Connecteam vs 7shifts: one app for any team, or a restaurant specialist
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Connecteam Reviews · Updated November 1, 2026
7shifts is built for restaurants. It has tip pooling, its own US payroll, POS-linked labor forecasting on Premium, and per-location prices that don't grow with headcount on Pro and Premium. If you run a restaurant and need to pool tips or want scheduling, tips, and payroll from one vendor, pick 7shifts.
Connecteam fits teams outside restaurants, or restaurants that care more about training, forms, checklists, and chat than tips. Its free plan covers up to 10 users with chat and a time clock, and its entry paid tier costs less than 7shifts Essentials for a single location with up to 30 people. It has no built-in payroll and no tip pooling, and reviewers complain about features held back for higher tiers.
Disclosure: this site reviews Connecteam and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. Connecteam is one option below, and we say where it isn't the right fix.
Connecteam vs 7shifts at a glance
| Compared on | Connecteam | 7shifts |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Deskless teams in any industry | Restaurants only ("Restaurant HR Platform") |
| Pricing model | Per hub, flat fee for the first 30 users, then per extra user | Per location, per month ("New customer pricing") |
| Entry paid plan | Operations Hub Basic: $29/mo yearly, $35 monthly, up to 30 users | Essentials: $39.99/mo yearly, $44.99 monthly, up to 30 employees |
| Free plan | Small Business Plan: up to 10 users, all hubs, no payroll integration. Limited plan: basics, up to 30 users | Comp: 1 location, up to 15 employees, basic scheduling and one-way announcements |
| Free trial | 14 days of Expert, no card | 14 days, no card; can continue on Comp afterwards |
| Payroll | Integrations only (Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex Flex, ADP, PrismHR, MYOB) | Built-in 7shifts Payroll (US), sold separately, price not published |
| Tip pooling | Not found | Tip Management: $49.99/mo per location add-on, or included in Premium |
| Training and forms | Courses with quizzes; unlimited forms and checklists on every plan | 7shifts Training with quizzes (plan and price not published); Task Management $12.99/mo add-on or Premium |
| Team chat | On every plan, including the free ones | Essentials and up; Comp has one-way announcements |
| GPS, geofence, face recognition | GPS stamps on Basic; geofence on Advanced (10 sites) and Expert (unlimited); kiosk with PIN or selfie; no face recognition found | Basic time clocking on Essentials, advanced on Pro; geofencing and face recognition not stated on the pages we read |
| Trustpilot, collected through a link the company shares (invited) | 4.67 (49 reviews, Sep 21-29 2026) | 3.61 (31 reviews, Apr 2023-Sep 2026) |
| Trustpilot, unprompted | 1 review in sample, too few to compare | 1.16 (19 reviews, same window) |
| Capterra | 4.6 (5,322 reviews) | 4.7 (1,212 reviews) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-11-01. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Prices are annual rates unless noted. 7shifts prices come from the plan block on 7shifts' own compare pages, marked “Prices are subject to change”; its live pricing page was running a price test on 2026-11-01. Trustpilot figures come from our pull of each company's most recent 50 reviews on 2026-11-01, split by how Trustpilot says each review was collected. Connecteam's link-collected reviews carry Trustpilot's “Unprompted” label, so we count them with invited reviews. The two samples cover different time windows. Capterra figures read from each listing on 2026-11-01.
Connecteam vs 7shifts pricing, worked through
The two price on different units. Connecteam charges per hub: one flat fee for the first 30 users, then a small charge per extra user. 7shifts charges per location, with Essentials capped at 30 employees and Pro and Premium uncapped. The examples below assume annual billing, one location, Connecteam's Operations Hub only (the hub with scheduling and the time clock, which comes with the free Limited tier of the other two hubs), and no add-ons on either side. The tiers don't line up feature for feature, so treat these as starting bills.
| One location | Connecteam | 7shifts |
|---|---|---|
| 25 staff | Basic $29/mo; Advanced (adds geofencing) $49/mo | Essentials $39.99/mo |
| 45 staff | Basic $29 + 15 × $0.80 = $41/mo; Advanced $49 + 15 × $2.50 = $86.50/mo | Pro $79.99/mo (Essentials stops at 30 employees) |
| Tip pooling | Not available | +$49.99/mo add-on, or Premium at $134.99/mo with tips included |
For small and mid-sized single sites, Connecteam starts lower. Past 30 people the gap depends on the tier: 7shifts Pro is cheaper than Connecteam Advanced at 45 staff, and it stays flat as the team grows. Multi-location restaurants pay 7shifts per location, so add each site. Connecteam's own reviewers say the cost climbs once you pass the free tier and need more than one hub. Full tier details are on our Connecteam pricing page and in Connecteam free vs paid.
“Learning curve for some features and the 3 category pricing gets expensive for companies larger than 10 users.”Brendan A., Capterra, Jun 2026
“7shifts recently took out some key features we used to have and put them behind another pay level.”Verified User in Hospitality, G2, Apr 2025
Tips and payroll: where 7shifts goes further
Reviewers describe 7shifts syncing punches from the POS, allocating tips, and passing the result to payroll, including 7shifts' own. Connecteam stops at the timesheet: it exports hours to Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex Flex, ADP, PrismHR, or MYOB on paid plans, and its free Small Business Plan has no payroll integration at all. For a restaurant that pools tips, that is a real gap.
