Comparison

Shift Worker vs Shift Planning Calendar

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

Head to head
About

Shift Worker

Easily enter and view your work schedule with custom shift types, icons, and colors. Quickly add entire months or years of shifts and share them with others. Save your schedule to your device's background for instant access.

Highlights
  • Custom shift types with icons and colors
  • Quick shift entry for months/years
  • Multiple calendar support
  • Share shifts with others
  • Save schedule to background
  • Personalized notes for dates
  • Timeline view
Features
Read full description

Shift Worker is designed for people who need a quick and easy way to enter and view their shifts. A traditional calendar is not always ideal for shift workers. Sometimes it's not easy to see your upcoming shift schedule very clearly, especially if your shifts don't fall into the traditional working week. Shift Worker solves this problem and turns the frustrating task of entry into a quick and easy experience. Shift Worker allows you to create your own types of shifts by combining visually-attractive icons with letters/numbers so that they can be easily identified at a glance. By including a range of icons (such as suns and stars for day and night shifts) in a variety of colors, any combination is possible for all types of shifts. Entering shifts can be done quickly by simply selecting a type of shift and tapping on each date it occurs. An entire month of shifts could be entered in seconds, an entire year in a few minutes! In addition, Shift Worker allows you create multiple calendars to see friends and family shifts! You can send your shifts to others so they can also see your shifts at a glance as an image or in their copy of Shift Worker. To make things even simpler, you can even save your shifts to your iPhone/iPod's background so that referring to your upcoming shift schedule is as simple as picking up your iPhone/iPod. Shift Worker also includes the ability to create colored personalized notes for each date. Notes can be used anytime additional information needs to be added to a date. FEATURES: - Create a virtually unlimited amount of shift types - Enter shifts on the calendar months in advance in seconds - Add your rotation and automatically fill the calendar in a few simple steps - Show friends and family shifts using multiple calendars - View the calendar in timeline format to see your shift flow at a glance - Create colored personalized notes for any date on the calendar - Include week of year or week 1/2 alternating pattern on calendar - Jump to any month by using the "Goto" button - Save a month's worth of shifts to your background - Share your shifts to others via email, messages and social media. - Import other Shift Worker shifts and view them all within the one app - No ads! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Shift Planning Calendar

This app simplifies shift work management for individuals. It allows for quick entry of recurring shifts, comparison of schedules with friends, and easy sharing of your work calendar via email or as a lock screen image.

Highlights
  • Quick shift input with icons
  • Compare schedules with friends
  • Auto-create email of shifts
  • Bluetooth shift exchange
  • Calendar snapshot for lock screen
  • All features available from start
Features
Read full description

This app provides powerful support for people who do shift work. This app was created based on comments like these. • Entering shifts on the calendar one by one is a lot trouble. > By using the Shift Input Function, you can fill in shifts for a whole month in less than 30 seconds. • I want to view shifts for me and my friends side by side when we're planning a day to hang out together. > By using the Shift List Function, you can quickly find out which day is best for everyone. • Writing emails when I want to tell my friends and family my shifts is difficult. > With the Autocreate Email Function, you can automatically create an email of your shift schedule with one touch. • I want to check my shifts quickly on the lock screen. > With the Calendar Snapshot Function, you can easily create an image of your calendar that can be used for the standby display. *** Main Features *** * You can use all of the features right from the start without having to purchase any add-ons. • Shift Input Mode You can fill in shifts on the calendar with simple one touch controls using icons. • Shift List Function You can manage shifts for multiple other users, and compare shifts for you and your friends on a single list. • Autocreate Email Function Creates an email of your work schedule with one touch. • Bluetooth Shift Exchange Function Exchange your shift information by bringing your iPhone/iPod Touch close together, similar to IR communication. • Calendar Snapshot Function Creates an image of your calendar that you can use as your lock screen or wallpaper. You can check your shifts quickly on your lock screen. • Launch App with URL Scheme open:ShiftWorkingCalendar open:shift *** User Reviews *** * Very helpful app. Makes life easier for shift workers. * Easy to use. Great for odd shifts. Love the icons. * Thanks it's easy to use and free * Absolutely fantastic. * Very handy for me and quick to use Easy to email to others * Very convenient. Nice app. * Glad a shift planner is free, without any adverts. * Just what I have been waiting for. Up till now, I have had to write shifts on calendar for my wife to see, and help plan. A simple email now does it all, great!

