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Scheduling software review

HotSchedules

Restaurant scheduling and time and attendance from Fourth, with sales forecasting, auto-scheduling, labor law tools and tip pooling. Pricing is by quote, and its general terms set a multi-year subscription.

By Fourth

RTC SCORE

4.6

#13 of 14 with enough data

Fourth also offers: Inventory and food cost

Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 9 of 12 key facts for this scheduling app. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

Our verdict

Built for restaurant groups that want forecasting and labor compliance in one system. A single location should ask for the order form and read the term and renewal before signing.

What we like

  • Sales forecasting, auto-scheduling and labor law tools (predictive scheduling, meals and breaks) built for restaurants.
  • Shift swaps, time-off requests, a location-checked time clock and tip pooling in one system, with several stores in one console.

What to watch

  • No published price: every package is quoted.
  • Its general terms set a three-year term, a 90-day notice to avoid renewal and payment of the remaining fees if you leave early.
  • Square, Clover and Shift4 POS aren't on its list of POS partners.

How the score breaks down

RTC Score4.6out of 10

Methodology v1.0.0

Data completeness68%

We could verify 68% of the scoring data

Strongest points
Hours into payroll, Labor cost against sales, Shift swaps and open shifts
Weakest point
POS systems it connects to

Score by criterion

  • 12-month cost (reference restaurant)Weight 22%No data
  • Time clockWeight 8%No data
  • POS systems it connects toWeight 8%Weakest2.9 out of 10
  • Hours into payrollWeight 7%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Labor cost against salesWeight 6%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Shift swaps and open shiftsWeight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • POS sales on the scheduleWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Initial termWeight 5%0.0 out of 10
  • Refund when you cancelWeight 4%0.0 out of 10
  • Free planWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Availability and time offWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Labor law alertsWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Location check at clock-inWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Notice to avoid renewalWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Breaks and overtimeWeight 3%10.0 out of 10
  • Tip pooling and payoutsWeight 3%No data
  • Phone supportWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Automatic schedule builderWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Team messagingWeight 2%10.0 out of 10

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Pricing
Data pointValue
How the price is countedQuote onlySource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth publishes no price for HotSchedules; the product page offers a demo.
Base feeQuote onlySource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Per user, each monthQuote onlySource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Who counts as a paid userUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth doesn't publish how it counts users for a quoted plan. Its older self-serve terms for Essentials and Plus bill active users per location.
Published pricingQuote onlySource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Paying for the yearUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The general terms set a multi-year term but don't say whether you pay monthly or yearly; that's in the order form.
Free planNo free planSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)There's no free plan. The "free HotSchedules" offer is 12 months free only if you sign a 24-month HotSchedules contract plus a Fourth Payroll contract, and Fourth can end it at any time.
Free plan limitN/ASource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Setup feeUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth sells implementation and training services, but doesn't publish their price.
Minimums and other feesThe Advanced iQ and Expert iQ forecasting tiers cost an extra $15 and $20 per location, as stated in Fourth's payroll offer. Training fees are non-refundable.Source: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Scheduling
Data pointValue
Shift swaps and open shifts in the appYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Availability and time-off requestsYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Labor cost against salesSales forecast from your POS, with labor cost on the scheduleSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Forecasts use past sales; sites without a POS integration can enter sales by hand.
Automatic schedule builderYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)It fills shifts you already created; it doesn't create new shifts.
Team messagingYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Also includes a manager logbook.
Labor law alertsOvertime and breaks, plus predictive scheduling (fair workweek) rulesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The help center also documents Fair Work Week, predictability pay and meal and break rules.
Time clock and attendance
Data pointValue
Time clockUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)HotSchedules has a time clock (WebClock), but Fourth doesn't publish which quoted package includes it.
Ways to clock inWeb browser, Phone app, Shared tablet or kiosk, At the POSSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)WebClock usually runs on a shared tablet or computer launched by a manager, and can run on POS terminals with a POS ID. Clock-ins can also come from an integrated POS.
Location check (GPS or geofence)YesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Optional; you ask your account representative or support to turn it on.
Photo at clock-inUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The WebClock guides don't mention taking a photo at clock-in.
Breaks and overtime on timesheetsYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Tip pooling and payoutsUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)HotSchedules documents tip pooling, but Fourth doesn't publish whether it's included or costs extra.
POS and payroll
Data pointValue
POS systems it connects toToast, Lightspeed, OthersSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth lists 17 POS partners, including Toast, Lightspeed (U Series), Aloha, Micros, Simphony, PAR, Revel and Xenial. Square, Clover, Shift4 POS, SpotOn, Heartland and TouchBistro aren't listed.
POS that send salesOthersSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth describes sales data only for some partners (Aloha, Digital Dining, Simphony). For Toast and Lightspeed it doesn't say which data moves.
POS that send clock-ins or employeesUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The integrations page doesn't say which POS send employees or clock-ins.
Getting hours into payrollIts own payroll (paid add-on)Source: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Fourth sells its own payroll under a separate contract. Hours can also be exported as a payroll file, including an ADP format.
Payroll providers it connects toADPSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)An export file for ADP, not a live sync. Fourth's integrations page names no other payroll provider.
Several locations in one accountYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Several stores are managed from the Above Store Console.
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Initial term36 monthsSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)General Terms §6.1, unless the order form sets another term.
Automatic renewal12 monthsSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)General Terms §6.1, unless the order form sets another renewal term.
Notice to avoid renewal90 daysSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)General Terms §6.1; notice can also go through the Fourth Customer Success Portal (§11.4).
Refund when you cancelNo refund of the period already paidSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)General Terms §5.1. An order form can say otherwise.
Leaving earlyIf you end the subscription before the term is over, you pay all remaining subscription fees for the term at once (General Terms §6.5). Fees already paid aren't refunded.Source: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Right to raise pricesFourth may raise subscription fees for each year of the initial term and of each renewal (General Terms §5.3).Source: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Your records when you leaveLimited or lost access after you leaveSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)General Terms §6.5: on written request, 14 days of limited access after termination to pull your data through standard reports; help from Fourth staff needs a paid statement of work.
Support
Data pointValue
Phone supportYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)North America line 877-720-8578. The Spanish version of this page labels the phone lines as for critical incidents only.
Live chat supportYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)
Live support hours a weekUnconfirmedSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Live chat is listed from 10 a.m. GMT to 4 p.m. Central, without the days of the week; phone hours aren't published.
Language
Data pointValue
Employee app in SpanishPartly (some platforms or screens)Source: Fourth (opens in a new tab)Each user switches the account locale to Spanish (Spain) under Settings > Personal on the web. Fourth doesn't document Spanish in the mobile app, and messages written in English aren't translated.
Manager dashboard in SpanishYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The setting is per user account, managers included.
Help articles in SpanishYesSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)The help center has Spanish versions of many HotSchedules articles (scheduling, time off, availability, contact).
Website in Spanish for the USNoSource: Fourth (opens in a new tab)fourth.com only offers US, EMEA and APAC sites in English.

More about HotSchedules

How we score