Comparison

Shift Calendar vs RotaCell

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Shift Calendar

Features
Read full description

Set your rotation once and see the whole year ahead. SIMPLE Pick your pattern — 4 on 4 off, 2-2-3, DuPont, twelve-hour days and nights, rotating three shifts — then tap the day of the cycle you are on today. Done. No sign-up, no account. YOUR OWN ROTATION Nothing on the list fits? Build a cycle of any length yourself. Hospital rotas, irregular rotations, on-call. WHAT YOU GET • When your next shift starts, and how long until it does • A whole month on one screen • Your shifts in the iPhone Calendar, kept up to date • A reminder before every shift, even offline • Hours worked and estimated pay • A home screen widget • Backup and restore, to move to a new phone • In 31 languages Without a purchase you see this month's calendar and your next shift. Other months, editing days, your own rotation, Calendar sync, reminders, hours and pay, the widget and backups come with Shift Cycle Pro, an in-app purchase. CHANGES Swapped a shift? Tap the day and change it. Add a note. Your rotation stays intact around it, and your Calendar and reminders follow. WHAT WE PROMISE A lifetime purchase stays a lifetime purchase. We will not move it to a subscription later, and we will never put ads in this app. We never see your shifts. No server, no account, no tracking — your rotation stays on your phone. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://anilsancarr-web.github.io/shiftcycle-site/privacy/

About

RotaCell

Features
Read full description

Enjoy 7 days access, no upfront subscription required. Whether you work a plain 9-to-5 or a rotation nobody outside the job could explain, RotaCell is the schedule app that doesn't look like it's from 2012 — and doesn't make you keep a second spreadsheet just to check your own pay. Built for nurses and healthcare staff, factory and warehouse workers, retail and hospitality teams, drivers, police, firefighters, corrections officers, and offshore crews — and for anyone on a plain Monday through Friday who just wants their pay, leave and overtime in one place. WORKS WITH YOUR ACTUAL SCHEDULE • Built-in templates for 4 on/4 off, Pitman, Panama, Continental, DuPont, 2-2-2, and a rotating Early/Late/Night cycle, or a plain Monday through Friday week • Or scan a printed schedule with your camera — everything is read on your device, nothing uploaded • Import an existing calendar (.ics), or juggle more than one job at once KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY, NOT JUST WHAT DAY IT IS • Today's shift, this week at a glance, and your full rotation mapped out months ahead • Home Screen widgets and a Lock Screen / Dynamic Island countdown • An Apple Watch app with quick actions for overtime and leave NEVER GET CAUGHT OUT • A gentle nudge if a shift starts with too little rest behind it • A warning before you accidentally double-book yourself • Leave-By Alerts: a live-traffic "leave by" time for any day with a location set • An optional smart alarm and a haptic buzz before your shift, if you want one SEE YOUR PAY BEFORE PAYDAY DOES • Hourly or salaried pay, night/weekend premiums, overtime multipliers • A rough tax estimate for 200+ countries • Mileage log, annual leave, and time-off-in-lieu tracking, all in one place REMINDERS THAT ACTUALLY FIT YOUR WEEK • A corkboard of personal to-dos, one-off or repeating, sitting right next to your schedule — not another app to remember to open YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS • No account, no login, no ads, ever • Everything lives on your device; iCloud Backup is optional and entirely yours • Public holidays for 200+ countries, built right in No subscription. Unlock once, keep it. Try every feature free for the first 7 days — no card up front. After that, unlocking is a single purchase, priced right here in the App Store. Privacy Policy: https://rotacell.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Shift Calendar4 screens
RotaCell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Shift Calendar at 16.4 against RotaCell's 18.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Shift Calendar sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and RotaCell sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
Shift Calendar versus RotaCell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShift CalendarRotaCell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeranil sancarRodolfo Antonio Zorrilla Pena

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Shift Calendar

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
One-time1
  • Pro$24.99
2 purchases

RotaCell

Subscriptions1
  • RotaCell (Yearly)$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • RotaCell (Forever)$29.99

Questions

Is Shift Calendar free?
Shift Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RotaCell free?
RotaCell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shift Calendar or RotaCell have ads?
Neither Shift Calendar nor RotaCell shows ads.

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