HotSchedules 2026: Benefits, Features & Pricing

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On this page

Overview
Pricing and Plans
Features
Integrations
User Reviews

Overview

HotSchedules

4.4

(460)

Pricing

Pricing available upon request

About HotSchedules

HotSchedules is an online employee scheduling and engagement app designed for independent hospitality businesses. The app features an intuitive scheduling interface with drag-and-drop functionality. It also includes demand forecasting that factors in POS data and other variables, as well as built-in compliance tools. This allows managers to create schedules 75% faster and deploy staff more efficiently.

HotSchedules integrates with your POS to generate labor and sales data so your managers schedule the optimal number of employees every shift. Historical data, weather, events, and more are all considered!

Employees enjoy a seamless experience with the 5-star rated mobile app, which enables them to easily swap, drop, and pick up shifts. The app also integrates with Google Calendar and provides in-app messaging to protect personal contact information. This level of control and flexibility helps create optimal employee experiences, boosting engagement and retention.

The above-store experience provides customized dashboards, automated reports, and visibility into performance across locations. Seamless POS integration delivers insights into sales data, allowing managers to make info...

HotSchedules Screenshots

HotSchedules Pricing and Plans

Starting price: Connect with an advisor for pricing

Free Trial

Free Version

Pricing available upon request

No plan information available

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HotSchedules Features

Popular features found in Workforce Management
Attendance Tracking
Automated Scheduling
Budgeting/Forecasting
Compliance Management
Employee Management
Payroll Management
Performance Management
Reporting/Analytics
Self Service Portal
Skills Tracking
Time Off Management
Timesheet Management
More features of HotSchedules
Access Controls/Permissions
Activity Dashboard
Alerts/Notifications
API
Approval Process Control
Attendance Management
Availability Management
Calendar Management
Calendar Sync
Clock In/Out
Collaboration Tools
Communication Management
Compliance Tracking
Cost Management
Customer History
Customizable Fields
Customizable Reports
Customizable Templates
Dashboard
Data Import/Export
Document Management
Document Storage
Drag & Drop
Electronic Payments
Employee Database
Employee Profiles
Employee Scheduling
Facility Scheduling
Forecasting
For PEO/ASO
Group Scheduling
HR Management
Inventory Management
Labor Cost Calculator
Labor Cost Reporting
Labor Forecasting
Labor Management
Messaging
Mobile Access
Mobile Alerts
Mobile App
Multi-Language
Multi-Location
Offboarding
Onboarding
Online Booking
Online Time Clock
Overtime Calculation
Performance Metrics
Point of Sale (POS)
Real-Time Data
Real-Time Notifications
Real-Time Reporting
Real-Time Updates
Recipe Management
Recruitment Management
Reminders
Reporting & Statistics
Resource Allocation
Sales Reports
Sales Trend Analysis
Schedule Distribution
Scheduling
Shift Management
Shift Scheduling
Shift Swapping
Sick Leave Tracking
SMS Messaging
Task Management
Task Scheduling
Team Calendars
Third-Party Integrations
Time & Attendance
Time Clock
Time Off Requests
Vacation/Leave Tracking
Variable Workforce
Workforce Management

HotSchedules Integrations

Ottimate

Toast POS

Silverware Avrio

PAR POS

Revel Systems

Squirrel POS

See all 13 integrations

HotSchedules User Reviews

Overall Rating

4.4

Ratings Breakdown

56%

32%

Secondary Ratings

Ease of Use

4.3

Value for money

4.1

Customer support

4.2

Functionality

4.3

Eldridge G.

Verified reviewer

Food & Beverages

5001-10000 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed October 2020

Your Schedule On The Go!

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!

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer support

Functionality

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.

Reasons 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.

Reasons for switching to HotSchedules

For convenience and for increasing our labor productivity

Eric J.

Verified reviewer

Oil & Energy

1001-5000 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed December 2024

Schedule it like its hot!

Absolutely great at doin what the software was meant to do.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer support

Functionality

Pros:

It such an easy and effective software for scheduling.

Cons:

Its a little hard to intergrate with other workforce management software.

Reasons for switching to HotSchedules

Needed something with more comprehensive features.

Taurra S.

Verified reviewer

Hospitality

201-500 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed October 2019

The best tool for schedule management

Overall, my experience with HotSchedules has been very positive. Both as a user and an administrator.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Functionality

Pros:

I've been using HotSchedules since I was a front of house employee in restaurants. It's the easiest tool for scheduling, swapping, and communicating with teams.

Cons:

Nothing! I have no complaints about HotSchedules.

Tory M.

Verified reviewer

Restaurants

51-200 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed September 2024

Not a Good Restaurant Scheduling Platform for SMBs

Awful. Not tech-foward. Support responds quickly, but rarely with helpful information. Immensely overpriced. Don't waste your money on this.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer support

Functionality

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.

Reasons for choosing HotSchedules

HS had better features at the time of decision making.

Verified

Reviewer

Hospitality

1001-5000 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed December 2025

Great tool for scheduling and communicating with teams!

Overall we've had a great experience with HS. It helps our management team control labor and communicate with all staff members.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer support

Functionality

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.

Sanford G.

Verified reviewer

Recreational Facilities and Services

201-500 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed August 2023

Hot Schedules, Cool Features

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.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Customer support

Functionality

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.

Reasons for switching to HotSchedules

Previously used application at a different occupation.

Verified

Reviewer

Food & Beverages

10000+ employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed March 2020

Great tool to schedule your employees

Using for 7 years and if they would not keep changing the format I could say I love it. Anyhow it is great app for managers, easy quick access to employees list, phone numbers, emails and etc.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer support

Functionality

Pros:

I'm doing schedules for my employees weekly and this app has few great features. Coping, modifying and automatically feeling schedules are only few of them.

Cons:

Constantly changing the format. Right after I'm used to one they changing it again.

Reasons for switching to HotSchedules

Saving time and being able to give access to all of the employees. They can switch shifts online. I can make changes from home.

Kaitlyn C.

Verified reviewer

Food & Beverages

51-200 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed May 2025

HotSchedules for the Win

HotSchedules has been a total game changer for me I don't know how I ever lived without it. Its saved me so much stress and hassle and I love how easy it is to use. If youre looking for a reliable scheduling app look no further I'd def recommend it

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Functionality

Pros:

its so easy to use I mean I'm not exactly the most tech savvy person but even I can figure it out most of the time. I can access my schedule from anywhere which is a total lifesaver no more worrying about losing my schedule or forgetting when I'm supposed to work. the app is super intuitive and I love how easy it is to swap shifts with my coworkers its saved me so much stress

Cons:

Okay so sometimes the app can be a little slow but like what app isn't right its not a huge deal or anything I wish there was a way to set reminders for upcoming shifts but thats really my only complaint occasionally I'll get a glitch and have to restart the app but its not the end of the world

Justin R.

Verified reviewer

Restaurants

11-50 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed March 2025

Solid tools, room for improvement.

Solid product, very useful and much better than basic spreadsheet style scheduling/projecting tools. Projecting and scheduling becomes very intuitive and visually apparent.

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Customer support

Functionality

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.

Leahya W.

Verified reviewer

Food & Beverages

1001-5000 employees

Used weekly for less than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed January 2026

The Features Set HotSchedules Apart

Ratings Breakdown

Ease of use

Functionality

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.

Showing 1 - 10 of 460 Reviews

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