Cicini vs When I Work

Cicini is a web-based booking and scheduling platform for service businesses, combining appointments, staff calendars, payments, reminders and client management. Clients can book around the clock through a custom booking page and public link, while teams coordinate availability and shifts across multi-staff calendars. Google Calendar sync is in beta: new appointments can push to Google, and two-way busy-time blocking can hide unavailable slots. Email reminders are included on all plans; paid plans add plan-limited SMS reminders and Stripe checkout for full payments or service deposits. Card information remains with Stripe rather than Cicini’s servers. Client tools include typed-question intake forms and public e-sign links for legal documents and policies. Professional and Enterprise plans include API keys and outbound webhooks, though Professional quotas are limited and the public REST surface is still developing. Cicini says it encrypts data in transit and at rest and uses role-based access controls, but does not claim HIPAA, PHIPA or SOC 2 compliance. A free plan is available; paid plans start at $15/mo (annual), and a 30-day trial is offered.

When I Work brings employee scheduling, shift swaps, team messaging, and time tracking together for shift-based workplaces. Auto scheduling assigns shifts using staff availability and qualifications, and managers can oversee multiple stores, departments, or job sites from one dashboard. The time clock tracks attendance, breaks, and time off, while staff can message without sharing phone numbers. It runs on the web, Android, and iOS. Essentials costs $2.50 a month billed per user per month; Pro is $5 a month billed per user per month; Premium is $8 a month billed per user per month. A 14-day trial offers complete access and requires no credit card, but there is no free plan. API key access, webhooks, and SAML/SSO are included in Premium. When I Work says it uses AWS, TLS, daily backups, multiple-disk writes, and mobile two-step verification. It does not offer an SLA, although its hosting partners guarantee 99.9% uptime.