Planday Review 2026 | Time Attendance, Scheduling, Costs & Alternatives Quick answer
Quick answer
Planday is a staff scheduling, time tracking and workforce management platform owned by Xero, so is best for UK businesses that need to manage rotas, shifts, staff availability, clock-ins, leave, payroll reporting and team communication in one place.
Planday is especially useful for:
restaurants
cafés
pubs and bars
hotels
retail shops
salons and clinics
care teams
hospitality groups
rota-led small businesses
businesses using Xero Payroll
It is less suitable for businesses that mainly need:
physical clocking-in terminals
fingerprint or facial recognition hardware
access control systems
heavy manufacturing clocking infrastructure
a very basic free timesheet tool
enterprise-level workforce management
Planday pricing currently starts from £2.99 per user/month for Starter, with higher tiers for businesses needing integrations, multi-location scheduling, payroll reporting and more advanced features.
Compare Planday time and attendance quotes →
Contents
Benefits of Planday
Planday pricing UK
Downsides of Planday
What Does Planday Offer?
Planday Products
Planday Decision Making Guide
Our Verdict on Planday
Key Takeaways
Planday is best understood as staff scheduling and time tracking software, not a traditional clocking-in machine provider.
It is a strong fit for hospitality, retail, care and shift-based businesses.
Planday’s official pricing starts from £2.99 per user/month.
Planday offers a 30-day free trial, with no credit card required and the ability to cancel at any time.
The Starter plan suits small teams with simple scheduling and time tracking needs.
Plus is more suitable for businesses needing payroll reporting, integrations and multi-location scheduling.
Pro or Enterprise may be better for complex businesses needing advanced scheduling, permissions or higher-level support.
Planday integrates with Xero for UK and Australian customers, helping sync employee and payroll data.
Planday is not the best fit if your business needs biometric terminals, access control or a hardware-first clocking-in setup.
Businesses should compare Planday against RotaCloud, Deputy, Factorial, ADP, Bodet/Kelio, Clockrite and OneAdvanced before choosing.
How do we work?
Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: June 2026
Planday at a glance
Feature Planday
Main category
Staff scheduling, time tracking and workforce management
Best for
Hospitality, retail, care, rota-led teams and SMEs
Starting price
From £2.99 per user/month
Free trial
30 days
Clock-in method
Mobile app, desktop and punch clock-style time tracking
Hardware terminals
Xero integration
Available for UK and Australian customers
Payroll reporting
Available, especially on higher tiers
Multi-location scheduling
Available on Plus and above
Best alternative for terminals
Clockrite, Bodet/Kelio or ActIn Time
Main drawback
Less suitable for hardware-led or biometric clocking needs
Who is Planday best for?
Business type Is Planday a good fit? Why
Restaurant
Yes
Strong for rotas, shift swaps, punch clock and payroll reporting
Café
Yes
Helps manage flexible shifts and staff availability
Pub or bar
Yes
Useful for variable staffing, overtime and team communication
Hotel
Yes
Works well for rota-led teams and multiple departments
Retail shop
Yes
Useful for shifts, leave and staff communication
Salon or clinic
Maybe
Good if scheduling staff is the main need
Care provider
Maybe
Useful for rota planning, but compare sector-specific tools too
Small office
Maybe
Only if you need scheduling and time tracking
Warehouse
Less likely
Terminal-led systems may be better
Factory
Less likely
Biometric, RFID or badge terminals may be more suitable
Enterprise
Maybe
Compare Pro/Enterprise and larger workforce platforms
Planday: best for/not ideal for
Best for Not ideal for
Hospitality and shift-based teams
Businesses needing biometric clocking terminals
Restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars
Factories needing fixed-site hardware terminals
Retail and rota-led SMEs
Warehouses needing RFID or access control
Businesses using Xero Payroll
Employers needing access control integration
Teams needing shift swaps and leave requests
Businesses wanting a simple one-off clocking machine
Managers who want mobile scheduling
Micro-businesses that only need basic timesheets
Businesses needing payroll reporting
Buyers wanting advanced enterprise HCM
Planday pricing UK 2026
Plan Price Best for Watch out for
Starter
From £2.99/user/month
Small teams with simple scheduling and time tracking
More limited integrations and location features
Plus
From £3.99/user/month
Growing businesses needing payroll reporting and integrations
Minimum user or monthly subscription rules may apply
Pro
Custom pricing
Complex businesses needing advanced scheduling and permissions
Quote required
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Larger businesses with more complex workforce needs
May be more than SMEs need
Planday’s current pricing page says Starter is for small teams with simple schedule and time tracking needs and includes intuitive scheduling, simple time tracking, working time rules and compliance warnings, basic payroll reporting, team communication, help centre support and live chat support.
Planday costs by business size
Business size Likely plan Estimated monthly software cost Best fit
5 staff
Starter
From around £14.95/month
Very small teams with simple rotas
10 staff
Starter or Plus
From around £29.90–£39.90/month
Small rota-led businesses
25 staff
Plus
From around £99.75/month
Growing hospitality or retail teams
50 staff
Plus or Pro
From around £199.50+/month
Multi-location or busier shift teams
100+ staff
Pro or Enterprise
Quote required
More complex scheduling and controls
Planday and Xero integration
Planday is closely linked with Xero, which is one of its strongest selling points for UK SMEs already using Xero Payroll.
The Planday help centre says the Xero integration is currently available to UK and Australian customers and supports managing core employee and payroll data between the two systems.
Xero-related feature
Why it helps
Employee data sync
Timesheet sync
Helps prepare payroll more accurately
Payroll reporting
Reduces manual spreadsheet work
Leave and shift data
Helps keep pay records aligned
UK payroll support
Useful for businesses already using Xero Payroll
Planday for hospitality
Planday is particularly strong for hospitality businesses because rotas change often and labour costs need close control.
Hospitality need
Changing rotas
Managers can adjust and share schedules
Shift swaps
Staff can request swaps through the app
Seasonal demand
Helps plan staffing around busier periods
Labour cost control
Staff cost reporting can support better planning
Payroll preparation
Time tracking and payroll reports reduce admin
Team communication
Managers can send updates to staff
Multiple sites
Plus and above can support multi-location scheduling
Planday for retail Retail businesses often need flexible rotas, cover for absence and visibility of staffing costs.
Retail need
Shift planning
Staff availability
Helps avoid scheduling conflicts
Leave requests
Keeps holiday requests in one place
Punch clock
Supports time tracking and payroll preparation
Multi-location scheduling
Useful for shops with more than one branch
Team messaging
Keeps staff updated on rota changes
Staff cost visibility
Helps manage labour as a percentage of revenue
Planday vs clocking-in systems
Feature Planday Traditional clocking-in system
Best for
Scheduling, rotas and time tracking
Fixed-site clock-in/out
Mobile app
Strong
Varies
Hardware terminal
Not main focus
Usually stronger
Biometric options
Not main focus
Often available
Payroll reporting
Strong, especially with integrations
Varies
Staff communication
Strong
Usually limited
Shift swaps
Strong
Usually limited
Best business fit
Hospitality, retail and rota-led SMEs
Factories, warehouses and fixed sites
Planday vs other time and attendance providers
Provider Best for
RotaCloud
Rota-led SMEs and UK scheduling
Similar use case; compare pricing, UX and payroll fit
Deputy
Shift scheduling and workforce management
Deputy may be stronger for some international workflows
Factorial
HR-first SMEs
Factorial may be better if HR documents and employee records are central
ADP
Payroll and HCM-led employers
ADP is broader and usually better for larger payroll-led teams
Bodet/Kelio
Terminals, access control and workforce management
Bodet/Kelio is stronger for hardware and access control
Clockrite
Clocking-in machines and terminals
Clockrite is better for fixed hardware clocking
OneAdvanced
Complex workforce management
OneAdvanced may suit larger operational teams
ActIn Time
Hardware and reporting-led attendance
ActIn Time may suit fixed-site attendance better
Planday decision table
Your priority
Simple staff scheduling
Yes
Hospitality rotas
Yes
Retail shift management
Yes
Xero Payroll integration
Yes, especially Plus and above
Mobile punch clock
Yes
Biometric clocking
No, compare hardware-led systems
Access control
No, compare Bodet/Kelio or Clockrite
Factory attendance terminal
Probably not
Multi-location scheduling
Lowest-cost clocking machine
Probably not
Full HR and payroll suite
Compare ADP, Factorial or OneAdvanced
Best total value
Compare providers before choosing
Why compare Planday with Compare Your Business Costs? Compare Your Business Costs helps UK businesses compare Planday against other time and attendance and staff scheduling providers, and we can help you compare:
Planday pricing and plans
staff scheduling software
rota management systems
punch clock and time tracking tools
Xero payroll integration
payroll reporting tools
mobile clock-in apps
shift swap and leave management software
alternatives such as RotaCloud, Factorial, ADP, Bodet/Kelio and Clockrite
contract terms, support and implementation costs
Compare Planday time and attendance quotes →
Why trust our reviews? Our time and attendance guides are written to help UK businesses make practical buying decisions, not just compare software logos, and we focus on:
realistic UK 2026 pricing
software, hardware, setup and support costs
provider comparison by workforce type
payroll, HR and rota integration
clock-in method and staff adoption
contract warnings and hidden costs
quote-led guidance for businesses that want to reduce admin and payroll errors
Our verdict: is Planday worth it? Planday is worth comparing if your business needs rota management, shift scheduling, mobile time tracking, payroll reporting and staff communication in one system, making it really fantastic for hospitality, retail, cafés, restaurants, pubs, bars and other shift-based businesses. It is also a strong option for UK businesses already using Xero Payroll, especially if payroll reporting and timesheet sync matter. It’snot really going to work for you if your business mainly needs fingerprint terminals, facial recognition, access control or fixed-site hardware clocking. In those cases, compare providers such as Clockrite, Bodet/Kelio or ActIn Time.
The safest approach is to compare Planday against other time and attendance providers based on staff numbers, locations, payroll software, scheduling needs, clock-in method, support and total cost.
Compare Planday quotes and save up to 40% →
FAQs: Planday What is Planday?
Planday is staff scheduling, time tracking and workforce management software. It helps businesses create rotas, track worked hours, manage leave, communicate with staff and prepare payroll reports.
Is Planday good for time and attendance?
Yes, Planday can be good for time and attendance if your business needs scheduling, mobile clock-in, punch clock tools, payroll reporting and rota management. It is less suitable if you need physical biometric terminals.
How much does Planday cost?
Planday pricing starts from £2.99 per user/month for Starter. Plus starts from £3.99 per user/month, while Pro and Enterprise are quote-led.
Does Planday offer a free trial?
Yes. Planday offers a 30-day free trial, with no credit card required.
Who is Planday best for?
Planday is best for hospitality, retail, cafés, restaurants, pubs, bars, care teams and other businesses that need rota management, staff scheduling and time tracking.
Is Planday good for restaurants?
Yes. Planday is a strong fit for restaurants because it supports rotas, shift swaps, punch clock time tracking, leave requests, staff communication and payroll reporting.
Is Planday good for retail?
Yes. Planday can work well for retailers that need staff rotas, availability management, leave requests, multi-location scheduling and payroll reporting.
Does Planday integrate with Xero?
Yes. Planday integrates with Xero for UK and Australian customers. The integration supports employee and payroll data management between the two systems.
Is Planday owned by Xero?
Yes. Planday is part of Xero’s workforce management offer, and Xero promotes Planday for scheduling, time tracking and payroll-related workforce management.
Does Planday support Xero Payroll?
Yes, Planday can support Xero Payroll workflows for UK customers, including timesheet and employee data sync. Planday’s setup guidance indicates that Xero integration is available on Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans.
Does Planday have a mobile app?
Yes. Planday has a mobile app that lets staff view shifts, clock in and out, request swaps and communicate with colleagues.
Does Planday offer biometric clocking?
Planday is not primarily a biometric clocking-in provider. If you need fingerprint or facial recognition terminals, compare hardware-led providers such as Clockrite, Bodet/Kelio or ActIn Time.
Is Planday better than RotaCloud?
Planday and RotaCloud serve similar rota-led businesses. Planday may be more attractive to businesses using Xero, while RotaCloud may appeal to businesses wanting a UK-focused rota and attendance tool. Compare pricing, payroll integrations, usability and support.
Is Planday better than Clockrite?
Planday is better for scheduling, mobile staff communication and rota-led teams. Clockrite is better for businesses that want physical clocking-in terminals, proximity cards, fingerprint machines or facial recognition terminals.
What should I compare before choosing Planday?
Compare staff numbers, number of locations, payroll software, Xero integration needs, scheduling complexity, mobile clock-in, payroll reporting, support, plan limits and total monthly cost.
Compare time and attendance system quotes and save up to 40% →
Related Time & Attendance Guides Looking to compare clocking-in systems, staff attendance software, biometric terminals or mobile time tracking tools? These guides cover UK time and attendance providers, clock-in methods, workforce management software and common employer questions.
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Sector-specific time and attendance guides
Compare time and attendance systems
Not sure whether your business needs a mobile clock-in app, biometric terminal, PIN system, proximity card reader or full workforce management platform?
Compare UK time and attendance providers based on staff numbers, clock-in method, payroll integration, hardware costs, GDPR requirements and contract terms.
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Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
