Shift It vs Supershift - Which Shift Calendar App Is Better?
Both apps handle shift scheduling well, but they differ significantly on pay compliance and award checking.
If you’re looking for a shift calendar app, you’ve probably come across both Shift It and Supershift. They’re both solid options with clean interfaces and good reviews. But they solve different problems, and understanding that difference could save you time or money.
What they both do well
Both apps let you log your shifts, colour-code them, set up rotation patterns, and check your schedule at a glance. Both work on iOS and Android. Both have widgets so you can see your roster on your home screen. Supershift even has an Apple Watch app, which is genuinely handy if you’re the type who glances at your wrist instead of fishing your phone out of your pocket.
Supershift has a particularly strong reputation for ease of use. It’s been around a while and the interface is clean. You can schedule up to 2 years in advance, which is useful if your workplace publishes long-term rosters.
Shift It does the same core job. The difference isn’t about which one is prettier.
Where they differ: the pay side
Supershift has a basic earnings calculator. You tell it your hourly rate and it adds up your hours. That’s better than nothing, but it stops there.
Shift It has Pay Check. Here’s what Pay Check actually does:
- Calculates your pay based on your specific award (not just a flat hourly rate)
- Handles penalty rates — loadings for weekends, nights, public holidays — properly
- Compares your calculated pay to your actual payslip to spot errors or underpayment
If you work under an award - which most shift workers in Australia do - your pay isn’t just hours times rate. A night shift might be 20% extra. Sunday work might be double time. A public holiday could be 2.5× depending on your industry. Supershift’s simple hourly calculator doesn’t account for any of that.
That’s not a flaw in Supershift’s design - it’s just a different goal. Supershift is focused on scheduling. Shift It is built for shift workers who need to understand their pay.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Shift It (Free) | Supershift |
|---|---|---|
| Shift scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Rotation patterns | Yes (Roster Wizard) | Yes |
| Colour-coded shifts | Yes | Yes |
| Home screen widgets | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch | No | Yes |
| Spreadsheet import | 2 per month (free) | No |
| Award-based pay calculation | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Pay vs payslip comparison | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Live Pay (real-time earnings) | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Penalty rate handling | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Cloud sync | No (coming v3.1) | Yes (Pro) |
| Schedule sharing | Roster Buddies (P2P) | Invite link / QR code |
| PDF export | Timesheet + pay (Pro) | Calendar (granular layout control) |
Export and PDF
Supershift has solid PDF export for your calendar. You get control over layout, date range, and what's shown on the page. If you need to hand your manager a printed schedule or stick your roster on the fridge, it does the job well.
Shift It's export is focused on a different problem: timesheets and pay. Pro users can export a detailed PDF or CSV of their hours, rates, and calculated earnings across a pay period. It's less about printing a calendar and more about having a document you can hand to payroll or Fair Work if something doesn't add up.
Different tools for different needs. If you want a clean printed calendar, Supershift's export is better. If you want a pay-period breakdown you can use as evidence, Shift It's is the one you need.
Who should use which?
If you work shifts and you don’t care about pay calculations, Supershift is a genuinely good option. It’s focused, it’s clean, and the Apple Watch app and cloud sync are real advantages.
But if you’re under an award - if your job has penalty rates, loadings, or any variation in how you’re paid depending on when you work - you need an app that understands that. Shift It’s Pay Check feature exists because Australian and UK shift workers deal with complex pay rules. Supershift’s simple rate calculator can’t handle that.
And if you need to catch pay errors before they compound across months, Pay Check’s payslip comparison is worth the Pro subscription on its own. Underpayment is common in shift work, and most people don’t notice until they’re owed hundreds of dollars.
Know what you're owed.
Shift It checks your pay against your award automatically. Start free — upgrade when it catches its first mistake.