 1 manager​

everhour.com, which includes basic scheduling and email notifications. For larger teams, paid plans start at about $25/month per team and support more employees, SMS alerts, weather forecasts, etc. The free tier’s limitation on team size means it’s best for very small operations, but it’s a great way to test out Findmyshift’s features in practice.

8. Bitrix24

Best for: Companies seeking an all-in-one business software (HR, CRM, project management) that includes scheduling.
Bitrix24 is a comprehensive business management platform that provides tools from CRM to HR management. Within its HR toolkit, Bitrix24 offers employee scheduling and time management features. It stands out by having a free plan for unlimited users​

timedoctor.com – yes, even the free version of Bitrix24 allows an unlimited number of employees on the platform, which is great for growing businesses on a tight budget. Bitrix24 can be used in the cloud or self-hosted (the core is partially open-source for on-premise users).

Key Features:

• Work Schedules & Shifts: Bitrix24 supports multiple types of work schedules – you can set fixed schedules, flexible hours, or shift-based rosters for your staff​timedoctor.com. The scheduling module helps define working hours, rotations, and overtime rules.
• Time Tracking & Alerts: The system automatically logs working hours and can send alerts if, for example, an employee hasn’t met their required hours or is approaching overtime​timedoctor.com. There’s also a built-in clock-in/clock-out mechanism to track attendance.
• Leave and Absence Management: Employees can record absences or request leave. Managers see this in the team calendar, and Bitrix24 will factor it into work schedules (so you don’t accidentally schedule someone who’s on vacation).
• Integrated Communications: Because Bitrix24 is an all-in-one platform, the scheduling ties into its internal communications (like group chat and activity feed) – when a new schedule is published or someone swaps a shift, you can easily inform the team.
• Additional HR Features: Bitrix24’s free plan also includes an employee directory, company announcements, and basic task management. This makes it a handy central hub for small businesses to manage people operations beyond just shifts.

Pricing: Free plan with unlimited users​

timedoctor.com, which includes basic HR, scheduling, time management, and other Bitrix24 features. The free tier has storage and feature limitations but is quite generous for scheduling and communication purposes. Paid plans (from ~$49/month for 5 users and up) expand the storage, add advanced CRM/project features, and provide more automation, but for many small-to-medium teams, the free version of Bitrix24 can handle scheduling, time tracking, and internal comms without issue.

9. TeamUltim

Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a simple, modern tool for shift planning and HR management.
TeamUltim is a newer web-based app that focuses on personnel management and shift scheduling. It provides a friendly interface for creating schedules, managing leave, and storing basic HR information. TeamUltim offers a free tier that supports up to 10 employees in a single location​

timedoctor.com, which covers the needs of many small teams. It’s a hosted (proprietary) solution, but its affordability and ease-of-use have made it notable by 2025.

Key Features:

• Visual Shift Planner: TeamUltim’s scheduler lets you plan shifts for each employee and location with clarity​timedoctor.com. Different teams or departments can be color-coded, making it easy to differentiate schedules across roles or locations​timedoctor.com.
• Hour Tracking: As you assign shifts, TeamUltim keeps track of hours per employee, ensuring you don’t overload someone or breach contracted hours inadvertently​timedoctor.com. You can set maximum and minimum hours for each employee to aid compliance and fairness.
• Shift Templates: Save common shift arrangements or weekly schedules as templates. This allows you to apply a template and then tweak specific dates as needed, rather than building every schedule from scratch.
• Leave Management: The platform includes basic leave (vacation, sick days) management. Employees can request time off, and managers see these and approve/decline, with the calendar updating accordingly.
• Centralized Employee Info: TeamUltim doubles as a lightweight HR system – you can maintain an employee database with contact info and roles, which ties into scheduling. Everyone can have a login to view their upcoming shifts, remaining leave days, etc.

Pricing: Free plan for up to 10 employees (one location) with essential scheduling and HR features​

timedoctor.com. This free version is great for small teams or as a pilot. For larger organizations, TeamUltim offers paid plans (pricing available on request) to accommodate more staff and multiple locations​

timedoctor.com. The paid plans also enable additional features like shift swapping by employees and advanced reporting.

