Scheduling apps for multiple locations: cost at 3 stores and 30 staff
At 3 stores and 30 staff, published monthly prices for scheduling apps run from $59 (Connecteam Operations Advanced) and $60 (Sling Premium) to $228.70 (Buddy Punch Starter with scheduling), with Sling Free at $0 if its 30-user limit and unstated location rules fit you. The price model matters more than the headline: per-location apps like Homebase ($90) do not grow with headcount, while per-user apps like Deputy ($217.50) do.
How the cost was worked out
For each app we took the cheapest plan on its own pricing page that supports more than one location, on monthly billing, for 3 locations and 30 staff. Prices were read on November 12, 2026. USD rows are sorted from lowest to highest; the CAD and quote-only rows follow because they cannot be ranked against USD without converting.
Cost at 3 locations and 30 staff
| App | Plan | Pricing model | Monthly cost, 3 locations / 30 staff (monthly billing) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sling | Free / Premium | Per user | $0 on Free (30 users max; multi-location not stated) / Premium 30 × $2.00 = $60 | Lowest per-user price with a time clock and shift swaps (Premium) |
| Connecteam | Operations Advanced | Flat for first 30 users, per hub | $59 flat for 30 users (time off is in a separately priced hub) | Lowest flat price for 30 users with up to 3 time clocks and geofencing |
| ZoomShift | Starter | Per active team member (managers count) | 30 × $2.50 = $75 | Per-member pricing with unlimited locations, time clock and swaps |
| Homebase | Essentials | Per location, unlimited employees | 3 × $30 = $90 | Per-location pricing that does not grow with headcount; POS integrations listed |
| Square | Square Plus | Per location (POS plan) | 3 × $49 = $147 plus card processing fees | Businesses already on Square POS; cash drawer and inventory live in the POS |
| When I Work | Multiple locations | Per user | 30 × $5 = $150 (one page version suggests $75) | Swaps, open shifts and GPS or geofence clock-in |
| Deputy | Core | Per user (managers count) | 30 × $7.25 = $217.50 | Auto-scheduling, biometric time clock, geofencing, SMS 1¢ per 160 characters (US) |
| Buddy Punch | Starter + scheduling add-on | Per user + $19 base fee | 30 × $5.99 + $19 + 30 × $1 = $228.70 | Time clock first, with a built-in payroll add-on |
| 7shifts | Essentials | Per location | 3 × CAD 44.99 = CAD 134.97 (no USD price shown; not converted) | Restaurants: POS integration, SMS reminders and shift trading |
| Jolt (now SmartSense) | Quote only | Not published | Not found: quote request only | Scheduling with photo-verified clock-in; lists healthcare, grocery and food service |
| Assistlify | Early access | One flat monthly price per business | Price not yet published | Cash-drawer and stock counts per location next to the schedule; no shift swaps, payroll, POS, GPS or SMS |
What the monthly figure leaves out
- Managers: Deputy, ZoomShift and Buddy Punch count managers as paid users. At 33 users Deputy Core is 33 × $7.25 = $239.25. Sling, When I Work and 7shifts do not say.
- Connecteam: the $59 Operations Advanced price covers the first 30 users; Time Off is in the HR & Skills hub, priced separately. User 31 adds $3.0/month.
- Sling Free: no time clock, shift swaps or SMS shift alarms, and the page does not say whether Free allows several locations.
- Square: card processing is extra (Plus: 2.5% + 15¢ in person). Square Free has no shift scheduling.
- When I Work: the pricing page showed two versions on November 12, 2026; one lists multi-location scheduling under Essentials at $2.50 per user (30 × $2.50 = $75).
- Buddy Punch: Starter allows 1 group; Pro includes scheduling at 30 × $7.99 + $19 = $258.70.
- Annual billing lowers most prices: Connecteam $49, ZoomShift $60, Homebase $72 (3 × $24), Sling Premium $51, Deputy Core $195.
Features that change the choice
| Need | Apps where the vendor's own page lists it |
|---|---|
| Free plan that fits 3 locations | None confirmed: Homebase Basic, ZoomShift Essentials and 7shifts Comp are single-location; Sling Free does not state its location limit |
| Shift swaps on the cheapest multi-location plan | 7shifts, Connecteam (shift replacements), ZoomShift, When I Work, Deputy, Sling Premium, Square Plus, Buddy Punch (scheduling add-on) |
| Built-in payroll (not only an integration) | Homebase add-on ($49 + $6 per employee), Buddy Punch add-on ($8/user + $49), Deputy Payroll by Paycor ($8/user + $49, annual Core and Pro), Square Payroll (from $35 + $6 per person) |
| Cash-drawer counts | Square (in Square POS, not Shifts); not found on the other vendors' sites |
| Stock counts | Square (in Square POS); not found on the other vendors' sites |
To check a drawer count by hand, use the cash drawer count calculator.
Questions
What is the cheapest scheduling app for multiple locations?
Among published prices checked on November 12, 2026, Connecteam Operations Advanced is $59/month for up to 30 users and Sling Premium is $60/month for 30 users; Sling Free is $0 but does not state whether it supports several locations.
Is per-location or per-user pricing cheaper for 3 stores?
At 30 staff, per-location Homebase Essentials is 3 × $30 = $90 while per-user Deputy Core is 30 × $7.25 = $217.50; per-user ZoomShift Starter is 30 × $2.50 = $75.
Which scheduling apps include cash-drawer counts?
Of the vendors checked, only Square lists cash-drawer sessions, and that is in Square POS rather than Square Shifts.
Sources
- Sling pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Connecteam pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- ZoomShift pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Homebase pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Square pricing (US) (checked 2026-11-12)
- Square help: Advanced Access pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Square help: set up cash management (checked 2026-11-12)
- When I Work pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Deputy pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- Buddy Punch pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- 7shifts pricing (checked 2026-11-12)
- SmartSense (Jolt) request a quote (checked 2026-11-12)
- SmartSense Schedule (checked 2026-11-12)