Sling
getsling.com
What it is
Sling is an employee scheduling, communication, and workforce management platform for organizing shifts and labor costs. It supports reusable schedule templates, employee availability, time-off requests, shift offers, swaps, open shifts, and auto-scheduling. The Free plan supports up to 30 users and includes shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts, news sharing, long-term scheduling, and private messaging. Premium costs $2 a month per user and adds mobile time tracking, labor cost management, overtime tracking, and group messaging. Business costs $4 a month per user and adds kiosk time tracking, reports, no-show and sick call-out features, and PTO management. Communication options include private and group messages, a Newsfeed, Announcements, and email, push, browser, and some SMS notifications. Sling lists integrations with Toast and other point-of-sale systems; the Toast connection syncs employee data, compares POS sales with labor costs, and exports timesheets to Toast Payroll. Sling runs on Android, iOS, and the web, though some actions require a desktop browser.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Sling is hosted employee scheduling and workforce-management software combining schedules, communication, time tracking and labor tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Product
- Sling is an employee scheduling, communication, and workforce management platform intended to help teams improve efficiency and manage labor costs.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Free plan
- YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Paid from
- 2Read 21 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- API
- Sling publishes an OAS 2.0 API with a /v1 base URL and OAuth2 endpoints for clients, authorization, tokens and userinfo.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api.getsling.com
- Integrations
- Official integration documentation covers Toast synchronization, schedule import, projected-sales forecasting and Toast time-clock features.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.getsling.com
- Mobile apps
- YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Security
- Sling says customer data is stored in Amazon cloud infrastructure and that communication channels are encrypted; its security FAQ also says most data at rest is not encrypted, with passwords hashed and social security numbers encrypted if provided.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Support
- Sling lists its help center and provides contact support at [email protected].Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- App distribution
- Google Play lists the Android app as free, with more than 1 million downloads and an Everyone content rating.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Availability and conflicts
- The software records employee availability and time-off requests and flags overlaps or double-bookings.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Communication
- The product provides private and group messaging, announcements, news sharing and schedule notifications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Company founding and origin
- Sling says it was founded in Reykjavik, Iceland by CEO Helgi Hermannsson in 2015 and later opened a New York office.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Company ownership
- Sling's privacy statement identifies Sling, Inc. as a Toast company.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Company reach
- Sling says it serves tens of thousands of businesses across more than 30 industries and 150 countries.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Company scale
- LinkedIn lists Sling as privately held, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2015, with 11–50 employees.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Documentation depth
- The help center lists hundreds of articles across schedules, time clock, reports, labor costs, integrations, employee profiles and legal topics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · support.getsling.com
- GDPR
- Sling states that it has verified the functionality for GDPR compliant data deletion and retention and that customer data is processed according to customer instructions.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Intended audience
- Sling describes itself as an employee scheduling platform for SMBs and says it serves businesses across more than 30 industries.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Labor management
- Premium includes labor cost management and overtime tracking, and Business includes reports of hours worked and wages earned.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Labor optimization
- Sling calculates projected labor costs during scheduling and supports overtime monitoring against budgets.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Licence
- Sling is offered as hosted SaaS with paid per-user subscriptions; the reviewed pages do not state an open-source licence or self-hosted edition.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Limit: app bugs
- Google Play reviewers report crashes, broken navigation, missing notifications and repeated login or loading problems on some devices.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Limit: feature gaps and pricing
- Capterra reviewers mention limited reporting without upgrades, per-employee costs rising with team size, and lack of skill-based scheduling.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Limit: mobile reliability
- Software Advice identifies mobile-app issues, loading problems and interface difficulties as recurring negatives.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
- Mobile limitation
- The mobile app requires iOS 11 or later or Android 5 (API 21) or later, and some actions require a desktop browser.Read 29 Sep 2026 · support.getsling.com
- Praise: ease of use
- G2 and Capterra reviewers repeatedly describe Sling as easy to learn, user friendly and quick for creating and viewing schedules.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Praise: mobile access
- Software Advice says users value mobile access, calendar management and scheduling from anywhere.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
- Praise: scheduling workflow
