Connecteam vs Sling: cheap scheduling, or a full employee app
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Connecteam Reviews · Updated November 1, 2026
Sling is a low-cost scheduler. Its free plan covers up to 30 users for scheduling and messaging, and its paid time clock with geofencing costs $1.70 per user a month on annual billing. If you already run Toast, Sling is sold through Toast and sits next to Toast's payroll. Toast restaurants and teams that only need a shared schedule should look at Sling first.
Connecteam costs more once you pass its free tier, but it adds training courses, forms and checklists, onboarding, documents with e-sign, and a knowledge base that Sling doesn't offer. Its free plan (up to 10 users) includes a time clock, which Sling's does not. Sling's recent Android reviews are rough, and so are some of Connecteam's.
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 Sling at a glance
| Compared on | Connecteam | Sling |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Deskless teams in any industry | Many industries listed; sold as Sling by Toast, with restaurant pages |
| Pricing model | Per hub, flat fee for the first 30 users, then per extra user | Per user, per month |
| Entry paid plan | Operations Hub Basic: $29/mo yearly, $35 monthly, up to 30 users | Premium: $1.70 per user/mo yearly, $2.00 monthly |
| Free plan | Small Business Plan: up to 10 users, all hubs, no payroll integration. Limited plan: basics, up to 30 users | Free scheduling for up to 30 users; no time clock |
| Free trial | 14 days of Expert, no card | 15 days; card requirement not stated |
| Payroll | Integrations only (Gusto, QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex Flex, ADP, PrismHR, MYOB) | Payroll reports and integrations; Toast Payroll is a separate Toast product |
| Training and forms | Courses with quizzes; unlimited forms and checklists on every plan; onboarding and e-sign | Task templates and shift checklists on Business; no training, forms builder, onboarding, or e-sign found |
| Team chat | On every plan, including the free ones | Private messaging on Free; group messaging on Premium |
| 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 | Mobile time tracking and geofencing on Premium; kiosk on Business; no face recognition found |
| Trustpilot | 4.67 from 49 reviews collected through a link Connecteam shares (Sep 21-29 2026) | No reviews (unclaimed profile) |
| Google Play, newest reviews | 3.48 (200 reviews, Mar 31-Sep 29 2026) | 2.66 (100 reviews, Jun 29-Sep 27 2026) |
| Capterra | 4.6 (5,322 reviews) | 4.6 (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.
Sling prices from getsling.com/pricing in USD; Connecteam prices from its pricing page. Both read on 2026-11-01. Google Play figures are the newest reviews of each app, pulled with the same tool on 2026-11-01; the two samples differ in size and time window. Trustpilot returned no Sling reviews, so there is no like-for-like Trustpilot comparison.
Connecteam vs Sling pricing, worked through
Sling charges for every user. Connecteam charges one flat fee per hub for the first 30 users, then a smaller per-user fee. The examples assume annual billing, Connecteam's Operations Hub only (scheduling and the time clock, plus the free Limited tier of the other two hubs), and no add-ons.
| Team size | Connecteam | Sling |
|---|---|---|
| 10 users, need a time clock | $0 on the Small Business Plan | Premium 10 × $1.70 = $17/mo |
| 25 users, with geofencing | Advanced $49/mo (Basic $29 has GPS stamps, no geofence) | Premium 25 × $1.70 = $42.50/mo |
| 45 users, with geofencing | Advanced $49 + 15 × $2.50 = $86.50/mo | Premium 45 × $1.70 = $76.50/mo; Business 45 × $3.40 = $153/mo |
On a like-for-like time clock with geofencing, Sling Premium costs less than Connecteam Advanced at these sizes. Connecteam's price covers more of the app: forms, courses, and chat come with every plan. Sling's kiosk, PTO management, employee documents, and shift task checklists sit on Business, which doubles its per-user price. Tier details are on our Connecteam pricing page.
