Independent-minded buying guide · updated 18 October 2026
Compare rota software for a small UK team without treating the longest feature list as the automatic winner. Start with your weekly workflow, then assess price, employee access, leave, availability, shift changes, attendance and reporting.
Alternative pages
Each guide uses the same fair structure: what each product is designed to do, current public pricing, who may prefer either option, a practical trial plan and dated source links.
Compare two UK rota products with different plan and pricing structures.
Compare a focused rota app with broader scheduling, compliance and automation.
Compare transparent fixed pricing with plans and modules priced on request.
Compare UK rota language and GBP pricing with an international scheduling product.
Compare a focused rota workflow with Operations, Communications and HR product hubs.
Where FlowRota fits
FlowRota is for shift-based teams that want planning, publishing, leave, availability, swaps, open shifts, clock-ins, timesheets and reports in one straightforward product. That narrower scope is a deliberate fit choice, not a claim that broader platforms are wrong.
Price vs features
All three products cover the basics of staff scheduling. The important difference is how much you pay to add clock-ins, timesheets and more advanced workforce tools.
Include employees, managers and administrators who need an account.
Estimated monthly cost for 5 billable users, including rota planning, clock-ins and timesheets
£1 per active user. Rotas, leave, GPS and shared-terminal clocking, timesheets and TOIL are included in one plan.
Explore FlowRota pricing →£10 Standard plan for 1–5 users, plus the £4.50 Time & Attendance add-on for clock-ins and automatic timesheets.
Compare FlowRota and RotaCloud →Lite: £3.60 per user on monthly billing , including basic time clocking and timesheets, with a £20 minimum monthly invoice . At five users, the £20 minimum applies.
Compare FlowRota and Deputy →At 5 users, FlowRota is £9.50/month less than RotaCloud and £15/month less than Deputy.
* Illustrative monthly-billed prices, excluding applicable taxes and optional extras. RotaCloud Standard and Time & Attendance are priced in employee-count bands. Deputy Lite is £3.60 per user on monthly billing (£3.25 with annual billing), subject to a £20 minimum monthly invoice. Include staff and managers who need an account. Prices may change; verify current quotations with each provider.
Included features and relevant plan differences, rather than a simple tick-box count.
| Feature | FlowRota | RotaCloud | Deputy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rota planning and reusable templates | Included | Standard | Lite |
| Holiday requests, balances and availability | Included | Standard | Lite |
| Open shifts and shift swaps | Included | Standard | Lite |
| Mobile and shared-device clock-ins | Included GPS clocking and shared terminal | Paid add-on Time & Attendance | Lite Basic time clocking |
| Timesheets and worked-hour reporting | Included Scheduled versus actual hours | Paid add-on Time & Attendance | Lite Basic timesheets; advanced on Pro |
| Holiday accrual and TOIL | Included Worked-hours accrual and TOIL | TOIL in Standard Automated accrual with Time & Attendance | Lite Automated leave accrual; check TOIL needs |
| Payroll preparation | Included Hours, pay reports and CSV export | Payroll export Via Time & Attendance | Lite Payroll and HR integrations |
| Advanced forecasting and labour optimisation | Not the focus Hours and wage reporting instead | Pro Labour forecasting and budget caps | Core Demand forecasting and auto-scheduling |
FlowRota: a lower-cost choice when rota planning, holiday, clock-ins and timesheets are the priorities. RotaCloud: a UK-focused option with more specialised scheduling and HR tools. Deputy: worth considering when demand forecasting, advanced automation or wider integrations matter more than the starting price.
Available on the web, iPhone, iPad and Android.
Holiday allowances accrued from worked hours
Employee schedule and allowance settings in one place
Absence management with performance ranking
Automated rolling schedules to simplify rota planning
Detailed reports for every type of worked hour
Friendly UK-based live chat support for managers
"The team at FlowRota is an extension of our own. Their guidance is unmatched."
Emily, Polly's Brew Co.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers for buyers building a practical UK rota-software shortlist.
There is no single best option for every business. FlowRota is designed for small UK teams that want a focused rota, leave, availability, attendance and reporting workflow with transparent GBP pricing. Broader platforms may suit teams that need advanced automation, global operations or wider employee tools.
Compare the weekly rota workflow, employee access, leave, availability, shift cover, clock-ins, timesheets, reports, permissions, support, integrations and total monthly cost. Test each product with the same real week of work.
FlowRota costs £1 + VAT per active user per month after a 30-day free trial. No payment card is required for the trial and every current FlowRota feature is included.
Choose a focused rota tool when scheduling, leave, cover and attendance are the main jobs. Consider a broader platform when you will actively use areas such as advanced forecasting, compliance, HR, training, general messaging or employee communications.
Usually, but the method depends on the supplier and data. Keep a clean employee list, current leave balances, role and location structure, and any records that must be retained. Ask each supplier what can be imported and what should be archived.
They were checked against official public pages on 18 October 2026. Prices and plans can change, so follow the source link and request a written quote before making a buying decision.
Try every current feature free for 30 days with no payment card. Continue for £1 + VAT per active user per month.
