# Shifter vs SHIFTAR

Shifter and SHIFTAR both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of SHIFTAR's written reviews are positive against 0% of Shifter's. SHIFTAR also leads on ratings volume (595 vs 18). Shifter's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shifter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and SHIFTAR sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Shifter against 4.8 for SHIFTAR. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SHIFTAR has 595 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of Shifter's written reviews are positive against 75% of SHIFTAR's.

Shifter ships an update every 2 weeks, SHIFTAR every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shifter | SHIFTAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shifter-handy-shift-calendar/id1289272543/reviews)** | [4.8 (595 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftar-work-schedule-planner/id1441499274/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **595** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 80 MB | 146 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iDevBand s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114520102) | [Kosuke Hamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/515812363) |

## What reviewers say

### Shifter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shifter-handy-shift-calendar/id1289272543)

Easily manage your work schedule with a vast database of company shifts worldwide. Add notes, track multiple profiles for friends, and never miss holidays with country-specific assignments.

**Highlights:** Global company shift database, Add notes to shifts, Multiple profile tracking, Country-specific holiday assignments, Custom shift creation support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


### SHIFTAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftar-work-schedule-planner/id1441499274)

Easily manage your work shifts and personal appointments in one intuitive calendar. Quickly input shift details, track your earnings, and sync with your existing iCloud calendar. Premium features include widgets, data backup, and advanced color customization.

**Highlights:** Quick shift entry with pre-set buttons, Automatic salary calculation, iCloud Calendar synchronization, Daily/weekly schedule widgets, Automatic data backup, Expanded color coding options, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SHIFTAR Premium monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium monthly with trial | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $8.99 | per year |
| SHIFTAR Premium annual | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium annual with trial | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium annual with trial | $16.49 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and intuitive to use
- 🎨 Color-coding for shift organization
- ⚡ Quick one-click shift entry
- 📱 Useful for shift workers and nurses
- 💰 Wage calculator feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Paywall for colors and premium features
- 📺 Unexpected ads despite paid version
- 🐛 Data loss issues after updates
- ❌ No MacBook/desktop version
- 🔗 Limited calendar syncing options

**Reported bugs**

- Complete data loss after app updates
- Random deletion of calendar entries
- App crashes on launch
- Unable to access app after update
- Sync failures across devices

**Requested features**

- Date search function for quick navigation
- App icon with current date display
- Partner/family sharing system
- Multiple user schedule management
- Weekly pay period option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shifter free?

Shifter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SHIFTAR free?

SHIFTAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shifter or SHIFTAR?

Shifter is rated higher. Shifter averages 4.9 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while SHIFTAR averages 4.8 from 595 ratings.

### Do Shifter or SHIFTAR have ads?

Both Shifter and SHIFTAR show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shifter or SHIFTAR?

Shifter ships an update every 2 weeks, and SHIFTAR every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shifter was updated on November 3, 2026 and SHIFTAR on November 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*