- GetApp reviewers praise drag-and-drop templates, color-coded positions, repeat scheduling and straightforward time-off communication.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
- Privacy and GDPR
- Sling states that it supports GDPR processes, customer data deletion on request, and breach notification within 72 hours when required.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Rating on Apple App Store
- 4.7 out of 5 from 27K ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
- Rating on Capterra
- 4.6 out of 5 from 212 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
- Rating on G2
- 4.4 out of 5 from 88 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
- Rating on Google Play
- 4.2 out of 5 from 10.3K reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Rating on Software Advice
- 4.6 out of 5 from 212 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
- Reporting and PTO
- Business includes labor reports, timesheet reporting, no-show and sick-call tracking, and paid-time-off management.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Schedule builder
- Managers can create schedules with drag-and-drop shifts and reusable schedule templates.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Scheduling
- The product supports shift scheduling, reusable schedule templates, employee availability, time-off requests, shift offers, and shift swaps.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- SDKs and extensibility
- The public developer page documents REST-style endpoints and OAuth2 Sling App creation but does not list official SDK packages.Read 14 Oct 2026 · api.getsling.com
- Security controls
- Sling states that data is hosted in Amazon cloud infrastructure, communications are encrypted in transit, passwords are hashed, and role-based least-privilege access is used.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Security limitation
- Sling's security FAQ says data at rest is generally unencrypted except for passwords, employee IDs and optional Social Security numbers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Shift exchanges
- Employees can offer, claim and swap shifts, with manager oversight of exchanges.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Supported devices
- Sling states that it runs on the web, iOS and Android and can be used from phones, tablets, laptops or desktops with internet access.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Task management
- Managers can assign tasks and checklists to employees or shifts and track completion.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Time clock
- Employees can clock in and out using mobile devices or a designated kiosk, with optional geofencing.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getsling.com
- Time tracking
- Premium includes mobile time tracking, while Business adds kiosk time tracking on a shared device.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
- Toast integration
- The Toast integration syncs employee data, compares Toast POS sales with Sling labor costs, and exports timesheets to Toast Payroll.Read 29 Sep 2026 · getsling.com
Plans and prices
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Free plan supports up to 30 users.
- Supports shift swaps, open shifts, and auto-scheduling.
- Premium adds mobile time and labor-cost tracking.
- Business adds kiosk time tracking and reports.
- Toast integration exports timesheets to Toast Payroll.
Limits
- Some actions require a desktop browser.
- Mobile app requires iOS 11 or later.
- Android app requires Android 5 (API 21) or later.
- Business costs $4 a month per user.
Who it suits
Sling suits small and medium-sized businesses that need scheduling and workforce communication, particularly teams managing time off, shifts, and labor costs. Its mobile apps may help teams coordinating away from a desktop, although some actions require a desktop browser.
Sling in depth
Read the full write-up
Sling is a staff scheduling and workforce management service for businesses coordinating shifts and labor. It suits small and midsize teams, especially those that want employees to handle availability and shift changes themselves. Its free plan makes basic scheduling accessible, while labor tracking and management tools require a paid subscription.
Overview
Sling combines recurring schedule planning with tools for handling coverage changes, staff communication, and labor costs. Reusable templates, availability collection, time-off requests, open shifts, offers, and swaps cover much of the scheduling cycle. Auto-scheduling is supported, though Sling’s paid plans are where time tracking and labor management become part of the package.
For restaurants, the Toast integration is a particularly concrete connection: it syncs employee data, compares Toast POS sales with Sling labor costs, and exports timesheets to Toast Payroll. Sling also lists integrations with Square, Harbortouch, Restaurant Manager, and POSiTouch.
Key features
Scheduling and communication
Staff can submit availability and time-off requests, take available shifts, offer shifts, and swap shifts. That participation can help teams manage coverage changes without limiting scheduling to managers. Private and group messages, a Newsfeed, Announcements, and email, push, browser, and sometimes SMS notifications give managers several routes for sharing updates.
Time and labor
Premium adds mobile time tracking, labor-cost management, and overtime tracking, making it the more relevant tier for managers who need to monitor staffing costs as well as build schedules. Business adds kiosk time tracking on a shared device and reports of hours worked and wages earned. It also includes no-show and sick-call-out features and PTO management, which may suit teams that need more structured attendance and leave oversight.
Security and support
Sling says customer data is stored in Amazon cloud infrastructure and communication channels are encrypted. Its security FAQ says most data at rest is not encrypted; passwords are hashed, and social security numbers are encrypted if provided. Sling states that it has verified GDPR-compliant data deletion and retention functionality and processes customer data according to customer instructions. Support is available through its help center and [email protected].