10. Inch

Best for: Task-oriented scheduling and workforce coordination, with a completely free solution.
Inch is an employee scheduling and task management app that stands out for being entirely free to use​

timedoctor.com. It’s a relatively new entrant focused on helping businesses schedule shifts and assign related tasks efficiently. Inch is unique in that it supports voice-operated commands for hands-free use, though you can use it via web and mobile normally as well. It’s suited for businesses of all sizes that want a cost-free tool to manage schedules, track time, and communicate with staff.

Key Features:

• Shift Scheduling: Create and manage employee schedules with an easy-to-use interface​everhour.com. You can publish schedules for your team and allow them to view their shifts or even claim open shifts if you allow it.
• Task Management: Alongside scheduling, Inch lets you assign to-dos and tasks to employees (for example, a cleaning task at the end of a shift)​timedoctor.com. This helps merge operational task planning with scheduling.
• Shift Reminders: Employees receive real-time notifications and reminders for their upcoming shifts, so they’re less likely to forget or miss a scheduled work period​timedoctor.com.
• Shift Swaps & Coverage: Inch supports shift swap requests. Employees can request to trade shifts, and managers can approve these within the app, making scheduling more flexible.
• Voice Commands: A novel feature of Inch is voice control – managers can, for instance, use voice to assign a task or ask the app to clock someone in. While not everyone may use this, it’s an innovative addition for hands-free situations (like a manager walking the shop floor).

Pricing: Completely free. Inch does not charge for its app usage as of 2025​

timedoctor.com. All features – scheduling, task management, time tracking, etc. – are available to users without any subscription fees. This makes Inch very attractive for budget-conscious businesses, though being a newer app, you’ll want to ensure it fits your feature needs.

11. TimeTrex

Best for: Comprehensive open-source workforce management (scheduling, attendance, HR, and payroll).
TimeTrex is a well-established open-source workforce management software. Its Community Edition is free and open-source, which companies can self-host. TimeTrex offers a broad range of features: scheduling is a core component, but it also handles time clocks, payroll calculations, and more. This makes TimeTrex ideal for organizations that want an integrated HR system without licensing fees. It’s used by businesses, schools, and even government agencies worldwide, valued for its flexibility and zero cost for the Community version.

Key Features:

• Flexible Shift Scheduling: The scheduling module allows creation of many schedule types – unique single shifts, recurring weekly schedules, rotating rosters, and even multi-week cycles​peoplemanagingpeople.com. This flexibility means you can design almost any kind of shift pattern to match your organization’s needs.
• Employee Self-Service: Employees can log in to view their schedules and submit requests such as shift changes, vacation time, or personal leave​peoplemanagingpeople.com. Managers receive these requests in TimeTrex and can approve or deny them, with the calendar updating automatically.
• Time & Attendance Tracking: TimeTrex includes a time clock (which can be web-based or even biometric/hardware) to track clock-ins/outs. It handles overtime calculations, breaks, and can ensure labor law compliance regarding hours worked.
• Payroll Integration: Uniquely, TimeTrex can actually run payroll. It calculates wages, overtime, taxes, etc., based on the attendance data. This integration means fewer errors since your scheduling and time data flow directly into payroll.
• Reporting & Integrations: There are extensive reports for hours worked, overtime, and compliance. TimeTrex also integrates with popular payroll systems (ADP, QuickBooks, Paychex, etc.) if you prefer to export data​peoplemanagingpeople.com. You can extend functionality via modules or use their APIs given it’s open source.

Pricing: Open-source Community Edition – free to download and install on your server​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. This edition has no per-user cost. There is also a paid Pro and Enterprise edition (with support and hosting options) for those who want a managed solution or extra features, but the free Community Edition is fully functional for scheduling, time tracking, and basic HR. Keep in mind you’ll need some IT know-how to host and maintain it, but there’s an active community and documentation to assist.

