# ShiftLife Organizer vs Roster

The clearest difference is rating: ShiftLife Organizer at 4.8 against Roster's 4.4. ShiftLife Organizer also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 63). Roster's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShiftLife Organizer sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Roster sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShiftLife Organizer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShiftLife Organizer has 1.8K ratings behind it against 63, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of ShiftLife Organizer's written reviews are positive against 74% of Roster's.

ShiftLife Organizer ships an update every 5 weeks, Roster every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShiftLife Organizer | Roster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftlife-organizer/id350195352/reviews)** | [4.4 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roster-calendar/id536118948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 63 |
| Positive reviews | **77.9% of reviews** | 74.2% 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 | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [OvalKey Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/308493255) | [michael heinz](https://appshunter.io/developer/292745639) |

## 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


### Roster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roster-calendar/id536118948)

Easily manage your work shifts by entering them into your calendar with a single tap. Customize shift times, colors, and names to fit your specific needs. Quickly create complex shift patterns and add notes for each day.

**Highlights:** Quick shift entry, Customizable shift details, Editable templates, Add notes to days, Double shifts, Recurring shift cycles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Website+Extras | $1.49 | per month |
| Extra 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 2 - Security | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 3 - Overtime | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 4 - Audio | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 5 - Pictures | $0.99 | one-time |
| "More comfortable" | $1.99 | one-time |
| No advertising | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Extras | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for shift work
- 💡 Customizable color coding
- 🚀 Efficient scheduling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult navigation
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔒 Sync and backup issues

**Reported bugs**

- App suddenly stops working
- Notes and schedules disappearing
- Inability to access past/future months
- Compatibility issues with device updates

**Requested features**

- Add multiple shifts per day
- Improve month-to-month navigation
- Integrate with other calendar apps
- Provide better customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShiftLife Organizer free?

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

### Is Roster free?

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

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

ShiftLife Organizer is rated higher. ShiftLife Organizer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Roster averages 4.4 from 63 ratings.

### Do ShiftLife Organizer or Roster have ads?

Both ShiftLife Organizer and Roster show ads.

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

ShiftLife Organizer ships an update every 5 weeks, and Roster every 2 months. Most recently, ShiftLife Organizer was updated on November 1, 2026 and Roster on November 1, 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.*