# SF ESS vs ZooChef

The clearest difference is update cadence: ZooChef at every 2 weeks against SF ESS's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SF ESS ships an update monthly, ZooChef every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SF ESS | ZooChef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (8.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-ess/id1483947998/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 2.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [StoreForce Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481422456) | [Riverside Zoological Society](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890570218) |

## What reviewers say

### SF ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sf-ess/id1483947998)

Manage your work schedule, request time off, and view performance metrics. Receive important communication updates directly from your employer. Features may differ based on your specific retailer.

**Highlights:** Schedule management, Time off requests, Performance viewing, Communication updates, Retailer-specific options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient scheduling
- 💡 Ability to sync with calendar

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant glitches and crashes
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive UI
- 🔒 Login issues and lack of security features

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or access schedule
- Shifts not updating or displaying correctly
- Constant crashing and freezing
- Notification issues

**Requested features**

- Bring back monthly calendar view
- Improve scheduling visibility and clarity
- Add ability to see coworker schedules
- Integrate with more calendar apps


### ZooChef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoochef/id6761668696)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SF ESS free?

SF ESS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ZooChef free?

ZooChef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SF ESS or ZooChef have ads?

Neither SF ESS nor ZooChef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SF ESS or ZooChef?

SF ESS ships an update monthly, and ZooChef every 2 weeks. Most recently, SF ESS was updated on November 8, 2026 and ZooChef on October 25, 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.*