Comparison

ShiftApp vs DSPsystem Staff

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ShiftApp

Features
Read full description

ShiftApp is an employee scheduling app for shift teams. Check your schedule, get a reminder before each shift, share your availability and request time off from your iPhone or iPad. Managers can add, edit and repeat shifts from anywhere. When a shift changes, the people on it get a notification, so there are fewer "Am I working?" messages. What staff can do โ€ข See your upcoming shifts and tap one for the details โ€ข Get a notification when one of your shifts changes โ€ข Get a reminder before each shift starts โ€ข Set your availability for each day โ€ข Accept or decline new shifts, or show interest in one โ€ข Send a time off request โ€ข Read memos and reply to them โ€ข Chat with the team, or message a manager privately โ€ข Call, text or email a colleague from their profile โ€ข Add your shifts to Apple Calendar with a private feed that updates as the schedule changes Managers choose what their staff can see and do, including whether staff see the whole schedule or only their own shifts. For managers away from the desk โ€ข Add a shift, with breaks, a title and notes โ€ข Repeat shifts into future weeks โ€ข Assign staff, clients and resources, or take them off a shift โ€ข Confirm draft shifts and time off requests โ€ข Copy a whole day of shifts โ€ข Add time off and sick leave โ€ข Send a memo to your staff โ€ข Add a new employee, take their photo with the phone's camera and send them an invitation Building a new schedule from scratch is easier on a bigger screen, so use the shift schedule planner on the shiftapp.com website. Anything you change in the app shows there right away, because both use the same schedule. "One really horrible job now quite pleasant to do!" - Jennie Goodman, Managing Director, A Bride 2 Bee, on building the schedule Getting started Staff: your manager adds you to ShiftApp and emails you an invitation. Follow it to create your login, then sign in to the app. Managers: set up your business and staff on the ShiftApp website, then sign in to the app with the same details. ShiftApp is built and supported by founder Jason Lee and team, who have made online scheduling software since 2009. For help, email support@shiftapp.com.

About

DSPsystem Staff

Features
Read full description

DSPsystem Staff is the mobile app for direct support professionals in IDD residential care โ€” group homes, supported living and residential programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Built by a former DSP, for the people on the floor. Everything for your shift, in one place โ€” no paper logs, no group texts, no juggling apps. YOUR SHIFT ON ONE SCREEN See your current shift, what's planned today, and what's left to check before you go โ€” the moment you open the app. TWO-TAP, GPS-VERIFIED CLOCK IN Clock in and out in seconds. Punches are saved even with a weak signal and sent as soon as you're back online, so your hours are never lost. OPEN SHIFTS COME TO YOU Get notified when a shift opens, see every shift you're eligible for, and pick one up from your phone. Request time off, call out, or swap a shift without the phone tree. YOUR SCHEDULE IN YOUR POCKET Week and month views of your shifts, who you're working with, and one tap to message a co-worker. INSPECTION-READY, EVERY SHIFT Your home's checks in one list โ€” Overdue, Due today and Coming up โ€” with plain-language instructions. Log a check in one simple sheet: OK, needs attention or N/A, fixed on the spot or follow-up, plus notes. DRILLS AND EMERGENCY READINESS Log fire and emergency drills with evacuation times, see which shifts still need a drill this quarter, and read and sign your home's emergency plan. HOURS YOU CAN TRUST See every punch in your pay period, regular and overtime hours, and request a correction right from your timecard. HANDOFFS THAT NEVER GET LOST Shift handoff notes land in front of the next person on shift, with who wrote them and when. Team, home and direct messages stay separate from your personal texts. HOME OPERATIONS Shift checklists, the home calendar, your home's contacts with tap-to-call, maintenance requests and supplies โ€” from your phone. SECURE BY DESIGN Optional PIN and Face ID / fingerprint app lock. Your organization controls who sees what. DSPsystem Staff requires an account from your organization. Ask your administrator for your Organization ID and login.

Screenshots

ShiftApp4 screens
DSPsystem Staff4 screens

Verdict

The call

ShiftApp and DSPsystem Staff are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
ShiftApp versus DSPsystem Staff: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShiftAppDSPsystem Staff
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size15 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJason Lee LimitedKWT Holdings LLC

In-app purchases

None

ShiftApp

No in-app purchases

None

DSPsystem Staff

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShiftApp free?
ShiftApp is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DSPsystem Staff free?
DSPsystem Staff is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ShiftApp or DSPsystem Staff have ads?
Neither ShiftApp nor DSPsystem Staff shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShiftApp or DSPsystem Staff?
ShiftApp ships an update every 2 weeks, and DSPsystem Staff every 2 weeks. Most recently, ShiftApp was updated on November 3, 2026 and DSPsystem Staff on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons