Comparison

Rota Calendar 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

Rota Calendar

Easily plan your life around work with this shift worker's calendar. See your schedule years in advance, customize shifts with colors and emojis, and sync with your existing calendars. Share your availability with others.

Highlights
  • Scrollable calendar view
  • Generate schedules up to 5 years ahead
  • Customizable shift colors and labels
  • Sync with existing calendars
  • Share schedules via AirDrop (iOS)
  • Supports repeating and irregular shifts
Features
Read full description

Does working shifts make planning your personal life difficult? Rota Calendar helps shift workers scroll through shifts, see schedules years ahead, and plan life around work with confidence. Standard digital calendars make it hard to understand long-term shift patterns. Rota Calendar is built specifically for shift work, making it easy to see when you’re working, resting, or free — even years in advance. Enter the date of your next shift and your rotation is calculated instantly, generating your shift schedule up to five years ahead. From there, scroll smoothly through time to plan vacations, social events, family commitments, and important dates without guesswork. Designed for Real Shift Work Rota Calendar supports both repeating and irregular shift patterns. You can manually add, edit, or adjust individual shifts at any time, making it ideal for complex or changing schedules. Customize shifts with your own colors, labels, times, and emojis so different shift types are easy to recognize at a glance. Individual shifts can be edited once they are on the calendar, giving you full control over your schedule. Continuous Scroll Calendar Instead of rigid month-by-month views, Rota Calendar uses a continuous, unbroken scrolling calendar. This makes it easy to see how shifts flow across weeks and months, including where schedules overlap month boundaries. Long-term work patterns become clear and easy to understand at a glance. Sync and Compare With Your Calendar Rota Calendar syncs with calendars already on your device, including iOS, Google, and Facebook calendars. View your work shifts alongside personal events in one place, and add or edit these events directly within Rota Calendar to avoid conflicts. Simple, Clear, and Built for Individuals Rota Calendar is designed for individuals, not companies or teams. There are no accounts to create and no unnecessary features — just a clean, easy-to-use layout designed to make shift planning simple. Trusted by thousands of shift workers, Rota Calendar is used daily by people working rotating schedules, offshore roles, oil and gas, emergency services, and other non-standard work patterns. If you need a powerful yet easy-to-use shift planner that lets you scroll through years of schedules and take control of your time, Rota Calendar is built for you. Excellent - 5 Star Best app I’ve used. Extremely easy to add rota and use. Would, and have, recommended to anyone that needs a rota app. The best app I’ve got! 5 Star Of the dozens of apps I’ve got this is the best. Use it constantly and was easy to set up. I’ve moved on to a different rota but can still see my old one which is really useful. Always get a reply when I send a query and comments are taken on board. Best app out for rota - 5 Star As I work in the oil rigs 2 weeks on 2 weeks off this app was perfect for working out my rota in seconds! And worth every penny! Perfect - 5 Star This is the only shift predictor in the app store that I can actually use to plan my very random shift pattern. First class, Rota calendar - 5 Star Excellent app for offshore rotas Great great and just great - 5 Star I love this app its great for me for when i am offshore i hope they keep it on here forever Shift Cal - 5 Star Found this app so easy to use for a 3 on 3 off days and nights was done in a min forever fantastic. Rota - 5 Star This is perfect for shift workers and works well. I have a complicated shift pattern and this makes it so easy to look up future dates instantly. I rate this highly. www.facebook.com/jrwstudio www.jrw-studio.com twitter.com/jrwstudio By using this app, you agree to Apple's Standard End User License Agreement: 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

Rota Calendar4 screens
Shift Planning Calendar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Rota Calendar at every 5 days against Shift Planning Calendar's every 5 weeks. Shift Planning Calendar's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (83% vs 65%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

Both are free to download. Rota Calendar sells 10 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Rota Calendar against 4.7 for Shift Planning Calendar. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 816 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Rota Calendar's written reviews are positive against 83% of Shift Planning Calendar's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rota Calendar ships an update every 5 days, Shift Planning Calendar every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Rota Calendar versus Shift Planning Calendar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRota CalendarShift Planning Calendar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (731 ratings)4.7 (816 ratings) — better
Positive reviews65.4% of reviews82.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings731816 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJRW Studio LimitedKosuke Hamada

Customer experience

Rota Calendar

All ratings731 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.5%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews188 reviews
Positive65.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative28.7%

Shift Planning Calendar

All ratings811 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews842 reviews
Positive82.9%
Neutral10.3%
Negative6.8%

User reviews

Rota Calendar

From 731 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to program repeatable rota/roster pattern
  • 👍 Keeps track of work and personal life
  • 👍 Ideal for shift work schedules
  • 👍 Syncs with other calendars
  • 👍 Configurable for different shift types

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with recent updates overriding or deleting existing shifts
  • 🐛 Crashes when trying to airdrop shifts
  • 🐛 Inability to save individual shift changes
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • 🔒 Concerns over subscription model and loss of functionality for previous paid users

Shift Planning Calendar

From 816 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

Rota Calendar

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Rota not properly accounting for holidays and days off
  • Inability to handle complex shift patterns beyond 9 weeks
  • Sync issues between iPad and iPhone versions
  • Day/month display not working after recent update

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to share rota/schedule with partner
  • More color options for shifts
  • Separate view for each month
  • Ability to add travel days to shifts
  • Integration with Apple Watch
Show 1 more
  • Shift-specific alarms/notifications

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

10 purchases

Rota Calendar

Subscriptions10
  • Rota Calendar Supporter Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Platinum Special Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly: Unlimited Edits7 Days trial$2.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Gold Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Platinum Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Supporter Yearly: Backup Only7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Platinum Special Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly: 5 Years Cloud Sync7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Gold Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Platinum Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 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 Rota Calendar free?
Rota Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shift Planning Calendar free?
Shift Planning Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rota Calendar or Shift Planning Calendar?
Shift Planning Calendar is rated higher. Rota Calendar averages 4.7 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while Shift Planning Calendar averages 4.7 from 816 ratings.
Do Rota Calendar or Shift Planning Calendar have ads?
Neither Rota Calendar nor Shift Planning Calendar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rota Calendar or Shift Planning Calendar?
Rota Calendar ships an update every 5 days, and Shift Planning Calendar every 5 weeks. Most recently, Rota Calendar was updated on October 23, 2026 and Shift Planning Calendar on October 22, 2026.

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