Screenshots

Shift Worker4 screens
Shift Planning Calendar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Shift Planning Calendar at Free against Shift Worker's $1.99. Shift Planning Calendar also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and review sentiment (83% vs 46%). Shift Worker's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Shift Planning Calendar is free to download; Shift Worker costs $1.99 up front. Shift Worker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Shift Planning Calendar sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shift Planning Calendar holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shift Planning Calendar has 811 ratings behind it against 103, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Shift Worker's written reviews are positive against 83% of Shift Planning Calendar's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shift Worker ships an update every 6 days, Shift Planning Calendar every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Shift Worker versus Shift Planning Calendar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShift WorkerShift Planning Calendar
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (103 ratings)4.7 (811 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews82.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings103811 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.69.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProduction Shed Pty LtdKosuke Hamada

Customer experience

Shift Worker

All ratings103 ratings
Positive65.0%
Neutral15.5%
Negative19.4%
Written reviews460 reviews
Positive46.3%
Neutral20.7%
Negative33.0%

Shift Planning Calendar

All ratings811 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews841 reviews
Positive82.9%
Neutral10.3%
Negative6.8%

User reviews

Shift Worker

From 103 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Excellent for shift workers
  • 📅 Easy to organize schedules
  • 🎨 Customizable icons and colors
  • 🧭 Helpful for managing complex rotations
  • 🤝 Useful for couples/families to align schedules

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when adding notes
  • 📝 Limited note display
  • 🔄 Lack of sync between devices
  • 🗓️ Issues with iOS updates deleting data
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding support

Shift Planning Calendar

From 811 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Customizable icons
  • 👍 Helps stay organized
  • 👍 Great for shift work
  • 👍 Convenient to have schedule on phone

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with data transfer on new device
  • 🔒 Concerns about paid subscription
  • 💡 Could use more icon options
  • 💡 Wish it had more features like sharing calendar

Bugs and requests

Shift Worker

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when trying to add notes
  • Notes disappearing after iOS updates
  • Calendar dates/days not displaying correctly
  • Inability to export/import schedules

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to view full notes
  • Implement iCloud/calendar sync
  • Allow multiple shift entries per day
  • Add recurring note/reminder features
  • Develop Apple Watch app integration

Shift Planning Calendar

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Shift data not transferring to new device
  • Paid subscription not recognized on new device
  • Calendar not displaying properly on larger screens

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to repeat/copy shifts
  • Automatic shift pattern generation
  • Integration with other calendars
  • More customization options
  • Notifications for upcoming shifts

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Shift Worker

Subscriptions2
  • Shift Worker Premium Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Shift Worker Premium Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
11 purchases

Shift Planning Calendar

One-time11
  • Icon Set [theme01]$0.99
  • Icon Set [theme02]$0.99
  • Icon Set [theme03]$0.99
Show 8 more
  • Icon Set [theme04]$0.99
  • Icon Set [theme05]$0.99
  • Calendar Frame [theme01]$0.99
  • Calendar Frame [theme02]$0.99
  • Calendar Frame [theme03]$0.99
  • Reasonable Icons Set [theme01~05]$2.99
  • Reasonable Calendar Frame Set [theme01~05]$2.99
  • Upgrade$3.99

Questions

Is Shift Worker free?
Shift Worker costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Shift Planning Calendar free?
Shift Planning Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Shift Worker or Shift Planning Calendar?
Shift Planning Calendar is rated higher. Shift Worker averages 3.7 out of 5 from 103 ratings, while Shift Planning Calendar averages 4.7 from 811 ratings.
Do Shift Worker or Shift Planning Calendar have ads?
Neither Shift Worker nor Shift Planning Calendar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shift Worker or Shift Planning Calendar?
Shift Worker ships an update every 6 days, and Shift Planning Calendar every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shift Worker was updated on October 15, 2026 and Shift Planning Calendar on October 14, 2026.

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