We've explored moCal, the leading contender in Peterborough's 2025 HR scheduling landscape. But what about other strong options? Let's delve into Deputy and 7shifts, analyzing their features and how they stack up against moCal to help you make an informed decision.

Understanding Peterborough's Scheduling Needs

A recent study by Peterborough Chamber of Commerce revealed that 67% of HR professionals struggle with managing complex employee scheduling across various industries. This highlights the need for adaptable scheduling software that caters to diverse workforces. Here's how Deputy, 7shifts, and moCal address these challenges:

#2: Deputy - Streamlined Scheduling for Hourly Workforces

Strengths:

• Robust Scheduling: Designed for managing hourly workforces, perfect for Peterborough's hospitality, retail, and healthcare sectors with high shift-based needs.
• Mobile App Advantage: Excellent mobile app empowers managers and employees to access schedules, communicate, and manage time on-the-go.
• Time & Attendance Features: Integrates time tracking, leave management, and payroll for streamlined workforce administration.

Features:

• Drag-and-drop scheduling, shift swaps, availability requests, task assignment, communication tools, and time-off management.

Pricing:

• Free trial available.
• Paid plans start competitively and vary based on the number of employees.

Drawbacks:

• Overkill for Smaller Businesses: May be excessive for micro-businesses or those without a primarily shift-based workforce.
• Learning Curve: The feature-rich interface might require a learning curve for new users.

Who Should Use Deputy?

Deputy is ideal for Peterborough businesses with hourly workers, especially in hospitality, retail, healthcare, and construction. If you need a comprehensive solution for shift scheduling, time tracking, communication, and payroll integration, Deputy is a top contender.

moCal vs. Deputy:

While Deputy excels in workforce management, here's how moCal offers a broader range of functionalities:

• CRM Integration: moCal integrates scheduling with a full CRM, allowing you to manage client relationships, leads, and marketing activities within a single platform. Deputy focuses solely on internal workforce management.
• AI Automation: moCal Buddy, the AI assistant, automates tasks and generates data-driven insights to optimize scheduling, a feature not available in Deputy.
• Business Card Advantage: moCal's Smart Business Card facilitates networking and lead generation, valuable for businesses that require client-facing functionalities beyond internal scheduling.
• Industry Versatility: moCal caters to over 50 industries with tailored solutions, making it a more adaptable choice for businesses with diverse scheduling needs.

Choosing the Right Tool:

If your primary focus is managing hourly workers and need a robust solution for shift scheduling, time tracking, and communication, Deputy is a strong contender in Peterborough. However, for a comprehensive platform with CRM, AI automation, customizable branding, and industry-specific features, moCal provides a more scalable and versatile solution for long-term growth.

#3: 7shifts - Restaurant-Specific Scheduling Powerhouse

Strengths:

• Restaurant-Centric Design: Specifically built for restaurants of all sizes, from cozy cafes to multi-location chains common in Peterborough's vibrant food scene.
• Intuitive Interface: User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop scheduling and automated features simplifies schedule creation.
• Staff Communication Tools: Robust communication functionalities like messaging and shift-swap capabilities foster seamless staff collaboration.

Features:

• Shift scheduling & management with features like staff availability, time-off requests, overtime, and compliance considerations.
• POS Integration: Integrates with POS systems to track labor costs and optimize scheduling based on real-time sales data.
• Mobile App: Empower staff to view schedules, request time off, swap shifts, and communicate with ease.

Pricing:

• Free trial available for evaluation.
• Competitive per-employee, per-month pricing with tiered plans for growing businesses.

Drawbacks:

• Industry-Specific Focus: Primarily designed for restaurants, limiting its appeal to businesses in other sectors.
• Limited HR Features: While offering basic staff management tools, it lacks comprehensive HR features like recruitment or performance management.

Who Should Use 7shifts?

7shifts is ideal for restaurant owners and managers in Peterborough seeking an intuitive and affordable solution for scheduling, time tracking, and staff communication. Its industry-specific features cater to the unique needs of the foodservice industry, making it a great choice for optimizing labor costs and staff management.

We've explored several compelling HR scheduling contenders in Peterborough's 2025 market. Now, let's delve into the functionalities of ZoomShift, QuickBooks Time, and monday.com, and see how they compare to moCal. This will help you make an informed decision about the solution that best addresses your unique business needs.

Peterborough's Workforce: Diverse Needs Demand Flexible Tools

A recent study by Peterborough Chamber of Commerce highlights a growing professional services sector alongside a robust manufacturing industry. This diversity underscores the need for scheduling software that adapts to various work models. Here's how ZoomShift, QuickBooks Time, monday.com, and moCal address these requirements:

#6: ZoomShift - A Simple and Affordable Scheduling Solution

Strengths:

• User-Friendly Interface: Easy-to-use platform for creating and managing schedules, ideal for teams with varying technical abilities.
• Budget-Friendly: Free trial and competitive paid plans make it an attractive option for cost-conscious businesses.
• Shift-Based Scheduling: Well-suited for businesses with hourly employees in industries like retail, hospitality, and healthcare.
• Mobile App: Empowers employees to view schedules, manage time off, and communicate with managers on-the-go.
• Basic Reporting: Provides reports on labor costs, attendance, and scheduling trends for better workforce insights.

Features:

• Schedule builder, mobile and kiosk time clock options, time-off requests & shift swaps, communication tools, and basic reporting.

Pricing:

• Free trial available.
• Paid plans start at $2.50 per user per month, with tiered options offering additional features.

Drawbacks:

• Limited Features: Focuses primarily on scheduling and time tracking, lacking broader functionalities like CRM or project management.
• Customization: Offers limited options for customizing branding and workflows to match your specific business needs.

Who Should Use ZoomShift?

ZoomShift is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses in Peterborough with primarily hourly workforces. Its user-friendliness, affordability, and focus on shift scheduling make it a good fit for restaurants, retail stores, healthcare facilities, and other businesses with shift-based operations.

moCal vs. ZoomShift:

While ZoomShift excels in simplicity and affordability, moCal offers a more comprehensive solution for long-term growth:

• Integrated CRM: moCal offers a full CRM for managing client relationships, sales pipelines, and marketing activities within a single platform. ZoomShift lacks this functionality.
• AI Automation: moCal Buddy, the AI assistant, automates tasks, provides smart reminders, and generates data-driven insights for scheduling optimization. ZoomShift doesn't offer this level of automation.
• Cross-Industry Versatility: moCal caters to a wider range of industries, including professional services, education, and technology, with tailored solutions beyond just shift-based scheduling. ZoomShift's features are primarily geared towards hourly workers.
• Customizable Branding: moCal offers deeper customization options for branding and workflows, allowing you to create a more personalized experience that reflects your company culture.

Choosing the Right Tool:

If your primary focus is on scheduling and time tracking for a team of hourly employees, and budget is a major consideration, ZoomShift is a strong contender. However, if you need a platform that can grow with your business, offers features like CRM and AI automation, and caters to a broader range of industries and work models, moCal provides a more strategic and future-proof investment.

#7: QuickBooks Time - Streamlined Time Tracking for QuickBooks Users

Strengths:

• Seamless QuickBooks Integration: Integrates flawlessly with QuickBooks accounting software for smooth payroll and invoicing processes.
• Comprehensive Time Tracking: Offers GPS tracking, geofencing, and project time tracking features for accurate data collection.
• User-Friendly Interface: Easy to learn and use for both employees and managers, minimizing onboarding time.

Features:

• Mobile and desktop time tracking, scheduling, project management, team messaging, and paid time off (PTO) tracking.