But 7shifts' payroll draws most of its unprompted Trustpilot complaints: tax filing errors, tip-pool accuracy, and billing after cancellation. Those 19 unprompted reviews average 1.16. Several of the same reviewers say the scheduling side worked well for them.
“Automates tip pooling. Makes swapping shifts easy.”Verified User in Restaurants, G2, Jul 2026
“Our 4th quarter taxes were paid late, unemployment insurance rate was entered wrong so only half was paid, we have over $1000 in penalties.”Toby Harris, Trustpilot, Mar 2025
“I wish it included direct payroll, and invoicing within the app”Shane C., Capterra, Jun 2026
Training, forms, and chat in one app
Connecteam puts scheduling, the time clock, chat, forms and checklists, courses with quizzes, onboarding packs, documents with e-sign, and a knowledge base in one employee app. Chat and unlimited forms are on every plan, including the free ones. 7shifts has a training product with quizzes and an AI course builder, but its plan and price are not published, and task lists are a $12.99 add-on or part of Premium. 7shifts' free Comp plan only sends one-way announcements; two-way team messaging starts on Essentials.
Reviewers often praise Connecteam for this consolidation. The same reviewers flag app bugs, notification problems, and the 2026 change that requires employees to allow “Always” location access to clock in. Connecteam says location is not shared or stored while an employee is clocked out; our location tracking explainer covers what it collects.
“It saves me from having to switch between WhatsApp, Excel sheets, and paper schedules.”Baybee S., G2, Feb 2026
“There is no need to check my location when I’m not clocked in.”Collin156, App Store, Aug 2026
Free plans and how each one has changed
7shifts Comp is free for one location with up to 15 employees. It used to cover more: 7shifts cut the limit to 20 employees in June 2025, then to 15, and expired larger Comp accounts starting November 3, 2025. Connecteam's Small Business Plan is free for up to 10 users with all three hubs, and its Limited plan is free for up to 30 users with the basics. A restaurant with 11 to 15 staff that only needs a schedule gets more people on 7shifts' free plan. A team of 10 or fewer that wants a time clock, chat, and forms gets more features on Connecteam's.
Both paid trials run 14 days without a card. 7shifts drops you onto Comp at the end.
Where 7shifts wins
- Tip pooling and tip payouts, as a $49.99/mo add-on or built into Premium. We found no tip pooling in Connecteam.
- Its own US payroll, so scheduling, tips, and payroll can sit with one vendor. Connecteam only integrates with payroll providers.
- Restaurant depth: POS integrations, an advanced hourly labor forecast on Premium, and a Manager Log Book on Pro.
- Per-location pricing with no employee cap on Pro and Premium, which is cheaper than Connecteam's Advanced tier for one large site.
- A free plan for up to 15 employees at one location, versus 10 users on Connecteam's full free plan.
- A higher Capterra rating: 4.7 from 1,212 reviews, against Connecteam's 4.6 from 5,322.
When Connecteam is the better fit than 7shifts
Pick Connecteam if your team is not a restaurant, if you run several kinds of sites (a cafe plus cleaning or retail staff, for example), or if training, checklists, and chat matter more to you than tips. Start on the free plan if you have 10 people or fewer, or use the 14-day trial to test the paid tiers. Looking wider? See 7shifts alternatives, Connecteam vs Homebase (which also has payroll and tips), and the best employee scheduling apps.
Try Connecteam freeConnecteam vs 7shifts FAQ
Is Connecteam or 7shifts cheaper?+
It depends on headcount and what you need. With annual billing, Connecteam's Operations Hub costs $29 a month on Basic and $49 on Advanced for up to 30 users. 7shifts charges per location: $39.99 a month on Essentials (up to 30 employees), $79.99 on Pro, and $134.99 on Premium. For one location with 25 staff, Connecteam Basic is the lower bill. For one large location, 7shifts Pro has no employee cap, while Connecteam adds a per-user charge past 30 users. Tip management costs extra on 7shifts unless you are on Premium.
Does Connecteam have tip pooling like 7shifts?+
We found no tip pooling in Connecteam's plans. 7shifts sells Tip Management as a $49.99 a month add-on per location (plus $1 per instant payout) or includes it in Premium. If you split tips across a restaurant team, 7shifts covers that and Connecteam does not.
Which has a better free plan, Connecteam or 7shifts?+
Connecteam's Small Business Plan is free for up to 10 users and includes all hubs and most features, but no payroll integration. 7shifts Comp is free for one location with up to 15 employees and covers basic scheduling, one-way announcements, and availability. Comp has no team messaging or time clocking, which start on Essentials. 7shifts cut Comp from larger teams in 2025.
How do Connecteam and 7shifts reviews compare?+
On Trustpilot, reviews collected through a link the company shares average 4.67 for Connecteam (49 reviews, Sep 21 to 29, 2026) and 3.61 for 7shifts (31 invited reviews, Apr 2023 to Sep 2026). 7shifts' 19 unprompted reviews average 1.16; Connecteam had one unprompted review in its sample, too few to compare. On Capterra, 7shifts rates 4.7 from 1,212 reviews and Connecteam 4.6 from 5,322.
Does 7shifts or Connecteam run payroll?+
7shifts runs its own payroll product, 7shifts Payroll, sold separately in the US; its price is not published on the pages we could read. Connecteam has no built-in payroll. It exports timesheets to payroll tools including Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex Flex, ADP, PrismHR, and MYOB on paid plans.