# ESS Mobile vs Shift Day Work Calendar

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shift Day Work Calendar at 86% against ESS Mobile's 3%. Shift Day Work Calendar also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.7) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). ESS Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shift Day Work Calendar sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ESS Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shift Day Work Calendar holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shift Day Work Calendar has 14K ratings behind it against 343, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 3% of ESS Mobile's written reviews are positive against 86% of Shift Day Work Calendar's.

ESS Mobile ships an update every 3 months, Shift Day Work Calendar every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESS Mobile | Shift Day Work Calendar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-mobile/id667448755/reviews) | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-day-work-calendar-spoke/id1016565262/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 343 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 2.9% of reviews | **85.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 1 MB | 243 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Attendance on Demand, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/675262405) | [PIXO Incorporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/541568418) |

## What reviewers say

### ESS Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-mobile/id667448755)

This app offers flexible time tracking for employees, allowing them to punch in/out, review hours worked, check schedules, and manage benefit balances. It facilitates communication with supervisors for attendance-related matters and supports various time entry methods.

**Highlights:** Flexible time tracking, Review hours worked, Check schedules and benefit balances, Request time off, Enter tips and mileage, Communicate with supervisor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Simple and straightforward time tracking functionality
- 📧 Email records linked to time card
- ⚙️ Works reliably on Android devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connect button functions as text box instead of button
- ❌ App crashes frequently after updates
- ⚪ White screen loading issues
- 📍 Location detection inaccurate (4-5 miles off)
- 🔐 Login failures and credential issues

**Reported bugs**

- Connect button treats input as editable text field
- App fails to load or shows blank white screen
- Location services report incorrect location
- Login credentials rejected despite correct information
- Clock-in button disappears or becomes non-functional

**Requested features**

- Face ID or biometric authentication
- Remember me/stay logged in functionality
- Current time display on home screen
- Manager approval system for early out/late in requests
- Ability to view all punch times and historical data


### Shift Day Work Calendar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-day-work-calendar-spoke/id1016565262)

Easily track your work shifts with a clear, intuitive calendar. Assign colors and names to shifts, add reminders, and view your entire month at a glance. Share your schedule and sync across devices.

**Highlights:** Color-coded shift tracking, Intuitive rota interface, Shift widget, Schedule sharing, iCloud sync, Push notifications

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription Trial | $4.99 | per month |
| Month-Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription Trial | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription Intro Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription Special Offer | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly Pro Subscription Trial | $34.99 | per year |
| Year-Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Pro Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Pro Upgrade Now | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🎨 Helpful color coding
- 🗓️ Convenient for shift scheduling
- ⏰ Shift reminders

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paid upgrade required for full functionality
- 🔀 Issues with syncing across devices
- 🗓️ Limited view of calendar
- 📝 Memos not prominently displayed

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or closing unexpectedly
- Shifts not displaying correctly
- Issues with paid version not working after device change

**Requested features**

- Ability to add more than 2 shifts per day
- Integration with other calendar apps
- Customizable color options
- Recurring memo/event feature
- Week view option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESS Mobile free?

ESS Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shift Day Work Calendar free?

Shift Day Work Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ESS Mobile or Shift Day Work Calendar?

Shift Day Work Calendar is rated higher. ESS Mobile averages 1.7 out of 5 from 343 ratings, while Shift Day Work Calendar averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.

### Do ESS Mobile or Shift Day Work Calendar have ads?

Shift Day Work Calendar shows ads; ESS Mobile does not.

### Which is updated more often, ESS Mobile or Shift Day Work Calendar?

ESS Mobile ships an update every 3 months, and Shift Day Work Calendar every 4 days. Most recently, ESS Mobile was updated on October 17, 2026 and Shift Day Work Calendar on October 20, 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.*