12. Odoo Planning (Odoo ERP’s Scheduling Module)

Best for: Companies seeking a free open-source scheduling tool integrated with other business apps.
Odoo is a popular open-source ERP system that includes a wide array of applications, one of which is Odoo Planning for employee scheduling. If you’re looking for an open-source solution that not only handles scheduling but can also tie into HR, project management, and more, Odoo is a great choice. The Planning module in Odoo allows you to manage shifts and assignments for both employees and other resources​

odoo.com. Odoo’s Community Edition is free and open-source, meaning you can use the Planning module without licensing fees (though hosted Odoo Online has free user limits as well).

Key Features:

• Team Shift Planning: Plan your team’s schedule with a clear calendar or Gantt view. Odoo Planning lets you assign shifts to employees (or even to equipment as “resources”), define roles for shifts (e.g., Manager, Cashier), and see everything laid out in a timeline​odoo.com. The Gantt chart provides a high-level overview of coverage​odoo.com.
• Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: Creating and reassigning shifts is easy with drag-and-drop. Need to cover an absence? Just drag an open shift to another employee. You can also create open shifts (unassigned) and allow employees to volunteer for them​odoo.com.
• Shift Swapping & Open Shifts: Collaboration features let employees request shifts or swap among themselves. Odoo allows you to mark shifts as open so that team members can pick them up if they’re available​odoo.com. Managers maintain control but have less micromanagement to do.
• Conflict Prevention: The system warns you if you accidentally schedule someone for overlapping shifts or assign them when they’re on leave​odoo.com. This helps avoid common scheduling errors.
• Integration with HR & Projects: Because it’s part of Odoo, the Planning module connects with other apps. For example, it can integrate with Odoo Employees (HR) for pulling in employee data and availability. It can also link with the Project app if you schedule people to projects or tasks​odoo.com. Time off from the Time Off app will show in Planning so you won’t schedule someone who’s on vacation.

Pricing: Free and open-source as part of Odoo Community Edition. You can self-host Odoo for free (unlimited users, all modules). Odoo’s cloud (Odoo Online) also offers a free plan for a single app with unlimited users – meaning you could use just the Planning app online for free, with some usage limitations. In any case, cost isn’t a barrier: you get a full-featured scheduling tool plus the option to add other Odoo apps as needed, all without per-user fees in the open-source version.

13. WP-HR Manager (Shift Scheduling via WordPress)

Best for: Organizations running WordPress websites that want an integrated HR and scheduling solution.
WP-HR Manager is a plugin that turns your WordPress site into an HR management system. While its core covers HR functions like employee records and leave management, you can also use extensions or techniques within it to manage employee schedules and attendance. This is a good option for small businesses or nonprofits that already use WordPress and prefer open-source, modular solutions. The core plugin is free and open-source (available on WordPress.org), with paid extensions for additional features​

peoplemanagingpeople.com.

Key Features:

• Employee Database: Maintain all your employee profiles on your WordPress site – contact details, positions, salaries, etc​peoplemanagingpeople.com. This central repository can be extended to include scheduling information or custom fields like shifts.
• Attendance & Time Tracking: WP-HR Manager offers check-in/check-out functionality for employees​peoplemanagingpeople.com. Staff can log their work hours through a simple interface, which you could use to track shift times.
• Leave and Holiday Management: The plugin has built-in leave request and approval workflows​peoplemanagingpeople.com. This ensures that when you schedule, you know who is on leave. Employees can request time off from a self-service portal, and managers approve it in WordPress.
• Multi-Location Support: You can organize employees by location or department, which helps if you schedule separately for different stores or units​peoplemanagingpeople.com. Management roles can also be defined, so you could allow department managers to handle scheduling for their own teams.
• Extendable with Add-ons: While the free core might not have a dedicated “shift scheduling” calendar out-of-the-box, WP-HR can be extended. For example, there are paid extensions for advanced attendance management, shift planning, and integrations with calendar plugins. Since it’s WordPress, many users also integrate other free calendar plugins or booking plugins to handle shift rosters, using WP-HR as the base for employee data.

Pricing: Free core plugin​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. This gives you basic HR and attendance features on your WordPress site. Premium extensions (starting from ~$5.99/month per site) can add specific features like shift scheduling modules, reporting, or performance reviews​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. Even without paid add-ons, small organizations can use WP-HR Manager to track employees and their work hours at no cost, then leverage other free WordPress calendar plugins to schedule shifts if needed.

