ShiftReply vs When I Work: Which is Right for Small Businesses?

So, you're looking for a way to handle staff availability, and you're stuck between ShiftReply and When I Work. I get it—choosing software is a pain, especially when you just want to get the schedule done.

Let's break it down simply.

The Main Difference

When I Work is like a Swiss Army knife. It does *everything*: scheduling, time tracking, payroll, team messaging. It's great if you need all that, but it can be overkill if you don't.

ShiftReply is like a really good screwdriver. It does one thing perfectly: it collects availability from your team via email. That's it. No bloat, no complex setup.

## Let's Talk Money

This is usually the dealbreaker.

* When I Work: You pay $2.50 per employee, per month.
* Got 20 staff? That's $50/month.
* Got 30 staff? That's $75/month.
* ShiftReply: You pay $10 per month, flat.
* Got 20 staff? $10.
* Got 30 staff? Still $10.

If you're a small business watching your margins, ShiftReply is obviously the cheaper option. But price isn't everything.

## The "App" Factor

Here's something people forget: Getting employees to download another app is hard.

With When I Work, your team needs to download the app, create an account, remember their password, and check it regularly.

With ShiftReply, there is no app. We send them an email, they click a magic link (no password needed!), tap the days they can work, and hit submit. It's so easy that they actually do it.
42:
43: ## The Friction Factor: App vs No App
44:
45: Every extra step reduces the chance your employee will reply.
46: * When I Work: Download App -> Create Account -> Verify Email -> Login -> Navigate to Availability -> Submit. (High Friction)
47: * ShiftReply: Click Email Link -> Submit. (Zero Friction)
48:
49: If you want 100% response rates, you need zero friction.

## Which One Should You Pick?

Go with When I Work if:
* You need to build the actual schedule (drag and drop shifts).
* You need to track hours for payroll.
* You have a budget for it.

Go with ShiftReply if:
* You just need to know *when* people can work so you can build the schedule yourself (maybe in Excel or on paper).
* You're tired of chasing people in WhatsApp groups.
* You want to save money.

Hope that helps you make a choice!