# Simple Roster vs Roster

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Roster at 4.8 against Roster's 4.4. Simple Roster also leads on ratings volume (770 vs 63) and review sentiment (85% vs 74%). Roster's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Roster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Roster sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Roster holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Roster has 770 ratings behind it against 63, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Simple Roster's written reviews are positive against 74% of Roster's.

Simple Roster ships an update every 2 months, Roster monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Roster | Roster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (770 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-roster/id476294253/reviews)** | [4.4 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roster-calendar/id536118948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **770** | 63 |
| Positive reviews | **85.1% of reviews** | 74.1% 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 | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Purple Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476294256) | [michael heinz](https://appshunter.io/developer/292745639) |

## 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


### Roster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roster-calendar/id536118948)

Easily manage your work shifts by entering them into your calendar with a single tap. Customize shift times, colors, and names to fit your specific needs. Quickly create complex shift patterns and add notes for each day.

**Highlights:** Quick shift entry, Customizable shift details, Editable templates, Add notes to days, Double shifts, Recurring shift cycles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Website+Extras | $1.49 | per month |
| Extra 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 2 - Security | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 3 - Overtime | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 4 - Audio | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra 5 - Pictures | $0.99 | one-time |
| "More comfortable" | $1.99 | one-time |
| No advertising | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Extras | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for shift work
- 💡 Customizable color coding
- 🚀 Efficient scheduling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult navigation
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔒 Sync and backup issues

**Reported bugs**

- App suddenly stops working
- Notes and schedules disappearing
- Inability to access past/future months
- Compatibility issues with device updates

**Requested features**

- Add multiple shifts per day
- Improve month-to-month navigation
- Integrate with other calendar apps
- Provide better customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Roster free?

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

### Is Roster free?

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

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

Simple Roster is rated higher. Simple Roster averages 4.8 out of 5 from 770 ratings, while Roster averages 4.4 from 63 ratings.

### Do Simple Roster or Roster have ads?

Both Simple Roster and Roster show ads.

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

Simple Roster ships an update every 2 months, and Roster monthly. Most recently, Simple Roster was updated on September 26, 2026 and Roster on September 27, 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.*