14. Booked Scheduler

Best for: Resource scheduling that can be adapted for employee scheduling (ideal for clubs, labs, or non-profits).
Booked (formerly known as phpScheduleIt) is an open-source scheduling system traditionally used for reserving resources like rooms or equipment. However, many have repurposed it to schedule people (especially for volunteer management or simple shift rotations), since it’s essentially a system for booking time slots. Booked’s open-source project was widely used, and now the software is also offered in a hosted SaaS model. It’s a powerful and highly configurable scheduler that’s still relatively easy to use. While the hosted version isn’t free, you can still find the open-source edition for self-hosting, and the company offers a free 30-day trial of the cloud version​

peoplemanagingpeople.com​

peoplemanagingpeople.com.

Key Features:

• Calendar Scheduling Views: Booked provides multiple views (daily, weekly, monthly calendars) where you can see availability and book time slots​peoplemanagingpeople.com. If using for employees, you might treat each employee or role as a “resource” and assign shifts as bookings.
• Customizable Fields & Rules: It’s highly configurable – you can define custom fields for bookings, approval workflows, and reservation rules. For example, you could set a rule that limits how many shifts a person can be booked for in a week to prevent overload.
• Email Notifications: Automatic email (or SMS) notifications are sent for booking confirmations, changes, or reminders. This keeps everyone informed of their “reserved” times (shifts) and any updates.
• Multi-User Access with Permissions: You can have unlimited users on the system with different permission levels. Regular employees (or members) can be allowed to sign up for open slots or just view their assigned slots, while admins can manage the whole schedule.
• Appearance & Integration: Booked’s interface is web-based and can be styled to match your branding. It also supports integration through APIs, meaning you can connect it with other systems or embed the calendar on your website.

Pricing: The open-source version of Booked is free to download (community-supported). The developers now focus on the hosted version, which is about $12/month (unlimited users/resources) with a free 30-day trial available​

peoplemanagingpeople.com​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. If you have tech resources, using the open-source edition gives you a powerful scheduler at no cost. Non-profits and clubs often go this route. For those who want no IT hassle, the paid hosted version is low-cost and all-inclusive (and you can try it free for a month).

15. Auto Shift Planner

Best for: Automatically generating optimized shift schedules via algorithms.
Auto Shift Planner is an open-source web application designed to automatically create balanced shift rosters​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. It’s particularly useful if you have complex scheduling requirements or want to save time by letting an algorithm place employees into shifts based on rules and preferences. The tool was developed with advanced heuristics (even considering it a form of solving a “nurse rostering” problem common in operations research). Auto Shift Planner is free to use and can be self-hosted (the source code is on GitHub).

Key Features:

• Automated Schedule Generation: You input your requirements – such as how many people are needed per shift, the operating hours, each employee’s availability or required hours, and any constraints (like skill requirements or rest times). The software then computes an optimal schedule for all employees at the click of a button​peoplemanagingpeople.com. This can save tremendous time for large teams.
• Constraint Handling: It’s built to handle complex rules. For example, you can ensure no employee works back-to-back closing then opening shifts (unless allowed), or that each employee gets two days off per week, etc. The planner considers these constraints while constructing the schedule​peoplemanagingpeople.com.
• Balanced Rosters: The algorithms aim to distribute shifts fairly and efficiently, avoiding overworking some employees while under-utilizing others​peoplemanagingpeople.com. This balance can improve morale and ensure everyone meets their required hours.
• Manual Adjustments: After the auto-generation, managers can still tweak the schedule manually. The interface allows drag-and-drop adjustments in case the manager wants to swap an assignment or make a specific change.
• Use Cases: While any business with shift work can use it, Auto Shift Planner shines in scenarios like healthcare staffing, security personnel scheduling, or large retail stores – anywhere a lot of constraints and preferences need to be balanced.

Pricing: Free and open-source​

peoplemanagingpeople.com. You can access the app via its GitHub Pages link for free, or download the source to run on your own server. There are no paid plans. Being open-source, it’s maintained by the community, and you might need a tech person to set it up if you self-host. But once running, it provides a cost-free way to get optimized schedules with minimal effort.

