# ESS Mobile vs ScheduleAnywhere

The clearest difference is rating: ScheduleAnywhere at 2.2 against ESS Mobile's 1.7. ScheduleAnywhere also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (11% vs 3%). ESS Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (343 vs 49). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ScheduleAnywhere holds the better App Store score, 2.2 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ESS Mobile has 343 ratings behind it against 49, 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 11% of ScheduleAnywhere's.

ESS Mobile ships an update every 3 months, ScheduleAnywhere every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESS Mobile | ScheduleAnywhere |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-mobile/id667448755/reviews) | **[2.2 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scheduleanywhere/id843409380/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **343** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | 2.9% of reviews | **11.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Attendance on Demand, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/675262405) | [Humanity.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/864258525) |

## 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


### ScheduleAnywhere

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scheduleanywhere/id843409380)

This app simplifies employee scheduling and communication, allowing managers to create schedules, manage requests, and instantly notify staff of changes. Employees can view their shifts, submit requests, and stay informed from any mobile device.

**Highlights:** Create work schedules, Communicate changes instantly, Manage employee requests, Access schedules on mobile, Automate schedule rotation, Reduce overtime

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Can check schedule
- 👍 Can make shift changes
- 👍 Instant schedule updates for staff
- 👍 Access to up-to-the-minute schedules
- 👍 Submit schedule requests from anywhere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App won't let me edit
- 🐛 Extremely limited functionality compared to desktop
- 🐛 Menu setup doesn't make sense
- 🐛 Terrible app and support unavailable
- 🐛 Annoying system errors requiring reinstallation

**Reported bugs**

- App won't let me edit anything
- System errors requiring app deletion and reinstallation
- Linking to Google Calendar stops working after a month
- Always logs out
- Cannot see full schedule (vacations, days off, notes)

**Requested features**

- Show all future requests and manager response
- Bring back weekly view option
- Make weekly view an option
- Add features that the website has, like requests
- Update to be compatible with iPhone XS and XS Max


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESS Mobile free?

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

### Is ScheduleAnywhere free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ESS Mobile or ScheduleAnywhere?

ScheduleAnywhere is rated higher. ESS Mobile averages 1.7 out of 5 from 343 ratings, while ScheduleAnywhere averages 2.2 from 49 ratings.

### Do ESS Mobile or ScheduleAnywhere have ads?

Neither ESS Mobile nor ScheduleAnywhere shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ESS Mobile or ScheduleAnywhere?

ESS Mobile ships an update every 3 months, and ScheduleAnywhere every 2 weeks. Most recently, ESS Mobile was updated on September 23, 2026 and ScheduleAnywhere on September 19, 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.*