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Most buyers should pick Connecteam.
Choose Connecteam if you need scheduling alongside time tracking, communication, and HR tools, or qualify for its free plan for up to 10 users. Choose When I Work if hourly-team scheduling and messaging are the priority and you prefer a clear per-user price: Essentials starts at $2.50 per user monthly. The prices are not directly comparable: Connecteam’s paid plans are priced per hub for the first 30 users, with extra-user charges that vary by hub.
01Side by side
| Connecteam | When I Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free for 10; paid from $29/hub monthly, annual | $2.50/user/month; annual price not published |
| Free plan | Free for life up to 10 users; Limited tier too | No free plan; 14-day trial |
| Best for | Businesses needing scheduling, time, communication, and HR | Hourly teams focused on scheduling and shift management |
| Core strength | Workforce operations across three hubs | Scheduling, time tracking, and team messaging |
| Learning curve | Not specified on the vendor's site | Not specified on the vendor's site |
| Integrations and data | API access and SSO on custom Enterprise plan | API keys, webhooks, and SAML/SSO on Premium |
| Team and seat costs | Paid hubs include 30; extra-user fees vary by hub | $2.50–$8/user/month; Essentials allows unlimited users |
| Support | Review score: 5.5/10 | Review score: 5/10 |
Connecteam Choose Connecteam if
- Choose Connecteam if you need a free plan for up to 10 users.
- Choose Connecteam if you want HR, communication, and operations tools together.
- Choose Connecteam if per-hub pricing suits your team size.
When I Work Choose When I Work if
- Choose When I Work if your team mainly needs hourly-worker scheduling.
- Choose When I Work if you prefer a published per-user starting price.
- Choose When I Work if API keys and webhooks on Premium matter.
02Pricing compared
Connecteam has a free plan for businesses with up to 10 users, plus a Limited plan for up to 30 users. Its paid Basic plan starts at $29 per hub per month with annual billing, or $35 monthly, and includes the first 30 users. That is not a per-user price: extra-user charges vary by hub and plan. When I Work starts at $2.50 per user per month for Essentials; Pro is $5 and Premium is $8. Annual prices are not published, and time tracking is a paid add-on with no published price. Both products list a 14-day free trial. Compare the total Connecteam cost for the hubs and users you need against When I Work’s per-user charge, and include the time-tracking add-on before deciding. The headline prices alone are not like-for-like.
03Features and depth
Connecteam covers more than scheduling: its listed tools include hiring and training, digital tasks and forms, team chat and updates, time tracking, and payroll timesheets. Scheduling includes AI-assisted schedule creation, while clock-ins can use location verification. Some capabilities and limits depend on the hub and plan; for example, the listed Basic plan includes one time clock and one schedule, while Advanced includes up to three time clocks and six schedules.
When I Work is more centered on hourly-team operations. It lists scheduling, open shifts, shift swaps, time-off requests, messaging, and auto scheduling based on eligibility, availability, and preferences. It also lists labor forecasting and multi-location scheduling. GPS clock-ins and geofencing are described as time-tracking features, but Time Tracking & Attendance is a paid add-on with no published price. Choose Connecteam if you want workforce tools beyond shifts; choose When I Work if scheduling and shift coordination are the main job.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product’s published information establishes how quickly a team can learn it, so we would not treat either as the easy option by default. The review scores are close on ease of use: Connecteam scores 6.8 and When I Work 6.5. Connecteam’s wider mix of HR, training, forms, communication, and operations tools may mean more decisions about which hubs and plan limits apply. When I Work has a narrower scheduling-and-messaging focus, but advanced controls sit on higher-priced plans, and time tracking costs extra. Compare the workflows your managers and employees actually need, then confirm the relevant plan and add-on costs before switching.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, Connecteam or When I Work?
It depends on team size and required features. When I Work Essentials is $2.50 per user per month. Connecteam Basic starts at $29 per hub per month annually for the first 30 users, with extra-user charges that vary by hub. Add When I Work’s separately priced time-tracking add-on to any comparison.
Does Connecteam have a free plan?
Yes. Connecteam lists a free-for-life Small Business plan for up to 10 users, with all three hubs, one time clock, and one schedule. It also lists a Limited plan for up to 30 users with one time clock and schedule. Both products list 14-day free trials.
Is time tracking included with When I Work?
When I Work lists Time Tracking & Attendance as an add-on, but its price is not published. The feature description includes attendance, breaks, time off, GPS clock-ins, and geofencing. Connecteam includes time tracking in its workforce toolkit, though its plan limits vary by tier.
Which one is better for scheduling hourly teams?
When I Work is the more focused fit for hourly scheduling: its listed features include open shifts, shift swaps, multi-location scheduling, and auto scheduling. Connecteam also offers AI scheduling, but adds tools for hiring, training, forms, communication, and time tracking. Choose based on whether scheduling alone or a broader workforce toolkit matters more.