# Spark vs Shift Scheduler

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shift Scheduler at none against Spark's 2. Spark's advantage is ratings volume (7.5K vs 7) and review sentiment (75% vs 60%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spark sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Shift Scheduler asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Spark against 4.7 for Shift Scheduler. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spark has 7.5K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Spark's written reviews are positive against 60% of Shift Scheduler's.

Spark ships an update every 5 weeks, Shift Scheduler every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spark | Shift Scheduler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (7.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spark-shift-calendar/id390915382/reviews)** | [4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-scheduler/id482061308/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.5K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **74.8% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [E.L.K. Equities LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1775442602) | [洁靖 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/482061691) |

## What reviewers say

### Spark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spark-shift-calendar/id390915382)

This app simplifies shift work for professionals like first responders and healthcare workers. It offers full customization, secure cloud syncing, and streamlined shift trading. Plan your life and stay organized with instant visual cues and reliable support.

**Highlights:** Full shift customization, Secure cloud sync, Streamlined shift trades, Instant visual cues, Comprehensive shift coverage, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription Renewal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Initial Annual Subscription | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent calendar app
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Customizable and feature-rich
- 👍 Great for shift work and emergency services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 💰 Subscription model and pricing issues
- 🔧 Needs more frequent updates
- 🔧 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🔧 Lack of certain features (e.g., widgets, dark mode)

**Reported bugs**

- Login and authentication problems
- Data loss and sync issues after updates
- Unreliable performance on some devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to sync with more calendar services
- More customization options
- Improved user interface and design
- Ability to view past schedules and events


### Shift Scheduler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-scheduler/id482061308)

Manage your work schedule with this app. It offers flexible shift arrangement, holiday tracking, and customizable calendar views with icons and colors. Record clock-in/out times and set reminders for your shifts.

**Highlights:** Flexible shift arrangement, Holiday tracking (US, UK, Canada, etc.), Customizable calendar with 40+ icons and unlimited colors, Clock-in/out time recording, Shift reminders, Enable/disable shifts for calendar view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spark free?

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

### Is Shift Scheduler free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spark or Shift Scheduler?

Spark is rated higher. Spark averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.5K ratings, while Shift Scheduler averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Spark or Shift Scheduler have ads?

Neither Spark nor Shift Scheduler shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spark or Shift Scheduler?

Spark ships an update every 5 weeks, and Shift Scheduler every 2 months. Most recently, Spark was updated on October 14, 2026 and Shift Scheduler on September 28, 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.*