# HotSchedules vs Paylocity

The clearest difference is price: Paylocity at Free against HotSchedules's $2.99. Paylocity also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 21%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). HotSchedules's advantage is chart position (#1 vs #25). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Paylocity is free to download; HotSchedules costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Paylocity holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paylocity has 668K ratings behind it against 67K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of HotSchedules's written reviews are positive against 51% of Paylocity's.

HotSchedules ships an update every 2 weeks, Paylocity fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotSchedules | Paylocity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (67K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotschedules/id294934058/reviews) | **[4.8 (668K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paylocity/id652438572/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 67K | **668K** |
| Positive reviews | 20.7% of reviews | **51.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | #25 |
| Size | 59 MB | 243 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HotSchedules](https://appshunter.io/developer/294934061) | [Paylocity](https://appshunter.io/developer/652438575) |

## What reviewers say

### HotSchedules

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotschedules/id294934058)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Business, #6 Top Paid, #106 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

This app simplifies employee scheduling and team communication. It allows for easy shift management, time-off requests, and calendar syncing. Managers benefit from faster schedule creation and performance monitoring, while teams stay connected through messaging.

**Highlights:** Shift swapping and pickup, Time off requests, Automatic calendar sync, Manager schedule building, Sales and labor monitoring, Team messaging

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient for checking schedules
- 💡 Ability to pick up and swap shifts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find information
- 🔄 Constant need to update app
- 💰 Paid app for employees

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues after updates
- Calendar sync problems
- Disappearing messages and data loss
- Incompatibility with dark mode

**Requested features**

- Show shift end times
- Categorize and filter inbox messages
- Ability to view full team schedules
- Automatic shift rotation algorithm
- Integrated payroll and earnings tracking


### Paylocity

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paylocity/id652438572)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Free · Business (US App Store)

Access HR and payroll information, manage time and expenses, and stay connected with colleagues. This app offers a unified platform for employees and supervisors to handle essential work tasks securely and efficiently.

**Highlights:** View paychecks and historical pay info, Clock in/out and review timesheets, Submit and approve time-off requests, Manage and submit expenses/receipts, Access company directory and org chart, Collaborate via social hub, Request earned wage advances

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for clocking in/out
- 💡 Helpful features like viewing paystubs and time off requests
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 👍 Reliable and stable app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues and frequent logouts
- 🐛 Glitchy punch in/out functionality
- 🔒 Security concerns with personal information display
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to web version
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and menus

**Reported bugs**

- Unreliable GPS location detection for punches
- Disappearing or lost punch data
- Password reset issues and inability to change passwords
- Inconsistent app performance and frequent crashes
- Outdated or incorrect employee information display

**Requested features**

- Add calendar integration and scheduling features
- Improve punch in/out process with customizable defaults
- Allow editing of past punches and notes
- Provide ability to view schedules for all departments
- Implement multi-factor authentication and better security


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotSchedules free?

HotSchedules costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Paylocity free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HotSchedules or Paylocity?

Paylocity is rated higher. HotSchedules averages 4.6 out of 5 from 67K ratings, while Paylocity averages 4.8 from 668K ratings.

### Do HotSchedules or Paylocity have ads?

Neither HotSchedules nor Paylocity shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotSchedules or Paylocity?

HotSchedules ships an update every 2 weeks, and Paylocity fortnightly. Most recently, HotSchedules was updated on September 26, 2026 and Paylocity on September 26, 2026.

### Which is more popular, HotSchedules or Paylocity?

HotSchedules currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and Paylocity at #25. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*