16. Shift Scheduler (Oasido)

Best for: Self-hosted solution for basic shift scheduling and absence management.
Shift Scheduler by Oasido is an open-source web app project created to simplify creating weekly shift schedules and managing employee time-off requests​

github.com. It’s a great option for small organizations or teams that want a simple tool they can host themselves (for example, on an internal server or even a private cloud) without worrying about licenses. The app provides a straightforward interface for both managers and employees.

Key Features:

• Week-by-Week Schedule View: The app displays the current week’s schedule to all users​github.com. Employees log in and immediately see when they are working. If a schedule for a given week hasn’t been published yet, users will know it’s not available, avoiding confusion.
• Employee Absence Requests: Employees can request days they cannot work by marking those dates and providing a reason​github.com. These requests go into the system for managers to review. For example, an employee might block out “Friday – doctor’s appointment.”
• Manager Approval Dashboard: Managers (admins) have a dedicated panel to see all time-off/availability requests​github.com. They can approve or deny each request. Approved “unavailability” will be accounted for when generating the schedule (so those employees won’t be placed on those days).
• Automatic Shift Generation: Shift Scheduler can auto-generate a draft schedule at the click of a button​github.com. It randomly assigns employees to shifts (with some logic like ensuring coverage for morning/mid/evening shifts). This gives a starting point which managers can then adjust.
• Drag-and-Drop Editing: Managers can fine-tune the generated schedule by dragging and dropping employees in the schedule view​github.com. So if the auto-scheduler isn’t perfect, it’s easy to swap assignments manually. Once the schedule looks good, the manager can publish it for the team.

Pricing: Free and open-source. The software is released under an open license (MIT) and is available on GitHub to use or modify as needed. There is no hosted service by the author, so you’ll need to deploy it yourself (it’s Docker-friendly, making installation easier​

github.com). For a tech-savvy small business, this provides a no-cost, private scheduling system that you fully control.

17. ABC Roster

Best for: Very simple, offline scheduling for small teams (Windows application).
ABC Roster is a free Windows-based software application dedicated to shift scheduling​

everhour.com. It’s been around for many years and is popular among small businesses (like cafes, retail shops) and volunteer organizations that prefer an offline tool to organize their rosters. ABC Roster isn’t web-based; it’s a program you install on your PC. It’s not open source, but it is completely free to use, and it’s lightweight and straightforward.

Key Features:

• Shift Planning Wizard: ABC Roster can generate schedules based on the parameters you set (employees, roles, shifts needed)​everhour.com. You can also manually assign shifts via its interface, which looks somewhat like a spreadsheet where rows are employees and columns are days.
• Shift Rotation Templates: It allows you to set up recurring shift patterns and rotations​everhour.com. For example, if you have a 4-week rotating schedule, you can define it once and apply it going forward, saving time and keeping consistency.
• Time-Off Management: You can input when employees are unavailable or on vacation, and the software will mark those so you don’t schedule them during those periods​everhour.com.
• Reporting: ABC Roster provides basic reports such as total hours scheduled per employee, labor cost estimates, etc., which can be exported to formats like Excel or PDF​everhour.com. This is useful for reviewing the schedule or sharing with payroll.
• Email/Export Schedules: Once a schedule is done, you can print it, export it to a PDF or HTML page, or even email it to employees directly from the program​everhour.com. This makes dissemination easy even though the tool itself is offline.

Pricing: Completely free. ABC Roster doesn’t cost anything to download or use​

everhour.com. The developer provides it as a freeware tool. There are no official support or cloud components – it’s a simple install-and-run desktop application. While it lacks the fancy real-time sync of web apps, for many small operations the zero cost and simplicity of ABC Roster are a winning combination.

18. Staffjoy

Best for: Open-source algorithmic scheduling for hourly workers (self-hosted).
Staffjoy is an open-source scheduling system that gained attention for its ability to algorithmically generate schedules and notify workers via text message. The startup behind Staffjoy closed in 2017, but they released the code as open-source, and it remains available for tech-savvy teams to use and modify​

staffjoy.com. Staffjoy is specifically designed for businesses with hourly workers and varying shifts (think retail, restaurants, call centers). You’d likely need a developer to help set it up, but once running, it’s a powerful system.

Key Features:

• Auto-Scheduling Algorithm: Staffjoy’s “Suite” application can create schedules for hundreds of workers using an algorithm that factors in worker availability, role requirements, and labor rules​staffjoy.com. This can drastically reduce manual scheduling effort and improve efficiency (it was a key selling point of Staffjoy).
• SMS Notifications: One of Staffjoy’s apps (V2) is built to send out schedules via text message​staffjoy.com. Employees would get an SMS with their upcoming shifts, which was great for communication especially in industries where workers might not consistently check email or apps.
• Shift Swaps and Self-Service: Staffjoy allows employees to receive their schedule and also indicate if they cannot work a shift, enabling managers to adjust quickly. While details are more scarce since the hosted service ended, its design was to streamline shift swaps and drops.
• Industries and Scalability: It was used in its time by delivery companies, support teams, restaurants, and more​staffjoy.com. The system is built to handle large numbers of employees and shifts, making it scalable for big operations (if you have the infrastructure to host it).
• Open-Source Components: The open-source code is modular (several repositories)​staffjoy.com. This means you can deploy just the scheduling engine, or the notification service, etc., depending on your needs. As an open project, it also allows developers to improve or adapt it (some forks may exist with updates).

Pricing: Free (open-source). You have to host Staffjoy yourself (on your servers or cloud) and maintain it. There’s no official support, but an open-source community might help on GitHub. While not an out-of-the-box solution for non-technical users, it’s a zero-cost software for those who can deploy it, and it brings enterprise-grade scheduling intelligence without licensing fees.

19. Fieldcode

Best for: Field service teams needing scheduling with IoT and field management features (free for small teams).
Fieldcode is a field service management (FSM) software that also tackles scheduling of technicians and service employees. It’s a bit different from pure shift scheduling tools; Fieldcode is geared toward dispatching and managing work orders for field workers (think maintenance technicians, delivery drivers, etc.). We include it here because scheduling is a big component of FSM, and Fieldcode offers a free tier for up to 10 users​

timedoctor.com, making it an attractive option for small field service teams or startups.

Key Features:

• Service Scheduling & Dispatch: You can schedule customer appointments or service tasks and assign them to field employees. Fieldcode provides an interface to see all jobs and unassigned tasks, and drag them onto a technician’s schedule​timedoctor.com. It takes into account locations and can optimize routes and assignments to improve efficiency.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Fieldcode’s platform includes real-time status updates of jobs. Managers can see when a tech is en route, on site, or finished. This helps in adjusting schedules on the fly if some jobs take longer or emergencies arise​timedoctor.com.
• IoT Integration: The mention of IoT indicates Fieldcode can integrate with sensor data or connected devices. For instance, an IoT sensor could trigger a work order that gets scheduled automatically (like a machine reporting low toner triggers a technician visit). This proactive scheduling is a unique angle​timedoctor.com.
• Offline Capabilities: Field workers often go to areas with poor connectivity. Fieldcode’s mobile app allows technicians to view their schedule and update job status even offline, syncing data later​timedoctor.com. This ensures the schedule info is accessible in the field.
• Analytics & Optimization: The system provides analytics on service performance and can optimize scheduling to reduce manual work by up to 75% in some cases​timedoctor.com. It focuses on efficiency—minimizing travel time, ensuring the right person with the right skills is assigned, and keeping customers happy with timely service.

Pricing: Free for up to 10 users per month​

timedoctor.com. This means a small company can use Fieldcode’s full platform (scheduling, dispatch, mobile app, etc.) free if they have 10 or fewer field staff. Beyond that, Fieldcode charges per event (work order) completed, starting at $1 per event​

timedoctor.com. This pricing model is different but can be cost-effective: you only pay when there’s work being done. For this list, the key point is that small teams can utilize it without cost initially, making it a viable “free” scheduling tool in the field service niche.

