# Spark vs Shift Calendar / Schedule

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shift Calendar / Schedule at none against Spark's 2. On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Spark ships an update every 5 weeks, Shift Calendar / Schedule every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spark | Shift Calendar / Schedule |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (7.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spark-shift-calendar/id390915382/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 74.8% of reviews | **76.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [E.L.K. Equities LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1775442602) | [Lin Chih-YU](https://appshunter.io/developer/994771056) |

## 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 Calendar / Schedule

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-calendar-schedule/id994771057)

Easily create and manage your work schedule with customizable shifts. Quickly set recurring shifts over multiple days and share your planner with friends via email or other apps.

**Highlights:** Customizable shifts, Easy schedule editing, Set shifts for multiple days, Share schedule via email/apps, User-friendly interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Customizable labels and colors
- 💡 Helpful for shift workers
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with saving notes and appointments
- 🔍 Limited features compared to other calendar apps
- 🔀 Difficulty with repeating or copying shift patterns
- 🔒 No backup or sync options

**Reported bugs**

- Shifts and notes not saving properly
- App crashing after recent updates
- Inability to restore data on new devices

**Requested features**

- Add holiday and overtime shift options
- Ability to input multiple shifts per day
- Sync with other calendars or cloud services
- Apple Watch compatibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spark free?

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

### Is Shift Calendar / Schedule free?

Shift Calendar / Schedule is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Spark or Shift Calendar / Schedule have ads?

Neither Spark nor Shift Calendar / Schedule shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spark or Shift Calendar / Schedule?

Spark ships an update every 5 weeks, and Shift Calendar / Schedule every 3 weeks. Most recently, Spark was updated on October 14, 2026 and Shift Calendar / Schedule on October 17, 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.*