Spark vs Rescue Shift
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spark
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.
- Full shift customization
- Secure cloud sync
- Streamlined shift trades
- Instant visual cues
- Comprehensive shift coverage
- User-friendly interface
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Spark: Your Ultimate Shift Calendar App For over 15 years, Spark has been the go-to app for simplifying shift work. Loaded with powerful, user-friendly features, Spark helps you balance work and personal life in one place—trusted daily by fire, police, EMS, healthcare professionals, and shift workers worldwide. With Spark’s unique "Cloud Connect" system, you can sync and share your schedule across all devices, keeping you and your loved ones in the loop anytime, anywhere. Why Spark? Here’s why your colleagues love it: Full Customization Spark is designed for you. Track and log anything you need—vacation, sick time, comp time, overtime, trades, and more. Can’t find something? Add it with ease! Spark’s sleek, intuitive design lets you personalize everything to suit your work style. Secure & Reliable Your data is safe with us. Spark’s "Cloud Connect" syncs your encrypted calendar across devices, linked to your email. Lose or upgrade your phone? Just log back in, and it’s like you never left. Comprehensive Shift Coverage From pre-loaded schedules to custom department setups, Spark supports thousands of shift calendars. Don’t see yours? Easily create it, and it’s saved for you and your team. Streamlined Shift Trades & Swaps Manage and track all your trades and swaps down to the individual. Spark’s “Trade Board” lets you request and confirm trades within the app, automatically updating your calendar and stats—no extra steps. Instant Visual Cues Color-code shifts, events, and stats for at-a-glance planning. With Spark, you’ll know exactly what’s on the agenda without extra clicks. Unmatched Customer Support Our app thrives on user feedback. We’re committed to fast, helpful support, with most emails resolved in under two hours. Spark evolves with your input, making it the app you can rely on for years to come. Try Spark free for 30 days, and experience the app that’s helping shift workers around the world stay organized. Visit www.LeakyNozzle.com to learn more!
Rescue Shift
This app helps firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs manage their complex rotating work schedules. It displays your entire work calendar, tracks overtime and training, and allows you to share your schedule with family.
- Custom rotation scheduling
- Overtime and training tracking
- Retirement countdown
- Family schedule sharing
- First responder focused
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RescueShift is shift scheduling software built for fire departments, EMS agencies, and 24/7 public-safety crews. Retire the station whiteboard, the group text, and the spreadsheet. Your whole crew (and your family) works off one live schedule. WHAT YOU CAN DO • See who's on duty today, by station and apparatus • Run traditional rotations: 24/48, 48/96, 24/72, 3x12, 4x10, Kelly days, or a custom pattern • Post open shifts to a sign-up board and let members claim them from their phone • Catch coverage gaps before a unit drops below minimum staffing • Approve trades, PTO, and shift drops in one inbox with a staffing-impact check • Track FLSA 7(k) overtime across 7–28 day work periods • Put a live, read-only coverage board on any station TV, no login needed • Track certifications and continuing education so nothing expires unnoticed • Share your personal schedule with up to 10 family members BUILT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS Firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, engineers, and 911 dispatchers. It also fits contract ambulance services, hospital emergency departments, and any team that runs around-the-clock coverage. PRICING Free for individuals (ad-supported). Premium ($2.99/mo) removes ads and adds family sharing. Department plans add the admin dashboard, roster, trades, whiteboard, and analytics. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://rescueshift.com/privacy https://rescueshift.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spark at 75% against Rescue Shift's 0%. Spark also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Spark sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Rescue Shift sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Spark holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spark has 7.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Spark's written reviews are positive against 0% of Rescue Shift's.
Spark ships an update every 5 weeks, Rescue Shift monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spark | Rescue Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (7.5K ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 74.5% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7.5K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | E.L.K. Equities LLC | Eduardo Verde |
Customer experience
Spark
Rescue Shift
Bugs and requests
Spark
Reported bugs
3 issues- Login and authentication problems
- Data loss and sync issues after updates
- Unreliable performance on some devices
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to sync with more calendar services
- More customization options
- Improved user interface and design
- Ability to view past schedules and events
Rescue Shift
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Spark
- Annual Subscription Renewal$0.99
- Initial Annual Subscription$5.99
Rescue Shift
- Premium RescueShift$2.991 Month
Questions
Is Spark free?
Is Rescue Shift free?
Which has better reviews, Spark or Rescue Shift?
Do Spark or Rescue Shift have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spark or Rescue Shift?
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