“Some useful features are only available in higher-priced plans, and the app can occasionally be slow.”Verified Reviewer, Capterra, Jul 2026
What each app covers beyond the schedule
Sling is a scheduling and time-tracking tool with messaging and, on Business, task checklists and employee documents. We found no training courses, forms builder, onboarding, e-sign, or hiring in its plans. Connecteam adds all of those plus a knowledge base, surveys, and recognition, and reviewers often call it an all-in-one app. Neither runs payroll inside the product: Connecteam exports timesheets to payroll tools, and Sling offers payroll reports and integrations, with Toast Payroll sold separately by Toast.
“It's a great app for an all in one.”Courtney D. Lynn, Google Play, Aug 2026
“The ability to independently swap shifts is great and makes operations way easier.”Planefan, Google Play, Jul 2026
The employee apps, going by Google Play
Sling has no Trustpilot reviews, so the fairest comparison we have is Google Play, where both apps are reviewed mostly by the employees who use them. Sling's newest 100 reviews average 2.66. Many describe crashes, freezing, and push notifications that stop arriving on Android, clustered around a July 2026 update. Connecteam's newest 200 average 3.48, well under its all-time 4.8 on the store. Its critical reviews center on bugs and the 2026 change that asks employees to allow “Always” location access; Connecteam says location is not stored while clocked out (see our location tracking explainer).
“Notifications won't show up until the app is loaded meaning I am missing messages from bosses.”Dak, Google Play, Sep 2026
“only good for the most basic functions. absolutely do not use for time clock features.”Marcie M, Google Play, Jun 2026
“There is no need to check my location when I’m not clocked in.”Collin156, App Store, Aug 2026
Where Sling wins
- Free scheduling for up to 30 users, three times the size of Connecteam's full free plan.
- Lower per-user prices for a geofenced time clock: $1.70 per user a month on Premium, billed yearly.
- Toast integration: Toast customers buy Sling through Toast Shop, alongside Toast's own payroll.
- Simple pricing with two paid tiers and no separate hubs to combine.
- Shift swapping and open shifts that employees can handle on their own, which reviewers single out.
When Connecteam is the better fit than Sling
Pick Connecteam if you want training, checklists, onboarding, and chat in the same app as the schedule, or if you have 10 people or fewer and want a free time clock. The 14-day trial needs no card. For other options see Sling alternatives, Connecteam vs 7shifts for restaurant teams, and the best employee scheduling apps.
Try Connecteam freeConnecteam vs Sling FAQ
Is Sling cheaper than Connecteam?+
For scheduling alone, Sling is free for up to 30 users, while Connecteam's full free plan stops at 10. Once you need a time clock with geofencing, Sling Premium costs $1.70 per user per month billed yearly, so 25 users pay $42.50 a month. Connecteam's Operations Hub Advanced, its first tier with geofencing, costs $49 a month for up to 30 users. Connecteam's Basic tier ($29 a month for 30 users) has a GPS-stamped time clock but no geofence.
Is Sling free?+
Sling's scheduling is free for up to 30 users. The free plan includes shift scheduling, templates, time off requests, announcements, and private messaging, but no time clock. Time tracking, geofencing, and group messaging start on Premium.
Is Sling owned by Toast?+
Yes. The product is now branded Sling by Toast, and Toast customers view and buy Sling plans through Toast Shop. Sling itself has no built-in payroll; Toast Payroll is a separate Toast product.
How do the Connecteam and Sling apps compare in reviews?+
Sling has no Trustpilot reviews, so we compared Google Play, where both apps get employee reviews. Sling's newest 100 Google Play reviews (Jun 29 to Sep 27, 2026) average 2.66, with many reporting crashes and missing notifications. Connecteam's newest 200 (Mar 31 to Sep 29, 2026) average 3.48, with complaints about bugs and the Always location requirement. On Capterra, both rate 4.6: Sling from 212 reviews, Connecteam from 5,322.