# ShiftLife Organizer vs Simple Roster

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Simple Roster at 12.0 against ShiftLife Organizer's 17.6. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShiftLife Organizer sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Simple Roster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for ShiftLife Organizer against 4.8 for Simple Roster. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 770 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of ShiftLife Organizer's written reviews are positive against 85% of Simple Roster's.

ShiftLife Organizer ships an update every 5 weeks, Simple Roster every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShiftLife Organizer | Simple Roster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftlife-organizer/id350195352/reviews) | **[4.8 (770 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-roster/id476294253/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 770 |
| Positive reviews | 77.5% of reviews | **85.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OvalKey Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/308493255) | [Purple Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476294256) |

## What reviewers say

### ShiftLife Organizer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftlife-organizer/id350195352)

This app is a specialized calendar designed for shift workers. It helps organize shifts, track hours, calculate pay, and manage various work-related events. Users can plan future schedules, record past work details, and sync with multiple calendar services.

**Highlights:** Organize shifts and work events, Record and calculate hours and pay, Sync with multiple calendar services, Fast shift entry and flexible work patterns, Bluetooth sync with colleagues, Customizable event types and views

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calendar Store Add-On | $1.99 | per year |
| Premium Unlimited Access | $9.99 | per year |
| Holidays United States | $0.99 | one-time |
| AR Calendar Add-on | $1.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife Full Version | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2020 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2021 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2022 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2023 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2024 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2025 Calendar | $4.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2027 Calendar | $6.99 | one-time |
| ShiftLife 2026 Calendar | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for shift workers
- 👍 Highly customizable
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Helpful for work and personal life
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive yearly subscription
- 🐛 Occasional data loss or deletion
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🐛 Buggy or glitchy at times
- 🔧 Difficult to set up or configure

**Reported bugs**

- Shifts or events randomly disappearing
- Inability to update shift patterns
- Syncing issues across devices
- Crashes or freezes when adding events

**Requested features**

- Ability to import/export data
- More advanced reporting and analytics
- Improved shift pattern templates
- Seamless integration with other calendars
- Customizable alarm/reminder options


### Simple Roster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-roster/id476294253)

Manage your work schedule digitally with this intuitive app. Access your shifts from anywhere, even offline, and easily plan social gatherings with friends by viewing their schedules. Share your availability with loved ones to keep them informed.

**Highlights:** Offline roster access, Intuitive shift entry, Friend roster viewing, Roster sharing, Recurring shift setup (Full Version), Calendar notes (Full Version), iOS calendar sync (Full Version)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Simple and effective
- 💡 Helpful for shift workers
- 🔍 Allows viewing of schedules at a glance
- 🔗 Ability to share roster with others

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or crashes
- 🔧 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Calendar dates not always accurate
- 💬 Inability to add multiple shifts per day
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate or use

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar dates shown incorrectly
- Roster sharing feature not working properly
- App freezes when trying to edit shifts

**Requested features**

- Add ability to repeat/copy shift patterns
- Improve calendar sync with other apps
- Provide more color options for shifts
- Allow adding notes or reminders to shifts
- Implement landscape mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShiftLife Organizer free?

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

### Is Simple Roster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShiftLife Organizer or Simple Roster?

Simple Roster is rated higher. ShiftLife Organizer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Simple Roster averages 4.8 from 770 ratings.

### Do ShiftLife Organizer or Simple Roster have ads?

Both ShiftLife Organizer and Simple Roster show ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShiftLife Organizer or Simple Roster?

ShiftLife Organizer ships an update every 5 weeks, and Simple Roster every 2 months. Most recently, ShiftLife Organizer was updated on September 22, 2026 and Simple Roster on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*