# SHIFTAR vs Payroll Calendar

The clearest difference is ads: Payroll Calendar at none against SHIFTAR's shown. Payroll Calendar also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). SHIFTAR's advantage is ratings volume (572 vs 8) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SHIFTAR sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Payroll Calendar sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Payroll Calendar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SHIFTAR has 572 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SHIFTAR ships an update monthly, Payroll Calendar weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SHIFTAR | Payroll Calendar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (572 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftar-work-schedule-planner/id1441499274/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payroll-calendar/id1601554918/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **572** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 75.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 132 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Hamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/515812363) | [Knecht, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1127317529) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 (11)**

| 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 |
| SHIFTAR Premium annual | $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


### Payroll Calendar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/payroll-calendar/id1601554918)

Easily manage work shifts and calculate payroll with this calendar-based application. Track multiple workplaces, hourly wages, and transportation expenses. Secure your data with screen lock and backup features.

**Highlights:** Multiple workplace management, Work shift scheduling, Detailed payroll calculation, Image attachment for schedules, Screen lock for privacy, Data backup and transfer

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic | $0.99 | per month |
| Basic | $2.99 | per month |
| Basic (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Basic (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro | $8.99 | per month |
| Pro (Monthly) | $9.69 | per month |
| Basic (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro (Monthly) | $12.00 | per month |
| Basic (Yearly) | $28.49 | per year |
| Basic (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Basic (Yearly) | $35.49 | per year |
| Pro (Yearly) | $68.90 | per year |
| Pro (Yearly) | $79.99 | per year |
| Pro (Yearly) | $85.90 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SHIFTAR free?

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

### Is Payroll Calendar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SHIFTAR or Payroll Calendar?

Payroll Calendar is rated higher. SHIFTAR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 572 ratings, while Payroll Calendar averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do SHIFTAR or Payroll Calendar have ads?

SHIFTAR shows ads; Payroll Calendar does not.

### Which is updated more often, SHIFTAR or Payroll Calendar?

SHIFTAR ships an update monthly, and Payroll Calendar weekly. Most recently, SHIFTAR was updated on October 15, 2026 and Payroll Calendar on October 9, 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.*