A shift schedule app works for you when it matches your real rota pattern and fits the calendar and reminders you already use. Check pattern support and time zone handling first, because a wrong pattern makes every later feature show the wrong day.
This guide sets out eight checks for any shift calendar app, work schedule app or shift planner app on iPhone. It then shows how RotaFlow 3.10 handles each check, on the free plan and with Pro. The guide does not rank apps.
What are the eight checks for a shift schedule app?
Run these checks against each app you consider. The table shows where RotaFlow 3.10 stands. The sections after it explain each check.
| Check | What to confirm | RotaFlow 3.10 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pattern fit | Can you enter your exact day, night and off sequence? | Presets and a custom pattern. Free. |
| 2. Separate rotas | Can you keep more than one schedule apart? | Included. Comparing rotas: two free for 30 days, four with Pro for 180 days. |
| 3. Next shift at a glance | Do widgets show the next change? | Small Home Screen widget free. Medium, large and Lock Screen widgets need Pro. |
| 4. Calendar fit | Does it read, export or write to Apple Calendar? | Read-only personal calendar view free. 7-day export free. 14 and 30 days, and Keep Calendar Synced, need Pro. |
| 5. Reminders and time zone | Do alerts follow your job’s time zone? | Each rota has a work time zone. The free plan offers reminder times at 00:00, 08:00 and 16:00. Pro steps by 15 minutes. |
| 6. Overtime and pay | Can you log overtime and see estimated gross pay? | Week summary and entries up to 30 days ahead free. Month and year summaries, the pay forecast and Siri or Watch logging need Pro. |
| 7. Swaps and trades | Can you record a one-off change and coordinate a trade? | Swaps editable up to 30 days ahead free. One Trade Board group free. Posting and creating groups need Pro. |
| 8. Privacy and devices | Is an account needed, and which devices run it? | No account for core planning. iPhone and iPad need iOS 17 or later. The Apple Watch app works with a paired iPhone. |
Does the app follow your real pattern?
Match the sequence printed on your rota, day by day. Two patterns with the same name can differ in their day and night blocks.
RotaFlow has presets for 4 on 4 off, Pitman 2-2-3, 2 on 2 off, 3 on 3 off and 4 on 2 off, each with day and night versions, plus a custom pattern. Check that the app asks for a start date, because a wrong date shifts every day after it.
What is a rotating shift schedule? ↗
Can you keep more than one rota?
Separate schedules keep time off, overtime, swaps, reminders, widgets and Watch data apart. Days off together compares two rotas for 30 days on the free plan, or up to four rotas over 180 days with Pro. It shows scheduled off-day blocks and does not promise that anyone is free.
Can you see your next shift without opening the app?
The small Home Screen widget is free. Medium, large and Lock Screen widgets need Pro. Widgets read correctly in StandBy on iPhone Duo and in the clear and tinted Home Screen styles, and they show a “No rota yet” state until you save a schedule.
Siri can tell you your next shift, when it ends and your next time off. Logging overtime through Siri needs Pro.
Does it fit the calendar you already use?
RotaFlow can show chosen personal calendars beside your rota as a read-only view on the device, at no charge. Event contents stay out of rota storage, sharing and exports.
Exports of a 7-day range, as an image or an .ics file, are free. Pro adds 14- and 30-day ranges. An .ics file is a snapshot, so later changes reach your calendar only after you export again.
Keep Calendar Synced is a Pro feature. It asks for full Calendar access so RotaFlow can update and remove the events it created for that schedule.
Do reminders follow your work time zone?
Each rota can carry its own work time zone, and a new schedule starts with the phone’s time zone. Shift reminders fire in the work time zone, which matters after travel.
The free plan offers reminder times at 00:00, 08:00 and 16:00. Pro allows any 15-minute step, so a reminder for 06:15 needs Pro.
Does it handle overtime, pay and leave?
Overtime entries up to 30 days ahead and the week summary are free. Month and year summaries, the pay forecast, and logging overtime through Siri or Apple Watch need Pro.
Each overtime entry keeps the rate saved with it, so a later rate change does not reprice past overtime. The PTO planner previews 30 days on the free plan. Applying or comparing leave, and planning up to 365 days, need Pro.
How are swaps and trades recorded?
A swap should change the day it applies to and leave the base pattern alone. Free plans can edit swaps up to 30 days ahead.
Trade Board lets free users join one group. Posting a trade and creating groups need Pro. When a trade is confirmed, both rotas update. The other person still has to agree to the trade.
Is your data private, and does it fit your devices?
Core planning needs no account, and your rota stays on your device by default. Optional iCloud sync keeps it in step across your Apple devices. RotaFlow has no ads and no third-party analytics.
It runs on iPhone and iPad, with iOS 17 as the minimum. The Apple Watch app works with a paired iPhone. The adaptive tab layout needs iOS 18, and Siri onscreen awareness needs iOS 18.2.
Where does RotaFlow not fit?
RotaFlow is a planner and calendar. It is not an employer scheduling system, a PTO approval service, or a guarantee that a coworker is free.
Your published rota, your contract and your payslip decide your hours and pay. RotaFlow pay figures are estimated gross pay. Changes from your employer reach the app only when you enter them.
The app is built for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. If your team needs Android or a desktop tool, check that before you choose.
How do you test an app with one real week?
A demo can look right and still miss your pattern. Test the finalists with a week of your own rota.
1. Pick a week from your published rota that includes a day off and a shift change.
2. Enter the same pattern and start date, then compare each day with the printed rota.
3. Check the next 28 days, including any point where the shift type changes.
4. Add one real swap or day off, and check that only that day changes.
5. Export a 7-day .ics file, then check the first and last day in your calendar.
Feature FAQ
Which shift schedule app is the best for iPhone?
No single app suits every rota, and this guide does not rank apps. Run the eight checks, then test your shortlist with one week of your own rota.
Is the core rota planner free?
Yes. The pattern builder, the calendar and the small Home Screen widget are free. Pro extends how far ahead you can plan and adds tools such as medium and large widgets and the pay forecast.
Can a shift schedule app replace my employer’s rota?
No. Your employer’s published rota is the reference. An app shows the shifts, time off and changes you enter, so you can plan around them.
How do I share my rota with family or coworkers?
Export a 7-day range as an image or an .ics file for free. Pro adds 14- and 30-day ranges. An .ics file is a snapshot, not a live two-way sync.
Do I need iCloud sync?
No. Your rota stays on your device by default. Optional iCloud sync keeps the same schedule on your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.