# Simple Roster vs SHIFTAR

The clearest difference is update cadence: SHIFTAR at monthly against Simple Roster's every 2 months. Simple Roster's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 76%) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Roster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SHIFTAR sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Simple Roster against 4.8 for SHIFTAR. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 770 and 572 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Simple Roster's written reviews are positive against 76% of SHIFTAR's.

Simple Roster ships an update every 2 months, SHIFTAR monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Roster | SHIFTAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (770 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-roster/id476294253/reviews) | [4.8 (572 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftar-work-schedule-planner/id1441499274/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **770** | 572 |
| Positive reviews | **84.8% of reviews** | 75.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Purple Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476294256) | [Kosuke Hamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/515812363) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Roster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-roster/id476294253)

Manage your work schedule digitally with this intuitive app. Access your shifts from anywhere, even offline, and easily plan social gatherings with friends by viewing their schedules. Share your availability with loved ones to keep them informed.

**Highlights:** Offline roster access, Intuitive shift entry, Friend roster viewing, Roster sharing, Recurring shift setup (Full Version), Calendar notes (Full Version), iOS calendar sync (Full Version)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Simple and effective
- 💡 Helpful for shift workers
- 🔍 Allows viewing of schedules at a glance
- 🔗 Ability to share roster with others

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or crashes
- 🔧 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Calendar dates not always accurate
- 💬 Inability to add multiple shifts per day
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate or use

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar dates shown incorrectly
- Roster sharing feature not working properly
- App freezes when trying to edit shifts

**Requested features**

- Add ability to repeat/copy shift patterns
- Improve calendar sync with other apps
- Provide more color options for shifts
- Allow adding notes or reminders to shifts
- Implement landscape mode support


### SHIFTAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftar-work-schedule-planner/id1441499274)

Easily manage your work shifts and personal appointments in one intuitive calendar. Quickly input shift details, track your earnings, and sync with your existing iCloud calendar. Premium features include widgets, data backup, and advanced color customization.

**Highlights:** Quick shift entry with pre-set buttons, Automatic salary calculation, iCloud Calendar synchronization, Daily/weekly schedule widgets, Automatic data backup, Expanded color coding options, Ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SHIFTAR Premium monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium monthly with trial | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| SHIFTAR Premium | $8.99 | per year |
| SHIFTAR Premium annual | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium annual with trial | $8.99 | per year |
| Premium annual with trial | $16.49 | per year |
| SHIFTAR Premium annual | $16.49 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and intuitive to use
- 🎨 Color-coding for shift organization
- ⚡ Quick one-click shift entry
- 📱 Useful for shift workers and nurses
- 💰 Wage calculator feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Paywall for colors and premium features
- 📺 Unexpected ads despite paid version
- 🐛 Data loss issues after updates
- ❌ No MacBook/desktop version
- 🔗 Limited calendar syncing options

**Reported bugs**

- Complete data loss after app updates
- Random deletion of calendar entries
- App crashes on launch
- Unable to access app after update
- Sync failures across devices

**Requested features**

- Date search function for quick navigation
- App icon with current date display
- Partner/family sharing system
- Multiple user schedule management
- Weekly pay period option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Roster free?

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

### Is SHIFTAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Roster or SHIFTAR?

Simple Roster and SHIFTAR are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 770 and 572 ratings respectively.

### Do Simple Roster or SHIFTAR have ads?

Both Simple Roster and SHIFTAR show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Roster or SHIFTAR?

Simple Roster ships an update every 2 months, and SHIFTAR monthly. Most recently, Simple Roster was updated on October 12, 2026 and SHIFTAR on October 11, 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.*