Pricing
The Free plan costs nothing and supports up to 30 users. It includes shift scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts, news sharing, long-term scheduling, and private messaging. The cap makes it a sensible starting point for a small team with straightforward scheduling needs, but it excludes the time and labor tools offered on paid plans.
Premium costs $2 per user per month, billed per user per month; the page also displays $1.70 with annual billing selected. It includes everything in Free plus mobile time tracking, labor-cost management, overtime tracking, private and group messaging, and calendar synchronization. This is the strongest fit for teams that need cost and overtime visibility without shared-device clock-in or Business reporting.
Business costs $4 per user per month, billed per user per month; the page also displays $3.40 with annual billing selected. It includes everything in Premium, plus kiosk time tracking, reports, no-shows, sick call-outs, and PTO management. Choose it when those attendance and reporting features justify the per-user increase. Sling offers a 15-day trial of paid plans.
Platforms
Sling runs on Android, iOS, and the web. The mobile app requires iOS 11 or later or Android 5 (API 21) or later, and some actions require a desktop browser. Teams expecting every scheduling task to be manageable on a phone should account for that limitation.
Who it's for
Sling describes itself as an employee scheduling platform for small and midsize businesses and serves organizations across more than 30 industries. Its shift coverage tools suit teams with recurring schedules and employee-led shift changes; the Toast connection also gives restaurant operators a direct link between sales, labor costs, and payroll timesheets.
Pros and cons
Useful free scheduling tier: up to 30 users get scheduling, time-off requests, available shifts, long-term planning, news sharing, and private messaging at no cost.
Coverage changes are built in: availability, open shifts, offers, and swaps support employee participation in filling schedules.
Paid tiers add meaningful labor controls: Premium covers mobile tracking, labor costs, and overtime; Business adds kiosk tracking and reports.
Mobile use has constraints: the app has minimum OS requirements, and some actions need a desktop browser.
Data-at-rest protection has a caveat: Sling says most data at rest is not encrypted, although passwords are hashed and provided social security numbers are encrypted.
Alternatives
For restaurant teams comparing scheduling and labor tools, browse Restaurant Labor Management Software and Restaurant Scheduling Software. Gym operators can compare options in Gym Staff Scheduling Software, while broader comparisons are in Employee Scheduling Software.
7shifts is another freemium option with a free plan capped at 15 employees and one location; consider it if that smaller stated limit fits your operation. Homebase has paid task-management and tip-management add-ons, so it may be worth comparing if those are priorities.
Deputy has no free plan and starts with a paid Lite plan at $5 a month per user, billed upfront or in monthly installments; it is an option for teams prepared to pay for scheduling. Lineup.ai has a Forecasts Only plan at $79 a month per location, with unlimited users and employees and automated AI-generated forecasts; consider it when forecasting is the priority.
Planday has a Starter plan at £2.99 per user per month with a five-user minimum. TimeForge offers retail labor plans, including an Enterprise Retail tier for 50 or more stores. When I Work starts at $2.50 per user per month for Essentials, with unlimited users and auto-scheduling. HotSchedules offers a Scheduling & Team Management plan with a one-year offer on us.
Verdict
Sling is a strong choice for small and midsize teams that want a useful free scheduling foundation and a clear path to paid time and labor controls. Its breadth of shift-coverage tools and Toast connection make it especially relevant to restaurants. Look elsewhere if your team needs mobile-only workflows without desktop-required actions, or if the stated data-at-rest approach does not meet your security requirements.
Verdict
Sling covers shift planning, staff communication, and labor management across free and paid plans. Check the plan-specific features and desktop-browser requirement against how your team works.
Where Specifiction places it
- Workforce Management - Enterprise Software#3 of 238.8
- Gym Staff Scheduling Software#5 of 268.7
- Employee Scheduling Software#9 of 438.8
- Restaurant Labor Management Software#5 of 228.7
- Shift Scheduling#6 of 248.7
- Workforce Management - Midmarket Software#7 of 268.7
- Restaurant Scheduling Software#8 of 278.6
- Appointment scheduling apps#9 of 308.9
- Team Management#7 of 238.8
- Scheduling#9 of 288.7
- Availability Management#11 of 308.6