ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard vs ESS 45 Zebra
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard
Access and manage your work schedule from anywhere. Receive real-time notifications about changes and easily handle shift swaps, time-off requests, and clocking in/out. Designed for both team members and managers to streamline workforce management.
- View scheduled shifts
- Clock in and out
- Pick-up or trade shifts
- Manage availability
- Request time-off
- View team schedules
- See clocked-in employees
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Welcome to the Shiftboard ScheduleFlex mobile app. With our user-friendly mobile app, you can access your work schedule on the go, stay updated with real-time notifications, and manage your shifts with ease. Plus, our instant notification features keep you informed about any changes to your schedule, ensuring you’re always in the loop. To get started, simply download the ScheduleFlex app and log in using your ScheduleFlex credentials. Please note that you must have an active ScheduleFlex subscription to use the app. If you have trouble logging in, please make sure you’ve downloaded the correct app. For Team Members · View your scheduled shifts · Clock in and out · Pick-up open shifts or trade shifts · Manage your availability · Request time-off For Managers · See all the people on your team · View team member availability · See who is scheduled to work · See who is clocked in
ESS 45 Zebra
Manage your work schedule, time off requests, and shift trades with this intuitive application. Easily view your timecard, update availability, and clock in and out using geofence technology. It's designed for seamless team coordination and efficient workforce management.
- View schedule
- Request day-off/time-off
- Perform shift trade
- Bid on open shifts
- View timecard
- Clock work hours (geofence)
- Update availability
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With New ESS app, team members can: · Intuitive design & UI Refresh of entire app · New Dashboard · View schedule · Request day-off, time-off · Perform Shift Trade with teammates · Bid on open shifts or request additional shifts · View timecard · Update availability and get shifts accordingly · Request for alternate work locations · Clock your work hours using Geofence enabled mobile clock · View absence calendar App is compatible with 4.1.12.* and 4.3.* web apps.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard at 4.7 against ESS 45 Zebra's 1.6. ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard also leads on ratings volume (16K vs 391) and review sentiment (26% vs 7%). ESS 45 Zebra's advantage is monetization model (free vs subscription) and iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard has 16K ratings behind it against 391, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard's written reviews are positive against 7% of ESS 45 Zebra's.
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard ships an update monthly, ESS 45 Zebra every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard | ESS 45 Zebra |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (16K ratings) — better | 1.6 (391 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.7% of reviews — better | 6.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 16K — better | 391 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shiftboard, Inc. | Reflexis Systems Inc. |
Customer experience
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard
ESS 45 Zebra
User reviews
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard
From 16K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to access and navigate
- 🚀 Simple and highly effective for reviewing scheduled events
- 💡 Convenient to check schedule from phone
- 💡 Flexible to select shifts
Room to improve
- 🐛 Delayed real-time clock in/out
- 🐛 Odd display issues with dates and arrival times
- 🐛 Confusing and not user-friendly interface
- 🐛 Crashes and login issues
- 🐛 Lack of notifications for shift updates
ESS 45 Zebra
From 391 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Works well
- 👍 Clean and easy to use interface
- 🚀 Efficient
Room to improve
- 🐛 Constantly logs out
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Inaccurate schedule display
- 🐛 Unable to log in
Bugs and requests
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Password reset emails not being sent
- Shifts not showing up accurately
- Inability to log in or view schedule
Requested features
5 requests- Show shift duration and total weekly hours
- Allow editing of shifts after scheduling
- Integrate with payroll systems
- Provide monthly calendar view
- Improve notification system
ESS 45 Zebra
Reported bugs
4 issues- Constant login issues
- Time card not working
- Schedule not displaying correctly
- Inability to request time off
Requested features
4 requests- Add Face ID/Biometric login
- Improve calendar sync
- Allow viewing of coworker schedules
- Streamline time off request process
In-app purchases
ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard
No in-app purchases
ESS 45 Zebra
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard free?
Is ESS 45 Zebra free?
Which has better reviews, ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard or ESS 45 Zebra?
Do ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard or ESS 45 Zebra have ads?
Which is updated more often, ScheduleFlex by Shiftboard or ESS 45 Zebra?
Other comparisons