20. OnTheClock

Best for: Small businesses needing a combined time clock and scheduling solution.
OnTheClock is a robust time tracking application that also offers employee scheduling features​

everhour.com. It’s often recognized as a time clock for payroll purposes, but its scheduling module makes it a handy two-in-one tool. OnTheClock is a cloud-based service (with mobile apps) and operates on a freemium model: it’s free for 1-2 employees indefinitely​

everhour.com, which is great for very small businesses or testing, and paid for larger teams (though the pricing is quite affordable per user).

Key Features:

• Shift Scheduling: Managers can create and assign shifts to employees within OnTheClock​everhour.com. The interface allows you to set each employee’s working hours for each day, and employees can view their upcoming shifts via the app or web portal.
• Time Clock Integration: Since it’s primarily a time clock system, scheduling ties directly into attendance. Employees clock in/out through OnTheClock, and you can compare scheduled hours vs. actual hours worked easily​everhour.com. This helps in enforcing attendance (e.g., you see if someone was late for a scheduled shift) and simplifies payroll.
• Overtime Management: OnTheClock automatically calculates overtime and can flag when an employee is about to hit overtime based on their scheduled hours plus time clock data​everhour.com. This is useful for ensuring labor law compliance and managing labor costs.
• Time-Off Requests: Employees can request time off through the system, and approved time off will show up on the schedule (or block that employee from being scheduled). This keeps everything in one place – no separate emails or forms for PTO.
• Geo-Fencing & Mobile: If you have remote or field employees, you can enable GPS geofencing to ensure they clock in from the correct location​everhour.com. The mobile app allows both punching and viewing schedules, so employees always have access to their latest schedule and can punch in from their job site.

Pricing: Free for up to 2 employees​

everhour.com. This makes OnTheClock an excellent free choice for single-employee or two-person businesses (for example, a small owner-operator scenario) or for trial use. Beyond 2 employees, it’s a paid model – but notably, it’s only about $3/user per month for small teams​

timedoctor.com, with volume discounts as you add more staff. This means even for, say, 10 employees, it’s quite affordable. The combination of scheduling + time tracking can potentially replace two separate systems with one low-cost solution.

How Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software Streamlines Workforce Management

1. Automated Shift Assignments: The software automates the process of assigning shifts based on employee availability, skills, and preferences.
2. Time-Off Management: Employees can request time off through the software, which then goes through an approval process, ensuring adequate coverage.
3. Shift Swapping and Trade Management: The system enables employees to swap shifts with their peers, reducing the burden on managers to find replacements.
4. Notifications and Reminders: Real-time notifications and reminders keep employees informed about their upcoming shifts, reducing the risk of no-shows.
5. Overtime and Labor Cost Management: The software can calculate overtime hours and monitor labor costs, helping businesses stay within budget.
6. Integration with Payroll and HR Systems: Many Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software options integrate with payroll and HR systems, streamlining the entire workforce management process.

Check out: Best Java-based Open Source ETL Tool

FAQs:

Is Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software Secure?

Yes, most open source software is secure due to continuous community-driven updates and bug fixes. However, businesses should ensure they use the latest version and follow best security practices.

Can Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software handle complex scheduling needs?

Yes, many open source options offer features like employee skill tracking, shift rotations, and compliance management, making them suitable for businesses with intricate scheduling requirements.

Are there any limitations to using free software?

While free software provides excellent functionality, it may lack certain advanced features present in paid solutions. Assess your specific needs before opting for free software.

Can employees access their schedules remotely?

Yes, most Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software options offer web-based or mobile applications, allowing employees to access their schedules from anywhere.

How does the software handle overlapping shifts?

The software typically sends conflict alerts to managers when scheduling overlapping shifts, ensuring smooth operations.

Is technical support available for open source software?

While free software may not provide dedicated customer support, the active community forums often provide excellent technical assistance.

Conclusion

Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software is a game-changer for businesses seeking an efficient, cost-effective, and flexible solution for managing their workforce. From automated shift assignments to real-time updates and integration with payroll systems, the benefits are numerous. Embrace the power of technology and revolutionize your workforce management today with Free and Open Source Employee Scheduling Software.